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brg5658

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Journal Entries posted by brg5658

  1. brg5658

    Oldest one yet

    By brg5658,

    1760 years old horse coin
    I have been looking at the ancient coins for a while, trying to find one with a strong strike and with enough history to merit a position in my horse-themed set. There are several ancient coins from Greece featuring the winged horse, but most of these Pegasus coins are well out of my budget. Some of the very old "quadrigus" Roman coins feature a chariot being drawn by 4 horses (thus the QUAD part of the name), but again these are often priced for several hundred dollars for a reasonably struck example.
    I did a lot of browsing of ancient coins, mostly Roman, just by using Google and clicking from page to page. There were a few that caught my attention, and I did a little more research on them to find some history and context. One of the Roman coins that featured a prominent horse image is that struck during the reign of the 34th Roman Emperor, Decius (reigned from 249-251 AD). Examples of this coin are generally well struck, feature an obverse with a very classic looking emperor bust, and display the Emperor on horse-back on the reverse.
    Below is the example I recently added to my collection. It is graded NGC Choice Extra Fine, with 4/5 Surface and 4/5 Strike components. The obverse bust is sharp, and the horse and rider is well centered and quite detailed. Not bad for a coin that's been around more than 1750 years.
    Also, if you haven't taken a look at my horse-themed set for a while, I have been working on composing all of the photos in a consistent style. They all feature the horse side of the coin prominently, the non-horse side in 1/2 the size of the horse side, and a coin description or photo of the label of the holder. In the 2nd photo slot I have made photo compilations related to the subject matter of the coin itself. This has been a fun task to pass the time, as I've had to cut back on purchases so my coin budget can recover from the July Heritage auction.
    Happy collecting!
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=5705

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  2. brg5658
    250th addition!
    In early 2011 I started a thematic collection of coins, tokens, medals, and all things "numismatic" related to horses. The set reached the 250th item last week when I added a new British Medal -- nearly 4 years to the day of when I first created the set. The reverse of the medal is pictured below, and I will post pictures of both sides in the chat forum.
    This new addition is number 31 in the series of historical medals issued by James Mudie in 1820. In his reference (Mudie J. An Historical and Critical Account of a Grand Series of National Medals. London 1820, pp. 125-126) the medal is described as:
    OBVERSE: His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
    REVERSE: Entry of the English into Hanover, which is here allegorized by Britannia giving succour to the Hanoverian Horses.
    ===========================================
    A bit more historical information from the Numismatic Chronicle (1888, Volume 8; pp. 262-263).
    This is one of Mudie's series of national medals. Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, son of George III and Queen Charlotte, born 24 Feb., 1774, was in 1793 appointed colonel in the Hanoverian army. He served in the campaign of 1794-5, and in 1803 was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the King's German legions, a force in British pay, and destined to relieve Hanover then menaced by the French armies. The Duke of Cambridge, however, soon transferred his command to Count Walmoden, and coming to England was charged with superintendence of a home district. In 1814, when the French were expelled from Hanover, the Duke again took command of the electorate, which under the Treaty of Vienna was elevated to the rank of a kingdom, the Duke being appointed Governor-General in 1816. He continued to discharge these important duties till the year 1837 when the death of William IV. placed Hanover under the rule of the next male heir, the Duke of Cumberland. The Duke afterwards took up his residence at Cambridge House, Piccadilly, where he died 8 July, 1850. He was very popular in this country, and for many years was regarded as emphatically the connecting link between the throne and the people.
    ===========================================
    PCGS SP65, 41mm (BHM-777, Eimer-1058, Mudie-31)

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  3. brg5658
    Where did they go?
    I am trying to view my custom sets (including my horse set) and they are not showing up tonight. Even from collection manager, when I click on the set, it shows that there are no coins in it!!! Can this really be? I hope this is just a fluke...I have spent hundreds of hours on putting that set together and organizing it.
    In a bit of a panic...

