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brg5658

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  1. 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
  2. brg5658

    eBay woes

    By brg5658,

    The collusion game between big eBay sellers
    Simplistically, there are two things that drive the price of products - supply and demand. We all took Economics 101, or have heard of this relationship before. For collectors of certified coins who participate in the registry, these two things boil down to:
    Supply = certified coin population counts (primarily NGC and PCGS)
    and
    Demand = Number of collectors interested in a particular set
    Simple economics, right? Well, not so fast. There are a few additional variables to mix things up.
    Even if populations are relatively high, if all of the available coins are in the possession of shady dealers, collusion (be it direct or indirect) is a fairly common practice. And collusion amongst all of the big dealers is basically the same as a monopoly (it is by definition an oligopoly). The hot-bed of collusion has really been eBay. This isn't a new development and this is something I'm sure someone else has written about at great length. The way it works is the following:
     
    1) Because eBay allows selling as "Buy it Now", throwing the idea of the auction out the door, a dealer can ask whatever he wants when he/she lists a coin for sale.
     
    2) All of the reasonably priced coins of that type are eventually purchased, leaving the inflated priced coins to sit on eBay for months, if not years at their ridiculous price levels.
     
    3) A new collector to a set wants to complete his/her set with the best coin available. Because of the process I just explained in points 1-2, the only coins he/she can find are on eBay and are at ridiculous collusion-fixed prices. He/she buys a coin at this price -- and gets screwed in the process -- but additionally encourages these sellers to keep their prices high.
    ----------------------------------------------------
    The most obvious example of this process in the world at large is the price of diamonds. More than 90% of all of the diamonds mined in the world currently sit in warehouses to maintain a "favorable supply" for the diamond sellers. There is no sugar-coating this practice -- it is PRICE FIXING. Limiting supply available to the general public so as to maintain high prices.
    ----------------------------------------------------
    My experiences with this phenomenon in coin collecting are mostly limited to the coins I collect. Thus, I know this problem is particularly rampant for modern coins (or as some of you call them "ultra modern" coins -- or as others call them, "modern trash"). These coins are what I collect, because they are what I enjoy. I'm not going to get into some political diatribe or defensive state to justify this choice. I'm merely using this to illustrate my point in an arena that I know well.
    EXAMPLE: I have been looking at a particular modern coin for one of my sets for some time. In fact, for well over 9 months. The market for this particular coin is currently pretty stagnant -- of the 6 available examples of the coin on eBay, they are all priced above $600, and NONE have been up for a real auction in the past 9 months. Accordingly, none of them have sold...one has been posted on eBay for more than 18 months!!! These 6 examples are all NGC graded, and come from an NGC population less than 20 coins, none finer. (Strangely, and tangentially, there are 60 PCGS coins of the same grade, none of which have been listed on eBay in the past 9 months.) The Numismedia FMV for the coin is $125, THUS, all of these coins are listed at more than 4 times the current Numismedia FMV. The only PCGS value I have seen listed was $450 about a year ago, but as we all know, that value is highly inflated and modern coins rarely sell at the PCGS value (besides the fact, NONE of these coins for sale are graded by PCGS -- so this is a moot point).
    I have placed several offers for this coin using the "Make Offer" button on eBay. Four of these 6 available coins are "controlled" by two of the regular culprits...whom I will not name here, but if you want to know who I am talking about you can send me a private reply to this post. These two dealers (er...I mean eBay commercial sellers...) rejected my offers of $400 and subsequent offers of $500. They did not reject these offers with a cordial email reply, but rather by means of the "auto-reject" method on eBay. I have never won an item from these two sellers, and try to avoid them at all cost -- this was just reaffirmation that my opinion of their dealings over the past 2 years was accurate.
    This week I placed an offer of $400 for one of the remaining 2 coins listed on eBay. I didn't get the automatic-reject message, so that was a first step in the right direction. My offer was recanted with a counter-offer of $550 (halfway between the posted price of ~$700 and my offer of $400). The counter-offer was accompanied with a nice note, and cordial reply. I sent a personal note to the dealer laying out the population facts, the details of why my offer was fair, etc. I received a very detailed email in reply, that was again cordial, factual, and extremely respectful. In summary, we agreed on a price acceptable to both of us, and well below any current price on eBay. THIS seller was a true gentleman and it was reassuring to me that, despite many money grubbing almost criminal sellers on eBay, there is hope and still integrity among some.
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  3. brg5658
    The 6th time is a charm.
    About a month ago I bought a little point and shoot camera with macro photography capabilities (a macro setting). More importantly, I purchased a fairly nice copy stand that's about 18" x 24" and has a telescoping camera mount that can shoot from distances of about 10" through 24". The camera and the copy stand cost me about $200 combined. The camera is a 12 Megapixel super compact little thing...I can't believe how tiny these things keep getting. I found it on sale at Best Buy for $130. The copy stand was an eBay purchase for $58 and free shipping. I purchased some very economical flex-neck LED lights from IKEA (great little guys for only $9.99 each), and I have a couple normal flex-neck desk lamps that you can get almost at any department store.
    I have to give a lot of credit for these purchases to Lehigh96 (a fellow NGC journal regular) and subsequently to Mark Goodman's great book called "Numismatic Photography, 2nd Ed.". I won't repeat too much here, because there are lots of threads on several coin sites that detail basics of coin photography.
    I will note also that I am an amateur photographer, and I shoot weddings, senior photos, and portrait sessions for a professional photographer friend when she needs a 2nd shooter. SO, I do have a Canon 50D camera, and a bag full of pricey lenses. BUT, given what you can do with these little point-and-shoot cameras and a good copy stand, I have avoided that route. The main problem with big professional cameras is that the big clunky lenses get in the way of the lighting. Lighting the coin is really the key for taking a detailed and beautiful picture.
    So now, an example of one of my obsessive undertakings. About a month ago I picked up a nice 1912 MS64 Liberty Nickel for my 20th Century Type Set. The coin has some unique toning, streaking, and an overall golden hue. I wanted the picture I took to be true to what the coin looks like in hand. So, on 6 different occasions, I have set up my lighting, photographed the coin, edited and cropped the coin in Photoshop, and updated my NGC coin photos. Yes, I am obsessive. BUT, you can see below how different lighting (direct vs. diffuse; LED vs. Incandescent) really changes the look of the coin.
    *******************************
    Photos 1-6 progress chronologically through my changes.
    Photo 1 is really disgusting. It was one of the first pictures I took, and it has terrible red-shift, is out of focus, and the lighting is quite bad. I am not proud of this one.
    I actually like photo 2 quite a bit but the shadows are harsh around the devices.
    Photos 3 and 4 are my experiments with diffuse lighting. While maintaining nice detail, you really loose the hint of luster and the beautiful golden tone present on the entire coin.
    Photo 5 lasted the longest in the set so far (I left it alone for 3 weeks) and it is a combination of diffuse lighting and direct lighting. I was still not happy with the loss of the beautiful golden toning.
    Photo 6 really is what the coin looks like in hand. I have figured out how to dampen the red-shift problems, and the gold hue and orange toning is an accurate reflection of the coin.
    *******************************
    I hope everyone has a great weekend! Until next time, happy collecting!
    Cheers...
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/CoinDetail.aspx?PeopleCoinID=719181

