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Mokiechan

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Journal Entries posted by Mokiechan

  1. Mokiechan

    Better Late Then Never

    By Mokiechan,

    But still very late!
    Well I bought some milk and mint chip ice cream today and received 3 very shiny quarters in change. As is my habit, I flipped them over and saw 3 beautiful Gettysburg quarters. These are the first I've seen in circulation, in fact these are the first 2011 quarters I have seen outside of mint sets. Seems like change barely ciculates any more. I put it in my Whitman album. It joins 3 quarters from 2010. I guess I will need to get some quarter rolls from the bank and find the missing ones.
    Oh, forgot to mention I traded in a few more odds and ends today and left my favorite coin shop with a very nice PCGS MS64 Sesquicentennial Half Dollar. I actually think it is worth considering a crack-out as the differential between the MS64 price and MS65 price is quite substantial. The picture you see does the coin NO justice. It is one of the best looking Sesqi(s) I have ever seen.
    Later,
    Malcolm

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  2. Mokiechan
    By Hollywood, of all places.
    Hi All,
    Recieved my 1923-S PCGS MS63 Monroe Doctrine Half Dollar in yesterdays mail. This is another addition to the 50% Is Good Enough set and is also another great example of first generation commemorative half boondoggery.
    Obverse shows the conjoined busts of President James Monroe, and Secretary of State, John Qunicy Adams. The reverse depicts two female forms representing North and South America.
    The Monroe Doctrine was promulgated President Monroe in 1923 and its purpose was to basically place all of Central and South America under U.S. protection. The reason that John Q. Adams also appeared on the coin is because he actually drafted the Monroe Doctrine. For the 100th Anniversery of the Doctrine, Hollywood film interests sponsored an exposition in Los Angeles that had as its theme, U.S. History. Hmmmm, sounds a little contrived to me.
    The reverse design is very interesting in that Chester Beach turned North and South America into you ladies who join hands in "Central America". Although the design is innovative and appealing, the low relief diminishes its artistic impact.
    Hope you Enjoy,
    Happy Holidays,
    Malcolm

  3. Mokiechan

    Wow What A Shocker

    By Mokiechan,

    Followup to my early posting about sample slabs.
    OMG, I have been following a 1963 Roosevelt Dime in a PCGS Sample Slab until it closed tonight and the final winning bid was 167.50. Yes, that is 167.50 for an ungraded, but clearly UNC dime jsut because it is in a sample slab. That is so cool!!! I know my similar slab with a 1964-D Roosevelt is probably not as valuable but if there is a growing market for sample slabs, I will put that slab on the market as soon as the heat comes to 1964s as well. Got to monitor this closely, Maybe that freebie dime is going to net me a nice early commemorative sometime soon.
    Love It!!!
    Happy Holidays Friends,
    Malcolm
    PS - the coin pictured is the big seller on EBAY, not the one I own.

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  4. Mokiechan

    Nice Pickup On Friday

    By Mokiechan,

    One more closer to the halfway point
    Friends,
    I picked up a very nice MS64 1936 York County Maine half yesterday by selling some more old stock at my local coin shop. For those of you unfamiliar with the York County commemorative, it is a perfect representation of why the first series of commemorative coins failed so miserably (Special Interests). The York half commemorated the 300th anniversary of York County, southernmost county in Maine, and is also the second commemorative issued, during that period, for Maine as the first Maine half had been released in 1920.
    Congress authorized 30,000 York County halves. With about 25,000 actually minted, Besides being poorly designed, the York also suffers from very low relief. So Maine has the dubious distinction of having two poorly designed halves in its numismatic history.
    I also picked up a Monroe Half yesterday on EBAY, will show that Puppy when it arrives.
    Later,
    Malcolm

