USAuPzlBxBob

For just the $5 Gold PF coin, I have to get it to NGC on my own. (of course)

For the return it will be:

$22.00  Modern Grading + Scratch Resistance Upgrade
$10.00  Early Releases #378 Label
$  8.50  Mint Packaging Return, Shipping
$10.00  Handling
$24.00  Shipping & Insurance; 1 coin, $1 -  $1,000 value

$74.50  Total
 

Until the printed forms arrive from NGC, for me to fill out, I'm pondering what side to have face up.

The Mint defines the Obverse as the "footprint."

I have the Life Magazine with Buzz's autograph on the front, which is the same iconic photo that the Mint used for the Reverse.

So, that is the "tug" for me… to go with the Reverse face up, to match the magazine's "front."

But, the coin is curved, and the front always is showing you a "selfie" of yourself when you look at Buzz's helmet.  I'm not into selfies.

Then, too, there is the underlying symbolism of the footprint… a footprint on the moon… an incredible achievement… more so than the "daring' of men who put the footprints on the Moon.

Btw, that is Buzz's footprint, that the artist recreated.

See the "break" in the front of the boot, and the "alley" on the left.

Admittedly, they both would have had similar boots, but I'm pretty sure Neil took the photo of Buzz's bootprint, and not of his own bootprint.

Thanks.
(not returning the sole coin I got, but others may be affected)

On 1/30/2019 at 5:24 PM, Just Bob said:

When do we get to see the pics?

I'd like to send pics, but just today, thawing downstairs and basement toilets, away from my computer for 20-minutes.

When I came back, the screen was dark.  Couldn't even turn it off, then when it finally was off, I turned it on and the Green Apple showed up, and then it took 2 hours to troubleshoot.

I'm writing down what I do when I troubleshoot, but it still is hit or miss.

So, no pics to send yet.

Are you guys getting your coins yet?

Joined the NGC Associate level ($25) yesterday, and since I don't have a printer, they're mailing me forms for Coin Submittals.

This coin will come under a separate Grading Tier, all its own:

Modern ($17), Early Releases label ($10), Scratch Resistance coating ($5), Return US Gov Mint Packaging ($5).

I have to send all of the US Gov Mint inner packaging, and a photocopy of its Invoice (will suffice), so that NGC can verify the coin's Proof ordering status, and satisfy anything else that concerns them.

The 3 other coins I'm submitting will all be inexpensive Reholdering ($10/each), for $30 total.

Then add my costs (postage, insurance) to ship to NGC and their costs (S&H, insurance) to ship back to me.

About covers it.

6 hours ago, Conder101 said:

According to Smithsonian Air and Space Museum that's Buzz Aldrin's visor.

This photograph was taken during Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon. The photograph shows lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin standing on the lunar surface.  Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong, who took the photograph, and the lunar lander can be seen reflected in Aldrin's visor.  This image is one of the most popular photographs taken during the Apollo program.

Yes.  And you see that little white figure in the middle of Buzz Aldrin's visor, the head of that little figure, the front (a little imagination required here) visor of that little figure?

That's the part that is the center of the Reverse of the coin, and that taps the top of the Air Tite.

My computer crashes when I attach pics from my MacBook Pro's Photos folder.

Last week, I thought I could drag and drop a photo into the attachments window on this very site.

Had the worst crash ever.

Took me 5 hours of trial and error combination keystroke ideas to finally get it to boot up.

Maybe I'll get one up, but I'm just asking for trouble if I do.

I don't even browse my photos much, anymore.  And all my coin photos are in the Photos folder.

One thing I don't get (understand) is that in all the literature on this coin, the Obverse side is the footprint, and the Reverse side is the "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon" close up.

When it was received the "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon" side was face up, meaning that the Mint shipped the coin upside-down with the Reverse-side facing up.

When this coin is holdered by NGC, will they have the "footprint" side facing up?

