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Entries in this journal

More Photos

...I keep learning. I had said a couple of journals ago that I had a series of 3 journal entries to write. This is the third, but now I've decide to make it four. I'm still working on taking pictures of my coins. I'm finding out what needs to be done on different series of coins. For example, I'm learning that my Franklin FBL halves and Morgan dollars need a different approach than say a satin finished coin. But I keep listening, learning and experimenting, and hopefully when it's all said

Hope I Don't Reopen A Big Debate

...please think about my reasons. This is the second journal article of three I've been meaning to write. The main topic I want to address is something that had been discussed a few months ago. The topic is letting ANACS & ICG graded coins into registry sets. I guess I agree with the journal writer who made the point of not letting all of the companies in the competitive sets. I wish to offer a compromise, I'd sure like to see ANACS & ICG allowed in our Signature Sets. A couple of re

Slowly Building My Image Gallery

...even learned a few more things. I'm slowly plugging away at imaging all my coins. It certainly has been a learning experience for me. For instance, one thing I've learned is copper and bronze coins seem to photograph better if I set my white balance manually, then place the coin on a piece of 18% gray sheet, rather than a white sheet of paper, before I take the picture. Silver on the other hand, seems to work better on the white sheet. Another thing, I've noticed (and I hate to say it l

Reply to Bruce Willmore & picture

...the manual's can have small type can't they??? After reading Bruce's journal article, made me want to write another article myself. I can sympathize with him, as the manual to my digital camera has very small print also. And my 53 year old eyes can't see as well anymore either. But I picked up a tip out of mine the other day, on how to use the white balance control better. As proof to this, I submit the following pic of the Uncirculated San Francisco Mint commemorative I received today th

Photo Experimentation Is Over

...finally figured out the tint and more. At last, I feel like I'm getting there in regards to my pictures. The big thing I learned was: the green tint was not coming from my ceiling, but from the light source, and how I was positioning the coin. I tried the different white balance settings on my cam, and found the automatic was probably the best for my light source and how I position the coin. At least for right now anyway. Silver coins are still picking up a little more, but I'm confident

One More Experiment...

...the next journal article will share my final decision, plus a few general thoughts about the photos. First, I want to thank everyone who has responded to my pictures. I truly appreciate all the comments and suggestions. What really is touching to me, is all of you taking the time to look, make suggestions and offer comments. I do thank all of you. Tonight I'm carrying out my final experiment. Mike Cooper had shared some suggestions on lighting with me yesterday, so I went out to the hardw

Experimentation Never Ends...

Or here's another pic for your viewing pleasure. Same Ike dollar, only this time I used the overhead flourescent, with more daylight bulbs. I set the Whitness to Tungsten light. It has a bluish tint, but I almost think that looks attractive, especially on a silver coin. What do you all think?

Digital Photography Revisited

Or more trials & tribulations... ...or maybe it's not as simple as it looks. I'm still working with my digital cam, trying to get pictures to show my coins to their best advantage. In a previous journal entry, I wrote I thought I was getting the green tint on my photos from the ceiling boards here in my basement where collecting central is located. Earlier this afternoon, my brother came in to help me put some white contact paper on the ceiling boards. Well, guess what, yes, I'm still gett

Reading, Photos & Thinking

Better photos but less sets??? Like Jackson, I've been reading a lot the past month or two. Plus, I've been trying to think out my collecting interests better, trying to get rid of the green tint in some of my photos, but I have bought a few coins. Back in March, there was a coin show in Muscatine, Iowa, which is about an hour and 45 minutes away from me. So with my brother, we drove up to Muscatine on a sunny, cool Sunday. My brother is trying to put together a lower grade Walking Liberty s

Reply to Jackson's Journal entry

I try to confine myself also, unless I need to vent. I also agree with Jackson, I really try to be mellow and confine myself to my trials and high points with my Wild West set. But sometimes I do feel the need to speak out on other topics, and I do want to thank everyone for letting us all have our own point of views. In case everyone hasn't noticed, sometimes I read a journal article, feel the need to respond, and then go on to the next article, that's what's happening today. Another pictur
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Replying to Silver Dollar's Journal Entry

Re: Sparks & Slabs, and I've had experience with the sports card industy. I must state right up front that my ideas run contrary to what looks like the majority opinion here. I agree with Silver Dollar, as I too am getting tired of people wanting me to practically give them the coin when I'm trying to sell it. It's the same way in the sports card industry now, if a card lists for $20, most "collectors" want to pay maybe $2 or $3. Now I'm all for getting a bargain, but not a steal of a deal
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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What I Wish For Christmas...

...and it's not my two front teeth. Or, a multi-dimensional Wild West Signature Set. This journal entry will have several thoughts about my Wild West Signature Set. Where it's been, where I want it to go, and pleas to the NGC people who oversee the registries.The main thought I've been having has been germinating since late summer, and auctions from ANR (now Stacks since they've merged) have been the impetus. Several auctions late last summer and fall, as well as their current auction has had n
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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How Many Collect Stamps?