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  5. Mokiechan
    The Sample Kind.
    Cemonice's posting about different generations of NGC slab styles is a great dovetail to an article that PCGS's Alan Canavan wrote titled "What You Need to Know About PCGS Sample Slabs". As a longtime owner of a PCGS sample slab, I have always wondered if their was any enhanced collecting interest over and above the value of the common date silver Roosevelt encased within the slab.
    Alan's article basically says that this is the time to seek out these sample slabs as there is growing collecter interest in the slabs and there numbers are relatively low. Here is a direct quote from his article:
    "What really separates coin collecting from sample collecting is the fact that the coins are minted in the millions or even billions. Sample slabs are produced in lots of one thousand or less. When I say less, I am referring to numbers as low as five or ten!"
    So, I am going to hang onto my sample slab for a few more years and see if a market really develops. Who knows, maybe that Slab will far outstrip the value of its encased Silver Dime.
    http://samplecoinslabs.com/index.html/
    Happy Holidays,
    Malcolm
    PS-The included photo shows a slab similar in style to mine.

  6. Mokiechan
    Was it a trial or was it some kind of shenanigans.
    Friends,
    Found a very intersting article about the 1964, yes 1964, Special Mint Set on the Coin World site. Just goes to show you that this hobby, even after 45 years is still able to spring a surprise or two on a fairly regular basis. Read and enjoy.
    http://www.coinworld.com/articles/1964-sms-coins-are-enigmatic/
    Later,
    Malcolm

  7. Mokiechan

    My Favorite Set

    By Mokiechan,

    and smallest to boot.
    I started collecting coins in 1968 when a bunch of my friends, who were Boy Scouts, started collecting to earn their merit badges. Suffice it to say, coin collecting soon captivated me and has had me in her iron (copper, silver, nickel, and gold) grip ever since.
    Sometime during the early 70's Coins magazine, I believe, offered a free 1967 Canadian Dollar with each new subscription. That was incentive enough for a young collector to quit buying newstands issues and actually subscribing. The Dollar that arrived would probably be graded MS62 these days but was one of the most attractive designs I have ever seen. The obverse had the mature portrait of Queen Elizabeth while the reverse had the majestic loon. That's coins arrival sparked a torrid love affair with Canadian coins that consumed my collecting efforts for 20 years. I have since sold most of my Canadian collection but I still keep some of my favorites in my personal collection and I give the Canadian Mint credit for inspiring the U.S. Bicentennial series, the era of modern commemoratives, and the statehood quarter set.
    I am particularly pleased that my 1967 prooflike Canadian custom set has far more views than any other set I maintain. Currently about 850 views with the next closest at about 360. Apparently some of you also love Canadian Coinage. Oh Canada, forever in my collecting heart.
    Later,
    Malcolm

  8. Mokiechan
    I think there are too many SAEs in the pipeline.
    Hi All,
    I was thinking about submitting one last group of coins to NGC before the end of the year. But I think I'll wait until the glut of 25th Anniversary sets makes it through the pipeline. When I say last, I mean LAST, as I am down to a very small group of raw coins that seem to be worthy of the extra expense (vice simply selling them to convert into already graded coins).
    The lot will consist of some Silver Ikes, Some MS Mercury Dimes, and some older SAEs. I know, I know, there probably not worth much more than their grading cost but, What The Heck, it's kind of like gambling in LV, most of the time you come up short but all you need is that one MS68 Ike to make your day.
    Hope all of you had an excellent Thanksgiving and the Snow is not too deep in your backyards. All our snow seems to melt before I wake up each morning.

  9. Mokiechan
    Yet another commemorative that will never sell out.
    Folks,
    I just received my latest issue of NN and immediately latched onto an article about the latest commemorative coin series approved by Congress. This 3 coin set will honor the 75th Anniversary of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
    Now I have visited the HOF and found it, and the surrounding town of Cooperstown, to be historical and fascinating. But I cannot fathom why anyone would even consider buying the HOF commemoratives unless they are just completists forever tied to the Mint's mediocre offerings.
    I jumped off that trainwreck long ago and unless a coin/medal is for 9/11 or some simalurly important event, I ain't biting. What's next, the National Farm Toy Museum Commemoratives? Branson MO was incorporated in 1912, is it too late to make some commemoratives for that fine upstanding American City? STOP THE MADNESS, don't buy such cowpies from the mint.
    Sorry for the Rant,
    Malcolm
    http://www.coinnews.net/2011/10/27/house-passes-national-baseball-hall-of-fame-commemorative-coin-act/