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  4. brg5658
    Horses galore...
    Saturday of this last weekend was my first time to the MOON Show in the Minneapolis, MN area. I went with no particular idea of what to expect, but after my normal "one-time-through browse", I stopped back at the few tables that caught my eye. In the end, I only purchased one coin for the day, but it was one that was on my want-list for quite some time.
    I found a nice example of a Half Crown that features the small rendition of St. George Slaying the Dragon on the reverse splitting the date (see close-up image below). The fact that St. George is on a horse is one draw for my collecting niche -- another draw is that I simply have a hard time saying no to a coin with this amount of eye appeal that also pictures Queen Victoria. It was a nice perk that it was also a better date of the small half crown Jubilee Head series.
    This coin also marks a pretty significant milestone in my horses collection -- number 200! I'm glad to have such a striking coin as the 200th addition to my custom collection. As always, I will post the full size images on the Chat Boards for all to see.
    Thanks for looking!
    -Brandon

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  5. brg5658
    Doesn't get much better than this one...
    When I started my horses collection 2 years ago, one of the first resources I browsed was the Dalton & Hamer (D&H) reference for Conder Tokens. There are many designs featuring horses, and I have a list that I regularly look for. Well, about 10 days ago, one on that list came up for sale on eBay, and I was determined to get her home to my collection!
    The token in my sights was a Lancashire (Rochdale) 1792 issued piece. The obverse features the Arms of the Clothworkers' Company with a lovely detailed ram crest. The legend reads "ROCHDALE HALFPENNY 1792". The reverse shows a mounted dragoon (infantryman) with sabre galloping to the left -- the legend reads "PRO REGE ET PATRIA" (translated as "for King and County"), and the text "QUEENS BAYS" is in exergue. The edge is inscribed with "PAYABLE IN LONDON" with the reminder engrailed.
    This token is listed in D&H as "scarce", with an estimated mintage of between 75 and 150 tokens. The real wow factor for this piece is its level of preservation. It survives in almost original state, and is graded by NGC at an almost unbelievable MS66RB. It exhibits surfaces of lovely browns interspersed with lustrous red areas.
    Of interest is that the dragoon (horse) design is used on pieces from several counties, not just this Lancashire token. Among them being:
    Norfolk DH-7, 46, and 47
    Somersetshire DH-87
    Warwickshire DH-60 and 61
    Yorkshire DH-64
    This token will take a spot among the herd as my 177th certified numismatic item featuring a horse. She will be one of my most treasured items for many years to come. As always I will post larger images on the Chat Boards.
    Happy collecting!!
    -Brandon

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  6. brg5658

    My first NGC submission

    By brg5658,

    A good experience
    For my first 14 months on the NGC Collectors Society webpage I had only the free membership. After those first few months, I decided that having a paid membership was worth the information available in the census reports. When it came time to renew that basic membership, I went one step further and decided I would get the premium membership so that I could submit my first 5 coins for grading to NGC. That certificate was set to expire on 1/13/2013, so I had to get my act together and get that submission made.
    I have a fairly large group of raw horse-related coins, and so I decided to send in a selection of 5 coins from among those. Nothing high dollar here -- just some coins that I'd like to add to my horse custom set. I thought for a while, and in the end I sent 5 coins, but only 3 different types (I sent a single of one design, and a pair of two other designs). The turn-around from my door round-trip back to my door was 20 days. In particular, the dates were:
    1/2/2013: Sent via Registered Mail to NGC
    1/7/2013: Received by NGC
    1/8/2013: Scheduled for grading
    1/15/2013: Graded and passed quality control
    1/15/2013: Finalized/Imaged/Shipped from NGC to me
    1/22/2013: Received the coins back from NGC
    Overall it was a good learning experience, and I'm happy with the results of this undertaking. I'm posting below my favorite coin of the bunch, and I'll post images of all 5 of the coins (with grades) on the Chat Boards.
    I am hoping this year to submit a dozen or so coins in addition to my 5 coins for my premium membership certificate. Now that I've experienced the process and realize how painless it is, let the fun begin!!
    All the best, and I hope everyone is enjoying their 2013 so far!
    -Brandon

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  7. brg5658

    A new coin

    By brg5658,

    Been on my radar for a while
    I was able to pick up a coin that has been on my radar for quite some time. Namely, Ireland released a silver 15 Euro coin in 2010 that pictures a mare and her foal. It was issued in a quantity of 15,000 pieces, and the image of the horse is a flashback to the Irish half crown from 1928 through the 1960s. It is quite a stunning coin in hand (I posted pictures below).
    I was reflecting today on how much difference a year makes in the collecting world. Last year at this time I was finishing up the descriptions, pictures, and making the final touch-ups to my Horse Themed custom set. It was a set that was 69 coins strong at the time of the NGC Registry awards cut-off. One year later and the set is up to 146 coins, and the coming winter will make a perfect time for me to fully describe all of the set additions.
    I have met many great people on this forum, and I am thankful to have such a place to share this great hobby of ours. As we go into the coming week, I wish you all a very wonderful Thanksgiving.
    All the best,
    -Brandon