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  4. brg5658
    Maybe I should increase my meds? ;-)
    So I have been putting together a top set of SMS Sacagawea $1 for about the past 7-8 months. I added the 2010-D SMS $1 to my collection graded as MS69 back in December of 2010. This particular coin doesn't have a lot of choice to pick from when it comes to population - there are 28 graded by NGC as MS69 and only 4 from PCGS.
    When the coin came in the mail, I was impressed with it's beauty, as I'm a big fan of the 2010 reverse design, and the reverse of the coin was flawless. I did notice a few abrasions on the obverse, but more than anything, I was happy to have one of the few graded MS69 examples of the 2010-D. As I got more serious about completing the set of my SMS Sacagawea dollars, I also became increasingly picky. In particular, there was an abrasion across the brow of this coin that always bothered me...and another somewhat obvious abrasion on the cheek of the baby and on the wrap around the child. Two smaller abrasions are also present on the "B" of Liberty, and a very small nick just to the right and below the "Y" of Liberty.
    Long story short, I found where I could pick up another example of the coin for less than $100, so I got another of this coin. This one is absolutely flawless, on the obverse and reverse. I'm keeping the one with a few abrasions in my #5 MS/SMS Sacagawea set, but I have replaced the coin in my #1 SMS Set with the new example.
    Below you will see the one I got back in December. I have provided a "heat map" showing abrasions as a small picture. On the Coin Chat Boards, I will also upload the full size obverse of the new coin I got so you can see the difference!
    Maybe I'm being too picky? Hmmm...
    Happy collecting!

