• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

brg5658

Member: Seasoned Veteran
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    4,254

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

 Content Type 

Journal Entries posted by brg5658

  1. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  2. brg5658
    Even nicer than I thought!
    I've been looking for a nice example of the Type 1 1913 Nickel for a couple months. I passed up several on Teletrade because they were either out of my price range or I just didn't like the way they looked (I wanted a full-struck date, especially the leading "1"). I found one last week well within my price range, and still graded at PCGS MS65. Upon requesting some clearer and close-up pictures, I decided to pull the trigger. It came today, and it's beautiful by all measures. I added a picture below.
    On a different note, I got a great deal on a very scarce modern coin last night. I'm going to keep the details hush until I have it in hand, but I wanted to express a bit of my excitement here. Let's hope it isn't too good to be true, but it did ship today! Should be here next week! It will be a nice addition to one of my more competitive sets.
    I love this hobby!
    Happy collecting all!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  3. brg5658

    Final spot

    By brg5658,

    Last coin in my 21st Century Type Set
    I'll keep this short and sweet. A couple days ago, I got the last coin to finish my 21st Century Type Set. I hoped for a while that I would be able to fill the 2000-2003 Jefferson Nickel slot with an MS68FS example, but that is well out of my price range for the time being.
    I picked up a nice 2001-P MS67FS example. It's a little baggy on the high spots, but that seems to be par for the course for these years. I thought the detail and completely unbroken VERY sharp 6 steps more than made up for the few stray marks.
    I hope everyone is having a good weekend.
    Cheers!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  4. brg5658
    Highway robbery or really a modern rarity?
    After much patience, I finally got my hands on a 2009-D Business Strike Sacagawea (Native American) Dollar graded MS67. Surprisingly, this modern issue is hard to find in this grade and particularly from the Denver mint.
    The last one to sell on Teletrade went for $130 back in September 2010 (after the buyer?s fee, $150). There have been two recently posted for auction on Teletrade, but they are opening at $150, and they have cycled through at least 3 auctions now (presumably because they are not selling for as much as desired). On eBay, the lowest price for the past 3-4 months has been $140, with the next closest price being several posted at $169.95 and higher. I wanted to click the ?Buy it Now? button several times over the past few months, but I held off?it just felt like highway robbery to me.
    Now, when reviewing population counts, it is almost guaranteed that all examples coming up for sale will be PCGS, not NGC. The reason for this being that there are only 8 coins graded MS67 from NGC for the 2009-D Business Strike. From PCGS, there are 108 position B coins, and 125 position A coins, making for a total of 233 coins from PCGS, and 241 from both main TPGs. There are ZERO coins graded higher from either TPG. And, yes, I understand that this doesn?t mean that none *exist*, only that none have been submitted for grading. Indeed, there were around 34 million Native American dollars minted in Denver for 2009, so I?m having a hard time believing that a few didn?t survive in MS68, and surely the MS67 survival population is appreciably larger than the TPG population counts suggest.
    So?.I finally arrive at the punch line. The example I had been eyeing on eBay for about 3 months finally came down from $140 to $90 plus free shipping. I can?t surmise the reasons why, but somehow it ended up among the $50-off sale items (stagnant inventory?). While I still didn?t feel like I was getting a bargain, I had dealt with this particular seller before and the service and quality were really stellar. So, I?m now the happy owner of one of the 241 thus far graded MS67 2009-D Sacagawea Business Strike Dollars. It does happen to be the ?Position B? version of the dollar (PCGS population 108/0), though I still think this A/B differentiation is a ?money-maker? for PCGS, and not a truly meaningful distinction. I guess only time will tell how truly scarce this business strike modern coin is.
    I am now only the 2010-D Business Strike coin away from having a complete set (2000-2010) in MS67 or better. The 2010-D is even harder yet with only 30 total coins graded between PCGS (22/0) and NGC (8/0) and with the lowest current price on eBay of $795!!! Absolutely insane and bordering on criminal?in my opinion.
    Cheers, and happy collecting!