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  8. brg5658
    A more difficult "horse" type coin...
    In the past week I was able to pick up an example of an Italian type coin that has been on my radar for quite some time. It is admittedly "crusty", but the design is simply stunning -- as I can say for many an Italian coin.
    This is a wonderful type coin minted in Italy from 1926-1934. However, for collectors, it was effectively minted from 1926-1930, as the 1931-1934 pieces are exceedingly rare with a mintage of only 50 pieces from each year. The 1928 mintage was relatively high (6.8 million coins), but regardless of the year, this is a particularly difficult coin to find in collectable grades of AU and higher, and gem mint state examples are few and far between. This particular example exhibits a nice "crusty" original look, and I was very happy to find it as an affordable example of the type in my horse themed set.
    To complicate matters, for the years 1927-1929, this coin design comes in two varieties. One has the edge lettering * FERT * (one star separation; referred to as KM# 68.1) while the other has the edge lettering * * FERT * * (two stars separation; referred to as KM# 68.2). While this difference is subtle, the pricing is quite different, particularly for the 1928 coin. According to Krause, the 68.1 version (which is the one I have) is books at around $300 in AU, whereas the scarcer 68.2 version of the coin books at around $1400.
    The obverse of the coin features the bust of Vittorio Emanuele III, King of Italy from 1909-1946. The reverse features a woman riding in a biga (a chariot drawn by two horses used in ancient Rome for sporting events, transportation, and ceremonial occasions). This two horse chariot is the analogy to the larger and quite possibly more well known quadriga, which is drawn by 4 horses instead of 2. A quadriga design is also featured on Italian 1 Lire and 2 Lire coins of this period, and I have a 1916-R 2 Lire graded MS62 holding that spot in my set.
    As always, I will post larger images on the chat boards thread. I hope everyone is having a good summer and avoiding the horrendous heat that has been sweeping across our nation.
    Be well, and happy collecting!

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  9. brg5658

    A milestone...

    By brg5658,

    100th coin added to my horses set
    This will be a short post, but an exciting one for me. Today I received my 2012 Sacagawea Dollar proof coin in the mail. I have been excited for this new design for several months, and it was fun to finally see one in hand. It seems fitting that this coin also happens to be coin #100 in my horses themed set!
    I truly love the Sacagawea dollar design, and it is one of the few coins that I collect as a series. I opted for the proof version for my horse collection, and when I find the MS examples they will of course be added to my complete set of Sacagawea dollars.
    I hope everyone is having a good week.
    Happy collecting!
    -Brandon

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  10. brg5658

    3 Newps

    By brg5658,

    Past the 50 mark
    Tonight I was able to take some photos of my most recent additions to my horse-themed set. Below you will see the three most recent additions.
    The first is a 10 cent piece from 1953 Spain. This coin was minted during a historically interesting period in Spain, and I hope to write some details in the coin description very soon.
    The 2nd is the reverse of a 1961 Heraldic Art Medal commemorating the Centennial of the Statehood of Kansas. This one has particular meaning to me as I was born in and spent the first 24 years of my life in Kansas. It's a beautiful coin featuring a rendition of the Seal of the State of Kansas, and the motto "Ad Astra Per Aspera" -- translated as "To the stars through difficulty".
    The last coin shown is a $1 proof issue from the Sovereign Poarch Creek Nation of American Indians in Alabama. I was pointed to this beautiful coin by nunfa0. A lot of members here are starting to know me as "that horse guy", and I've been getting some great pointers and links. I appreciate all of these!!!
    I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm trying to enjoy the nice weather while it lasts...as I'm sure we'll be covered in snow within a few short weeks.
    Cheers,
    -Brandon

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  11. brg5658

    New addition

    By brg5658,

    Beautiful 1828 horse
    This post will be quick and short. The past week I have acquired a couple new coins to add to my horse-themed topical set. The one that I have been waiting for most to arrive in hand came today. It was everything I thought it would be, and I'm happy to add it to my set.
    The coin is an 1828 16 Gute Groschen, a part of the German States issues for Hannover. It has exceptional luster, some reverse toning, and great eye appeal. I just love the detail in the mane and tail of the horse, and it is the third coin in my set with a rendition of the Saxon Steed. Some form of this design has been used on the coinage of the Saxon States of Germany as far back as the 1600s. Below is a zoomed in view of the horse image, and as always I'll post a large compilation photo on the Chat Boards.
    I hope everyone has a great weekend.
    Cheers!

