RWB

A few weeks ago there was conversation regarding Matthew Boulton. I referred folks to the Entry 2 "Boulton Correspondence" digitized on NNP. In looking through the files I noticed that available images were difficult to read. I downloaded the image files and am making adjustments to provide images that are easier to read. The sample below shows the original image (left) and the cropped and enhanced image (right). The resolution is identical, so we're stuck with the fuzz and ambiguity. At present I've enhanced folders 1-4 and sent PDFs to NNP for their use. The last two folders should be finished Wednesday.

Doubtful that his scale is big enough for a truck -- unless it's a Matchbox truck....

Most of the 1855 gold dollars with uniform date detail - at least among the ones I've see - have die rotated about 30-degrees. Presumably, this brings the reverse central inscriptions opposite lower relief portions of the obverse.

If you look closely you'll see that the reverse has the outline of the obverse portrait due to clashing of the dies. (No planchet between them when they made contact.) From the clash, you can see that the 8 and L fall directly opposite the highest points of the portrait causing there to be insufficient metal to properly fill out the design. There are similar clash marks from the reverse design on the obverse, too. Nice example of a desirable type.

I had already checked it and viewed the file, but the concern is understood. Next time I'll add a comment about the file being OK.

This publication might be of interest to new collectors who think they have discovered a "valuable" error coin. (Just passing this on as of possible utility.) https://minterrornews.com/issue58.pdf

I think VKurt and I recognize the semantics of your comment, but it's not a matter of "guessing." There are specific and obvious characteristics by which to identify matte proof cents and nickels. If you familiarize yourself with these, you will be more readily able to distinguish circulation strike coins from legitimate proofs made on a medal press.

"The colony of New South Wales had two periods when its own distinct coinage was minted. "To overcome a shortage of coins, Governor Lachlan Macquarie took the initiative of using £10,000 in Spanish dollars sent by the British government to produce local coins by punching out their centres and stamping the two resulting pieces with new values: five shillings for the outer rim pieces (now known as "holey dollars"), and fifteen pence for the central plug (now known as a "dump"). Apart from doubling the amount of physical coins in circulation, this also had the effect of making them unsuitable for export, so they stayed in the colony. Of the 40,000 Spanish dollars imported, 39,910 holey dollars and 39,910 dumps were made, with the balance assumed to have been spoiled during the conversion process. On 1 July 1813 Governor Macquarie issued a proclamation "that the said Silver Money shall be a legal Tender" and that set their value. The converted coins went into circulation in 1814. From 1822 the government began to recall the coins and replace them with Imperial sterling coinage. By the time the holey dollar was finally demonetised in 1829, most of the 40,000 coins in circulation had been exchanged for legal tender and melted down into bullion. Experts estimate that only 350 Holey dollars and 1,500 dumps remain." [https://onlinecoin.club/Coins/Country/New_South_Wales/filter/4/]

Suggest you delete whatever video you saw.

It's a counterfeit 1877 US cent. Likely made of the impulse tourist trade or flea market scammers. No value whatsoever.

Long ago Treasury published annual quantities of "recovered silver," but private companies likely published nothing.

Individual proof coins sell for much more than the original set largely because there are collectors who want only one specific coin. This lone denomination might cost almost as much as the full set due to handling, markup and demand. Check the situation with 1970 Kennedy halves for a good example. Some years ago it was common to find proof sets with just one denomination cut from original packaging. This might have been a nice cameo proof while the other coins were ordinary. That one "money coin" could bring many times the value of a typical proof set of the same date.

The comments in my DE book were the most reliable and accurate I could find at the time. It is up to Mr. Gillio and others to reveal the full story.

"We lost another hobby stalwart this week - medal dealer Joe Levine. He was a member of my Northern Virginia numismatic social group Nummis Nova, and will be greatly missed. Born April 15, 1940, he was 80 years old." Look in the Sunday issue of eSylum and other publications for Mr. Levine's biography.

Ahhhh....had forgotten about that.

That's unusual. But you might check the same search on Internet Archive. Their search engine finds things that the NNP one does not. [Also, use the "Loon" function not the "Look" function - one is a beloved Canadian bird and the other is a defunct popular magazine. Neither work very well on NNP.]

Loon on the NNP. They have thousands of old and "newer" catalogs n their free database.

"Are Grades Posted?" Only if you add a stamp. Otherwise your grade will be returned to you.

" If a rapscalion were to create 100's of these (or thousands) using the exact same cert number or even different legitimate numbers; how would one tell?." Sister Maria Thumbsquat from the Abby of St. Rapscallion and Latter Day Onions will know. She will come over and whack their knuckles, that's what'll happen.

The photos do not suggest a matte proof 1909 VDB.

According to the Harpo Marx Encyclopedia, a "reverse coin" is one where when you give the reverse coin to the clerk to pay for an ice cream cone, he gives you the value of the coin plus the value of your purchase. That is, everything is in reverse with a "reverse coin." The only widely recognized exception occurs if you are playing the harp at the time of purchase, you get double - and an extra scoop of ice cream. Some places recognize playing the clarinet instead of the harp as an exception, but that applies ONLY if there is an accordion present.

Hmmmm....How many 1927-D double eagles were made in chocolate? Will they be authenticated as "Genuine" or as "Snacks?"

The OP's coin appears to be a counterfeit deliberately worn and "toned" to resemble a circulated coin. Weird double punched letters in 'United.' Here is an authentic 1875-CC Trade dollar in Fine condition (top) and the OP's coin below.. (Photo from Heritage archives - approx $375.)

Nice detail photo!

Hobby of Kings might have once referred to the cost of acquiring and holding coins, but was that really true? Was there also a "Merchant Class" of coin collectors along with kings and the Clerical classes? Is coin collecting now more egalitarian, or do we deceive ourselves?