Henri Charriere

I love the coin, but if NGC grades Ancients, why couldn't they grade yours?

Just curious... Anyone recall exactly what coin it was actor Rex Reed handed the flower girl played by Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady?

I believe those who are unsympathetic to the OP's plight, are either unwilling or unable to view things from his perspective. To begin with, we do not know anything about the coin(s) he submitted. Any hobbyist's greatest fear is No News very frequently becomes Bad News. All the gentleman seeks is reassurance from experienced submitters that due to any number of factors beyond their control, turn-around times go askew. That's it. Nothing more. I may be wrong, with zero hard facts or anecdotal evidence to assert the following statement, but NGC's record to date suggests no major incidences/mishaps have occurred with shipments in their immediate care, custody and control. IF the reverse were true, consumer confidence would be irreparably harmed or lost altogether. I cannot account for the inordinate delay involved but would urge the OP to give NGC the benefit of the doubt. When the transaction is completed, I am sure the membership would appreciate being apprised of the details as reconstructed from the notes you've kept.

The OP and Sandon both acknowledge this as errors of one type or another. If what they say is true -- my own lying eyes see both a veil and a Rubic's cube atop the member of royalty's head -- if not unique, should it not be worth even more together? If this was not brought to the attention of NGC's top graders freely and voluntarily upon submission, then let the chips fall where they may. As prominent member z might observe, "I am not obligated to bring any possible irregularities plainly observable to the naked eye to anyone's attention, much less experienced graders." My position remains firm unless and until I am overruled by RWB, VKurtB, and others representative of the gaggle of scrupulously honest, opionated and outspoken members of this Forum.

If the present is any indication, after the embedded chip is ushered in, for a modest nominal fee, you should be able to partake of this body of knowledge from the comfort of your own bed. Sound farfetched? So have they've said about the horse less carriage.

I fail to see why a 9.6 on the Richter Scale would not translate into a 9.7 in the Wonderful World of TPGS, but it wouldn't make a difference to me anyway. Competitive sets hew to homogenization. Now member bstrauss3 brings up a critical point: I was tempted to acquire a coin I needed in a GENI holder (overseas) but objected to three things: 1. The holder's awkward octagonal shape is unnecessarily large and sports four miniscule prongs which appear to be wire-like in their appearance suggesting a potential threat to a coin's preservation; 2. Identifying information is printed along its edges; 3. If its introduction was meant to compete with its far better known competitors, NGC, et al. the gimmick failed miserably. As a practical matter whether on the East or West coasts, decapsulation for inclusion in a world gold Set Registry would be mandatory and with a dearth of statistics on cross-over successes or failures, any expenditure of a "Cleveland," for me, is going to have to be a sure shot. The market will be the final arbiter as to whether the "GENI" or the "X" are Mustangs, or Edsels.

(What happened to the customary, "Photos courtesy of..." byline?)

I have spent the entirety of my life in libraries, law libraries, specialized branches of medical, scientific, engineering ‐- and even branches dedicated to Braille and Patents. I am up to the job and I believe my wife can fend for herself in my absence. When do I start, and where?

Grading services have been around a very long time. (I would pay good money to see how the blocks stack up on graphs indicating age of members and how long they have in business.) What all these hand-over-fist businesses can do, is what UPS, FedEx and Macy*s do in time for Black Friday sales and the Christmas rush: hire experienced retired Temps, i.e. graders. It's not like ONE grader exercises his divine power over all. There's been some talk about Monster boxes and bulk submissions. How difficult can it possibly be to grade a coin straight from the Mint that's going to be re-examined immediately by the next person on the assembly line? In fact, I would divide the line into two. Have the really experienced graders work on the classics, and leave the stuff that really ought not to be graded at all left to the apprentices. That ought to make enough a dent in the backlog. It's either that or adopt the Q.A. approach to submissions: patience being a virtue, simply exercise some. One more thought: submission fees aren't revised, I believe, for another 90-plus days. If your submission is in, you're In Like Flint.