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  12. brg5658

    A new red beauty

    By brg5658,

    Galloping past 40 coins...
    This week I have added a couple new coins to my horses set. These coins put me past the 40 coin mark for the set!
    I have been looking for a Venezuela coin featuring the horse on the national arms shield for quite some time. I was patient, and picky about this one, and I'm happy with the coin I finally picked up. I purchased a 1965 25 Centimos piece from Teletrade graded MS65 by NGC. It's a superbly clean coin, and has great detail. I love the steely look of it, and it's size is petite at 17 mm, or about the size of the U.S. Dime.
    The second coin I acquired was through a trade with a fellow Collector's Society member. Specifically, brolytiz has a superb set of Lithuanian coins from 1925-1938. Lucky for me, he also had some extra examples. As a part of a trade, I am happy to add to my horses set a 1936 2 Centai piece graded MS64 RED by NGC. It is a beautiful coin, and features the same left facing mounted horseman/knight as my 1548 Lithuanian/Polish half grosz (also in my horses set). This is a symbol of Lithuania that has stood the test of time and is still used on their coinage to this day.
    I hope everyone is having a good week. I will post large photos of both new coins on the Chat Boards link. Below is a small version of the Lithuania .
    Cheers!

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  13. brg5658

    The cornerstone

    By brg5658,

    Patience is a virtue...
    Purchased from Catbert on 6/16/2011. He was kind enough to send it off for grading to NGC before then sending it along to me. It is one of the most stunning examples of a Conder Token I have ever seen. Exactly 2 months after I had verbal acceptance of my offer, I received it today (8/16/2011). I will say, patience was definitely a virtue in the case of this one. Many thanks to Catbert for his willingness to work with me, and ultimately for his being willing to part with this beautiful piece of history.
    It is now the cornerstone of my Horse-themed set, and will be my avatar on coin forums for the foreseeable future. It will remain the #1 listed coin in my Horse-themed set, and will be the only coin/token/medal to feature oversized photos of both the obverse and reverse. All other entries will eventually feature the composite photo of the obverse and reverse, and a 2nd photo with some historic significance. You can see my gallery here: coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetGallery.aspx?s=5705
    ------------------------------------------------
    This particular token is the D&H 342 version, even though NGC has given it the incorrect D&H 339 attribution. The attribution to D&H 342 is definitive, as the token has the larger boar on the obverse, and the text "PONTHON" is very evident on the dividing exergue line. This particular token is a bronzed proof, with absolutely stunning surfaces, razor sharp details, and pristine edge lettering.
    Dalton & Hamer list this token as being "Scarce", which corresponds to a mintage of approximately 75-150 pieces, or a comparable Sheldon Rarity of about R4. Listed in Bell's "Commercial Coins 1787-1804" as "RARE", he estimated a mintage of 75 or less struck of these. In summary, this token is quite scarce in general, and given the high grade of this particular specimen, it is possibly one of the finest surviving examples available.
    Historical context: Christopher Ibberson was the proprietor of this famous old hostelry in High Holborn in the West End of London. It was originally just called the "Blue Boar" and was a starting point for coaches heading North, and the tokens themselves advertise ?Mail and Post Coaches to all parts of England?. Ibberson himself must have been a considerable businessman, as the records of the Old Bailey show him twice sitting on the Middlesex Grand Jury: in 1790, and again in 1792. The same records show that the George & Blue Boar was well known locally. In September 1796, Charles Scoldwell stood trial for the theft of two tame ducks, valued at 3s. During cross-examination, the driver of the stage coach from Bedford, who had brought Scoldwell to London, was asked: Is there a more public inn in Holborn, or more coaches go from any inn, except the George and Blue-Boar? to which he replied 'I don?t believe so.' In the event Scoldwell got more transportation than he had bargained for.
    The Ibberson tokens include a rendering of St George and the Dragon by Ponthon, and a neatly impressed edge inscription, though this was a process which Boulton was gradually abandoning, relying instead on the precision of manufacture and the full weight of his tokens, for their security against counterfeiting. Ibberson ordered half a ton of tokens in December 1794, but by February 1795 wrote again to Boulton, this time to cancel his order ?as in consequence of what appeared in the Gazette a few evenings ago, there is not a doubt but the Circulation of the new Halfpence will be Stopped.? In the event, it was not the Circulation but Ibberson?s tokens themselves which were stopped.
    ------------------------------------------------
    FROM DALTON & HAMER:
    The Ibberson tokens of this design are indexed in Dalton & Hamer with numbers 338 through 343.
    338. An artist's proof in tin of the obverse die of No. 339 without the boar (unique).
    339. Obv: St. George killing the dragon, crest, a boar. HOLBORN LONDON (Exergue: C. IBBERSON)
    Rev: MAIL. & | POST COACHES | TO ALL PARTS OF | ENGLAND (in four lines with a laurel)
    Edge: PAYABLE AT THE GEORGE & BLUE BOAR LONDON.
    Also stuck in silver
    339a. Same as 339, but with milled edge.
    340. Obv: Same as 339 (or very similar).
    Rev: A cypher R W on a shield, hanging on a tree, &c.
    341. Obv: Same as 339 (or very similar).
    Rev: No.? | SIX | PENCE | 1800 (unique, in British museum).
    342. Obv : Similar to last, but the boar is larger, and with PONTHON in minute letters on the exergue line.
    Rev: The same as No. 339.
    Edge: The same as No. 339.
    Also struck in silver.
    343 and 343Bis. Obv: An imitation struck by Taylor of Holborn about 1870, has a small boar, and is
    without saddle-cloth. Ex: G. JBBERSON. Rev: Similar to No. 339, but the letters are narrower. Edge: Plain (in collar).
    Struck in brass, copper, and white-metal. 343 Bis is similar, but reads C. IBBERSON.