  5. brg5658
    New pictures and preparing my first submission to NGC
    Today I took the day off of work, as I just returned from vacation yesterday and I wanted to enjoy the entire week off, not a one-day work week. It was nice having the day to relax, and I also organized some of my collection and updated some photographs.
    Many of you replied to my "eBay woes" post last week. That post was prompted by the search for my last coin for the SMS Sacagawea $1 set. I received the 2009-P SMS $1 graded MS69 yesterday, and today I thought it was the right time to update all of the SMS coin photos with the same lighting, cropping, etc. I have now completed the Sacagawea SMS set (2005-2010) all in MS69/SP69 grades, and the set is currently ranked as #1. All of the coins are top population except for one (there exist four 2005-P SMS coins graded MS70 by PCGS - none by NGC), so the set will fare as #2 at the lowest. You can check out the new photos and the complete set by going to my profile page.
    On another note, I am preparing my first shipment of coins to NGC for grading. It has been a learning process, and until I receive them all back in slabs I'm sure there will continue to be much to learn. I'm prioritizing my first submission to include several of the foreign coins I have been purchasing as part of my "Horses" custom set. Most of the modern issue coins are impossible to find slabbed (because they are not "rare" nor made of precious metals) or if you can find them slabbed they are ridiculously expensive to purchase. I thought this the perfect opportunity to learn the process. There are some coins worth less than $0.50 and with huge mintages that are listed on eBay for upwards of $80-$100 slabbed. However, I can purchase the same coin raw-uncirculated for less than $5 and pay the ~$20 to have the coin slabbed myself. Seems like a no-brainer.
    Below is one of the coins I plan to submit for grading. It has nominal face value, but is a beautiful modern coin from Kazakhstan. Some of the scroll work on coins from the former USSR and from the Arab countries are absolutely stunning...this one is certainly among them.
    All the best, and happy collecting!

  6. brg5658

    DC and Territories

    By brg5658,

    Nice addition to 21st Century Type Set
    The quarter designs post-1998 really haven't piqued my interest too much (Statehood, Territories, and now America the Beautiful). I know the Statehood Quarters series really rekindled a lot of interest in coin collecting, but I could never keep up. And, I'm much more of a traditionalist. I like designs that stick around and become "classic" and part of the fabric of the U.S. culture. I kind of miss that beautiful 1932-1998 eagle reverse. Again, I'm grateful to the interest this series brought to coin collecting, but I didn't jump on that train...
    BUT, I did need an example of the DC/Territories (2009) quarter for my 21st Century Type Set. After considering all of the 6 options for that year, I chose the Virgin Islands design. I think this is partly due to the beautiful reverse evoking a longing for somewhere warm and tropical. Winters in Minnesota can do this to you...
    My new beautiful addition is below.
    Cheers!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. brg5658

    Rainbow beauty!

    By brg5658,

    A new coin for my custom set
    I received in the mail on Thursday a new addition to my Horse-themed custom set. It is the 1973 Canadian Silver Dollar commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
    I had a chance to snap some pics of it today, and wanted to share them. It turned out to be a beautiful coin, with the reverse having wonderful colors of gold flanked by light greens and blues around the edges. I have two more coins coming soon for this set--one from Russia and another from Canada. I will share pics as soon as they arrive!
    Happy collecting!!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  8. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  9. 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.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  10. brg5658

    Quick post...

    By brg5658,

    New horse coin
    I finally had a chance today to catch up on photographing some of the raw coins I've been purchasing. For now, I'm only going to post one that was strikingly beautiful and will hopefully eventually make it to NGC for grading and become a part of my official custom set of horse themed coins.
    The coin is a 1979 100 dirham piece from Libya. The Libyan Dirham is equal to 1/1000 of the Libyan Dinar (the main unit of currency in Libya). So, this is basically equivalent to the "dime" of the main currency unit in Libya. It's a large coin (about the diameter of the U.S. half dollar). I particularly love the intricate scroll work on the reverse, and the detail of the rider and horse. Enjoy!
    Happy collecting!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  11. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  12. brg5658

