VKurtB

Literally every time I go “home” to Swarzville, Lancaster County, PA’s Weaver’s Family Market. Or the Park Place Diner just down the street (formerly Zinn’s). Or Renninger’s Antique Flea Market nearby, or the former partner of Laura Sperber just 0.2 miles south or the Truist Bank branch at the center of all of them. Even the toll takers at Exit 286 gave half dollars in change, before they went all electronic / EZPass. 
My point? Not everywhere is like New York City, and everywhere else wakes up thanking their friendly neighborhood deity for that fact.

I am a "one-and-done," but I have a universally recognized extenuating circumstance:  I collect a series limited to just 16 coins and, due to no fault of my own, I single-handedly did my part to outstrip existing supply. Proof? An outstanding $500, no questions asked reward, as posted on the Coin Marketplace to anyone who can provide a lead on three coins of Interest -- which has gone unanswered for some time.
I leave it to others as to whether I am a numismatist, coin collector, hobbyist, accumulator, hoarder -- or perhaps poseur.  I am the only eye-witness to my collection and the only person who can vouch for its existence and I did it all sitting in a chair at a table with my wife's cellphone in hand.

PCI? Yeccch!

Know what a narcissistic blowhard does? He offers unsolicited opinions without BOTHERING to “research” (remember, this particular narcissistic blowhard is supposedly some kind of researcher) (as if…) the actual requirements set down by the estate that established the scholarship, which are clearly laid out on the ANA’s website, and have been since the Lecce scholarships were created. This narcissistic blowhard may have captivated this site’s administrators with his tomes, but it only makes those administrators look profoundly foolish. 

1941. Looks like it has been through a war. Oh, wait…

Re: “frustrating and confusing”.
The problem causing these feelings is the belief that “my coin is as nice as that one”. It isn’t. I promise it’s not. You need to understand what makes one coin nicer than another, and it’s NOT WHAT ANY BEGINNER THINKS IT IS! Sorry, but the collecting field is NOT intuitive. In fact, it’s often COUNTERINTUITIVE. When we are talking about the truly lofty grades, the key differences defy still image photography. One has to hold said coins IN THEIR HANDS, unfortunately with DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, to even guess at these über-grades. Grading these coins from photos will lead you astray EVERY TIME. 

Whereupon Mike briefly described me.

What? Are you stupid? The Robert Lecce estate funded this scholarship IN FULL, there is no ANA revenue involved. The Robert Lecce estate wanted this to go to an adult who possessed the desired curriculum vitae. This is the application site for all ANA Scholarships:
https://www.money.org/ana-summer-seminar-scholarships/
 
The Lecce is awarded based on (must be an adult):
60% - involvement, leadership, and accomplishments 
30% - essay and other written answers
10% - overall impression
Know what’s NOT there? Yeah, vanity publishing regurgitations from a NARA. Know what ELSE is not there? Perpetually trying to substitute YOUR UNINFORMED OPINIONS for legally binding actions of others doing their jobs. And yes, that applies to basically EVERYTHING you ever write. 

But only YOU are entitled to make that determination for the whole hobby, right? Get bent. The estate of Robert Lecce decided who they wanted to benefit and chose adults over 18, while everyone else chose youths. The criteria were requested by the estate and approved by the ANA Board of Governors. It was ANA staff who encouraged me to apply BECAUSE of my volunteer work over many years. That is a criterion that counts highly for the Lecce Scholarship. Wow, Roger, there really isn’t ANYTHING you won’t f**k up, is there? Do me a favor and get lost, you creep.

I’m sure many denizens hereabouts regard the internet as something close to a necessity, FOR THEM, in order to enjoy this hobby and/or conduct transactions. I submit to you that such is a purely voluntary CHOICE, and nothing resembling a necessity at all. As such, it represents either laziness or cheapness. 
 
I have looked up authorized NGC dealers within 100 miles of my home. There are five. Five. Only one has a brick and mortar shop. I clicked on the links here at NGC, including the shop’s website, which is “parked” at GoDaddy and does not even exist. Apparently he exists ONLY in meatspace, and has no perceived need to operate in cyberspace. 
 
Clearly, this site is AWASH in Internet primary or Internet exclusive users. The newbie section alone reveals that. My point is this. If’n ya ain’t at least dabblin’ in meatspace every once in a while, in my opinion, you’re just playin’. The Internet is one poor 🫏 substitute. 
 
I drove, recently, 709 miles each way to Pittsburgh. Next month I will fly 2400 miles round trip to Colorado Springs, for the 2nd time this year. Then in July, I’ll drive 715 miles each way to Orlando. Then NEXT summer, I’ll drive 715 miles to Oklahoma City, after another Orlando round trip. What do I buy online? Almost nothing.
Face it. These are two completely different hobbies, not one.

A good sized majority of the numismatic hobby is a floating turd regatta. Only a TIIIIIIINY sliver is legit. My particular sliver is the ANA Summer Seminar and large coin shows that have educational talks which ALLOW QUESTIONING AND LIVE INTERACTION. In my talk at Colorado Springs last year in June, I not only allowed questions, I encouraged them to interrupt as if I were presenting a case in an appellate court. The attendees appreciated the style. 

So here we are, using the Internet to “teach” numismatics, as if such a thing were even remotely possible beyond extremely basic concepts. We remain silent about this at our own personal and reputational peril. Numismatics is about three dimensional objects made mostly of metals. The Internet is two dimensional and deals with electronic and digital pics. We need to do better, or by “keepin’ it rill” as they say in da hood. 

Yes, THIS is true. What they’re saying is “this is all they’re worth IF you can find them”. The problem is people like me. I want them but I still won’t (and don’t need to) pay up for them. Good clad (actually plated and other base metal too) stuff can stay cheap forever, as far as I care. 

When I am “scanning” coins leaning over a table, at a show or an auction, if a coin is holed, I stop looking at it IMMEDIATELY. I don’t even CARE what its date or history is. I’m out. 

We can only hope that this OP has gone the route of the dodo bird. 

Even more so in foreign. Except for Switzerland, the U.S. was among the last worldwide to eliminate PM from its circulating coins. The U.S. was also among the highest fineness of silver (.900). The rest of the world was at .835, .800, .720, and all kinds of other stuff. .925 sterling was long gone.

Trust me, it’s not. 

PCI? Yeccch!

There is absolutely zero possibility of that kind of grade. Forget it. 

Whereupon Mike briefly described me.

Clearly the corrosive thing was my attitude. 

No, Jeremy, literally no one would want this coin. 

Whereupon Mike briefly described me.

Amazing how many “special” coins are so badly mutilated, isn’t it? Gee, I wonder why that is? 

Amazing how many “special” coins are so badly mutilated, isn’t it? Gee, I wonder why that is?