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jgenn

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Journal Entries posted by jgenn

  1. jgenn
    The challenge -- to build a birth-year set from only silver dollars. The dilemma -- only a few types were minted in 1960.
    My favorite type is the silver dollar, or more precisely, 36-42mm diameter coins, at least 23g, that are 50% or more silver (my definition). Also known as "crowns", these have been popular with collectors through the centuries, boosting the survivability of most varieties, even those with low mintages. The large surface area allows for more design detail and I like the way they fill up a slab. I prefer them so much that I avoid collecting anything smaller.
    In the US, overproduction of silver dollars to satisfy the provisions of the Pittman Act fully stocked the Treasury vaults and halted their production. The subsequent worldwide economic disruptions of the Great Depression and World War II further diminished the demand for large silver denomination coinage. Countries that could afford to issue silver coinage continued but the trend towards non-precious metal coins became widely adopted. The US Treasury continued to release Peace and Morgan dollars until demand finally caught up with supply in 1964. So there are no US silver dollars minted in 1960.
    Fortunately, a few countries were still issuing large silver coins. The Canadian silver dollar is the perfect example. However, to keep this set from being ridiculously small I've pushed the boundaries a bit. One idea was to ignore the century and focus on the year portion of the date. This opens up wonderful opportunities for silver dollar types including the US seated liberty of 1860. I've actively modified my search for interesting world crowns to seek '60s as a priority.
    Another idea was including exonumia. I only found out about So-Called Dollars -- those dollar-sized medals struck to commemorate American themes -- recently, when reading our chat boards. The earliest of these are nearly 200 years old. Naturally, I was excited to find that there were several struck in 1960. The one I picked out nicely fits my requirement.
    I'll conclude this journal entry with a link to my set (http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=19493) and a preview of my So-Called Dollar, the Mumey Pony Express Centennial medal, HK-584.
    ~jack

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  2. jgenn

    Hey, this guy has a face!

    By jgenn,

    When a details coin looks better
    The leeuwendaalder aka lion daalder was first minted in the province of Holland in 1575 during the revolt against Spanish rule. By 1581 the seven Northern provinces were able to gain their independence, forming the Dutch Republic, formally recognized by the Spanish Empire in 1648. Freed from the burden of supporting a monarchy, the Dutch became a trading powerhouse, developing a globe-spanning colonial empire and the largest merchant fleet in the 17th century. The lion daalder was minted in six provinces and several cities; as an early trade dollar, it circulated widely including the Middle East and the North American colonies (the Dutch colony of New Netherlands was ceded to England in 1664, its capital, New Amsterdam, was renamed New York). The coin picked up the nickname, "dog dollar", in the English colonies, probably because the rampant lion design on the reverse lost much of its distinguishing detail as it became worn.
     
     
     
    Produced from roughly finished planchetes, these coins typically exhibit multiple weak areas. A common problem is the head of the knight. I've searched for nice examples but many, even those with AU/MS grades, are greatly lacking eye appeal. But then I came across this shipwreck salvage coin and I was immediately drawn to the strong detail of the obverse design and especially the face of the knight. The coin is attributed to the wreck of the Kampen, part of a Dutch East India Company convoy that sank in 1627. Although it grades AU details, I think it's one of the better examples of this historic Dutch trade dollar.
     
     
     
    ~jack

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  3. jgenn
    would smell as sweet -- but a better photograph can't hurt!
    My original title for this post was 'Most Subtly Improved', a nod to Gary and Alan's recent posts about their photography, but I could't resist the Shakespearean jest. As my photography skills slowly progress I have greatly improved many of my early coin images but sometimes it's the ones with a subtle improvement that can really catch your attention. That's the case with my Pezza della Rosa or Rose Dollar and I hope you'll agree. The nature of the design is such that nearly any photograph cannot detract from its inherent beauty,
    My initial focus for collecting was the portrait eight reales of Charles III of Spain. To be honest, I have become quite bored of seeing his bust; and those of monarchs in general. When I broadened my collecting interest to all world crowns I actively sought other types of design. I became particularly enamored with the pezza della rosa, from Livorno in the Italian state of Tuscany. Interestingly, it's one of several crown sized silver coins that were minted there. Ducats or piastra were made to trade on par with the high value ducatons from the Dutch Republic. Talleros had a value equal to the thalers of the German states. The pezza della rosa, also known as pezza da otto reali, was the local equivalent of the Spanish 8 reales. As an important port and trading center, having local coins with similar values to foreign coins eased commerce and gave the ruler the seigniorage, the profit on the difference between the face value and cost to produce the coins.
    My example is from 1707, during the reign of Cosimo III, the penultimate head of the famous Medici family. Initially, I lit the coin with a typical 2:00 and 10:00 arrangement. For my slightly improved version, I positioned a Jansjo at a low angle at 12:00 and one at a slightly higher angle but also near 12:00 to light the bottom half of the coin. For these early milled, lower relief coins, I seem to get better results from a setup that tries to approximate the 'in-hand' look.
    ~jack

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  4. jgenn

    Light and Shadow

    By jgenn,

    Sometimes a strong lighting angle can bring out a coin's best appearance.
    The lamps that I use for my coin photographs are too bulky to allow placement near the camera lens so I have to experiment with different angles in relation to the plane of the coin's surface. I have a couple of small LEDs lamps on order that will allow me to get close to a perpendicular angle, but until they arrive I have to make due with what I have.
    I've read advice that for coins with portraits, you should try to light the face in a natural way -- as if lit from above by sunlight. Here's my best attempt at that on a young Catherine the Great from a 1764 Rouble minted in Saint Petersburg.

