coinsandmedals

Awesome, I’ll find my way to it tonight!

Your edits certainty made things a bit easier to see. The original images were entirely too small to discern any useful details. Thank you for taking the time to edit the images. When do you think the updated files will be available at NNP? I want to download your enhanced files to replace the older version.

Well, I didn't expect to see this today! Looking over recent auction archives, I believe your piece likely exceeds the $10,000 cap for the express tier. I imagine you will need to submit this under the “WalkThrough” tier. This will cost $150 +$10 (handling fee) + shipping to and from. That said, if your piece is genuine, it is well worth the ~$200 to get it graded. In so far as the submission form, you need to mark “MS”, not “PF”. I would put a decent declared value on the form as well. In so far as shipping, I would send this USPS registered mail with plenty of insurance (assuming you are in the US). I would genuinely like to see how this process plays out for you, so please follow up once you get it back from NGC.

That was the first placed I looked. I was honestly surprised by the lack of results.

I know this is a longshot, but does anyone happen to have a copy of the November (8th and 9th) 1968 Colony Coin Co auction catalog? A “Colony Coin Co” still exists in Newtonville Massachusetts, but I am unsure if it is the same company. I have searched online with little luck, and this is a last-ditch effort. I have a couple of coins that have retained their original auction slips, and I was hoping to see if the auctioneer provided any information beyond what I already know. Any assistance would be much appreciated!

The first two questions are tough to answer. I cannot help but think of the English industrial revolution and the proliferation of token coinage, which became very popular with contemporary collectors. So popular that counterfeiters began producing varieties and concoctions designed to dupe unsuspecting collectors! Monarchs were not the only people driving these markets. Plus, several well-known contemporary collectors of Soho pieces did not sit on the throne, such as Sarah Sophia Banks, the Duke of Portland, Samuel Birchall, and of course James Watt Jr. I find your last question most intriguing. I think the answer is going to depend on how you operationalize “coin collecting”. Is this activity constricted to the upper echelons, or would collecting from pocket change also count? If the former, I would say no as most people lack the resources to acquire such material. If the latter, then I would argue yes as most people would have little issue setting back change as part of a collection. One needs to look no further than the state quarter or the ATB series to see that in action. Of course, this answer is also based on my observations within WEIRD (Western, European, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) countries. I imagine the answer would change if we considered other countries that do not fall neatly within at least one of the general confines described above. Any serious contemplation of the topic brings to mind many potential confounds that would need to be addressed before the question could be answered in a meaningful way.

@gherrmann44 You make an interesting point about veteran collectors. I assume this applies to a world in which most dedicated websites have transitioned to social media platforms? I find this hard to imagine, but stranger things have happened. I understand the need to keep operating costs low, but it seems to me that the bulk of established dealers using social media primarily do so for free advertisement. I mentioned that some younger dealers do their business entirely on these social media platforms in my original post. However, from talking with them, it seems like their end game is to eventually build and maintain their own website. Apparently social media platforms like Instagram have a few significant limitations that are best addressed by dedicated personal websites or outlets like eBay, where security is a bit more rigid. The fees at eBay are a limiting factor that may make the development of a dedicated website more appealing. At the very least, social media platforms are powerful advertisement tools that cost next to nothing to maintain. I live in an area devoid of any noteworthy brick and mortar shops. The closest “coin shop” is over an hour away, and his inventory is severally lacking unless you are looking for bullion. I have several working relationships with dealers across the globe whom I have never met in person. It is not unusual for them to send me unsolicited items for review or give me a call when something interesting comes their way. Most have offered and often do bid on my behalf at smaller auctions without a large online presence. On a more personal note, we frequently chat about other non-numismatic topics, and at times our wives join the conversation. Several have invited us to their home should we ever find ourselves in their neck of the woods. My point is that you can develop trusting relationships with dealers without ever setting foot in their shop or even meeting them in person. That said, I would prefer to meet these people, but I lack the needed funds for all of that traveling. Oddly enough, our next European vacation has a designated stop for this specific reason, and my wife is entirely on board with the idea! In your view, is it the mass migration to the digital world generally speaking that runs the risk of isolating veteran collectors or the increased involvement of social media platforms? If the latter, do you see this more so as an issue of unfamiliarity or lack of trust? You mentioned your coin club, but it seems like clubs would be at higher risk to migrate to social media platforms because of thinner margins compared to dealers. Do you think we will gradually see a shift in trends towards less dedicated dealer websites and more dependence on social media platforms?

