Henri Charriere

One thing I was always aware of... Red Books have collector value. The first edition (1936?) rather expensive back when, is probably worth a good piece of change. The last Red Book I bought after a prolonged interval skipping the 1970's and 1980's, was the one devoted to the recovery of gold coins and bars from the S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA in late 1980's into the early 1990's, after everything was docimented. They described coins and bars they never knew existed.

No, not looking to expand my horizons. My world has telescoped downward. I got back from the hospital with both bad news--and worse: I fell and could not get up. Nobody could figure out why. And then, "By the way, you tested positive for Covid-19." And I mention this here because at Post Time, I was fine. My wife and I have been vaxed and boosted. Now I am behind a walker and was "infused" with an experimental drug, not approved by the FDA, administered with Emergency Use Authorization. I feel it important other members know one of their own has been infected. There is nothing like being incapacitated to remind one of his mortality. BTW, very considerate of you to put a face on a coin I had never seen before!

@CoinJockey73: Well, at least you never had my problem. I was called a troll by someone, which I mistook to mean a gremlin under a bridge. And then some new guy comes along and challenged me on something effectively forcing me to defend my position by putting me in the unenviable position of having to answer someone who had taken me seriously. Whoa! Your doing just fine. In an ideal world, we all learn to accept our differences--and move on. I, for one, enjoy your work. In my mind vintage coin finds are not possible. Your postings suggest otherwise. Way I see it, Connecticut's [CT] loss is our gain.

This year I did something that is clearly against the Guidelines: I refused to SIGN OUT. Only problem is, it did not help me get back in. So I wrote Customer Service and three different exceedingly helpful people helped me solve my problem. One even boldly asserted, We do not LOG OUT people. But how then would you enforce the Guideline rule, which to me actually makes sense: how else to determine how many members were participating, and how many lurkers were lurking about? Dena gave me the best advice: clear the cache and either eat the [oatmeal] cookies or throw them away. The latter wreaked its own havoc not unike the time I decided I can survive without cable. An entire retinue of concerns I never heard of informed me they had "disabled" their features. Good riddance! My best advice to @cladking is SIGN OUT, and then SIGN IN. These features may be difficult to locate, but keep looking. Or, you can do what I did: use the back door. Go to the web, look up NGC Chat Boards, etc., and when you intercept a thread which will allow you access, disengage from it by SIGNING OUT, and follow up by LOGGING IN. I was wondering what happened to you. Good Luck!

".... no, the question posed was..." What? Cannot the OP be given the necessary discretion to direct his own thread? [This is why Woody Allen, as a film director was so annoyed with those who decided, unilaterally and without consulting him, that some of his presentations would look "so much better" in color, instead of b&w.]

Well, I see "undue influence" at work here. Am I to understand that Little Nicky Scarfo's underlings had nothing to with coordinating the special complimentary luncheons there or thereabout?

@CoffeeTime Actually, what you've got there is a 1940-s Mercury dime with soft even wear

[ @VKurtB: Oscular? I have already yielded to @CoinJockey73 to whom I have bequeathed my former title, Master Wordsmith. Nice try!]

The "moi" I believe is somebody we have all gotten to know and respect. Congratulations!

The lead line sounded promising enough... "The big find was nearly pristine--and extremely rare--a 1766 King George III gold Guinea... and then someone uncovered a femur." -Rowan Today, August 2, 2022. A "paper of record," oddly, made no mention of it, but stated, "little known today, the Battle of Red Bank [N.J.] was brief and ferocious, marking one of the worst defeats the Hessians suffered in the war" that apparently lasted just 75 minutes with 377 Hessian soldiers and just 14 Americans dead. This occurred on October 22, 1777 when a small group of Continental Army soldiers repelled a major assault by Hessian mercenaries after a British officer was dispatched to deliver an order: "The King of England orders his rebellious subjects-- (after the Declaration of Independence?)-- to lay down their arms. If they stand battle, no quarter will be given." A professor goes on to detail "stunning battlefield discoveries" made some 245 years after the battle, with all three accounts providing pertinent photographic documentation and intricate forensic analysis, but not one records the final resting place of that gold Guinea. If you dear member, or anyone lurking nearby, heard or read the news, announced within the past week, and knows the disposition of that coin by all means, speak up!

[A real head-scratcher... Please do NOT crack it out to confirm. Very lovely!] 🐓

@CoinJockey73 [Okay, one more time, with some body English: Ma-RON (Mah-ROWN). Say it, like you mean it: Ma-RON!]

[I cannot believe @GoldFinger1969 uttered the word "pedigree." @VKurtB: Once again you've proven my assertion that you enjoy "unconditional immunity," whether other members believe you deserve to, or not. @DWLange: Nice to hear your voice again.] 🐓

FWIW... I have always felt a coin worth holding, is worth holding well, using a thumb and forefinger. What you do out in the field and in the privacy of your workshop, is your business. But showcasing a coin before the seeing eye public is an entirely different matter. 🤔

[That does it. I'm going to have to revive my ritual of keeping a scorecard. This way I know where every member stands at any given moment. It might also help if I put down the newspaper and picked up a book. Of course I remember what they are!]

The title was lobbed at me. You're doing just fine! I "get" it; I feel sorry for those who don't. The Forum has improved exponentially with your bobbing, weaving and threading. Now I can run at moderate speed.

Just fine, thank you! At some point, either before or after this post, I read: "so, yes, if all you're coming for here is knowledge" and it hit me like a ton of bricks: I was obligated, OBLIGATED, to relinquish my title, "wordsmith" as bestowed upon me by an elite, highly-regarded, very helpful-- "go look it up yourself"--type member. Now my reign is over. I humbly concede @CoinJockey73.

[I am laughing my head off in the living room and my wife 🤣 already retired in the bedroom is asking me what's so funny. I am trying to figure out how to explain this to her in French.]

[Now I know from whom I picked up that phrase, "your most obedient and humble servant." Great piece!]

To be honest, and I have admitted as much on this Forum, I let the surgical-strike sound bites, get the better of me and stopped lurking about over there 18 months ago. [I lied to everyone here and said I didn't like it over there because "all they do is talk about coins." I am sure some wrote me off, but the old-timer's had a good laugh.] Water seeks its own level. If here is where you feel better, maybe here is where you belong. All the best! 🐓

I did too, but it went through. Funny thing is I was suspended from here at the time. They have a vetting process which, if memory serves--that was two years ago--takes about 72 hours. I was surprised, but cautioned myself: do not ever speak up. And I never have. Welcome!

I don't collect them but who knows? A very respectable grade and a really gorgeous reverse!

Marone! Even I know that and I'm not Italian.

Hey, what happened to the eagle's tail feathers?

Pffft!