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  5. jgenn

    Custom Sets Question

    By jgenn,

    To go big or stay focused?
    Congratulations to all the registry participants and winners. Now that the 2015 awards have been decided we can take a peek at the judges' selections, and with 90,000 registry sets out there, I know I will be viewing most of these for the first time.
    Like many of you, I spent a good portion of 2015 creating, organizing and polishing my sets. I've become a big fan of custom sets and I added four last year. I especially like the control we have over the size of our sets and I've kept mine pretty small and focused. The gallery page, where you can see fifteen coins (30 individual photos) at once including the owner's annotations, is my favorite way to view a set. But I will admit that I'm not likely to go more than two pages deep. Personal preferences aside, I wonder if keeping my sets so small was the best approach.
    One of the custom sets I created last year is the pillar dollar companion to my 8 reales busts of Charles III. Although they are chronologically adjacent, the pillar dollars are more desirable to collectors and I (and my wallet) opted for a lower average grade. But now I wonder if I should have combined them together. After all, many of the top custom sets feature considerably more coins than I am contemplating.
    I would like your opinion -- should I keep my Columnarios de Carlos separate or roll them into the Amazing 8s?
    Here's one of those pillar dollars from the Viceroyalty of Peru, Lima mint and a link to the set.
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetGallery.aspx?s=19381
    ~jack

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  6. jgenn

    My First US Silver Dollar!

    By jgenn,

    Although I bid on many world lots, the first win of the year was an 1846-O Seated Liberty $1
    Happy New Year fellow collectors! I started my New Year by participating in several of the big world coin auctions held in January, but failed to win lots, including any of the 8 reales from Guatemala that our esteemed NGC registry colleague, Isaac Rudman, offered in the Heritage World & Ancient Coins Auction in New York. So my first win of the year was a US coin from the Orlando FUN auction.
    This particular coin has been on my want list after I was made aware of an interesting book published in 1845, "A Monograph of the Silver Dollar: Good and Bad", written by Dr. John Leonard Riddell, during his appointment as melter and refiner of the New Orleans Mint. The book catalogs the silver dollars circulating in the US at the time (1833-1844) and includes facsimile images and assay data on 425 different varieties, providing a reference to help distinguish between the genuine and counterfeit. It is an exhaustively researched snapshot of US specie and an important historical record.
    What I find so fascinating, as an 8 reales collector, is the following quote: "More than 90 per cent. of the Dollars in general circulation in this country, bear the Mexican stamp. This arises from two facts: 1st. There is far more silver produced from the mines of Mexico, than from the mines of all the world besides: 2d. It is, and has been, the policy of that government, to prevent the export of uncoined bullion, the government deriving a large revenue from its coinage, amounting, I have been informed, to 10 per cent. During the days of Spanish rule, near $23,000,000 in silver were annually obtained from the mines; since the Mexican independence probably $15,000,000 would more nearly express the annual amount. The Mexican Dollar, at the present day, holds the place in the commerce of the world, held forty years ago by the famous Spanish American Pillar Dollar."
    And to further explain why early US dollars are so expensive to collect, "The coinage of Dollars in the United States, virtually commencing in 1795, has never been large. The policy of our government has been to issue a great preponderance of halves, and the smaller denominations of coins, under the impression that they would be less likely to be exported from the country."
    So, for my first US silver dollar, I selected the first one issued by the New Orleans Mint, a coin of melted and refined silver with a significant proportion from 8 reales coins that were removed from circulation.
    ~jack

