Henri Charriere

Old thread, but what the heck? Prisons are being closed; speaking as an eyewitness, when God created the earth (on which day, slips my mind) there were no borders; and the primary, if not only purpose of bail, is to insure a defendant's presence in court.

The use of non-verbal emoji is the purest form of speech possible. Shades of "Je suis Charlie Hebdo." Imagine being silenced for simply depicting an iconic religious figure in a cartoon! Many members who do not follow this thread regularly will undoubtedly say, Q.A., finally got his well-deserved upcommence. The gentleman who "liked" me can sit there and gloat. My many detractors are ecstatic. I was put in my place by the unlikeliest source: a man not given to outbursts much less pointed commentary, who posts his exquisite coins regularly. It's what makes these chat boards great. No offense given; none taken. Man I love this place! 🐓

I believe there are a handful but, unfortunately, they quickly became lost to history because they are inaccessible. The reason why the S.S. Central America was considered for recovery was because enough advances in submerssibles had been made to deem her accessible. You don't know what you may find until you go down and take a look. The R.M.S. Titanic which did not carry gold or silver in any notable quantity, was discovered when her distinct boilers were found on the ocean floor. The S.S. Central America was located when her distinct wooden side wheel paddles were found. I am sure the S.S. Republic was located the same way.

Then again, if the packages were specially marked, "Pop goes the weasel."

DiPLomatic plates? Darn tootin'!! You can drive anywhere in New York with those. The average city parking ticket is $115. You sill come out ahead.

I have taken delivery of the French Red Book, entitled MONNAIES FRANCAISES, 1789 -2021, Editions, Victory Gadoury. All credit is due @VKurtB for bringing its very existence to my attention.

[Meanwhile, up in the Intensive Care Unit of a local hospital... 🐓 : THERE YOU ARE ! Lookin' all over for you! What happened? You fell again? Q.A.: Worse, Ricky. Did you see the last post? 🐓 : Biting commentary... very unusual. No words spoken. Just emoji. Q.A.: Think that's something? Did you see who "liked" it? 🐓 : You're kiddin' me! That's payback, you know that right? That's worse than being banned. That's the kiss of death. Q.A : Tell me about it.

Much as I love this thread, there is no come-back from a reply comprised of moving images set in living color. You win @rrantique !

Hmmm... some 30-odd years of wrecked ships. Would it be too much of an imposition to ask the approximate final coordinates of three of those sea-going vessels? The gold? Not at all! I simply want to check the records of the ship manifests to see if they are in accord, in any way, with the wild assertions being bandied about here in the absence of specific first-hand knowledge.

@MarkFeld: Let's not be hasty. Your conclusion is premature. [Before I address this matter, I believe congratulations are in order for your commandeering, scratch that, enlisting the expertise of "WonderCoin" (I will leave out his legal name here) for the purposes of weighing in on a rambunctious thread then imploding on NGC's Chat Board re member RR2020. "WonderCoin" was cited by Coin World) just last week as being among the 100 Most Influential Numismatists (in the Milky Way galaxy.) I thank you for introducing, what the venerable old Reader's Digest refers to as a "most unforgettable character."] *** Now, as regarding this thread... I believe you may be confusing this thread with another, entitled... "I have deleted my account at PCGS and am never going back," posted by a member who also took a powder, and whose name, should I lose my presence of mind, would have me excommunicated, if ever I were to utter it again. The apology, exclusive of that thread, obtains here. I made a note of the Line of Partition: member MAULEMALL had the last word on Sept. 12, 2022, page 6 of this thread. Some 23 months later, effectively abandoning my stake with the Atocha and Mel Fischer's skeletal crew, I assumed my role as retread guy, reviewing old threads, and revived this thread single-handledly, on p. 8 by requesting an update from the extant membership as to whether they felt this Forum could continue, accurately, to be called "Sleepy Hollow." The member who "coined" that remark declined to comment having also taken a powder)... and the discussion continued to blossom forth from there. As you well know, I have an abiding respect for you, and as such ask that you give me time to review the comments received thus far after the divide on this this thread, and render my opinion accordingly. At first blush, you appear to be right. I believe you will be most pleased with my final decision. It is one thing to slap a tin badge reading "Hall Monitor" on your chest and issuing cease and desist vacate orders left and right on dormant, vacated spurs. It is quite another to wield the more potent weapons of disappointment and shame. I ask only ;that you allow me to confer briefly with "the cranks and the misfits and the one-lungers and the has-beens and the might've beens and the would-bes and the never-wills and the God-knows-whats,"* before I render my judgment. 🤔 * above quote from, "Joe Gould's Secret," by Joseph Mitchell, Pantheon Books/Random House, Inc.: "UP IN THE OLD HOTEL," p. 623, New York, 1992, ISBN: 91-50835.