Welcome to the Forum! Correct me if I am wrong, but there appears to be nothing noticeably wrong with the '66 peseta. On the other hand, there appears to be quite noticeable [at least partial] die-doubling of the '76 franc's date. The only problem I see, if in fact there is any, is whether the minting authority officially recognizes the latter for what it quite clearly appears to be. Hopefully, other more knowledgeable members will be able to provide that answer.

Methinks you're right. The diameter is small; edge of the concave crater is defined but not sharply... Psychaitrist: "This is latent, passive-aggressive behavior! Where did you find this?" C.O.: Inside Sirhan's cell. Psychaitrist: "Why wasn't this brought to my attention sooner?" C.O. "It was too late." Psychaitrist: "HOW'S THAT???" C.O. "He's gone... Parole said, 'Denied." Gov. Newsome (California) said, "No." The Appellate Court said, "No." The S.Ct. reversed the decision on appeal: "Granted." Gov. Newsome was beside himself with joy: "t'wasn't I who released him. It was completely out of my hands." Moral: Forget carry-permits. Beware of strangers bearing ball-peen hammers. To Moderators: Feel free to delete, anytime, at will.

NOTE: Some may find the following content to be in poor taste or downright insulting, hence... ...VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED! The initial pictorial presentation depicts a well-known historical event which appears to breach the bounds of good taste, respect and common decency. Its appearance appears to be a take-off on the single frame of the Zapruder film which captured the moment a projectile met President Kennedy's head nearly a century later. The only problem here is an exit wound is depicted aggravated by the fact the trajectory as established by extensive footage, eyewitness reports and autopsy reports which are still classified and under seal -- is wrong. If you are new to the hobby -- welcome! You may want to get yourself the latest copy of the "Red Book" and familiarize yourself with coinage history from Colonial times to the present. While there is no right way or wrong way to collecting, your eyes may inevitably be drawn to a coin whose design appeals to you. For some, this is a life-long pursuit. Familiarize yourself with the various forums, read the questions and comments and feel free to ask any questions you may have at any time. In due time, you will get to know the members many of whom are quite knowledgeable, temperamental and opinionated. Congratulations on taking that first step!

[Bad enough someone lifted my predecessor's mug shot from the post office, but posting it on the Registry of all places, and sideways, is downright insulting!]

If both Sandon and powermad5000 are incorrect, that only adds fuel to the fire that RWB -- "Grand Master" and "Numismatist of the Year," is absolutely, positively CORRECT! Why should clearly observable attributes be recognized west of the Rockies and be given short shrift east of the Mississippi? Remember when "Vinny" (Joe Pesci) was asked by Munster, Fred Gwynne, playing an Alabama judge, in My Cousin Vinny (1992) whether he had gotten his law degree from an accredited law school and Vinny, lying through his teeth with a poker face, said yes? Same deal here. Why should where a member submits his coin have differing outcomes on which side of the country he submits his coin to? We need all that stuff the learned Grand Master espoused: clearly defined, replicable, standard objective criteria every hobbyist and dealer is duty-bound to respect. (Would I dare express such a blasphemous thought if the venerable blunderbuss @VKurtB were state-s!de? No! But what's right is right!) 🤣

I knew the moment I laid eyes on this coin (both sides) that neither the mint a mile high in the skies over Denver, or any other, was responsible for its disheveled appearance. Seventy-seven years have come and gone. That fact alone, seemingly glossed over, must be factored into any question regarding error vs pmd. The truth is that a ground down, smooth surface can be attained with a little body English in a matter of hours. Its present value can safely be fixed at prevailing copper melt. I urge the OP to continue exploring the many nuances of coin disfigurement and what may have caused them. You have the curiosity and inclination. Both fine attributes. I hope your stay here is informative, entertaining -- and ultimately profitable in more ways than one.