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  7. jgenn

    A Tale of Two Cities

    By jgenn,

    It was the best of thalers, it was the worst of thalers...
    Several city-view thalers were up for sale this November and I acquired one of Frankfurt am Main and one of Regensburg. Minted just a few years apart, they are from the last few decades of the Holy Roman Empire. Both of these were Free Imperial Cities, subordinate only to the Emperor, and had important roles in the Empire; Frankfurt was the city where kings and emperors were crowned and Regensburg hosted the principle decision making body, the Imperial Diet. Both are well struck with minimal wear but otherwise, they are a contrast in appearance.
    The Frankfurt thaler has muted luster with significant toning, somewhat uneven and with a few crusty areas in the legend. The city view is in landscape style and the toning adds a weather-like effect as if a rain storm is passing through. It's quite ornate with elaborate framing of the city arms and the radiant triangle, caduceus and cornucopias symbols.
    The Regensburg thaler is highly lustrous with only slight toning. The obverse shows the portrait of Emperor Joseph II and the reverse is a portrait of the city -- engraved on a large scale, accentuating its importance and grandeur, and features an impressive level of detail -- its precise lines are more in the style of an architectural drawing.
    I know it's a stretch to paraphrase Dickens' famous first line with any relevance to these coins, but to me it is mainly about the range of Regensburg city view coins that were on offer. I chose the one with the best eye appeal but some may regard it as the worst because of its details grade. Between the two pictured here, I appreciate the qualities of the different styles, however I find the Frankfurt view more appealing. Toning and details grades generate strong opinions among collectors. Which city view do you prefer?
    I'll post the full coin photographs with grades on the chat board.
    ~jack

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  8. jgenn
    'Two kings heads and not worth a crown'
    Yes, this is another post about 8 reales. My last post did not get very many views but maybe that's because it was submerged in a flood of new journals that should have been posted as replies. If this one doesn't get many views, I promise to post on a different subject next time
    Anyway, several 8 reales, stamped with the head of George III by the Bank of England, have shown up on Ebay recently and reminded me that I needed to take some better photos of mine to update my coin in my 'Amazing 8s' custom set.
    At the time they were first circulated, 1797, they were set at a value of four shillings and nine pence, just shy of a crown, thus the phrase 'two kings heads and not worth a crown'.
    One of 8 reales experts at www.coincommunity.com, swamperbob, has described these as '... one of three attempts by the Bank of England to get silver back into circulation during the monetary emergency of the very early 1800s. England was at war and needed money to fight but they also were trying to hold the line on the value of the pound sterling. World silver prices were high so any "full weigh" coins issued would immediately be melted for the silver - so NONE were made. Old worn coins (down to 50% or so) remained in circulation. So the Bank took 8R coins and stamped them to raise their face value above the silver content. These would not be melted.'
    The majority of these coins featured the bust of Charles IV, known more for his interest in hunting than in managing the Spanish Empire, and George III suffered from a form of mental illness later in his reign, so the other common phrase for these coins was 'the head of a fool on the neck of an '.
    My example is from 1783, with the bust of Charles III. I was keen to acquire this one, when I saw it offered on Ebay in early 2011, because it was the best example of a coin from this year that I had seen and I wanted to redeem myself for purchasing one of those overpriced, 'America's first dollar', sea-salvaged 1783s.

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  9. jgenn

    First Gold

    By jgenn,

    I've only collected silver, mostly 8 reales, until this one.
    Now, you might expect an 8 reales collector to acquire a Spanish escudo as their first gold coin, but I've been wary of buying into the current gold bubble. I hope to acquire a few nice 8 escudos when, and if, the price of gold drops back to lower levels.
    As a fun distraction from my 8 reales focus, I've been building a theme set of coins that depict the sport of fencing, my other main hobby. Since the beginning of the year I've already acquired over a dozen nice silver specimens and today I received my first gold coin, a tiny 14mm, 1.24g speck, commemorating the Athens Olympics with a fencing design.
    I've found that many countries, besides the host, produce Olympic commemorative coins. In this case we have a Bulgarian 5 Leva, dated 2002 with the national emblem, date and denomination on the obverse. The reverse has the dates of the first and contemporary modern Olympic competition and the host city and features a dramatic image of two fencers competing with epees, one of the three type of fencing weapons.
    At some point, I'll get the best of these slabbed and build a custom set devoted to fencing coins. So, you can expect a few more journals with information about this unusual sport and its commemorative coins.
    ~jack

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  10. jgenn
    I have an example of this coin as a silver proof but I didn't know they were minted in gold.
    My last journal was about my fencing coin custom set so I wasn't planning on writing about this topic so soon, but I spotted this coin on a German auction site and was very surprised to find out that it even existed. Like nearly all other coins depicting fencing, this is an Olympic commemorative. The historic French mint, Monnaie de Paris, produced silver 1-1/2 euro and gold 10 euro proof coins in 2006 for the 2008 summer games in Beijing. Now I have a gold example to go with the silver one in my collection.
     
    As I mentioned in my other journals, fencing coins are minted by many different countries but it's clearly an appropriate subject for France. The French fencers are no strangers to the Olympic podium, having won over 100 medals. They and the Italians have dominated the sport over the years, though the trend is more evenly distributed in recent times. USA fencers have won several medals in the last three Olympics (and I'm still waiting for the US mint to produce a fencing coin).
     