Dated thread, but if your PMD is significant enouh for you to comment on, I would not feel it's worth sending in. You already know the answer, and time a bit of time, trouble and expense to confirm it, is waste of expenditure of fund and time to do do.

You may have been, but no longer are. Most of the underdogs assume defensive positions; you've asserted yourself and hold your own well. Me thinks you do not need a sponsor or corner man. Post your finds and accompanying commentary modestly, avoiding repetition and abrasive assertiveness, and you will be accepted. Not universally--it's impossible to please everyone, but with a view toward supplementing the memberships' body of knowledge. I made it, to an extent; so can you. Guidelines are the playing rules. I review them to refresh my recollection. Are you aware Guidlines rules mandate you sign out every session? I didn't and wouldn't for fear of not getting back it, but no longer question it anymore. I just do it..

@leeg: I have enjoyed, immensely, this and all your other preceding historical presentations. The dates indicated on coins are not always those in which they were minted. In the series I collect, French 20-franc gold roosters, fully half the set, bearing the dates 1907-1914, were minted in 1921 and intermittently during the 1950's and 1960's. To my knowledge, no controversy stemmed from that disclosure. One thing enquiring minds want to know is has there been any talk of similarly commemorating the 400th or 500th anniversary of the founding of the original Norfolk land grant, or is such speculation premature. [I myself, am pushing for a formal observance of the 250th Anniversary of the United States, but have so far encountered no interest.] That is arguably the "busiest" design I have ever seen on any commemorative half-dollar, and appreciate your taking the time and trouble to showcase it for our membership.

@Oldhoopster et @VKurtB... Yes, that's the one (latest edition) which may not matter as the series ended in 1914, though re-strikes continued to be minted, with a slight change of composition, in 1921 as well as the 1950's and 1960's. I have a number of coins apparently encapsulated by the overseas office of PCGS, which bear the formal classification, Gad-1064 or -1064a. The book (as pictured above) will not only be my first Red Book since the 1960's, but my first French one. I vaguely occur acquiring the U.S. edition featuring the coinage and bars recovered from the S.S. Central America, but no longer recall what happened to it. [My bother (deceased) and I were evicted from our childhood home--10 years to this very day-- when it was discovered by the latest management that our names, as well as my mother's (deceased) were never included on any lease renewals.] In any event, I am certain I will find information in the book that will answer most, if not all, of my questions regarding the Rooster line, the last of a long line of 20-franc issues. One final observation... the design of the coin includes an intricate ornamental beaded chain in lieu of denticles on the rim and an edge with raised letters reading, in French "God Protect France" on the "original series" as well as the motto, "Liberty Equality Fraternity" interspersed with raised ornamental "bollards" in lieu of traditional reeding, on the series popularly known here as the "re-strikes."

This is a pleasant surprise! I had you typecast as the face of tokens. I like your trademark, Welcome to the forum.

The Real story... A: Hey, B. You work the nite shift, right? B: Yeah, what's up? A: Guy wants me to run this through dimes. B: No problem, but what about the color? A. Don't worry about that. I've got something lined up. B. What about Smitty (the roving guard?) A. Bathroom break. B. Sounds good to me. We're on! [I, Q.A., respectfully defy anyone to explain to me, in terms I can understand, how this could have happened without inside help.]

