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TheHawaiianaNumismatist

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Journal Entries posted by TheHawaiianaNumismatist

  1. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    Perhaps a  new numismatic collecting category is required? Blunder collecting...
    As it can be explained, a few intact specimens slipped by the manufacturer who eagerly holed-out the "49" as to remove the obvious timing blunder as Alaska became the  49th state. This is not an error. It's an unfortunate timing of the Alaska statehood event when this SCD was struck.
    Actually, SCD HK-722A can be claimed as a specimen from the Territory of Hawaii period (and while the US had only 48 states).
    Why does the NGC census reflect a population of 4 for So Called Dollar (SCD) HK-722A?
    NGC does not grade holed specimens, but rather pushes them into the NGC DETAILS realm. Hence the low population of intact HK-722A in the NGC census.
    I enjoy seeing newbie collector faces when I tell them this specimen is from the alternate reality of the United States of which Hawaii was the 49th state and Alaska was never a state...
     
     


  2. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    This blog entry is not Hawaiian related....
    While performing research on my book on the   http://www.potus-sgm.com/   I tracked down the dual torch design of Frank Gasparro (I previously shared this research find at another numismatic website and wanted to share it here).  In the image:
    Left is the obverse of a Class 2 Eisenhower President of the United States  (POTUS) special Government medal (sGm) with the dual torch by Frank Gasparro and manufactured by the Bureau of the Mint in 1960.
    Middle is the reverse of the President Kennedy inauguration medal with the dual torch by Frank Gasparro and manufactured by the Bureau of the Mint in 1961.
    Right is the reverse of the General MacArthur congressional gold medal with dual torch by Frank Gasparro and manufactured by the Bureau of the Mint in 1962.
    Imagine that! Mr. Gasparro used the dual torch design in consecutive years (1960, 1961, and 1962) on three medal types (special Government medal, inauguration medal, and a congressional medal).
    If you interested in what is a POTUS sGm, visit the website link above.
     

  3. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    Within the book Hawaiian Money, 2nd Edition, by Medcalf & Russell (book listed in NGC US Coin Reference, American Overseas Territories), a series of private mint issues from The Hawaiian Mint (THM), aka Royal Hawaiian Mint (RHM), are cataloged.
    Several of the original issues are not listed as per the official RHM database (it's a spreadsheet provided by the RHM documenting its issues, mintages, and specialized notes). This spreadsheet is titled Waifs in Gold Boots which was produced by the RHM and was made available to the public at their website. Unfortunately, the RHM removed it years ago. Several advance Hawaii collectors have been sharing the original Waifs in Gold Boots spreadsheet.  Knowledge is power in collectables.   I have been refreshing/updating a personal copy and calling it Waifs in Gold Boots Rev A. (don't ask, I will not share it).
    However, I made an educational video to share how to identify the Type 1 - small blemish (as defined in Hawaiian Money, 2nd Edition) issues.    Waifs in Gold Boots calls the blemish a "welt". The following video shows the "welt". The medal shown is unlisted in Hawaiian Money, 2nd Edition. The medal obverse is 2MB-1 and reverse is 2MB-5 (using the Hawaiian Money, 2nd Edition identifiers). The medal is listed in Waifs in Gold Boots. As an interesting note, the "Earth Symbols" reverse design (2MB-5) is partially used on the infamous 1998 NORFED Dollar (image shown in this journal entry).
     

  4. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    I just submitted a US copyright on an article discussing a research find I made. For those who are familiar with my discovery models, this find adds a new piece  of knowledge to the King Kalakaua 1 Coronation Medal  knowledge domain.

    Background:
    The 1882 dated King Kalakaua 1 coronation medal  has befuddled Hawaiian numismatics for decades due to its unknown mintage, designer and manufacturer. This medal is identified as:

    2RM-9 (Hawaiian Money Standard Catalog 1991 Second Edition by Donald Medcalf & Ronald Russell)
    RM-7 (Hawaiian Moeny Standard catalog  1978 First Edition by Donald Medcalf & Ronald Russell)
    108 (Hawaiian Coins, Tokens and Paper Money1961 Revised Second Edition by Maurice and Kenneth Bressett)
    9A (Hawaiian Money and Medals 1967  by Gordon Medcalf and Robert Fong)

    Research Find:
    My research has identified the designer and manufacturer, but not the mintage of the 1882 dated King Kalakaua 1 coronation medal. Hawaii specialist know that this medal is rare, especially in uncirculated grades.

    Attached are the first two pages of the copyrighted article. The key items of the research Intellectual Property (IP) has been redacted, but one partial image reveals an exact description of the 1882 dated King Kalakaua 1 coronation medal. This is the key piece of knowledge  that is part of this  "research discovery".
    One last thing, a new metal composition of 2RM-9 has been discovered !!!!.
     