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  5. brg5658

    1773 Louis XV Jeton

    By brg5658,

    Tiny horses, but they are there!
    Every now and again I come across a piece that has horses on it, but they are very small. If I like the piece enough, I will still pull the trigger. My newest addition is just such a piece.
    I first saw this jeton at auction a while back from Heritage. At the time, I had two other coins on layaway, and so I wasn't able to pull the trigger in the auction. I kicked myself for not bidding on it, and I thought I might never see another with such great toning and strike.
    About 2 months after the Heritage auction, it came up for sale on eBay. I added it to my "watch" list, and as soon as I could scrounge up the funds, I was going to snag it. It was listed on eBay at a decent mark-up to it's original Heritage price, but it was one of those items that you just suck it up and tell yourself "I'm not going to let it get away this time". It was on my watch list for around 3 weeks, then it disappeared, the listing saying it was "no longer available". That wording always makes me think that the piece was probably sold either at a coin show of a dealer or that someone sent the seller an offer and the transaction was completed off of eBay (sans fees).
    Well, much to my surprise it showed up yet again about a week ago on eBay from the same seller as before. This time, I didn't even think about it, I just clicked on the "Buy It Now" button and started counting the days until it arrived in person. It finally arrived over this past weekend, and I had a chance to image it.
    I have not done a lot of research on this piece yet, but I do know that it is not particularly rare, with estimates probably in the 10,000 pieces range. The obverse features Louis XV, who was king of France until 1774 (one year after this jeton was struck in 1773). The reverse features a personified France, with troops standing by and celebrating the strength of the French Army. Three horses with riders are featured in the lower right of the reverse design.
    ========================================================
    The best description I could find was the following:
    F.888, 1773 (Silver)
    OBVERSE: LUDOVICUS XV. REX. CHRISTIANISS.
    "Louis XV, the most Christian king" Head of Louis XV facing right [No. 351]
    REVERSE: PRAETERITI. MERCES. PIGNUSQUE. FUTURI
    "A reward for past and a pledge for the future"
    IN EXERGUE: EXTRAORDINAIRE. DES. GUERRES. 1773
    DESIGN: France supported on a column, standing facing right, with an army shield with two crossed swords.
    ========================================================
    As always, I'll post larger images on the chat boards. Thanks for reading, and happy collecting!
    -Brandon

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  6. 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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  7. 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.

  8. brg5658

    9 more beauties

    By brg5658,

    Some beautiful world coins
    I will start by just saying that the "custom set" idea has really changed my outlook on collecting. It really makes for a different kind of "hunt" and satisfaction when you find a gem. About a month ago I started my "Horses" custom set, and while it is still relatively small, I am learning a great deal about world history, culture, and geography along the way.
    It became apparent shortly after starting the set that many if not most of the coins that would fit nicely into my set would be difficult if not impossible to find in graded holders. That being said, I have started to snag several uncirculated raw coins with hopes of eventually having them graded and formally entered into my set. However, for the time being, they will have to rest safely in their Mylar flips.
    Below is a collage of the most recent group I have received. In order from left to right, top to bottom they are:
    1. 1954, India, 1 pice
    2. 1976, Greece, 20 lepta
    3. 1981, Uruguay, 10 centesimos (and my favorite of the bunch)
    4. 1998, Russia, 5 kopeks
    5. 2000, Somalia, 10 shillings
    6. 2002, North Korea, 1/2 chon
    7. 2002, Slovenia, 10 tolarjev
    8. 2004, Nagorno-Karabakh, 50 luma
    9. 2004, Uganda, 100 lingsshil
    There are many, many more to come. Best of luck to all on your personal quests! How can you not love this hobby?!
    Cheers!

