It takes "all kinds" to make a world!

Greetings Collectors,

I have been reading the journals of late in regards to those who list coins in the registry they do not own. It has to be that those guilty parties are the same ones who would copy off others "test papers" in grade school. It's also just like the guy who has a huge spoiler installed on the rear of his three year old 4 cylinder "Focus". Or like the person next to you at the light with his stereo pumping out enough "base" to spill your coffee on your way to work. Each and every one have one thing in common and all three are lacking only one thing. Ironicly both the "in common" and the "lacking" are the exact same thing, A "huge" sign on their back saying "LOOK AT ME" I am tring to be "somebody". It's really kinda sad...

Anyway just wanted to share a "triplet" of items I honestly own. Sandwiched between two 1-ounce silver bars is another one of my "Gem" full bell line Franklin halves. While the toning may to some, leave alot to be desired, the coin is a marvelous example of a pretty scarce 2nd year of issue and the 1st San Fransisco mint coin of the 35-piece series that has become so special to me. The 1949-S is a coin that in full bell line, NGC has only graded a mere 189 examples, with the lowest being a single coin in AU-58 & with the vast majority coming in between that "under mint state" grade & up to the fairly large 97 examples in the grade pictured here of MS-65 FBL. This is one of very few dates that have a massive amount of coins graded higher than MS-65 FBL. NGC has seen 13 coins that have come in at 66-FBL and then a single example graded MS-67 FBL. These figures show just how truly scarce yet another date & mint are in this somewhat "overlooked" silver series.

I have been having a "blast" looking at these almost 100 slabbed half dollars these last four days. I have 4 sets of these going at present and thought of maybe getting rid all but set 1 & 2. Thinking I could use the proceeds to fuel the completion of those two sets. But after having looked at each coin very closly, there is "no way" I could sell a single coin, much less a couple of sets with several dozen coins that to me is a regular "gold mine" of absolutely gorgeous awesome silver coins. Each and every one of them are here to stay. The only time any will hear an "auction hammer" will be long after I'm gone. Actually the way my will is set up, my coin collection is to be sold at auction, 20 years after my passing. That way my three children will hopefully have grown some serious "brains" and will reap a much larger reward after they have reached a more "mature" state. This ploy is more for the benefit of my two boys who are presently ages 12 & 14 with interests limited to skateboarding & girls and not in that order. My daughter is already way smarter than I and will graduate from the Univ. of Fl. law school the middle of next month.

As I close, it's my wish that each of us just follow that golden rule and remember to keep honesty in the forefront. If we all stick to that principal, I really don't see how one could lose. I do honestly testify that this '49-S belongs to me, always has and always will.

Now for its present silver companions sitting on either side, they may or may not always belong to me. But for now they do. The bar on the left is the baby brother of that monster 40.2 ounce bar that I pictured in a recent post. Minted from silver mined in and around Helena Montana in the early 1900's. The other bar at Franklins right, a 1-ounce bar of another fairly rare issue, mined and minted by L-son Refining, again many many years ago.

I hope each of you are having fun with your coins and that goes for any other collections you have chosen to engage in. As far as with me, I really don't see how I could be having any more fun than I am having at present. Happy Collecting to all of you here!

WKF