    Pop 1

    By brg5658,

    An almost perfect quarter
    In addition to the MS69 business strike Sacagawea $1 that I wrote about recently, I also added an MS69 business strike National Parks Quarter to my 21st Century Type Set. As of now, it is one of only two MS69 business strike quarters graded by either NGC or PCGS in the National Parks Quarter series (2010-present). Gilbie's 2011-P Olympic Quarter is the only other.
    The coin features the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in central Oklahoma. The obverse is the classic John Flanagan bust of Washington, while the reverse portrays a bridge and forest of superb detail offset by satiny fields and a flock of 6 birds. The design is encircled by descriptive text, as is the style of all of the National Parks Quarter reverses.
    You can see the full size photographs in my 21st Century Type Set. Below is a cropped compilation photo.
    Happy collecting, and enjoy your weekend everyone!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  13. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  14. brg5658

    Custom set additions

    By brg5658,

    Three new coins...
    Over the weekend I added three new beauties to my horses custom set collection.
    First: The 2008 Jackson's Liberty Medal, featuring the beautiful bust liberty on the obverse, and a great image of Andrew Jackson riding on horseback on the reverse. This medal fits nicely into the "horse" set with one of the most beautifully presented images of a horse on US modern issues.
    Second: I added a Proof 67 Ultra Cameo example of the 1976 Samoa Silver 1 Tala. This coin features a rider on horseback and celebrates the US Bicentennial (1776-1976).
    Third: I added a Proof 65 example of the 1965 Greek 20 Drachma. This coin features a nymph on horseback on the reverse, a part of the mythological heritage of Greece (see image below).
    I'm still scouring eBay for coins featuring horses in a prominent way. I have picked up about a dozen uncertified coins from various countries and hope to eventually submit these to NGC to officially add to this set.
    Happy Collecting all!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  15. brg5658

    Number 1!

    By brg5658,

    For now...likely not for long...
    I upgraded my State Quarter example from an MS68 Iowa quarter to a 2002-P Louisiana quarter, graded MS69 by PCGS. The state quarters prior to the SMS/Satin releases (which started in 2005) are hard to find in MS69, so I thought this was a good purchase. It's not my favorite design of the series, but it's also not my least favorite. It's what I can afford to have as an almost perfect example in my 21st Century Type Set. It's a happy side effect, at least at the time this journal is being posted, that this beautiful coin also puts me at Number 1 for the non-proof 21st Century Type Set.
    I will not be able to post on here for the next week or so, and I'm rushing around, so this will have to be long enough.
    Cheers, and happy collecting!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  16. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  17. brg5658

    Horses Galore

    By brg5658,

    My new custom set...
    I've been browsing the custom sets for a while now. Some of them are amazingly impressive and unique. After some thought, I decided to start a custom set of my own. I don't have any particular personal connection to horses, other than I think they are beautiful beyond description as animals. I know there are a lot of coins featuring the horse prominently, and so I thought this would be a unique and very educational custom set to start.
    The set is still very small (only 9 coins so far), but the hunt for U.S. and world coins, medals, tokens, and proofs featuring the horse prominently is very exciting!
    I received in hand today a beautiful NGC AU55 graded Irish Half Crown from 1939. This coin is the first year issue to bear the text "EIRE" denoting the change or Ireland from the "Irish Free State" to the "The Republic of Ireland" in 1938. It is struck in 75% Silver and had an original mintage of 880,000 coins, many of which are thought to have since been melted down for their Silver content. The horse image is stunning and simple, and attests to the fame and iconic nature of the Irish Sport Horse as a competition level breed.
    The harp is the actual obverse of the coin; however, I present the coin side with the prominent horse image on the left for sake of the themed set.
    Cheers and happy collecting!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  18. brg5658