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  9. brg5658

    1700 German Coin

    By brg5658,

    A new rearing horse!
    I caught some sort of bug for these old German State coins with the rearing Saxon Steed. I just got this one today, and I have another nice 1818 3 Mariengroschen on the way.
    This coin was minted in 1700 when the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneberg was overseen by Georg Ludwig, more commonly known today as King George I of Great Britain and Ireland. George I was born on 28 May 1660 and died on 11 June 1727. He was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698 to his death.
    George was born in Hanover, in what is now Germany, and inherited the titles and lands of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg from his father and uncles. A succession of European wars expanded his German domains during his lifetime, and in 1708 he was ratified as prince-elector of Hanover. At the age of 54, after the death of Queen Anne of Great Britain, George ascended the British throne as the first monarch of the House of Hanover. Although over fifty Roman Catholics bore closer blood relationships to Anne, the Act of Settlement of 1701 prohibited Catholics from inheriting the British throne. George, however, was Anne's closest living Protestant relative. In reaction, Jacobites attempted to depose George and replace him with Anne's Catholic half-brother, James Francis Edward Stuart, but their attempts failed.
    During George's reign, the powers of the monarchy diminished and Britain began a transition to the modern system of cabinet government led by a prime minister. Towards the end of his reign, actual power was held by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first de facto prime minister. George died on a trip to his native Hanover in 1727, where he was buried.
    An interesting historical tid-bit is that this coin was minted in 1700. This was the same year that the territories forming the electorate introduced - like all Protestant territories of imperial immediacy - the Improved Calendar. It was called the "improved calendar" by Protestants, in order not to mention the name of Pope Gregory XIII (it is more commonly known as the Gregorian calendar). So Sunday, the 18 February of Old Style was followed by Monday, the 1 March New Style. So, arguably, this coin was issued during the shortest year in the history of this German State, at only 355 days in length.
    Happy collecting!

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  10. brg5658

    WOW part 2

    By brg5658,

    Check out this 1926 Albanian coin!
    Well, just when I think that I have found my favorite horse-themed coin, I stumble upon another that absolutely takes my breath away. This new coin is exactly that for me.
    --------------------------
    Coin: Albania, 1926R 1 Lek
    Grade: NGC MS65
     
    The Lek was introduced in 1926 by King Ahmet Zogu as the unit of currency of Albania. It was likely named after Alexander the Great, whose image is shown in bust form on the obverse of this coin, and who is shown on the reverse on horseback wielding a sword and charging into battle. The obverse bears the text "SHQIPNI" which is the Albanian language word for the country of Albania, derived (according to Wikipedia) from the word "shqip" which roughly translates as "understanding each-other".
    This first year coin was minted in Rome, Italy (Mint mark "R"), while subsequent years of this coin were sometimes also minted in Vienna (Mint mark "V"). The amount of detail in the bust design is phenomenal, and the beauty and simplicity of the reverse featuring the rider on horse is breathtaking. NGC has graded 117 of this particular coin, which is quite high for a foreign coin. Several examples exist in MS66 and even 2 in MS67, but I am very happy to add this little gem to my custom themed set as MS65.
    Happy collecting!

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  11. 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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  12. brg5658

    Tiny but beautiful

    By brg5658,

    1864 German States 1/2 Groschen (Hannover)
    I added a nice little coin to my horse-themed set. I just bought it 2 days ago, and it came in the mail already today (a nice surprise).
    This coin features the Saxon Steed, which is a favorite heraldic motif of the Saxons. The Saxon Steed has very old origins, possibly as far back as the 5th Century AD. The image is common on the coinage of the Kingdom of Hannover, which existed from 1814-1866. The steed is even found on the flag of the Kingdom of Hannover from 1837-1866. At the time this coin was minted in 1864, the Kingdom of Hannover was ruled by George V, a cousin of Queen Victoria of England and the grandson of George III of England. The Kingdom of Hannover dissolved in 1866 when it was conquered by Prussia, and was briefly reinstated as an independent state in 1946. The state of Hannover subsequently joined other small states and became the present day state of Lower Saxony, one of 16 states making up Germany. To this day, the Coat of Arms of Lower Saxony features the image of the Saxon Steed.
    My attempt at photographing the coin is below, and you can see the full size (much larger) photos in my "Horses" themed set. This little guy is one of two examples graded MS64 by PCGS, with none finer and no examples graded by NGC. It's surprisingly small, about the size of the U.S. half-dime. I've always wondered how people kept track of these incredibly tiny coins...
    Happy collecting!

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  13. 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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  14. brg5658

    Saturday surprise

    By brg5658,

    Common but beautiful!
    I got my Morgan for my 20th Century Type Set today! I know the 1904-O is a relatively common date in high grade, but I am extremely happy with my new beauty.
    Cheers!