  14. brg5658

    The Holy Grail

    By brg5658,

    Owning an MS70 Lincoln Cent
    When I started my 21st Century Type Set just a few short months ago, I would constantly go to the Registry listing and admire the coveted jewel of the MS70RD Lincoln Cent example in "The Ness Collection". It was a coin to only dream of.
    To pursue other goals (namely to put together one of the most superb collections of Roosevelt Proof Dimes ever), the owner of "The Ness Collection" recently put much of his 21st Century Type Set up for sale. Long story short, I acquired his absolutely stunning MS70RD SMS Lincoln Cent. What was merely a dream a few short months ago, is now a reality. I added it to my 21st Century Type Set this evening.
    This was the icing on the cake for a wonderful weekend. I celebrated my 32nd birthday on Saturday, and added one of what will likely be my most prized coins for many years to come. Thanks Jaime!
    I will attach a larger picture to the Chat Boards link, but below is a taste of this beauty!
    Cheers!
    -Brandon

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  15. brg5658

    A couple newbies

    By brg5658,

    Been a while since I've written...
    I was away the past week or so, taking a break from work and visiting some family. I ventured back to where my parents and siblings all live in the middle of the Great Plains, where temps were over 110 more than half of the week I was there. Needless to say, I spent most of my time indoors as I'm a softie living up in Minnesota for the past 8 years.
    When I returned back to the slightly cooler temps of the Northland, I was greeted by several arrivals in the mail box. I made some upgrades to my 20th Century Type set, after working a good deal with a fellow Collector's Society member. In particular, I upgraded my Buffalo Nickel to an MS67 1937 from my 1938-D MS66. I also upgraded to an MS68 Silver Ike dollar. For my US Type Set, I also added (as part of the same transaction) a PF66 1907 Liberty Nickel. This is the lowest mintage year of all of the proof Liberty Nickels. While it isn't the rarest, it is still a great coin. This is now one of the highlights of my collection, and I absolutely love the coin.
    In addition to some upgrades, I also had a couple horse-themed items in the mix. Below you will see the reverse of one of my newly added beauties. This is the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Expo Medal, sold during the expo in Omaha, Nebraska. It is a nice example, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how gorgeous it is in hand and how high the relief is. There is a spot on the obverse just to the left of the bust (see full picture attached to the Chat Boards post), but otherwise the coin is clean and appealing. The reverse features an American Indian hunting the bison in very high relief. It's a gorgeous design, and bears the date 1848 (50 years prior to the Expo).
    I hope everyone is off to a good start this week. I can't believe it's August already!
    Happy collecting.