    The sport of fencing began in France in the 17th century and grew out of the need to learn and practice how to handle a sword for the purpose of dueling. Although dueling was universally outlawed by the early 17th century, it was deeply rooted in European culture and continued to be practiced by the aristocracy, spreading to military officers and higher social classes in more recent times. Being able to defending one's honor was considered a necessity in the days before libel lawsuits. From a business standpoint, your reputation was used to secure a letter of credit -- refusing to defend your honor could be equated to refusing to honor your debts. Pistols became the dueling weapon of choice in the 18th and 19th century before the phenomenon finally died out. However, the last duel with swords, according to Wikipedia, occurred in 1967 between two French politicians.
    This beautiful French 10 euro coin has a obverse design featuring the three fencing weapons; épée, sabre and foil superimposed on a globe pointing to Beijing, denomination over the arctic and date over the antarctic . On the reverse is a nicely executed image of two foil fencers with the Olympic date visible as if stenciled on the back of one of the fencers. The coin is 22mm in diameter and 8.45g of 0.92 fineness gold. Mintage of 1,000.
    ~jack

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  11. jgenn

    Amazing 8s

    By jgenn,

    My custom set has more than 500 views!
    Thanks to all of you that have viewed my custom set "Amazing 8s -- Charles III Portrait 8 Reales 1772-1791".
    The special thing about a custom set is that it's uniquely your own. For my set I selected 20 coins from my collection of 8 reales, one for each year of issue that featured the bust of Charles III (some posthumously) and made sure to choose examples from a variety of mints.
    I did some research and tried to include a few interesting facts about this monarch's reign among my comments. History shows that Charles III was the last great King of Spain -- his economic policies fostered an expansion of trade that encouraged the Spanish colonies to vastly increase the minting of these coins. His successor, Charles IV, neglected the administration of the Empire and was eventually forced to abdicate his throne, first to his son Ferdinand VII and then again to Napoleon Bonaparte.
    Curating this set was a fun learning experience. Please take a look if you haven't seen it yet.
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=3785
    I'll leave you with a composite photograph of the first coin in my set and its comment text.
    "First year of the portrait design on Spanish silver coins. This example is from the Mexico City mint. Both the mint mark and assayer initials are inverted and this coin is the rare variety where the initials have been transposed from "FM" to "MF" From the April/May 2012 Heritage auction, Chicago, lot #25106. KM-106.1."

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  12. jgenn

    Two goals in one!

    By jgenn,

    An overdue report on my January world coin activities.
    I'm not sure if it's the same with US coins but I think the January Heritage, Stack's Bowers, Triton and Goldberg auctions have the best selection of rare and premium quality world coins of the year. Unlike last year, when I was completely shut out of January's world coin auctions, I scored a few goals this time around. One coin was literally two goals in one. I wanted to add a Swiss Thaler to my collection of world crowns and I've also been on the hunt for a city view type coin. My new coin is a Basel Thaler Dav-1746, KM# 126, undated but circa 1676 according to Heritage or 1737 according to Numismaster, with a lovely city-view reverse.
    Basel joined the Swiss Confederacy as its eleventh canton in 1501, shortly after the conclusion of the Swabian War in which the Swiss armies outfought the armies of the House of Habsburg and the Swabian League. It remained a Prince-Bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire until joining the Swiss Reformation in 1528. The Treaty of Westphalia of 1648 offically separated the Swiss Confederacy from the Holy Roman Empire. Basel was one of the first areas to be conquered by Napoleon in 1793 leading to the collapse of the Swiss Confederacy and reorganization into the short-lived Helvetic Republic of 1798-1803. Today, Basel is a popular destination for cruises on the Rhine river.
    The obverse of this nicely toned coin features the bishop's crosier, or staff of office, as enshrined on the Basel coat of arms, within an adorned circle. The reverse is the city view, showing the city and the bridge over the Rhine with lesser Basel in the foreground, founded to guard the bridgehead. This variety is unique in the complete lack of lettering on the city view side as well as absence of Basel's heraldic animal, the winged worm known as the basilisk, unless you consider the curvilinear ornamentation surrounding the coat of arms as a very abstract representation of the creature.
    ~jack

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  13. jgenn
    I knew I was close but didn't know which one would put me over the top.
    Hello fellow collectors. My first journal happens to coincide with my recent breakthrough of the 100K registry points milestone. Sure its just a number but it defines a point at which I can look back and reflect on the collection I have built in last three and a half years. For me, this all started with one of those "America's First Silver Dollars" followed by the realization that collectible grade eight reales coins (aka pieces of eight) could be found for what I paid for a damaged example (or less). Needless to say, I caught the collecting bug.
    Last year I became aware that my registry point total was well into five digits and figured out that only coins in competitive sets counted. So, I started putting my eligible coins into sets to see how many points were there.
    The points accumulated until I knew the next coin would break 100K. I had some coins in for grading at NGC, won two coins at Heritage CICF but what arrived in the mailbox first was an Ebay win -- an 8 reales from 1814 minted in Cadiz, Spain.
    My main collecting focus is the 8 reales from the Spanish colonies but I also have examples from the Spanish mints in Madrid and Seville. Cadiz is of historical significance in that it was the home of the Spanish treasure fleet and dominated trade with the colonies in the 18th century.
    At the time this coin was minted, however, the Spanish empire was in decline -- Napoleon had invaded and conquered most of Spain and the remnants of Spanish governance retreated to Cadiz where coins of this type were minted from 1810-1815. The Spanish colonies in America were plunged into a long period of warfare for their independence.
    It has been a fun and fascinating journey so far. Thanks for reading. Here is a picture of the coin that got me past 100K. Its only an XF45 so please pardon the condition.
    ~Jack

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  14. jgenn

    Lights, Camera, Action!

