Mohawk

You're right, James. The Mint stopped giving a c*ap about collectors a while ago. What they care about now is finding that next cash cow and milking it to death, and the collector can go pound sand. The nice thing about this hobby is that there are many great things you can collect without having to get the U.S. Mint involved. You save a lot of headaches once you get them out of your life, let me tell you!

It actually is a shame. I honestly did not mean to get political or open this Pandora's Box, but my mom meant a lot to me, she still does, and I guess her stance on free speech and freedom to peacefully protest means a lot to me, too. I didn't mean to upset anyone or anything like that, but I wanted to properly honor her teachings to me and her memory, even though there are those who disagree with it. I think that the flag of this country and the national anthem can mean different things to different people and those meanings don't always jive or agree with each other. This is true of almost any symbol and that's what the flag and the anthem both are, symbols. But we should be able to express those opinions, thoughts and meanings. We should be able to live our authentic experiences, follow our consciences and do what we think is right for ourselves as long as it's peaceful and we're not placing other people in danger or dehumanizing other people by doing so. It's just a shame that there's often not a civil discussion to be had between those with these differing viewpoints. And I'm not blaming one side of the argument or the other when I say this....I'm just stating it as a fact between the different sides of the argument. That's all.

I'll full on apologize, actually. I'm sorry I went off on a political rant. By the Gods I freaking hate politics!! Now, can we start talking about coins, rounds, bars, exonumia, currency, Dan Carr coins, Ol' Slicky's fakes, TPGs.....ANYTHING but politics!

You make a great point here, Coinbuf. There's definitely an ego component to people chasing coins like this for sure. I don't know.....things like that are so stratospheric that it's nothing most of us have to consider but if I had that kind of money, I think I'd still be chasing the same things I am now rather than all of a sudden chasing the super-rarities. They're almost their own things that exist outside of the series that they're technically a part of, you know? Almost no one who collects Liberty Nickels can afford a 1913, so it's not considered a ding against your set not to have one. For me, I never really saw the appeal....there are plenty of more attainable numismatic items that often have cooler stories than the mega rarities anyway.

Okay....I understand what you're saying. And that's your right to think that way. However, I believe what you believe is BS in this case, too, because I happen to agree with my folks. Guess we're even. Actually....I just got thinking about this.....are you against people peacefully protesting things that they think are wrong? Because it kind of sounds to me like you are if those people are disagreeing with what you believe. That's not a very American stance, I must say.

Why? I want to know why you're calling this BS. Do you know what my parents said to me and how they felt about things? As far as I know, you didn't know my mom and you don't know my dad, so how can you claim BS on this?

And this is a good point, too. I was thinking more of regular folks and high school and college athletes rather than pro athletes when I typed what I did. Celebrities and socio-political views are often a bad mix. Speaking for myself, I'm typically very uninterested in what millionaires have to say about pretty much anything. I probably should have been clearer about that one.

That's all a fair point and, of course, you are completely entitled to your point of view and your feelings. That's what my whole point and what my parents felt on it was all about. Freedom of speech and perspective, the freedom to peacefully protest what you feel is wrong and the right to these things.

I thank you so much for saying this, Jblindy, and understanding the stances of myself and my parents. My late mom would be quite happy to read what you wrote.

While I agree with much of what you said, my friend, I have to take a bit of an exception with the anthem kneeling part of it.....that's part of free speech and expression. There have been times over the past four/five years that my mom and dad, themselves both veterans as I said, would have kneeled themselves to protest the things that were being protested by those who kneeled. I know this because they both said this to me. Without getting too political, neither one of them was any happier with the past four/five years than I was. They took no issue with the anthem kneeling whatsoever. They've both said to that the freedom to speak out peacefully against things you think are wrong and trying to push to change things for the better are exactly what they served for. Just because my parents served this country and loved it in their own ways doesn't mean that they thought (or still think in the case of my dad) that it's perfect and that there aren't things that could change for the better. I think being Vietnam Era vets had a big impact on them. Though they were in the military and served honorably and with distinction, they were both strongly against the Vietnam War, actually. They certainly did their jobs and definitely didn't hold anything against their fellow soldiers, but they definitely held it against the politicians involved in their later years. I don't remember exactly how my mom said it to me, but the gist of it was that she felt that the more important part of her duty in the military was to preserve the rights of those protesting the war to protest the war than to win an unwinnable war that had already cost far too many lives. I apologize for edging into something political again, but I know that my mom would want me to say this.

Very true. I agree with all of this. U.S. politics in general either disillusion or disgust me by and large and have for almost as long as I remember. Despite my responses, I actually hate the topic, but I had one of those visceral reactions that Roger is referring to. I, for one, would like to get back to coins and off of U.S. political garbage. Given my thoughts on the whole issue of the U.S. and American politics as a whole entity, I should probably just move to Canada anyway

That about sums that one right up.

No doubt, Hog! But if I had it, I'd definitely sell it....I have to be honest. I'm not very interested in U.S. Coins, but I could get a TON of things I'm actually interested in with $4 Million.

Oh please, for the love of the Gods, NO!!!! He gets elected again and I'm freaking out of this country. His term was the worst 4 years of my life. I'm not doing another 4 like that. Thankfully, Canada isn't far away from me, our local accent is already fairly similar to a Canadian accent and I know the words to O Canada. I may have to learn them in French though...but learn it I will. The nice thing is my dad and sister would likely come with us....they can't stand him, either. Kurt.....I'd have to call a divorce lawyer if I were in your shoes.

I'm 100% with you on this Hoopster.....the damage on the coin would not be present on a brockage, but damage from a vise would case exactly what we're seeing.

On behalf of my late mother, who was a Vietnam Era Air Force veteran, I'd like to thank you all for these sentiments. I know it would make her happy and that means a lot to me. I should thank you for my dad, too. He was also in the Air Force during Vietnam, though he's still alive, happily. He's just not a coin collector or on the NGC Boards, so he'll likely never see this. And on behalf of me and mine, I thank everyone else who served as well. I myself am not a veteran, only a descendant of them, but I'm certainly appreciative of veterans!

Thanks for posting that Ed. That should be helpful to the OP. I myself have no interest in such things. Now, medals of Egyptian Pharaohs would likely be a different story..........

Yep. Vice job. Someone really punished that cent......

That's a really neat coin, Mike!! I love the shape of it and what it commemorates. Thanks for sharing it!

I'm certain it would. I know it would crack me up if I saw that without warning....it did when I saw Mark's photo, actually.

Nah.....just clean it in some Goof-Off and it should be just fine.

Indeed. Unless our old buddy and NGC Boards hero Slick Coins pops up with a 1905-CC that he bathed in some CLR or something like that.

That. Is. AWESOME!! That's truly one of the greats, Mark

Oh geez......of course they are!!! Along with a colorized Purple Heart Hall of Honor silver dollar and more wonderful ornaments and silver presidential medals. I think I'd rather have the Kiss rounds that Mike found than anything on that schedule.

Post I responded to with this removed. Yay!!