Rightfully so, Jarvis was a sketchy character. In part, the only reason Jarvis secured the contract for the Fugio coppers was because he bribed Colonel William Duer with an obscene amount of money ($10,000 if I remember correctly). Not surprisingly, he was granted the contract, and Duer allowed him access to a large amount of government owned copper to strike the Fugio pieces. Instead, the copper was mostly used to strike the Connecticut copper coinage as it was lighter weight than what was specified for the Fugio pieces, which translated into more profit for Jarvis. that is not to say that he did not strike Fugio coppers. He did, but they were underweight compared to the government's specifications, and the amount received did not account for the full amount of copper provided by the government. I am sure there is much more to the story, but this what I remember off the top of my head. I am confident that @RWB can elaborate further.

As always, I appreciate the information. This is one of my favorite numismatic reads, and I can not recommend it enough! I rarely have time to read a book for an extended period, but this book demanded my attention. There are many other good books on the subject that I would be happy to recommend; however, none compare to his work. From what I can gather, the book only tells a small portion of what he learned from the Soho archives, so you can only imagine what a conversation with him would have been like!

I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t had the chance to look this over yet. Communication between the US and Matthew Robinson Boulton continued well after Matthew Boulton’s death in 1809. It will be interesting to see if the file differentiates between the two authors.

Counterfeiting was a massive problem throughout most of Europe during this time, so it seems logical that the U.S. would have similar concerns. If you would like to read more about the counterfeiting issue in England, I encourage you to check out one of my NGC custom sets, where I give a very brief introduction of the topic from 1694-1807. You might also enjoy one of my recent NGC journals where I share a declaration made by King George II to address the counterfeiting issue. Finally, if you would like to read a bit more about how the Soho Mint helped curb the issue in England, I encourage you to check out my other custom registry set. The last link provided goes into more detail about Droz's invention and its ability to apply edge lettering while simultaneously striking the coin's obverse and reverse. This all seems a bit self-serving, and I apologize for that. I have spent a great deal of time building the sets linked above, and it seems that you may enjoy the information contained within them. If you do not want to click the links above you can also click on the small icons within my signature on this forum to access them. Here are some fun facts that I do not discuss in any of the links above: 1. Thomas Jefferson actively recruited Droz, but Matthew Boulton (the founder of the Soho mint) secured his employment. As it turns out, this might have been the best possible outcome for the U.S. Mint as Droz was not the most productive worker. 2. The Soho Mint was in an on-again/off-again relationship with the U.S. for a potential coinage contract. Jefferson and Thomas Paine opposed this suggestion for several reasons. Eventually, the idea of securing a "Mint" equipped with steam engines from Boulton was suggested. This never occurred, but it is an exciting part of numismatic history. 3. The Soho Mint supplied copper planchets to the U.S. Mint to strike large cents and half cents. This list could go on and on.... I have a neat document I plan to share shortly that discusses preparations on behalf of Parliament to authorize the exportation of a "Mint" from England to the United States in 1816. Please let me know if you would like to discuss any of this further. I love talking about this era of numismatics!

Oh for sure, and my post was not meant to mitigate the migration to dedicated websites but more so to point out the extension to social media platforms. I assumed the former would occur; however, I never gave the latter much attention. That said, the app idea is entirely new to me and very cool! Is this a larger outfit?