  6. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    I see a need for a Ceremony Release designation for coins/medals obtained at an US Mint coin/medal release day ceremony. Why? Because I was there! I was not there 30-days after the fact (designation criteria for Early or First Release labels).
    I was in attendance to support the celebration of the Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Release Day ceremony at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore Maryland at 11:00 am on the morning of March 5, 2012.
    The ceremony was both a revisit of my past US history lessons and renewed celebration of our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, as penned by Francis Scott Key as he watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships.
    The ceremony also celebrated the release of the Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins. After the ceremony ended, the US Mint workers began selling these commemorative coins to ceremony attendees. Roughly, 25 minutes before the US Mint internet sales began at noon.
    I purchased each commemorative coin in person: An uncirculated silver $1, a proof silver $1, an uncirculated gold $5 and a proof gold $5. I also stood in line to get each US Mint COA signed and dated by Daniel Shaver, Chief Counsel of the United States Mint, who officially represented the US Mint at the ceremony. The four signed/dated US Mint COAs authenticates my purchase on March 5, 2012. Mr. Shaver also signed and dated four celebration certificates attesting that I was at the ceremony when I made the coin purchase.(See image below - signatures redacted to prevent forgeries)
    The next day, I read an article in the Baltimore Sun indicating that the US Mint sold all of its ceremony gold coin inventory within a hour after the ceremony ended. The ceremony gold coin inventory was a mere 16 pieces. As for the ceremony silver coin inventory, the US Mint sold roughly half of its 400 ceremony inventory.
    Today, I look at my newly acquired Star-Spangled Banner commemorative coin set with pride. I have 2 of the 16 gold coins from the release day ceremony. I also have 2 of the 400 silver coins from the release day ceremony. I have the proper documents authenticating these commemorative coins as ceremony release. More importantly, I was there! I really did attend and experience the Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Release Day ceremony.
    So for those seeking Early or First Release designation for the Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins you have 27 days left as of this writing. Also, please visit Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine within your 27-day deadline period.
    It should be noted that its estimated that only six 4-coin ceremony release sets could have been assembled. So now the search begins for the owners of the remaining five ceremony release sets.
    In closing, I have posed the question to NGC in allowing my set to be designated as Ceremony Release. No word from them yet.

  7. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    The year was 1995. The location was Southern Maryland. The find was ...
    In May of 1995, I stumbled upon a news article about a woman who unloaded a few coins at a coin shop in Annapolis, Maryland for a whopping $200 a piece. With this news, I rushed to the local bank to purchase a new box of coins.
    I opened my first roll and started to delicately view each. As I detected something odd with the coin I would place it aside. I looked at each coin with a 10X loupe. It was tedious and my eyes took a beating.
    To my surprise I found a grouping of these coins. Not having a picture of what I was looking for, I assumed these were the $200 a piece prize.
    I latter found a picture online and they were an exact match in what I had in my possession. In total, the value of my find was $10,000.
    What I found were fifty (50) mint state 1995 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln pennies.
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  8. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    Did you know that several medals were struck in 1959/1960 to commemorate Hawaii's admission as the 50th state to the Union?
    As part of Hawaii's admission as the 50th state to the United States of America, several medals were stuck in celebration during the years 1959 (statehood) and 1960 (50th star added to US flag). Many of these medals have low mintage numbers. There are 5 medal design types that expands to 22 variants.
    Each of these Hawaii statehood medals are also collected in other numismatic specialties such as: so called dollars, so called half-dollars, Alaska Statehood, and statehood medals.
    These other specialties areas increases the demand and drives the prices higher due to their minuscule mintage numbers.
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/wcm/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=9345
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  9. TheHawaiianaNumismatist
    I was fortunate to have help in entering the coin collecting hobby...
    I did collect coins as a child, but it was more of a curiosity than a hobby. While serving in the US Air Force, I was given an opportunity to learn from a few coin dealers in Montana. Montana is a silver state and silver dollars were very plentiful.
    A Montana coin dealer told me to read up on the subject before buying any coins. After reading the Comprehensive Catalogue and Encyclopedia of U. S. Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars (1977)(several times I have to say), I went back to this dealer and he showed me his silver dollar inventory. He offered to sell me silver dollars at his cost (remember the Gray Sheets?). I cherry picked his inventory and ended up with ten silver dollars. I was keying on luster and strike. Each coin I picked had original mint luster and was well struck. The dealer make a comment that I had a "good eye" in picking out the nice ones for "a beginner".
    I studied my new silver dollars. Compared them with the "VAM listings". I somehow picked up two 1900 O/CC errors from this dealer. Excited in making a quick profit to purchase more silver dollars, I sold one of my O/CC to another dealer in the same city. I went back to the first dealer and purchased additional silver dollars.
    By this time I was hooked. Curious in my aptitude and skill in grading silver dollars, I visited additional dealers. They critiqued the grade I assigned. Each dealer was subjective. I started to build-up my confidence in grading silver dollars.
    Eventually, my silver dollar interest started to focus on proof-like dollars. This is were it gets interesting. I made a trip to Deer Lodge, Montana to see Dean Tavenner's coin shop (this dates me). You have to remember that back then there was no encapsulation of coins. He was eager to share his knowledge with me. I handled and viewed my first proof Morgan silver dollar. He gave me a lesson on proof-like silver dollars. A lesson on toning, grading, etc... I finally purchased several proof-like silver dollars from him after spending several hours in his shop.
    Eventually, my time in Montana came to an end. I had a new duty station to move to. I really was fortunate in having several coin dealers who took the time to share the coin collecting hobby with me.
    The picture below is old, but ANACS became the first to grade coins and provide a photo certificate. I had a few silver dollars graded and the results reinforced my silver dollar grading skill set. The certificate's date indicates the time period in which I was stationed in Montana.
    In closing, I recommend reading as much as you can on the subject or coin type and gain experience in grading raw coins. It will provide additional fun and be highly profitable. Happy cherry picking! Also, remember that a true hobbyist will share their knowledge with you.

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