Finally unboxed the coin, this morning.

Nice inner packaging.  Slide-sideways, both sides open-ended, blue-sleeve, blue-box's top lifts off and the printed card is on top of the coin's black-velvet with golden-metallic-trim coin-case.

Open the velvet case and there is the gold coin, inside an Air Tite, which is recessed in the velvet-case mount.

Very perfect looking.

But I don't like that if you were to shake the whole thing like a baby's rattle, you would wear down Neil's helmet-visor over time on the inside-top of the Air Tite.

That's Neil's helmet-visor, not Buzz's.

So, this will gladly be sent to NGC for holdering, to prevent that wearing down eventuality.

The only drawback to the coin is that when you look at the obverse, you cannot escape seeing your reflection mirrored back at you, from somewhere on the coin.

This is due to the coin's curvature, and the fields of Buzz's smooth helmet visor, and the surface-shadows on The Moon from the people and things that landed.

This is the first proof coin I've ever seen and it is the shiniest gold thing I've ever seen.  No question about that.  Glistens at times, depending on how I angle it.

Especially the back footprint!  OMG!

When taking photos with an iPhone (which I don't use for anything but photos; no subscription plan) the shadows on The Moon reflect the iPhone's black case (and the reverse footprint reflects it, too), and so they do have the black appearance seen in the U.S. Mint's proof photos, as a function of angling things when taking photos.

Best,

Bob

9 hours ago, Just Bob said:

On my phone, there is nothing below your avatar.

I don't have a cell phone, so I wouldn't know.  But on my computer I can see you're from Mississippi.

Box is nondescript, and the return address just says 1 800 number; FULFILLMENT CENTER; address; and city, state, zip.

At 12:09 pm, last Thursday, my order was confirmed, and maybe someone up there likes me? 

At work, years ago, there was a Chinese Lab Tech, and he would always refer to me, with a slight Chinese accent, as Special.  That was his name for me!  

He was funny.  We had a fire alarm trip one day, and he went running outside with his hands clasped behind his head, elbows sticking way out.

My other friend with me, we looked at each other, and wondered what was up with that?

I miss the Chinese guy.  He was very kind, and suffered terrible verbal abuse from his American female boss, sometimes.

She wasn't all that bad, but she went too far at times, and he would pace around after she had left the scene, considering resigning.

The rest of us would console him, get him back to normal, but you'd see that his eyes had welled up.

New Jersey (like just below my avatar says?)

Gold coin just arrived, a few minutes before 4:00pm.

Will open it later, but it is so nice to have.

This will be my first proof coin, and actually the first proof coin I have ever seen.

And gold, even. Woot!  Woot!  Woot!  Woot!!!!

Memphis, TN  >>  Roanoke, VA >> Laurel, MD >> Lawnside, NJ >> Parssipany, NJ  >> Out for Delivery

Sat all weekend,       ^^^^^  yesterday  ^^^^^,             ^^^^^  after midnight  ^^^^^       8:11am Departure Scan

Worked at the Parssipany, NJ UPS unloading trucks, back around 1978… maybe a month, so broke I had to hitchhike to get there sometimes. (if I couldn't get a friend to drive me there)

Getting there became impossible, unreliable, and finally found other work within a mile of my shared apartment with my older brother:  Cleaning oil burners.

Bought a chemistry book and a calculator, curious about the oil/air combustion.  Small company was bought out, I was let go, grandfather had a stroke, moved in to help my grandmother manage.

Collected unemployment while living for free.  With saved money, went out to Arizona, re-invented myself, and became a Chemical Engineer.  This move to AZ made my life come alive.

Graduated, came back to NJ, got a job, worked hard, traveled and saw the world over, on the company's dime.  Late in my career (very late) bought a Carson City AU53 Eagle.

Retired now… and waiting for the UPS delivery truck.  You never know what Life has in store; it picks you, not the other way around.