    By jgenn,

    Most of the action is in re-positioning the lights.
    Today I took one of my best coin photographs.
    I've been working on improving my photography skills and I've re-imaged much of my collection over the last two years. My setup is fairly modest; an inexpensive copy stand and refurbished Canon SL1 DSLR, with macro capable lens, that I got for a super low price last Black Friday. Frankly, I'm not sure I see much improvement over my previous camera, a Canon G9, since I mainly photograph large sized coins. Both have the essential features; macro focus and white balance control.
    The key to better coin photography, however, is proper lighting. You could say that each coin requires a specific setup of lamps and I find that to be mostly true with the variety of older world crowns that I collect. Two types that I find especially difficult to photograph are the darkly toned coins with muted luster and the highly lustrous, low mint state, ones with many surface imperfections. Small changes to angles can help minimize how distracting scratches and other surface dings will appear, so I take many shots with slight lighting alterations or coin rotation.
    Photographing encapsulated coins presents additional challenges. Scratches and abrasions on the slabs can be managed with lighting angles or polishing the plastic but the big problem for certain situations is the reflection of the light source off the surface of the slab. This limits your options for getting your lamps close to the coin and at a highly perpendicular angle.
    I posted a journal about this thaler before, shortly after I acquired it. Since then, I got the coin re-holdered for free, due to the incorrect label, so that took care of the many scratches on the original slab. But this is a very darkly toned subject with rich colors that are difficult to bring out. After dozens of shoots with different types of lamps and arrangements I finally captured both the colorful toning and design definition in the way that I wanted. I lit the sides with two OttLite tube lamps at nearly perpendicular angles to bring out the color. Then a bright CFL positioned at 12 O'clock at a 45 degree angle gives the steed a daylight-like direction for highlights and shadow, as well as definition for the other design elements. I only gave the image a small bump in contrast and saturation -- not very much was needed.
    I know many of today's collectors go wild for colorfully toned coins. When it comes to older worlds crowns, however, I'm lucky to fine nice, problem-free examples so I can't be too choosy. If it came down to the option for a new crown to add to my collection or a colorful example of a coin I already have, I would probably choose the one I don't have. Still, I'm proud to show off an example of a happy accident of what we would now consider improper storage in a sulfur laden paper envelope.
    ~jack

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  15. jgenn

    This REALLY Bugs Me!

    By jgenn,

    An Ebay seller trying to take advantage of an NGC "clerical error".
    As an 8 reales collector, I frequently browse the Ebay listings for these coins. Several months ago I saw a NGC certified 1783 Mo FM listed. Now, for those in the know, this is the rarest of the series and no graded examples are in NGC's or PCGS's census. The photos clearly show severe seawater damage over the assayers initials. I might admit that the second initial looks more like an "M" than an "F" but it would be easy to fake given the overall damage in the area. It's been relisted several times and is currently listed. Fortunately, nobody has bought it.
    Here are two of the listing's photos. I'm certain it's a clerical error. What do you think?

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  16. jgenn

    Nephew's First Coin

    By jgenn,

    He's a cute little monkey, alright!
    I have enjoyed reading your posts about buying coins for your young family members and finally it's my turn. My nephew is only a few weeks old and I've already got his first coin. Of course I fantasize about him becoming a coin collector like his uncle but I'll be happy if he doesn't sell it at the first opportunity.
    Only time will tell about my nephew's future interests, but it does make me think about how what we post on-line now could very well be retrievable for as long as humans care to archive the internet. If my nephew ever cares to find out how I spent my spare time he can discover my passion for numismatics right here.
    ~Uncle Jack

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  17. jgenn
    I have a bunch of nice coins but only two slabbed examples so far.
    The ongoing Winter Olympics has inspired me to start organizing my collection of modern commemoratives featuring the sport of fencing. Although fencing is not a winter sport, it is one of five sports which has been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games. As I mentioned in one of my journals from last year (http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/JournalDetail.aspx?JournalEntryID=14114), I have been assembling a collection of fencing coins from mostly raw examples. The first two in my custom set (http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/wcm/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=15290) are from slabbed purchases of coins that I had already collected in raw format.
    The earliest of my fencing coins is from the massive issue from the Royal Canadian Mint commemorating the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The large size of this first major Olympic commemorative issue has had the unfortunate effect of characterizing Olympic commemoratives as having little collecting value. This is certainly true of this run which remains relatively inexpensive. As others have commented on their journals, modern coins are very questionable investments. For me, these are just for fun.
    The coin pictured here is the 1976 Montreal Olympics fencing coin, series 6, number 22, mintage of 1,985,257, with satin finish. I also have an example of the proof finish that I will get slabbed some day. ~jack

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  18. jgenn

    England without a monarch!

