RWB

Mark's suggestion is a particularly good one, just use a daylight color balanced LED light. In addition, there are certain wavelengths which will accentuate specific defects, but those are specialty uses.

I'm confused. Did I write someplace saying that we sent DE dies to the Soviet Union? Hmmmm.....Let's see --- give me 5 words then ask me to repeat them 20 minutes later....

Soviet Union was an ally only following the German Invasion (Unternehmen Barbarossa) on June 22, 1941. They were never trusted by Roosevelt or Churchill. Absolutely no reason to "loan" them DE dies - and to what end? Sweden was pleased to get all the gold the USSR could produce with slave labor.

Ordinary dime that was heated.

Notice Mr. Lange's title at NGC. That should be very reassuring.

Hard to tell from the absent photo. Can you make the photo a little larger -- ? Maybe period size?

When Walter Breen had no facts, he invented them....lots of them. He's likely chuckling at the continuing joke from his prison cell in Hades.

Buggs Bunny? Porky Pig? Petunia Pig? Mickey Rat?

Artificial Intelligence is not necessary for bulk grading of new issues. The examination parameters are so limited that SW could be put together in a weekend using common commercial toolkits. Even for routine grading of Morgans and similar coins one does not need an expert system -- IF -- distinction is made between what such systems do well and what humans do well. I.e., apply the best solution to each part of the problem.

An important consideration for catalog descriptions is cost, and original research is expensive. So companies fall back to published material where someone else has already invested the research cost.

$3 and $1 were jewelry pieces and not circulating coins after the Civil War. There are frequent archival letters from jewelers asking for these to use in bangles and pins. The others were around but letters suggest people found local and city banks did not have gold coins to pay out....especially bright, new coins. Depositing a good US gold coin in order to receive new coins in return was prohibited, but the Mints and Treasury routinely exchanged a few gold pieces for collectors or people wanting a new half eagle for a present. The volume of gold recoinage implies these denominations circulated, although mainly in the West and South coast ports. (The 1875 letter - above - from the Asst Treasurer, New Orleans, is illustrative.) (Note that banks were required to hold reserves in various kind of debt instruments and gold coin. However, these reserves could not be paid out. It didn't matter that XYZ National Bank held $50,000 in gold coin as reserves, the coins could not be paid to a customer.)

I'm aware of the rumor, but I've seen nothing. Given the vehement anti-Bolshevik policies in the US, and explicit rejection of Soviet gold in any form, sending DE dies to the "bad guys" would make no sense. It was difficult to get basic humanitarian aid to them during the NEP or afterward during the famine.

Just an opinion, but the coin is too beat up to have any collector value remaining. Paying for authentications etc. only increases the negative value.

To me, the buyer's actions show their intention. Buying a small, specialized business is tricky stuff, and no private investor like the buyer would make the purchase at current prices unless they already had a solid profit plan. It also cuts off a lot of expense required for public corporations.

"Medal Collectors of America" The Raven medal is on the order page listed as "2020" but has no photo or description.

...but this one is a nickel that someone stamped with a "4." No connection to anything. No value.

Another 1 oz. bullion token with rubbing and hairlines from mishandling. Worth melt or a bit less.

...or maybe on anything else....

Do you refer to Sherl Joseph Winter? As for paying someone to "grade" them - that's an individual decision. What is expected? What are the risks? What are the limitations - especially that none will ever be less than almost perfect?

Businesses make business decisions - they are not confined to the restrictions of government....or whims of hobbyists. The buyer has already decided what they want to do to maximize ROI and we will see that play out over the next year or two.

I rarely buy cons or medals, but I ordered one in silver. :)

Nope. Here's a low-end Unc 1898-S for comparison.

Interested members can read the Native American story at: http://www.magma.ca/~jbremner/blog/months/RavenStealsSun.htm

Here are photos of the latest medal, Raven Steals the Sun, by Heidi Wastweet (www.wastweetstudio.com) for the Medal Collectors of America. Heidi is a friend and was a member of the Mint's CCAC for almost a decade. She is one of America's finest sculptors. I have no further information about the medal but details might be available on the MCA web site.

PS: I really doubt Cleveland's wife would be on a medal issued during the McKinley administration. Send me a note if you want a large PDF of the composite posted above.