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  10. Mokiechan

    My Worst Purchase Ever

    By Mokiechan,

    Via QVC and the Nuestra Senora De Atocha
    Friends,
    I know we have all made purchases in the numismatic realm that we later regretted and I hope my sad tale makes you feel much better about your particular anguish.
    Sometime during the late 80's, while my collecting was mostly focused on NCLT foreign coins, I was watching those wonderful hucksters on QVC and became very interested when they started marketing an actual silver ingot from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha treasure ship. This ship had been found by Mel Fisher and company back in 1985 and had gotten a tremendous amount of press at the time.
    Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, I wanted that silver ingot (in deluxe treasure chest box with accompany plaque and COA) but I held off due to the high cost and patiently waited until the ineviteble QVC sale when the little beauty went for a little over 100.00.
    Suffice it to say, I was very pleased at the time and was only mildly disapointed when the silver ingot proved to be pretty durned small (about an ounce I think). But, it was still TREASURE and it was MinE. Later, after the thrill of victory subsided, I realized it was not really an ingot from the Atocha, instead it was a faux ingot cast from the reamains of a bigger ingot. I should have known better, I betcha they even mentioned that factoid during their spiel, but I missed that detail and ended up with a bitter understanding of TV marketing.
    I still have her today, she sits in her box, in my closet, as a constant reminder of why overeagerness to buy plus selective hearing can lead to great tragedy (well that's a little melodramtic but you know what I mean).
    Later,
    Malcolm
    PS-she's always for sale, who wants to give me 50.00 plus postage.

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  11. Mokiechan
    Are we closer to some kind of resolution and final disposition?
    I read an article from Coin World today concerning the latest (and final?) judicial proceeding concerning the Langbord Hoard. Decision was made on 10 November that basically affirms the jury decision from 20 July after considering additional information from both the government and the Langbords. Here's hoping the coins are preserved and the public is able to see them together at some point. Article can be found here:
    http://www.coinworld.com/articles/judge-agrees-with-jury-in-1933-20-decision/
    Later,
    Malcolm

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  12. Mokiechan
    A Challenging collecting area.
    A representative from the Naval surface Warfare Center recently visited my Command to attend a conference. During a break, he stopped by my office to say Hi because we had spoken on the phone many times but had never actually met. At the end of our very nice face-to-face, he shook my hand while passing me the very attractive challenge coin pictured below.
    For those of you who do not know, A Challenge Coin is a small coin or medallion, bearing a military Unit's insignia or emblem and carried by the Unit's members to prove affiliation with the unit. So a vet telling a story about his time on the USS Peleliu (for example) could pull out his Peleliu Challenge Coin if someone questioned whether he had ever actually served on that Ship. Hence the name Challenge Coin.
    I have a small collection of Challenge Coins I have collected over the years. This latest example came as a complete and welcome surprise.
    Cheers,
    Malcolm

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  13. Mokiechan
    For those of us that are just plain worn out by the SAE 25th Anniversary story.
    I was reading Coin World and ran across an interesting article about a pair of lead die trials that have recently come to light from the estate of Cyrus Dallin, the coin's designer. These die trials were unknown to the numismatic community for over 90 years. Mr. Dallin was a colleague of St. Gaudens and did his work during the golden age of U.S. coin design. Here is a link to the article:
    http://www.coinworld.com/articles/pilgrim-50-die-trials-surface/
    Enjoy,
    Malcolm

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  14. Mokiechan
    While the East got drenched the West sweltered.
    I know the burning desire to acquire new coins will return soon but these last couple of months, I've had a certain disinterest in the research process that normally goes into any new purchase either big or small.
    I've made a few half-hearted bids on Ebay, mostly trolling for bargain purchases, but I just haven't had the desire to really do the hard statistical analysis that normally occurs when the days get shorter. This happens to me every summer but THIS summer seems more ennui-ridden than in the past.
    On the plus side, both my current NGC submissions are finally scheduled for grading so I anticipate a bump in my collection in the September/October timeframe and I also plan on finishing that pesky Wartime Jefferson collection before the end of 2011.
    Hope all your collecting endeavours are bearing fruit and I hope all my Eastern Seaboard colleagues weathered Irene without any major problems.
    I leave you with a picture of a beautiful Proof Walking Liberty Half Dollar to remind us how artistic U.S. coins can be.