    By jgenn,

    A relic from the 'Interregnum'
    King Charles I lost more than the English Civil War. In 1649 he lost his head and England began a period of eleven years without a monarch. Even so, crowns were still minted.
    1658 crown of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, a single year issue as he died that September. The crown is noted for its high strike quality due to the mechanized milling and press process introduced by Pierre Blondeau, former engineer of the Paris mint. The dies were produced by the Royal Mint's chief engraver, Thomas Simon. All issues show an 8 punched over 7 and many have the die crack through the lower obverse.
    Cromwell ascended to this position, king in all but name, from his distinguished service in the Parliamentarian army during the English Civil War. The resignation of Lord Fairfax, lord general of the army, who opposed the execution of Charles I, left Cromwell at the head of the most powerful faction of the new republic in 1649. He assumed full control with the title of Lord Protector in 1653. At his death, his eldest son assumed the title but could not maintain the military dictatorship. Charles II gained the throne in 1660, ending this brief period of England without a monarch.
    ~jack

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  19. jgenn
    It's as close as I can get to the rare 1732 and 1733 8Rs
    Milled silver coinage in the Spanish Colonies started to appear in 1732 as a result of a royal decree of 1728 from the reigning monarch, Philip V, the first of the Bourbon Dynasty to rule Spain. Prior to this, colonial coins were hand stamped on irregularly shaped discs, known as cobs. Mexico City was the first of the colonial mints to use screw presses for their coinage on planchets of standardized diameter and thickness. Prior to the impression of the obverse and reverse designs, the planchets were passed through a device that impressed a repeating floral design on the coin's edge. These methods deterred clipping and made counterfeiting much more difficult. Quantities of milled coins from the first two years were very low and thus very rare to collect today.
    I recently acquired a 1734 eight reales struck using a 1733 die -- it's as close as I can afford to get to one of the early ones. As a point of reference, a 1733 Mo MF 8R, in AU condition, recently sold for 3300 euros (not including auction fees) in the Cayon subastas in Madrid on may 9th 2013. My photo includes an enlargement of the date so that you can see the slanting section of three within the "eye" of the four.
    The photo is of the raw coin that I took indoors in my light box using two light sources with the macro function of my hand-held Canon G9. In post-processing, I cranked up the contrast and dropped the saturation to reduce the purple tint from the Reveal incandescent bulbs.
    Wish me luck in getting this graded -- I'm hoping for XF40.

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  20. jgenn
    I bought, sold and traded at my first coin convention and I'm darn sure the dealers got the better bargain, but I came away with my shirt and two new coins for my small but growing early modern world silver dollar set.
    I didn't attend any auctions and only visited for a few hours on Saturday morning but I got most of my goals accomplished. My main purpose was to get an opinion on a raw 1860 Seated Liberty Silver Dollar that I won on Ebay. After showing it around I felt confident enough to send it off for certification instead of sending it back to the seller.
    I also brought a few coins to trade and after showing them to a half dozen dealers, and failing to get the cash value I wanted, I came across a table with a stunning thaler featuring a design that I have been seeking for some time. I did a quick lookup for pricing and traded two of my certified 8 reales and a few bucks for it. It's unfortunate that the NGC label was incorrect, as I found out later -- the specific variety of this coin is priced at least $50 less than the variety matching the label.
    The correct attribution for this coin is a 1663 German States thaler from Brunswick-Luneburg-Celle, Davenport No. 6521, minted in Clausthal and distinguished by the mint master's initials LW, for Lippold Weber. It's gorgeously toned, especially on the side featuring the leaping stallion. The holder is dreadfully scratched, as you can see in the attached photo, so it will go back to NGC for a new case (it should be a freebie due to the "mechanical error" of the label), but I'm thinking it might warrant a regrade.
    ~jack