My West Point Mint $5 Gold coin has shipped… from Memphis, Tennessee. (Huh?)

"I'm a little bit of Memphis and Nashville…"

That is an impressive table!

It is interesting what constitutes a proof gold coin and an uncirculated gold coin.

The only difference, other than $10 more for the proofs, is that the proofs were ordered in the first 3 hours of sale, after the noon start.

In my childish mind, I imagine the Mint manufacturing them and placing them in their Air-Tites and little display boxes as quickly as possible, and they keep punching out the coins, and then suddenly 3:00pm rolls around, and they say, "That's it, no more proofs.  The dies are slightly worn now, and from here on they're all slightly less than proofs, so we'll just call them 'uncirculated'."

And maybe there is some truth to this, perhaps learned from experience, an understanding of die wear… or maybe it is just marketing, and the "after 3:00pm" coins get a different display box descriptor.

However, my mind really isn't childish, and, well, I haven't a clue as to the difference, if any, in quality between the proof and the uncirculated coins.

Got the confirmation email.

Here are a few little known facts about the Apollo XI Moon Landing.

Neil was the first to place his foot on the Moon, but botched his line, saying, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind."

It was suppose to have been, "That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind."  Maybe the transmission was garbled; don't know.

And… ever notice that all the photos of the first men on the Moon are of Buzz Aldrin.

That's because Neil had the camera.  (Maybe Buzz's revenge for being "second.")

It is funny, too, that Buzz Aldrin, just because of that nickname "Buzz," may eventually be more remembered than Neil.

Buzz Lightyear didn't hurt, either.  

Michael Collins, the Command Module Pilot, at one point in time, was The Loneliest Man Ever in the history of the human race.

21 minutes ago, Matt_dac said:

You seem offended, I'm just pointing out my observation.  Have you found First or Early command higher premiums in the market for moderns?

No.  This will be my first modern and I'll never sell it.

I'm not into my coins for profit.  Just into them as heirloom items.

The most apt description of my collection is:

"It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key."  ~ Sir Winston Churchill

Even for me to glimpse my coin collection involves trial and error, toil and trouble.

When I finally do get to see it, in person, it is richly deserved.

And seeing the photos I have of my coins usually results in the Green Apple of Doom on my MacBook Pro!

Yes… definitely compare notes, and hoping for PF70 for both of us.

My submission to NGC will take a lot longer because I have some other things to take care of, like reholderings, and see if an NCS/NGC for one coin can ship with everything.

No.  I'm fine.

Didn't know there's a $10 mark up… but $10 is nothing.

You want to always "like" everything you see when you look at the slab.

Early Release will remind me of the struggle, hope, desperation, and satisfaction… in acquiring the coin.

24 minutes ago, Matt_dac said:

I have never associated "First" or "Early" release as having any value of any kind.  You have to pay an additional $10 in the grading to get these labels as well.  I'm not aware of this having any real market value but I seldom buy modern and could be mistaken. 

So what?

Do you ever buy name brand potato chips? Like Lays?  That's a mark up, to make you feel better. (I buy them all the time.)

Got my coin.  $423.70, all in, from the US Mint.

Glitchy site, got an oops message that something went wrong, and then like a fool I forgot to have my Credit Card on me when I got back on, to complete the transaction. (had to run upstairs to get it, to then enter a few details, like security code)

But done, and I can relax, now.

$418.75 - $339.90 = $78.85 above today's melt. (not including the value of the Ag and Cu)

Then, there will be S&H, too.  Maybe even sales tax.  Insurance? (don't know)

It's gotta come in around $450 just to get to your front door.

The next big question, for me, will be First Releases or Early Releases?

Early Releases has a sort of onomatopoeia suggestion to it, which I like.

34 minutes and counting, and everything is A O K (In Like Flint)

WOWie… Z.O.W.I.E. !

Good, I hope the price is a turn off for many.

I'm getting one!