I enjoy a good book just as much as anyone else, but my wife is nothing short of a bookworm. Her happy place is resting in her “egg-chair” with a good book and a warm cup of coffee, while our oversized cocker spaniel spreads out on her lap. Recently she started a “bookstagram” where she shares her thoughts about recent reads and takes book suggestions from followers. She seems to enjoy interacting with fellow bookworms, teachers, and at times authors. As any husband should, I provided support, encouragement, and my opinion when solicited, but otherwise, I just let her enjoy her newfound outlet to share her passion. I didn’t give it much more thought until I stumbled upon a stack of business cards while doing some much-needed organization in my home office about a month or so ago. Within that stack was a card from a younger world coin dealer I met at the Memphis show a few years back. I remember our conversation so vividly because he mentioned that beyond the Memphis show, his entire business was conducted on Instagram. At the time, I was shocked because I didn’t think social media platforms would be instrumental given the general population that they are catered to, but geesh was I wrong. I took a glance, and I soon realized that there are some genuinely top-notch sellers actively buying and selling on several social media platforms. I mentioned this to my wife, who, half-joking suggested I create an Instagram account for my coin collection. I am not active enough on this forum for most of you to have a feel for who I am as a person, but let me assure you, her suggestion was rather comical. Even before the pandemic, I never had an interest in social media platforms, primarily because I much prefer spending time with friends in person over what is often superficial virtual interactions. It was not until my junior of college that I even created a Facebook account, and I only did so to keep in touch with the friends I made overseas while studying abroad. I have the app on my phone, but I wouldn’t even begin to guess my password after many years of inactivity. As wives tend to do, she teased me, suggesting my “coinstagram” might muster a few dozen followers, and I tended to agree with her. After all, coin collecting seems like such an odd hobby to many people, and coin collectors are indeed a unique breed. In good fun, I took her up on her challenge and created an Instagram page for my collection, and I am having a blast! Who would have thought that I, of all people, would enjoy social media? Most of my friends are shocked, and my wife thinks the whole endeavor is rather comical. I have been posting a coin from my collection with a brief, often historical write-up almost every day, and the community seems to be very supportive. To make things even better, I get to check out some truly amazing coins that others share from their collections. It’s almost like the “post your newest additions” thread but much more active. I see at least a dozen coins a day that I never even knew existed, and I find myself more tempted than ever to expand my collecting interests. In that regard, I suppose Instagram may be a bit of a bad influence. In part, I decided to share my experience here because of Jeff Garrett’s article discussing the potential impact social media and internet groups could have on our hobby. It is interesting to see so many coin dealers moving to online platforms in the wake of the pandemic. I had always assumed this would take the form of dedicated websites, but I never pondered the potential role of social media platforms until recently. Amid the pandemic with most shows being canceled, I would hazard to guess that the role of these platforms is likely to expand. As discussed by Garrett, the business component is interesting, but I can’t help but wonder if this increased push into social media platforms will expand exposure to potential new collectors. Perhaps this may even bring in more young collectors who are the primary consumers of social media. Of course, the flip side of that issue is that it could turn into another platform for misinformation, such as the “get rich quick” videos all over YouTube. What are your thoughts? Do you think social media platforms will have an impact on the hobby? If so, do you think it will be mostly positive or negative?

I converted to the non-PVC flip way of life a few years ago, and I have not looked back. I have found that the Saflip brand does the job well, and they also have 2 ½ flips for my larger pieces. Good quality flips can be expensive, but I enjoy seeing the entire coin and the far more generous space for note-taking on the inserts. Speaking of which, I have some work I need to do for a few of my newest additions!

I have not purchased anything from Katz, but I routinely buy from European auction houses, and I have had no issues so far. Shipping times vary widely in normal circumstances, and COVID seems to have introduced even more variation. Some auction houses opt for FedEx overnight deliveries, while others only offer registered international mail. Standard registered international mail is usually estimated to take about 3-4 weeks, but from my experience it is closer to 2-3 weeks once in the system. So long as your package does not get caught up at the ISC in New York, you should be good to go. Oddly enough, most of my international packages have made it to the United States within a few days, but it takes at least a week for them to then make their way through customs and into my mailbox.

I am also having the same issue.

Indeed!!

Oh yes, my wife often jokes about me getting a “big boy” job. I can’t complain as I often teased her while she was working on her graduate degree. It seems my path was a bit different than yours. I was torn between med school and Ph.D. programs my senior year. I was fortunate enough to be extended multiple offers from both med schools and Ph.D. programs, but I didn’t have a solid idea for what I wanted to do. I eventually decided to pursue a master's degree to continue my research, which I soon found was my real passion. Fast forward a few more years, and I’ve nearly finished my Ph.D. with no regrets. The only holdup, for the time being, is my inability to bring older participants into my lab due to COVID protocols. Luckily, I have figured out a way to move my study mostly online, I just need the final nod from the IRB, and I am good to go! I’ve already finished several pilot studies for my dissertation, and I’m reasonably confident I know how the new data will turn out. That said, I have been preemptively working on my document. If all goes well, I should have no issues finishing the results and discussion sections a few weeks after data collection is complete. Of course, this assumes my teaching endeavors will not be overly burdensome. I am more than ready for my “big boy” job and the accompanying pay increase. It’ll be nice to finally move beyond the monthly stipend lifestyle to something more liberating.