    A beautiful lady

    By brg5658,

    Great mail day!
    So the "bargain" that I hinted at last week came in the mail today. I upgraded my 2009-D Satin Finish Native American Dollar! Yes, I know this is a modern coin, but this baby is hard to find. Between NGC and PCGS, there have been 1,162 of these coins graded. A mere 35 have been graded SP69, with none finer. There have been none available on Teletrade, and there are currently no others available on eBay.
    From about the same number of 2009-P Satin examples graded (1,261 between NGC and PCGS) a total of 74 have made the SP69 grade, with none finer. The P-mint coin *IS* available on eBay, but at *CRIMINAL* prices -- the lowest price currently is $633.
    While not impossibly rare, for the time being this coin is hard to find and I am happy to add an example in this stellar grade to my set for a non-criminal price of less than $60!!!
    Happy Monday to all!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  19. 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!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  20. 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!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  21. brg5658
    Tag, you're it!
    After playing a game of cat-and-mouse with the postman for the past 3 days, I finally received my Buffalo Nickel. As many of you know, Teletrade purchases are delivered with signature confirmation. While I really appreciate this peace of mind, sometimes it is difficult to get your items.
    Where I live, most people work from 730 to 530, or some similar work schedule. The post office is opened from 830 to 530. So the game goes: (1) the postman drops off a slip saying my package has arrived but requires a signature; (2) I rush to the post-office and hope to make it there before 530 on that day, but usually fail; (3) I return that little devilish card *signed* to my mailbox; (4) Day 2: the mailman/woman picks up the card from my mail box; (5) Day 3: finally receive your package.
    This isn't particularly painful, but it's just a little song-and-dance you get used to. BUT, the fruits of your labor are what really count.
    Below is my most recent "pas-de-deux" postal acquisition:

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  22. 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)

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  23. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  24. brg5658

    Catching up

    By brg5658,

    What a difference 2 months can make...
    It has been quite some time since I have written a journal. Indeed, it is a whole new year. At the time of my last journal I was finishing up the last few details of the coin descriptions in my horse themed set. Thanksgiving was just behind us, and Christmas was just around the corner. The hu-bub on the boards was still centered around the US Mint 25th Anniversary ASE fiasco, and the cut-off date for the NGC Registry Awards was closing in.
    Now, a short 2.5 months later how things have changed. Some changes are good, some are bad, and some just are that, changes.
    I want to thank everyone who sent me personal notes of congratulations for the Most Creative Custom Set award of 2011. I did not expect to even be in the running, as my set is still quite small at right around 70 coins, and less than a year old. Nonetheless, I am proud and grateful to NGC for the recognition. It really has been one of the most enjoyable collecting years for me, as in addition to the custom sets, I have also found the chat board, forum, and many good friends in this hobby. And while I have now spread my wings to several coin chat sites, NGC is my home base for my collecting journey.
    To end this brief post, I present one of my newest additions to my horses collection. It is a small coin, about the size of a US dime. It is dated 1740, and was issued by the German State of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. I purchased it in an auction based on the strike and the design -- the sellers photos had absolutely no hint of possible color. When it arrived in the mail I was floored by the beautiful blues and greens. As always, I will post a full size image on the Chat Boards.
    Best wishes in the coming year,
    -Brandon

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  25. brg5658

    My first post

    By brg5658,

    Buried in snow, so why not scribble a few thoughts...
    I have been a regular reader of the journals for quite a few months now, so I thought I'd try my hand at a brief post and share a picture.
    To kick off the start of 2011, I decided to start putting together a non-proof, non-gold 20th Century Type Set. I have no intent on the set being more competitive than possibly top 20, as it is well out of my budget to compete with the sets containing MS67FH quarters and strictly top-pop coins! Moreso, I just wanted to be able to enjoy the beauty of one example of every major 20th Century strike.
    At the same time, I've been trying to improve the images of my collection. I took the advice of lehigh96 (who has some of the most beautiful toned coins around -- and in my opinion some of the best registry photography as well) and I got a copy of Mark Goodman's "Numismatic Photography, 2nd Edition". This book is great, and it covers the gamut of coin photography issues.
    Below is one of my 20th Century Type Set additions. As a purist, some might say that including a DDO coin among your type set is bad taste, but this coin is a real beauty.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.