Henri Charriere

@CoinJockey73: I don't believe I've written anyone off. Kurt was the very first to challenge me at the outset. I don't believe I took it personally. There is always jockeying for position in the beginning until a pecking order emerges. Just the other day I re-thanked a member for asking a simple, straight-forward question, in substance: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA TO WHOM YOU ARE SPEAKING? I did not. But I knew right there and then I had to stop being a bull in a china shop. Oh, my, how everyone ganged up on me. Years later, some members haven't thawed out. Ideally, we should all be like that humble member/gentleman from Kentucky. It's a social media forum, as Kurt once helpfully pointed out to me. It behooves us to all get along. Years later, I still try to redeem myself. It's a never-ending process much like your galloping thread. Come to think of it, one member referred to my coin of choice as that "precious little niche" of yours, i.e., inconsequential, of no moment. I kept righ5 on keeping on. The overall positivity vastly outweighs any negativity.

@CoinJockey73: The only concern, which you yourself have expressed, is whether you can sustain the momentum you've built up. If it were me, I'd be stuck. Minus a very few odds and ends, my 🐓 compilations are divided between two Set Registries, and word has it, if I were to divest my self of them, computer-savvy collectors who know where to look would find out right away. I like your posts strictly for nostalgic reasons. 🤔

@CoinJockey73: Was not the gentleman you now upbraid the very same one who gifted you with a term you now use in your topic heading? No further questions.

I believe I can vouch for Kurt. What other plausible explanation can there be for the quite extensive over-the-road mileage and frequent flier miles he's flown--all of it documented with photographs at various coin shows. One classic photo was a selfie labeled, "THIS IS ME." There is no heavy artillery that can be brought to bear against a member who has always been brutally honest and exceedingly polite. IMHO.

[I hope that much esteemed member, the one brandishing "band-width," chimes in. I am trying to redeem myself here with information which would be of general interest to the collector community.]

Your bar is gold; theirs is silver. I have no idea if the projected price range is right for silver, that bar, or for the number actually fabricated.

I am not ashamed to say I do. They're off the beaten track, seldom seen, rarely commented on. But I recognize them as one would an old friend.

@CoinJockey73: In point of fact, you've had a few trifectas--and even a superfecta! [I don't know if you're old enough to remember them (now unlawful and illegal in New York). On my one and only visit to the 'track, "Seattle Slew" won in 1977, or thereabouts. However, with you, the hits keep on coming. Good show!] P.S. In one of my posts, I off-handedly referred to your coins with a pejorative: pedestrian. In no way was I impugning your sterling character and reputation, nor that of your coins. Wrong word. I don't believe a word you've said regarding the source of your coins, but they speak for themselves.

You continually heap underserved adulation on me and honor me with replies! Much appreciated!

Somebody mention gold from France? ["You talkin' to me? I don't see nobody else around. You talkin' to me?"] Another member on this Forum opened my eyes a bit when he referred to them, quite correctly, as "bullion" and "poor people's gold." That sounds fair enough. Bear in mind, the very last in the 20-franc series--not the "originals" (1899-1906)--the "re-strikes," (1907-1914) were minted sporadically in the 1920's and even well into the 1950's and 1960's. 🐓

I am beginning to feel there is no one outside of myself that recognized the OP for what he was: no different from the harried commuter sounding off on the subway and nobody to be taken seriously. But casting aspersions on his good name and mocking his religion, Troll, I believe, is taking things too far.

@The Neophyte Numismatist The OP's religious convictions do not bother me. He is long gone. His thread lay dormant. He appeared one day, managed to alienate the entire membership in the space of one week, and beat a hasty retreat. The gentlemen was simply sounding off. He was not interested in engaging anyone. He was not out to hurt or cheat anyone. There was not a single malicious bone in his body. He was harmless.

I cannot laugh at anyone who is laughing at himself. Personally, I think this post was intentionally provocative, willful, and premeditated. He was looking for someone to take the bait. I heard a voice in my head saying, "nothing but PMD." BUT YOU'VE GOT TO ADMIT THE PHOTOS ARE FINE ENOUGH TO CONFIRM, OR DISMISS THE COIN OUT OF HAND. This is what happens when you lob an admittedly creative term at someone, i.e., "nothingburger," and instead of ignoring it, he picks it up and runs with it and goes so far as to enshrine your categorization in a topic. The summer doldrums are over; CJ did his part by entertaining the masses. Gotta give him that much.

@EagleRJO: Acknowledged. . .

@rrantique: I can honestly say I love all your stuff. Every bit of it. Thanks for sharing it with the membership!

@RWB: In my mind's eye I thought a silver bar like those bearing the Engelhard hallmark were standard size and filed down after production. But this has an odd weight making it unique. Henceforth, I am going refer to these bars, as "outgots," as they are custom-made pours, with varying dimensions. I assume the year the Mint began fabrication of these bars (1857) and the sinking of the S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA, which carried a boatload of such bars, many from hitherto unknown assayers, was entirely coincidental. 🤔

Your on-going archeological digs have found favor with me. Your dedication to research is laudable and I commend our hosts for sharing your finds with the membership.