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  16. brg5658

    1791 Conder Token

    By brg5658,

    The horse-theme set breaks into new territory
    Last week I was browsing listing on the BAY and came across an absolutely beautiful chocolate-brown token from 1791 Yorkshire that I just couldn't pass up.
    This is a common Conder Token, with 5 tons estimated to have been struck. There are trifling variations in the dies used for this token, and there are also several mules. This is a superbly struck example of the token, graded as MS65BN by NGC. It exhibits great detail and overall chocolatey beauty.
    OBVERSE: The design is taken from the equestrian statue of William III standing near the south end of the Market Place. It was erected by public subscription in 1734, and was at first in a large square, but this took up too much space, and it was replaced by a close railing with four lamps placed around it. The statue was executed by Scheemaker. The pedestal bears the inscription: "This statue was erected in the year 1734 to the memory of King William III, our great deliverer." The inscription is "GULIELMUS TERTIUS REX." which translates at "King William the Third". The bottom bears the date of "MDCLXXXIX" which is 1689 in Roman Numerals -- the year in which King William came to the throne as the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
    REVERSE: The reverse presents the Arms of the town of Hull, originally known as Wyke-upon-Hull, and subsequently Kingstown, or Kingston-upon-Hull: incorporated by Edward I, and made a county of itself by Henry VI. The text is "Hull Halfpenny" and it bears the date of striking of 1791.
    EDGE: The edge is stamped with the text "PAYABLE AT THE WAREHOUSE OF IONATHAN GARTON & CO". Garton and Shackles were linen drapers in the Market Place in Hull.
    While this is a new arena for me, I can definitely see why people LOVE these gorgeous tokens!
    Picture: http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinView.aspx?sc=105820
    Cheers,
    -Brandon
  17. brg5658
    Three more added to my herd
    Hello all,
    I don't want these journals to start sounding monotonous, but I wanted to share my three most recent beauties with those who have been following this set. It seems that all of my recent purchases are coming in the mail in waves.
    The three I am describing here are too many to post in one picture, so I will not post a picture here, but rather you can click on the "Discuss on Chat Boards" link as always and see the three horse coins.
    1) 1950 Monaco Piefort Essai 50 Francs -- This coin is struck in double the weight and thickness of the circulation version. It has a total mintage of 325 pieces, and is graded SP63. It has a fair amount of toning, and even has some dark blues near the crest of the knights helmet. I don't know if it is normal or not, but this particular curiously has a medallic orientation (whereas when you flip the coin on the East-West axis the reverse image is properly oriented -- this is contrary to the "coin orientation" where when you flip the coin on the North-South axis the reverse maintains proper orientation).
    2) 2007 Poland 10 Zloty -- This bar shaped "coin" commemorates 450 years of the Polish Knight. It is a part of the Polish series of commemorative coins struck to signify the historical impact of the cavalry (horse) on the history of Poland.
    3) 1935 Great Britain 1 Crown -- Struck to commemorate the 25th Anniversary (Jubilee) of the beginning of the Reign of King George V of the United Kingdom, this coin features a unique image of St. George slaying the dragon. This particular rendition of the common image is among the minority of the portrayals as the horse is facing left instead of the more common right image portrayed on most other St. George coins.
    Happy collecting!
    -Brandon
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  18. brg5658