Congratulations on reaching such an impressive milestone! Your journal hits pretty close to home, especially the part about graduate school. In the last year of my Ph.D. program, I am all too familiar with the monthly stipend way of life. Coming from a very low socioeconomic background and being a first-generation student to graduate high school, much less obtain my Ph.D., I truly have a lot to be thankful for. That said, I am eager to transition to the postgraduate version of myself with a full-time job and a little more financial freedom to pursue my numismatic interests. Your journey helps bring hope to realizing that goal. Thank you for sharing!

Admittedly, I know very little about French coinage. I do know, however, that Droz’s 1786 Ecu de Calonne had a lettered edge, but the coin was never adopted for circulation. The technology to impart the lettered edge was somewhat operational for hand operated presses by December of 1798. We know this because records indicate that Matthew Boulton, James Watt, and Thomas Jefferson visited the Paris Mint to see Droz demonstrate his new contraption. It is here that the Boulton and Droz chapter begins. Of course, it is worth noting that lettered edges appeared on numerous coins, medals, and tokens, well before Droz’s invention. The distinguishing feature here is that the new collar allowed the edge lettering to be applied simultaneously while the obverse and reverse were struck. The collar also resulted in a perfectly round coin, which is a consistency that evaded most at the time. The technology was indeed a remarkable improvement for hand presses but proved impractical in its current design for Boulton to use with his steam-powered mint. Despite all the money, pleading, and legal pursuit Droz left the Soho Mint without ever fixing the issue. Luckily Boulton had a team of skilled engineers, and they were able to solve the issue unaided by Droz. That was a long-winded reply that didn’t answer your question. I would assume one could find coins/medals/tokens with a lettered edge before the 1780s, but the edge lettering would have been applied as a separate step. I imagine the modifications that you mentioned were implemented after he left Soho in March of 1791 and later rejoined the ranks at the Paris Mint. I’d be interested to learn more about his involvement with the Paris Mint if you have any information to share.

I think it is fair to say that writing and organization are my numismatic Achilles heel as well. I tend to be a somewhat organized person, but the COVID world has taken a considerable chunk of the time I usually set aside to stay organized. I have slowly turned into my old statistics professor from grad school. He had piles of paper all around his desk, but he had some form of organization in all the disarray. I always got a good laugh when he would stop mid-sentence, pull a paper out of the middle of the stack, and proclaim, "I've been looking for this all day". I fear that I am slowly trending in that direction in terms of both work and numismatics.

I like your sixpence! I have bid on a few of them over the years, but I haven't successfully obtained one yet. There is an interesting story about Droz and his move to London. As it turns out, he brought an entourage with him, which no doubt further inflamed the already suspicious Royal Mint officials. Long story short, Droz was carrying a secret new contraption in his luggage, which was used to apply a lettered edge to coins. It was this new technology that initially caught the attention of Boulton and soon became a selling point in his attempts to secure a coinage contract from the government. Droz's move brought a lot of skepticism, and his luggage was subsequently seized by customs officials and later inspected by Royal Mint officials. From the contemporary correspondence, it appears Boulton nearly had a full panic attack over the entire situation. Luckily the Royal Mint officials overlooked the gadget, and his luggage was eventually returned. At the time, his contraption was of the utmost importance. Ultimately it played little role in the Soho mint's happenings, mostly because Droz was too despondent to do the work he was already paid to do.

Congratulations on the award! I find myself in a similar situation of having more coins worthy of being graded than the $500 voucher will cover. For now, I am saving up a few more dollars in hopes of submitting it all at once to save on shipping charges. I have about two dozen Ex. Watt Jr. and Boulton pieces that I want to be graded and a bunch of "stuff" that should be graded before I sell it. It can be a delicate balancing act. Please share with us what you end up sending in and how it comes back!

Quite a bit did happen in terms of minting between 1742 and the early 19th century. I may be biased, but Matthew Boulton's Soho Mint was a game-changer on so many levels for the lower denomination currency. I am not very familiar with French coinage, but I know Jean Pierre Droz had grand visions for coinage reform in France well into the late 1780s. Of course, he later secured a coveted spot within the French Mint, but that is about the extent of my knowledge of his pursuits after he left Soho. By most accounts, Droz was a dark stain on the Soho Mint's history, and beyond his artistic merits, I do not hold him in high esteem.