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  21. jgenn

    Custom Set Collage

    By jgenn,

    Celebrating an Amazing 8s milestone
    This year I was able to add two coins to my set of Charles III 8 reales and complete the goal of an example from each mint that produced the portrait type issue. I figured out how to add an image to the custom set description and called on some dormant skills to illustrate the achievement. I left the commercial art field just as computer graphics were starting to take off so I remember 'copy' as what the photo department did, 'cut' requiring X-ACTO knife skills and 'paste' coming from the waxing machine.
    The active mints during this period, 1772-1789, and up to 1791 for various posthumous issues, were:
    Madrid -- Capital of Spain since 1606, its mintmark is distinguished by the crown above the 'M'. It was not one of the main mints of Spain until the 17th century. 8 reales of the macuquina type (cobs) first appeared in 1620 according to Cabeto. Charles III portrait 8 reales were issued from 1772-1775, 1777, 1782 and 1788.
    Seville -- An ancient city that produced coins for Romans and Goths, its zenith during the Spanish Empire was its period as the home of La Casa y Audiencia de Indias, the agency for all colonial exploration and trade, from 1503-1717; Seville's mint handled much of the precious metals from the New World. Its mintmark is 'S' Charles III portrait 8 reales were issued from 1772-1779 and 1788.
    Mexico City -- The oldest mint in the Americas was established in 1535 in the capital of the Viceroyalty of new Spain. 8 reales were not issued until the reign of Philip II (1555-1598). The common mintmark is 'M' with a small 'o' above. The first two years of the Charles III portrait type are known for the inversion of the mintmark and assayers initials. Charles III portrait 8 reales were issued from 1772-1789 and posthumously in 1789 and 1790 with the bust of Charles III and legend for Charles IV.
    Guatemala City -- Capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, a large region that included El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Chiapas; minting started in 1733 with old equipment and tools from Mexico City and used the mintmark 'G'. The Charles III portrait 8 reales started in 1772 but were interrupted in 1773 by earthquakes that resulted in the movement of the city and mint away from the highlands, 40 miles to the Northwest. The new mint began 8 reales production again in 1777 and began using the mintmark 'NG' for Nueva Guatemala (New Guatemala). Issues continued until 1789 with posthumous issues in 1789 and 1790 with the bust of Charles III and legend for Charles IV.
    Lima -- Capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, it was granted minting authority in 1565. Starting with the Charles III portrait issues, its mintmark was a monogram combining the letters 'LIMAE'. These continued from 1772-1789, with posthumous issues from 1789-1791 with the bust of Charles III and legend for Charles IV.
    Potosí -- Established in 1543 as a mining town at the foot of a mountain with the largest known silver deposit, Potosí was part Alto Perú (Upper Peru), which would be renamed Bolivia in honor of the general and political leader Simón Bolívar. Alto Perú was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru until 1776, when it was shifted to the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata in hopes of countering the growing influence of Portugal in the region. With the beginning of milled coinage in 1767 it adopted the mintmark monogram with the letters 'PTS'. Charles III portrait 8 reales were issued from 1773-1789 and posthumously in 1789 and 1790 with the bust of Charles III and legend for Charles IV.
    Santiago -- Capital of the Captaincy General of Chile, its mint was first authorized as a private endeavor in 1743. It minted what the region mined which was mainly gold. Charles III brought the mint under the crown in 1770. The mintmark is 'S' with a small 'o' above. Silver issues are scarce and the Charles III 8 reales portraits are known for 1773, maybe 1774, 1775-1789, with posthumous issues from 1789-1791 with the bust of Charles III and legend for Charles IV.
    ~jack
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=3785

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  22. jgenn
    When NGC decides to "Detail" your coins
    Well, my last submission of eight reales coins came home today. I had already seen the grading results online but the disappointment seems to have more impact when you have your box in hand. Slightly less than half got full grades -- my worst submission so far. These were mostly coins from Spanish auctions where I must rely on the pictures and catalog descriptions. I've learned to steer clear of "Rayitas" (scratches) and "Algo limpiar" (cleaned) so none of my detailed coins were described as such. Most were "Surface Hairline" but I also got a details comment that I had not seen before, "Spot Removals". Please understand, I am not knocking Spanish auction houses in general because I've used them before and had much better results. I must accept that some of the coins in this batch were borderline in quality.
    On the positive side, I've been trying to fill my 1781 Mexico 8R slot with a full grade coin and on the fourth try (three raw and one crossover), I finally got a raw coin back from this submission with a nice grade. I've taken a stab at presenting it like some of the impressive photos that others have posted.
    ~Jack

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  23. jgenn

    Vietnam Dragon Dollar -- Cast or Milled?