Or an informal survey. After I posted my previous journal article, I got to thinking and wondering. I'm curious about how many Collector's Society members also collect stamps, besides me? If you do, drop me a line, maybe if there is enough interest, it might move NGC to try some new things. I'm posting a picture showing 3 of my Wild West topical stamps. 3WestStamp
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Thank You

Didn't expect my Journal Award! I was extremely surprised, and VERY flattered, when I noticed I received a 2006 Journal Award. I hope everyone understands that my journal articles were easy to write, without thought of winning an award. My Wild West signature set and collection is so enjoyable, the articles practically wrote themselves. When a person enjoyes what he's doing, things always seem easier. I think the hard part will be trying to keep the quality in my journal writings (musings???)
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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It's The First Time...

...that NGC has taken this long on my submission. I went to a small local coin show on November 4th. (see my journal article "A Nice Afternoon For A Coin Show") I sent the coins for grading on the 6th, the Monday after the show, and NGC received them on the 9th. Well, that's been 32 working days now, not counting the day they received the coins, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. They are still marked as received!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I've been spoiled, as on e
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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The Wild, Wild West Will Return

after these words from it's sponsor... ...yes, I probably watched too much tv when I was younger. :-) However, since I am the major (and only) sponsor of my Wild, Wild West signature set, I've decided to do some changes. I've been mulling this over for the last few months, and finally decided it was time. For the last few months, I've had this feeling that my set was getting bulky and hard to handle. And I think also hard for anyone who looks at it to navigate through all the coins. So I'l
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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A Nice Afternoon For A Coin Show

Wild, Wild West didn't get too wild... It was a beautiful afternoon here in the heartland for attending a coin show. It was nice to be able to have some money to buy money, and a couple of coins will be added to my signature set. I attended a small local coin show at a mall this afternoon. I wish I could have spent more time there, but I couldn't take the whole day off from work. But I was allowed to leave work an hour early, and I made good use of my time. Two coins I really was looking f
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Still Taking Digital Pics

Ceiling color makes a difference... ...on the quality of the image. I have all my coins and my computer in the basement (finished), which keeps family harmony. The ceiling board in the basement is a light off green color. And it sure shows up in the pictures, especially on the silver coins which have a lot of luster. What's funny is, it took me about 3 days to figure this out. On Sunday, I finally took some time away, did some other hobby interests, and while I was doing them, I happened to
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Might As Well

Include a pic of the reverse. Here's the pic of the reverse. Again, comments (constructive??) both good and bad will be appreciated.   1877STrade
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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A New Digital Cam

Will I have some nice closeups? It's sure nice to be "back in the saddle again" for my collection. I went through a good year period where I had to really watch my coin expenditures, but now hopefully I have everything straightened out. I'm bidding on some ABN plates in a Stacks/ANR auction. I can't wait to see if I win them, as they will fit in nicely with my Wild, Wild, West Signature Set. I'm also looking at a Trade Dollar from Carson City, but it has a big splotch of toning right around
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Shawnee & Creek Indian Coins

Should I go on the warpath to purchase some of these for my Wild, Wild West Signature Set? While browsing a few of my favorite coin web sites, I've come across coins (comparable I guess to our commemorative coins) put out by the Shawnee and Poarch Creek Indians. As you all can imagine, these coins arouse my curiousity, and the Shawnee coins especially would fit in wonderfully with my Wild, Wild West signature set. Now, since my coin budget is limited, I have questions. Can these coins be cla
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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A Major Brain Lapse

or open mouth and remove foot!!! I don't know what I was thinking about last night when I was writing my journal entry, but it evidently wasn't coins. I have no idea why I typed Roosevelt dimes when I know I should have typed Mercury dimes!!!!! I hope everyone got a good laugh out of it. Now, if you'll please excuse me while I go to surgically remove a size 9 foot from my mouth. :-)  
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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RE: Photo Illiterate

Doubled or Overdate??? First let me say that I do not consider myself the world's greatest coin expert, especially for Roosevelt dimes. When I looked at the 1942 dime picture, my first impression was it was just a doubled strike, rather than an overdate. Now, I'll admit that maybe my reading of the definitions were not understood correctly. I thought an overdate was caused by a date punch (in this case 1942) over the previous date (1941 or over the current 1942). I do think that it's not a n

More Father's Day Thoughts

A MPC? from WW2 I hope everyone doesn't mind another collector who is missing his dad on father's day. Dad's been gone 26 years this December, but sometimes I can feel him still with me. I've told about the 1900-O Morgan that I have now, that he saved. I asked mom a couple of weeks ago if she knew why he would have kept that particular date, and she couldn't think of any reason. Maybe the reason is when I look at it, I think of him. I know back when I was a kid (grade school and junior high)

A New Signature Set -- Saluting

World War 2 and the brave men and women who served our nation. I'm starting a new signature set, to commemorate the veterans of World War 2. My dad served in the Army, and this is a tribute to him. Before I go any further, I do want to say, I'm not trying to slight any veterns of our armed forces. I truly appreciate their sacrifices for us, from the Revolution to now. It's just as I said, this set is being made to honor my dad. This set will consist of 17 coins of circulation strikes. Thes
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