Coming up on the auction block at the Long Beach Show, September 30, 2022, is the above item, No. 161, 27.88 ozs. (Type 3 hallmark) as offered by auction. or auctions.vegascoindealer.com The current bid (as of post time) is $27,500, with estimates given ranging from $26K-$44K. I do not collect these. In point of fact, I was unaware the U.S. Mint, or any of its branches "minted" these. I assume a slab might not be entirely out of the question. My only question is how does one "grade" these? Obviously, a pristine bar would be collector worthy, but who or what do bar collectors consult for guidance. Just curious. [Sorry I cannot provide a link; I have only been a collector for 50 years.]

[I should like to exercise a little Threadmaster's Privilege here seeing I have the right audience all lined up. Recently, I went to my local Chase Bank branch, spoke to a platform assistant who then presented me with his card. I did not know until now that this card, from a gentleman who on his card bills himself a "Relationship Banker," had a message (advertisement) printed on the back. I would like to know what, if anything, do members make of the following: Investment products and services offered through J. P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) Member FINRA and SIPC. Insurance Agent of Chase Insurance Agency, Inc. (CIA) Yes, there apparently is a another CIA! JPMS and CIA are affiliates of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Now, the curious part, boxed, capitalized and in bold font: INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS: * NOT A DEPOSIT * NOT FDIC INSURED * NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY * NO BANK GUARANTEE * MAY LOSE VALUE. My one and only takeaway, if I am reading this correctly, is: why would anyone in possession of their full faculties, want to venture into this hornet's nest? Is this a disclaimer of some sort which would allow them to say, "What part of this didn't you understand,"? Or is there something else I am missing. (Not cryp-to; simply cryp-tic) Anyone?]

[If anyone thinks I am going to weigh in on this thread--and risk marginalization and excommunication and banishment all over again, because it's been "revived,"--you're sadly mistaken, so don't hold your breath.] 😉

I thought so, too, but our resident scholar, without saying why, made his bold assertion--I believe this was in connection to a sealed Mint bag, within a sealed bag, of 1964 half-dollars, and upon reflection I thought, he was absolutely right! And mind you, the unveiling took place, on camera, before your very eyes. But could you or I perform the same "documented" exhumation? I cannot, but somebody else very well could. It's a part of human nature: seeing is believing, right? But does that constitute conclusive documentation? My lying eyes say, indubitably. But the bar or threshold for incontestable truth is higher.

It's a legal bank holiday. Hopefully, not to many people will see this... Cherry-picker? What does that mean exactly?

I regret to say I do something that borders on the illogical. Much like the guy who won a multi-million dollar lottery jackpot, and tossed his winning ticket in an ordinary envelope mailed with a standard first-class stamp, I do much the same. I answer all the questions the nice lady at the post office asks me, deny the package or parcel I am sending has any value, and have had a 100% success rate. Sometimes that comes with a tracking number, a double-plus. The advice from other members here is sound. You are understandably upset. I would exercise patience. My feeling is everything will work out in the end. You are conversing with members who've been through it all and have ample experience in such matters. I wish you the best of luck!

[The topic, notwithstanding, I infer this is not a good time to disclose I do not invest in so much as a single U.S. Savings Bond (A, E I O, U, whatever) preferring to park my money in U.S.P.S. money orders. You read that right! I dismiss any notion that I am "losing" money. I subscribe to the thought that "NOT spending money, is SAVING MONEY." I do not see the logic of squandering money elsewhere on frivolous things and then saying to me: "Why do you maintain a balance of $1,000. in your checking account?" Or, you ought to be doing this or that with it, e.g., putting that money "to work." Balderdash! For what? It's existence in no way crimps my bare-to-the-bones lifestyle of which I have no complaint and have become more than accustomed to. Fractional or whole, you will all come to the realization that you can't take it with you. Much of what we all do are feel-good rationalizations, or surrogates, for the real thing, whatever that may be. In the end, it all comes to naught. If I leave my heirs anything, it's simply out of common courtesy, whether they deserve it or not. Aside: There was a thoroughly engrossing article I did not have the good sense to hold onto whose premise was, You think you have it bad, what about the super-rich? It went on in excruciating depth the lengths to which they must go to become members of the best clubs, live in the best houses in the best neighborhoods, prepare their children to be accepted to the best pre-nurseries, private schools and top universities. Drive the right cars, wear the right clothes, patronize the right restaurants, become members of the right sports clubs, beach clubs, churches, exclusive retreats, etc. The pursuit of never-ending, unattainable, constantly-changing standards in pursuit of the best, the finest: the unique. I enjoy the ultimate luxury few have: I-DON'T-CARE; I-COULDN'T-CARE-LESS; I-DON'T-HAVE-TO-DO-ANYTHING! My apologies to the OP. I should have posted this on the O-F-F T-O-P-IC thread, which one member preciently observed, makes it no more or less, off-topic.] Enjoy the holiday, gentlemen! 🐓

To paraphrase member L'errorist, "I guess I just like shiny objects."