I like way you think outside the box. Sounds perfectly feasible to me. Don't forget to tell them Quintus is rooting for the underdog: the Jamaican bobsled team a la "Cool Runnings."

This is a tall order. One would have to speculate on intangibles: unknown meltings, overseas internment in safe-deposit boxes, shipwrecked manifests, thefts, losses, etc. You've maintained previously, the number may be incalculable. I am inclined to agree. A significant find may yet turn up at a location not thought up of... Q.A.: Here, I found something! GF1969: These are all Roosters! How can you confuse these for full-fledged Saints? Q.A.: Shush! I have been mercilessly upbraided by z [and a member whose name I am forbidden from citing by Law]. 🐓

Editorial comment: the only reason the P---- certification photo [MS-66] lacks detail, I suspect, is because you did not take the photos. Your photos depict a strong strike and sharply-defined detail!

Me thinks you've become the very person you've been repeatedly warned against by others over a lifetime. And yes, my prerogative is to listen and learn from you--and defer to you respectfully, for the duration. I do not believe there is anything you can say to dissuade me. I know my endorsement makes you feel uncomfortable. Put a big H on your chest, and Handle it. Don't put credence in my extracurricular activities; don't forget I am a child of the Sixties, given to pursuits as my mood and dispositions dictates.. If I should come across a square-holed coin, made of stone, I shall acquire it, post photos of it, and if you are amenable to the idea, ship it (or roll it to a destination as you direct.)

🐓: Let's see now... if I liver longer than you, I obviously cannot tell you how things worked out... Q.A.: ...And if I were to live longer, I, likewise couldn't tell you. It's a no-win situation. Ultimately unproveable. 🐓: You're not thinking of selling, are you? Q.A..: Relax, Ricky! When's the last time I told you the truth about anything? 🐓 : [Are you talking to roosters, again?]

The provenance is well-established and unassailable. Any opinion on the headgear atop the letter C in AMERICA?

@ShinyObjects: Enquiring minds want to know if you can tell what this coin is made of, i.e., composition, visually?

@CoinJockey73: No, not this site. On the left coast, as the crow flies. My short-set is posted here at NGC. The complete set is posted yonder. I am afraid VKurtB is right: prizes, where awarded, are given to owners of the best sets. My highest graded set is by no means the best possible. Any Rooster fanatic can consign me and my set to the "been there, done that" category--in an eye blink. Me thinks the #1 ranked set here at NGC is superior to my compilation at PCGS--and was assembled, if memory serves, in just a few moves with lightning speed. [If I am not mistaken, NGC provides a feature on their Set Registry that allows you, and interested parties, to view the "construction" of your set, on a coin-by-coin, date-by-date, basis.] To be fair, one of the TPGS encourages the building of low-ball sets and even advises it is a lot easier said, than done. Honestly, do any of your finds--excepting that 1934 quarter Dillinger kept in his left vest pocket when he kept his date with destiny--rate submission?

@CoinJockey73: No, not this site. On the left coast, as the crow flies. My short-set is posted here at NGC. The complete set is posted yonder. I am afraid VKurtB is right: prizes, where awarded, are given to owners of the best sets. My highest graded set is by no means the best possible. Any Rooster fanatic can consign me and my set to the "been there, done that" category--in an eye blink. Me thinks the #1 ranked set here at NGC is superior to my compilation at PCGS--and was assembled, if memory serves, in just a few moves with lightning speed. [If I am not mistaken, NGC provides a feature on their Set Registry that allows you, and interested parties, to view the "construction" of your set, on a coin-by-coin, date-by-date, basis.] To be fair, one of the TPGS encourages the building of low-ball sets and even advises it is a lot easier said, than done. Honestly, do any of your finds--excepting that 1934 quarter Dillinger kept in his left vest pocket when he kept his date with destiny--rate submission?