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  15. brg5658

    WOW!

    By brg5658,

    Look at this one...
    Let's just say this coin is more beautiful than I ever imagined from the pictures I saw before I decided to purchase it. This is the 2009 Russian 3 Ruble Silver coin, 31.1 g in weight of 99.9% pure silver. The design is stunning! I have a 1998 5 Kopek unslabbed coin of the same design, but when you see it blown up to these proportions, the detail is breathtaking.
    The obverse design is a rendition of the famous scene of St. George slaughtering the dragon. The coin was designed and sculpted by A. V. Baklanov and minted at Saint Petersburg. As you guessed, this one is going to become a favorite of my horse-themed custom set.
    Cheers!

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  16. brg5658

    Horses abound...

    By brg5658,

    1548 1/2 Grosz
    I can't write a lot today, but I wanted to post a picture of the little beauty that came in the mail today. About 10 days ago I snagged a very old coin bearing a rider on horseback primarily because of its prominent feature of a horse (for my custom set). Little did I know it would have such historical significance and how beautiful it would be in hand!
    This coin was minted during the time of informal union of the empires of Poland and Lithuania. It was minted during the important transition year of 1548 -- Sigismund I the Old (Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland) died in this year, and thereafter his only son Sigismund II Augustus took the throne.
    The obverse of the coin bears the Lithuanian coat of arms symbolism of a knight on horseback, known today as Vytis. This is a very old symbol traced back as far as the mid 1300s.
    Many of you will recognize the reverse heraldic eagle, a part of the original Piast Dynasty coat of arms dating to 992, and still today a part of the official coat of arms of Poland. The reverse bears the text [* SIGIS * AVG * REX * PO * MAG * DVX * LI] translated as "Sigismund Augustus, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania", attesting to its minting after the death of Sigismund I the Old.
    Happy collecting!

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  17. 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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  18. brg5658

    A nice snag...

    By brg5658,

    One of my favorites
    As many of you may have read last week, I'm not the biggest fan of the 50 States/Territories/America The Beautiful (ATB) series of Quarter designs. I am grateful for their effect on the hobby, but I think the series has run its course, and the next few years of ATB quarters will really drag on.
    However, there are a few beauties among the banal. I can easily pick out 5 designs that I find beautiful and these always catch my eye as truly stunning. In no particular order, but definitely my top 5 are:
    1. Connecticut (1999)
    2. Oklahoma (2008)
    3. Hawaii (2008)
    4. Delaware (1999)
    5. Nevada (2006)
    There are a couple more that are also pleasing to MY eye, namely Vermont (2001) and Alaska (2008). THEN, there are a lot that fall in the middle for me. Some of the worst are those that are simply outlines of their respective state borders with some arcane or wishful association. Yes, I know the Hawaii quarter has the islands shown, but in a stylistic, non-cluttered, classical and artful manner. What can I say, I'm a sucker for nature and for classic/artful design.
    Some of the worst designs (again, in my opinion) are:
    46. Ohio
    47. Indiana
    48. Florida
    49. Michigan
    50. TEXAS
    Four of these bottom 5 are for the most part just the outline of the state. Boring to say the least. Texas is a strong 50th place for me...no hard feelings toward the people, just the quarter.
    BUT, on to my point now. I am happy to add to my collection an example of one of my favorite State Quarters. I snagged an example of a 2008-D Hawaii Satin Finish quarter graded SP69 (one of only 28 in this condition -- 27 from PCGS, 1 from NGC). This is the finale to the 50 State Quarters set, celebrating the addition of Hawaii to the union in 1959.
    Cheers and happy collecting!

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  19. 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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  20. 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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  21. brg5658

    Mystery solved...