    A rare coin

    By brg5658,

    A pattern beauty with a mintage of 500 coins
    I have been scouring auction sites and the BAY for the past 3-4 months looking for the perfect example of the 1950 Monaco design for my horse-themed set. This design is absolutely beautiful, and features a highly detailed horse on rider on the reverse. In the process of researching this design, I learned a thing or two about the types of this coin available.
    A couple of the coins I found were listed as being "ESSAI" coins. This essentially boils down to the word used by French speaking countries to denote a "Pattern" coin. These strikes are limited to very small mintages, and they are generally struck in a precious metal. About 2 weeks ago, a seller from Greece posted an entire selection of these ESSAI beauties on the BAY in high grades. The one I decided on was the 100 Franc SP65 coin shown below. It is struck in Silver and bears the small text "ESSAI" beneath the horse on the reverse. The total "Essai" mintage of this coin is a mere 500 coins!!! The Cupro-Nickel circulation version of this coin was struck in a mintage of 500,000 coins...quite a difference.
    As usual, I will post a larger version of the photo on the Chat Boards so you can get a better look at the Reverse Design detail.
    ---------------------------------------
    SIDE NOTE: I couldn't resist the curiosity of also purchasing a "Piefort Essai" example of the 50 Franc coin. "Pieforts" are again pattern type coins, struck usually in twice the normal weight and thickness as the circulation coins. In the case of this one (and maybe for all "Pieforts"?), the orientation of the coin is medal orientation instead of coin orientation. I haven't photographed that one yet, but I will also likely add this example to my horse-themed set side by side with the one shown here.
    I hope everyone is having a good week.
    All the best,
    -Brandon

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  19. brg5658

    A curious coin

    By brg5658,

    1954 Toned Quarter
    I know it's not a particularly rare quarter, and the grade is not hard to find, but something about this little coin just drew me in.
    Firstly, I had recently read the very interesting full thread on the Chat Boards regarding the history of the different types of NGC Slabs and labels. So, I knew this coin had a slab that was very short lived and was wildly unpopular, likely because of the microscopic registration number moved to the bottom of the label.
    Secondly, I don't know the full history of when NGC started and subsequently stopped including the letters "T" for toned and "W" for white on their labels, but this has always been a bit of a curiosity for me. This particular quarter is heavily toned, mostly very dark and actually black in some places. Thus, the grade on the label was noted as "MS65 T".
    The curiosity of the short-lived label/slab style together with the "T" grade, and I couldn't pass this one up for the less than $20 it cost to snag.
    I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. All the best if you have any lots you're bidding on in the Heritage Auction. I was the winning bidder on two lots in yesterdays July 2011 FUN auction, and I can't wait to get them both in hand. I'll save the journal entry for those until that time.
    Cheers!
    -Brandon

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  20. brg5658

    Year of the Horse

    By brg5658,

    A nice new theme set addition
    I have been slowing down my horse-theme set additions in the past couple weeks, trying to save some money for an upcoming Heritage auction. One addition I couldn't pass up is pictured below. I have been looking at the many "Year of the Horse" coins for the past 2-3 months, but haven't found one in the affordable range until now. I was able to pick up a nice 2002 MS69 Australia Silver Dollar from the Lunar Series. Even though it's graded "MS", these coins have always seemed more like reverse-proof coins to me. Regardless, it's a gorgeous coin.
    In the meantime, while decreasing my purchases I have been spending more time updating my horse set photos. I know Malcolm (Beaw) has been doing something clever and interesting, so I followed his lead and have been compiling my horse-themed coins with a second historical or related photo. This spices up the set a bit, and gives some interesting historical context to the individual coins. I have only finished a handful of the coins so far, but this is a fun process to decide which photos to compile and present with each coin.
    In closing, I have made good progress toward completing my 2011 U.S. Mint Set. With some nice business strike upgrades purchased for my 21st Century Type Set, these 2011 coins have also fit nicely into a year-mint set.
    I hope everyone has a great weekend, and enjoy your independence day!
    Cheers!
    -Brandon

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  21. brg5658

    Another mystery

    By brg5658,

    Don't know much about this one
    I could not pass up another medal of the "Heraldic Art Medal" series because of its absolutely stunning beauty and its perfect fit into my ever-growing horse themed set. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to find much information about this set of medals besides this little blurb.
    "This is from the series of Half-Dollar-sized medals issued from 1959-1979 by the Heraldic Art Company. Founder Bob McNamara sought to fill the void created when the US Mint ceased production of Commemorative Coinage in 1954. Each medal is struck in solid Sterling Silver, with a weight of 262 grains. Most medals had mintages between 1800-5000 pieces."
    Anyone who can help me with more exact mintage information or with a more complete description of this series, I would be grateful.
    I hope everyone has a great weekend!
    -Brandon