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  15. Mokiechan
    by my coins appearance in the NGC Coin Explorer
    Well folks,
    I was googling myself this afternoon, not my real name but my beawchan handle, and I found numerous hits to include an entry for a coin I own in the new NGC Coin Explorer. The coin is a MS68RD 2006 SMS Lincoln Cent. The funny thing is that the coin is part of my 21st century set and it is paired with a 1909 (in the reverse picture slot) Lincoln to illustrate the difference in design from Brenner's original.
    I like that I am so honored but I wonder why they chose to use a coin with no legitimate reverse image. They were probably just searching their database for 2006 Lincoln SMS's with pictures and stumbled on my entry, next thing you know old beawchan is immoratalized in the hallowed halls of the Google search engine. I am going to have to refine my self-search and google "beawchan NGC Coin Explorer" and see if I made the cut with any other coins.
    On a totally unrelated note, I called my local coin dealer and the chopmarked trade dollar he submitted on my behalf to PCGS should be back by the beginning of next week.
    Yay, my "chopmarked coins of the orient" custom set will be complete and I can move on to my "least attractive U.S. coin designs of the 20th Century" set. With apologies to those who like these designs, here is my bottom 5:
    SBA Dollar
    IKE Dollar
    Franklin Half
    Washington Quarter - Ohio or Indiana Reverse, etc. etc. etc.
    Roosevelt Dime
    Of course this set only includes regular issues as the ranks of ugly commemorative coins grows yearly and I don't even want to discuss the Presidential Dollars. Chuck E Cheese makes a better looking coin that that mess of a series.
    I think I have ranted enough!
    Cheers,
    Malcolm

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  16. Mokiechan
    But it was not of the numismatic type.
    My family and I just returned from a wonderful four days on the island of Santa Catalina. As many of you may know, the island has a population of American Bison (Buffaloes) that date back to the filming of a movie called the "Vanishing Americans" based on a Zane Grey novel from 1925.
    Anyway, much of the filming of the movie was done in the "outback" of Santa Catalina Island due to its rugged terrain that mimicked the American west. 14 Bison were brought to the Island to appear in the film. When the producers started running low on money toward the end of filming, they asked Mr. Wrigley, owner of the Island and Chicago Cubs Owner, if they could leave the Bison. Mr. Wrigley said yes, and the Bison have remained on the island since, they now number about 200 after some recent herd thinning. The pose in the picture reminds me of the Buffalo Nickel.
    Cheers,
    Malcoml
    PS- despite bringing the Bison to the Island, the Bison never made the final cut of the film. In other words, a total waste of money.

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  17. Mokiechan

    Heavily Chopped!

    By Mokiechan,

    But still brimming with character and history.
    My final group of NGC coins are now on the way and I received the images today. This takes my Trade Dollar custom set to 20 coins with only my PCGS bound chopmarked US Trade Dollar to complete the set. Hopefully she'll return to the fold in November. As you can see in the picture this 1900 French Indochina Piastre De Commerce is heavily chopped and has obviously had an interesting life. I obtained her sometime in the 1980's. Please enjoy
    Later,
    Malcolm

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  18. Mokiechan

    Langbord Hoard Offer

    By Mokiechan,

    But the Government is paralyzed with hand wringing, naval gazing, and other such useless pursuits
    I read today that CAC has offered 20 million dollars for the 10 1933 Double Eagles. The article quoted a company principal stating they already have 7 solid offers to buy and they would be fine with hanging onto the other 3 for awhile.
    I think that is a very fair offer and will serve to forever protect these numismatic treasures.
    http://blog.davidlawrence.com/index.php/cac-offers-20-million-for-1933-double-eagles/