    By brg5658,

    But I still don't know WHY they did it!
    So I did a bit more digging after yesterdays post. What I initially surmised is true. The sharp, detailed, and slightly modified obverse of the State and Territory quarters of 1999-2009 has been forgone in the 2010 America The Beautiful quarters.
    The original bust design of the Washington Quarter Dollar first minted in 1932 was the work of John Flanagan. This classic and extremely recognizable design was a mainstay from 1932-1998 (save the slightly noticeable double-dated 1776-1976 bicentennial release).
    In 1999, many of the design elements were moved around, bringing the "UNITED STATED OF AMERICA" and "QUARTER DOLLAR" text to the obverse to make room for the State/Territory designs of the reverse. The text "LIBERTY" was moved to the left of the Washington bust, and the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" was moved to the right just above the mintmark. Pretty significantly, the date was move to the reverse. ALSO in 1999 the bust of Washington was modified to be smaller and more detailed. This modified obverse is attributed to William Cousins.
    Beginning in 2010 with the introduction of the America The Beautiful quarters, the mint decided to return to the older, less detailed, and "softer" version of the Washington bust. Though, to my eye it still seems a bit smaller than the pre-1999 original Flanagan bust.
    Coins minted from 1932-1998 and from 2010-present bear the designer initials of only John Flanagan (JF). From 1999-2009, the neckline of the bust also included the initials of William Cousins (WC).
    BUT, the question still stands....
    WHY would the mint revert to this muttled, worn looking bust?
    Just some food for thought...
    Happy collecting!

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  22. brg5658

    Here we go again...

    By brg5658,

    Where's the beef?
    The year was 1984 when Wendy's released their famous marketing "Where's the Beef?" campaign. I'm using an analogy to this slogan in jest as "Where's the Beard?" on the recent Lincoln cents. This post is somewhat related to my previous post about the Mint reverting to the older version of John Flanagan's Washington bust on the 2010-present quarters. This was a welcome reversion for many, based on the feedback I received. Apparently many disliked the "spaghetti-haired" Washington bust circa 1995 and particularly starting in 1999 with the State Quarters.
    Most Lincoln "wheaties" from 1909-1958 don't have a lot of obverse bust hair and beard detail. There are particular years better than others, as with most coins, but the high-detail and strongly struck Lincoln Cents of this era are highly sought after and few and far between. Even after the update to the Lincoln Memorial reverse starting in 1959, the obverse detail was mushy at best through the mid-80s. I'm not a Lincoln buff, and the exact dates are not my point here.
    My point is this: A noticeable increase in details of the Lincoln bust was clear by the 1990s and stronger than ever by the time of the 2009 Bicentennial of Lincoln's Birth issues. Then, at least on my 2010 examples of the Lincoln Cent, we lose this detail. I guess they reverted the design on the Lincoln Cent starting in 2010 also? I put a red arrow to highlight a curl of hair on the 2010 design that is not present on the busts from 1995-2009, but it looks like it might be on the 1945-D coin?? I don't have any particularly sharp wheat-back strikes, so I can't be for sure. I am presenting the designs in black and white to emphasize the detail, not the color.
    The grades of the coins are:
    1945-D, MS67RD
    1995, MS68RD
    2006, MS69RD SMS
    2009, MS69RD SMS
    2010-D, MS68RD SMS

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  23. brg5658

    Gimmick?

    By brg5658,

    Never thought I'd like this one...but I was wrong.
    A little over a week ago, I ran across one of the First Spouse copper medals. This is the poor-man's version of the First Spouse gold coins the Mint has been releasing. Maybe it was the classic design, but I couldn't pass it up.
    Let's just say I wasn't expecting much. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised with what I got. I couldn't put this one down for a good 10 minutes today...really stunning. I'm not running out to snag all of these, but this one was worth every penny!!
    This is called "Van Buren's Liberty". It was graded MS68RD by PCGS. Sorry for the scuffed plastic.

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  24. brg5658
    Why did they go back to the less detailed Washington bust for the 2010 release?
    When I received my 2010 type coin for the new "America The Beautiful National Parks" series I noticed right away a very striking (no pun intended) difference in the obverse detail quality. Firstly, almost all of the hair detail was rounded, dull, and looked worn. Secondly, upon further inspection, I noticed the obverse bust is all-together different from the 1999-2009 States & Territories issues as is clear from the initials of the designer on the neckline (see the red ovals in the picture below).
    I'm not a Washington Quarter buff, so I'm sure this isn't a revelation. I did search some of the coin blogs, and couldn't find a clear reason why this retro-design was reintroduced. Compared with the sharp, beautiful, detailed issues of 1999-2009 (see below) this 2010 change is upsetting in terms of quality. Even the old reworked bust of the mid-90s prior to the State Quarters series was very sharp and beautiful.
    Can any of you Washington Quarter buffs out there explain the reasoning/thought process here?? Just curious...
    Happy collecting!

  25. 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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