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  22. brg5658

    Taking a break

    By brg5658,

    21st Century Type Set -- complete for now...
    I have been putting a lot of my energy (and expendable income) into completing the best 21st Century Type Set I can. Afters today's addition, I think it will have to rest for a while. My pocketbook insists on it...
    I'll keep this post short and sweet. Of the four Presidential Dollars released this year, the Ulysses Grant dollar is arguably the most recognizable face and most well known of the four (Andrew Johnson, Rutherford Hayes, and James Garfield being the other 3). With that being said, I could not pass up a recent addition to my 21st Century Set (and at the same time to my 2011 Mint set).
    I added to my collection the only two Ulysses Grant dollars graded MS69 so far by NGC or PCGS. One is the 2011-P, the other the 2011-D. After getting them both in hand, the 2011-D is the nicer of the two, with essentially no abrasion marks and with beautifully detailed devices. Below is the small version, and as usual I will attach a larger version on the Chat boards. You can see both coins in my 2011 Mint Set.
    I hope everyone is having a good week so far.
    Cheers!
    -Brandon

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  23. brg5658

    This is pretty cool

    By brg5658,

    Modern coin with a horse hologram!
    I wasn't sure what to think about this design, or whether I would be able to capture the hologram image with my camera when I got the coin in hand, but I took a gamble. Turns out that it's pretty damned cool in hand, and the colors and hologram appearing on this coin are unique to my horse themed set so far. I know there is a hologram Canadian gold coin I've had my eye on for some time, but this one was much more affordable, and I love the artistry of Polish coins.
    Some details about this coin: It was struck in 2008 to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Polish Postal Service. The obverse features a postal carrier delivering a letter with frosty devices and a village scene displayed behind. The reverse features a stylized stamp design, with an inlaid hologram featuring the symbol of the postal service - a rider on horseback with a horn (see picture below).
    The coin is struck in 92.5% silver, and is a nice size with a diameter of 32mm. The nominal face value is 10 Zlotych, and this coin comes from a total mintage of 135,000 pieces. All in all, a pretty unique snag for less than $50.
    I'm attaching on the Chat Boards a larger size composed photo including both the obverse and reverse. Below is a teaser photo of the reverse hologram horse design. Click on the Chat Boards link for the full effect!
    Have a good weekend everyone!
    -Brandon

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  24. brg5658
    I have some details, but looking for mintage numbers.
    I may have ventured into murky waters with my most recent acquisition. I saw this item and was immediately drawn to its beauty, but it's not a "coin" per se. It is one of the Heraldic Art Medals released during the mid 20th Century. The description where I purchased it said the following:
    "This gorgeous coin is from the series of Half-Dollar-sized medals issued from 1959-1979 by the Heraldic Art Company. Founder Bob McNamara sought to fill the void created when the US Mint ceased production of Commemorative Coinage in 1954. Each medal is struck in solid Sterling Silver, with a weight of 262 grains. This example is certified by Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC) and is one of the finest known examples of the type. Most medals had mintages between 1800-5000 pieces."
    That last part is where I was wondering if anyone could offer me more information about the mintage numbers for this particular medal? I have scoured the web, and there is an old website that formerly cataloged all of these medals but has since been dismantled. Also, the normal Google search yielded next to nothing. I'm also unable to find these medals in the Krause listing (as they are not coins), and I don't want to buy a spendy specialistic catalog/book as this is the only of these I may ever own.
    Many thanks!
    -Brandon

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  25. brg5658

    My first OGH

    By brg5658,

    It lives up to the grade
    I have read several posts on here about the Old Green Holders from PCGS (often abbreviated as OGH). I didn't have any of these in my collection until today. I found a nice example of the Stone Mountain Memorial 1925 Half Dollar about a week ago. I've been watching several of these sell in auctions, and have seen a few with even unsightly "toning" still bring a pretty nice price.
    According to Krause, this commemorative has a total mintage of 1,314,709 and it is readily available in grades MS60 to MS65. The obverse of the coin features Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on horseback, while the reverse features a very nice image of an eagle on a rock. While not particularly scarce, this is a nice addition to my horse themed set, and is also my first OGH in my collection. Below you will see the obverse (featured largely), reverse (smaller), and the OGH label.
    Cheers!
    -Brandon

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