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  19. Mokiechan
    Because Halloween is So Awesome
    Hi All,
    I was doing some random websurfing this evening when I started focusing on coins that have some kind of Halloween related theme.
    After some dead ends, I happened upon a set of 5 coins issued by Tuvalu and minted in Perth called Heroes and Villains. They are each one ounce of pure silver and denominated at 1 Dollar.
    Two of the five coins,Jekyl/Hyde and Van Helsing/Dracula meet my criteria for Halloween themed. Here is a picture of the Van Helsing/Dracula coin. Hope you enjoy.
    Malcolm

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  20. Mokiechan
    Some Interesting Research
    Folks,
    I ran across a very interesting article from Coin World about Mint Police Officer theft of edgeless Presidential Dollar:
    http://www.coinworld.com/articles/where-are-all-of-the-plain-edge-presidential-/?utm_source=OB_traffic
    The article analyzes the current numbers of coins certified by NGC, PCGS, and ANACS while also attempting to discern how many were stolen and when? Good Stuff!!
    Malcolm
    PS-not affiliated with Coin World in any way, shape, or form.

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  21. Mokiechan

    A Nice Ebay Bargain

    By Mokiechan,

    For a collector of small means...
    I picked up a MS66 1945-S Jefferson Nickel this weekend from a dealer on EBAY. The NGC Price Guide value is $32.50, His BIN price was $25.00, and my "Make An Offer" offer was $20.00. I thought he would split the difference and make a counteroffer of $23.00 but lo and behold, he took the offer and I now have the coin pictured below speeding to my home postage free.
    This is a pretty typical way I operate on EBAY. I always have a number of saved searches going and check them each day for coins that look to have low-ball potential. Once in awhile, with a particularly difficult coin, like the 1918 Mercury Dime, I will pay above NGC value but that's after many moons of searching through dealer stock, TELETRADE, and EBAY for the desired coin. I would estimate that half my current collection of slabs originated on EBAY, I have been a member since 1987.
    I hope all your endeavours, collecting and otherwise, are equally fruitful. The HUNT is half the fun of collecting.
    Cheers,
    Malcolm

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  22. Mokiechan

    Sold some Gold

    By Mokiechan,

    And gained some ground
    I had two old gold rings and a broken gold bracelet burning a hole in my pocket this past Friday so I decided to go to my favorite coin dealer, California Numismatic Funding, and see what they were worth. After the weigh-in, I had a grand total of 426.00 in credit so I promptly bought a CT and a Lexington-Concord half for my commemorative type set. Very pleased with both and I still had 62.00 in my pcoket when I departed.
    I know there's an extra wedding band (long story) and some other stuff gold around somewhere, gotta search this weekend.

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  23. Mokiechan

    Just Sharing

    By Mokiechan,

    Treasure from the SS Republic
    Hi All, wanted to share a photo of my favorite coin, it is an 1842-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar from the SS Republic. It is slabbed by NGC with Shipwreck Effect.

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  24. Mokiechan
    Does this explain the Washington Dollars without edge engraving?
    Here is an extract from an article I read today:
    "A North Wildwood, N.J., man who worked as a police officer at the U.S. Mint today admitted stealing $2.4 million worth of error coins from the U.S. Mint and selling them to a coin distributor in California, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced."
    the story goes on with more deatil but suffice it to say, this is a big WTF. He apparenly was a major reason those Washington Dollars without edge engraving came to the marketplace. Was he also, along with others, the reason they were produced in the first place? How can a mint employee, even a police officer, manage to get away with stealing so many of the coins (enough to make over 2 Million Dollars) over a period of time and get away with it?
    I have a feeling that there are more folks involved. This is really ugly.

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  25. Mokiechan
    Franklin and I come out smelling like roses.
    Just got the pictures for 10 coins that have successfully navigated the grading process. One oe my submissions was a 1964-D Roosevelt Dime that came back with a very nice MS67 grade. THe coin does have a lot of flow lines but otherwise looked very pristine under magnification. I figured it might garner a better than average grade and I was right for a change. Yay!!!

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