    By jgenn,


    Vietnam 7 Tien
    By the end of the 19th Century, so many countries had issued silver world crowns that I generally need to focus on selecting just one example per country for my custom set, that I have playfully named "My World Crown Affair".  Chief among my criteria is that the coin was minted in the country.  If not locally minted, then a design element should be strongly representative of the country.  Quite a few examples of coins issued for colonies lack any flavor of the local culture and thus fail to interest me.  An additional selection preference is that when issued, the country was independent.  This last criteria can be a serious constraint for countries that issued silver crowns during brief periods of independence.   The country that we commonly refer to as Vietnam has had many official and unofficial names.  In the early 19th Century the independent empire of the Nguyen dynasty was called "Nam Viet", "Viet Nam" and "Dai Nam". Increasing French influence undermined the empire's independence and after 1845 the name "Annam" was used for the French protectorate followed by "French Indochina" when the French consolidated their rule in 1887.  I have seen catalog descriptions of coins issued during the period of independence listed as coins of Annam.  While it may be convenient for a catalog to broadly group issues together under one name I consider this, at best, misinformed; at worst, downright disrespectful.    Dragon Dollars or Silver Dragons are names for the Asian silver dollar sized coins issued in China and Japan at the end of the 19th Century in emulation of the Spanish Colonial and Mexican 8 reales that were the dominant trade coin. But the first of these silver coins with a prominent dragon design was actually issued by Emperor Minh Mang of Viet Nam.  The earliest of these are undated and the first dated coins show the number 13 indicating the regnal year, 1832.  The specific denomination that corresponds to the 8 reales trade standard is the 7 tien, weighing almost 27 grams.  The casting of coins in East and Southeast Asia had been established since ancient times and some opinions that you may find on the internet claim that the silver issues of Minh Mang and subsequent rulers were also cast.  Fortunately, there are more informed resources to consult.  The Standard Catalog of World Coins lists these as milled as do many of the top auction house catalogs.  And a few of the finest examples are encapsulated in mint state grades by TPGs indicating that the coin surfaces still exhibit the luster that occurs from the metal flow when a planchet is struck.  If you examine enough good photos of these you can notice some instances where the planchet was not perfectly centered -- a feature of a coin struck in a open collar press.   My example is from the 14 regnal year, 1833, shown in Chinese characters beneath the dragon, the obverse shows the characters for Minh Mang and Thong Bao (general currency). It exhibits circulation wear and environmental damage in addition to the holes where it was likely used as a garment adornment.  Having examined many 8 reales of the contemporary time I am comfortable with the assessment that this is a milled/struck coin just from the appearance of the surfaces.  Devices are sharply defined, there could be a die crack and there may be a bit of toning shadow that is sometimes seen next to a device but always toward the rim where the stress from metal flow alters the way the surface forms its patina.  Ultimately, the examination of the edge provides the necessary proof.  My photos of the edge clearly show that the coin was run through a single die edging mill (a parallel edging mill would show a second gap opposite the one gap in the oblique reeding) and you can see from the uneven profile that the coin was probably edged after it was struck (otherwise the flat surfaces of the coin press would have provided a more even profile). Both the dentils on the rims and edge designs were features added to milled coins to make them harder to counterfeit and to clearly show if any slivers had been shaved off. Of course, my example may be atypical or even a counterfeit.  However, it was purchased through the Stephen Album auction house and came with a provenance.  It's just unfortunate that you never get to see the edge of coins unless you can examine an unencapsulated example in-hand.  I should add that the Standard Catalog of World Coins notes that there is a variety of presentation pieces without milled edges.   *I apologize for omitting diacritics but you just can't be sure everyone's browser can display them properly.   ~jack

  24. jgenn

    A Sky Blue '60

    By jgenn,

    It took a bit of magic to capture this image.
    When viewing a toned silver coin from a certain, special angle you can really appreciate the color, but it can be nearly impossible to capture in a photograph. Somehow, I positioned an OttLite, just right, to maximize the color on this one. Try as I might, I just can't replicate it and now that the coin is encapsulated, there's little hope of success.
    Of all the coins of Spain that I've collected, this is my one late empire example, purchased for my Silver Dollars of '60 custom set. It features one of the better portraits of Queen Isabel II. She was only three when she was proclaimed sovereign and sparked a civil war upon the death of her father, Fernando VII in 1833. Her reign was overthrown in the revolution of 1868.
    The 20 reales of this period closely maintained the dimensions of the 8 reales. It was 38mm, 26.291g and 90% silver. Mine is the more common variety from Madrid with a mintage of 941,000. You can see the less colorful reverse in my custom set.
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinView.aspx?sc=453782
    ~jack

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  25. jgenn

    Decimalization

    By jgenn,


    Venezolano
    One aspect of monetary reform taken by almost all nations was to change the subdivision of a currency into units of 10 and 100.  The main benefit was to simplify calculations for accounting purposes and was often undertaken to align with trading partners.  Nations often changed the size and weight of their coins as part of monetary reforms and sometimes changed the name of their currency.  Typically, these changes allowed the issuing authorities to reduce the amount of precious metal without the commensurate change in official value. For world crowns in the 19th Century, many nations settled on 25 grams and 37 mm for their largest silver coins. An important standard was set in 1865 when France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland formed the Latin Monetary Union.    Decimalization occurred in many of the former Spanish colonies in the Americas in the middle of the 19th century as these new nations moved away from the 27 gram 8 reales standard to 25 grams and several of these nations joined the Latin Monetary Union to facilitate trade with Europe.  In Venezuela, decimalization started with the peso in 1843 although no silver coins of that denomination were struck.  In 1872 the currency was renamed to the venezolano with the subdivision of 100 centavos.  The silver venezolano was issued for just one year in 1876.  Venezuela joined the Latin Monetary Union in 1879 and changed the currency to the bolivar, with the crown sized silver coin issued as 5 bolivares.   Here is my example of the short lived venezolano, the first silver crown of Venezuela.  25 grams, 37 mm and 90% silver.  Mintage of only 35,000 and struck at the Paris mint. ~jack