I noticed your photos while away from my desk, and did a double-take when I did so. Back at home I reached for my old Hagstrom's [NYC] map and discovered something of interest, particularly to old timers... On the white envelope marked 1972 - U.C., is a return address for the U.S. Assay Office. Those of you who have read the writings of Joseph Mitchell ("Up In the Old Hotel," Random House, 1992) know he wrote of lower Manhattan at great length. The "1st Precinct [police] station house (since relocated) was located at No. 16 Old Slip, slip being an old term used to denote the many wharves and piers which dotted the waterfront going back to early New York. It is now a police museum. I have no recollection of the Assay Office (or why it bore an even number, 30, situated as it was on the north side of the street where the street numbers run odd.) But in any event, there it was in my old dog-eared map dating to the late 1940's. On further investigation, I learned the U.S. Assay Office was completed in 1932, evidently across the police station by design, and later demolished in 1983. The property was sold, after an opening bid of $3 million, for some $27 million only months after its sales was announced. The sale established it as "the most valuable government estate sold at public auction," at the time. The Assay Building was demolished in 1936 and a 36-story office tower was erected on its site and re-named One Hanover Square. (Several ship cannons unearthed during excavation were donated to a local museum.) Of interest, in the years since, the interior and exterior of the building were featured in the 1999 film, The Thomas Crown Affair starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. Quite an interesting history for "penny bags" likely unknown to passersby and collectors today.

Photos? What photos? Where? When? Were they withdrawn?

FWIW: HOT OFF THE WIRE... Northeast Numismatics recently acquired about four dozen of these type coins with several higher rarities. Many are in holders For collectors of this series, they may be worth a look-see...

The mark of a tried and tested pro. The coin is in a protective holder but the owner instinctly holds it by its edge. Newbies take note!

An extraordinary work of art by many measure! One need only refer to an example like this, virtually pristine in its high state of preservation, to ascertain what one's own coin should look like if there were any question as to where to look for suspected wear on its highest points. Fine acquisition!

I have an explanation... and it's psychological in nature, so much so, that one member had written in, "Can NGC be trusted?" It all boils down to how much what you've submitted means to you when it is out of your hands. This extends to ground delivery services, local depots, etc. Insurance and a tracking number are fine while your widow's mite or newly-discovered sixth 1913 V-nickel is in transit, but when your priceless or sentimental piece languishes in isolation without so much as a peep, you worry. Perfectly understandable. Hopefully, a respectable grade will have made the entire ordeal worthwhile. That's my take...

On a side note, it appears every attempt to produce an acceptable substitute for the one-dollar bill, which lasts only 18 months, failed miserably. The Suzie B's and Sacajaweas, just didn't cut it. Way too close to a quarter-dollar in size. No one could quite get used to the idea that the smaller dollar coins were twice the face value of the larger half dollars. The Ikes were simply unattractive and too bulky. My solution, radical but practical, would have been to dispense with the halves altogether and introduce the Kennedys in 1964 as dollars. I guess it's too late now which is a shame because the Kennedys are the best-looking coins out there right now. IMHO.

Looks like I've gotten a taste of my own medicine here. I have fallen from whatever heights I imagined myself to be in. As a practical matter, this means I lose my "Rising Star" status. I am just another has-been. All washed up on this Board, this Forum, and in this town. Me, the only person to come up with the correct name for what is commonly called a pound [#] sign: the octothorpe -- now laid low by a lowly caret. (Would you believe YouTube's got a short video devoted to just this word's correct pronunciation?) The accent circumflex I know well enough, but the caret, essentially a proofreader's mark, I never even knew had a formal name. It seems the carat, used as a measure of weight for precious stones and pearls, was derived from carob beans which centuries ago were mistakenly believed to all weigh the same: 200 milligrams. I don't know if Roger is still looking for proofreaders, but you would be eminently qualified. Caret... I can't believe it. (My apologies to the OP for this extraterrestrial excursion beyond the topic at hand.)

UNSOLICITED GRATUITOUS EDITORIAL COMMENT... t'is a brave man indeed who seeks a sneak preview of a grade assigned to a coin in transit after all has been said and done. Good luck!

Ancient Android. 🤣