Henri Charriere

I believe there was a single winnner of the ($540 million* prize) as there were many lesser ones who are afforded the luxury of stepping forward, into the mandatory limelight, when ready-- up to a year. I do not know if Moderation, would allow it, but I would make a valiant attempt to buy back @Alex in PA's best friend's friendship. Siding with an alleged/never proven, sunstantive liar's intransigence is hardly a sound reason to throw the 🐓 out with the bathwater. So far, timely disclosure of the winner's name is his or hers prerogative. Right now I face a bigger problem: 1- getting my wife to attend NYINC, and convincing her not to link me to her with an embarrassing set of handcuffs and leg irons. 🐓 @Oldhoopster "Powrball" is spelled Powerball. The number of participating states, coincidentally, is equal to the number of those who comprise my Army of Ignorers, who comprise the bulk of my fans. The question you've poised -- which was answered in a previous post -- was presented to make a point -- and express your dominion over me. I don't mind. If, as they say, everyone has his price, I will buy your friendship and will gladly meet your price and exceed your wildest expectations. Thank you for following my column!

How many states participipate in Powrball?

@rrantique It's gotta be authentic because it's been pedigreed to Bucket List, an internationally well-known name in numismatic circles. 😉

Q.A. Hey Rickey! Ever hear of this guy Hanson? 🐓: Hansen? D. L. Hansen? Sure, me and Dell go way back! Why just the other day, -- Q.A. C'mon, knock it off. I'm being serious! 🐓: Last I heard, he's big and wants to be the G.O.A.T. Q.A. Is he a credible threat? 🐓: No. Q.A. Another distinguished member says he's got the top five sets -- 🐓: -- strictly U.S., like Eliasberg and Partrick. Q.A. Just checking... I got enough pressure maintaining what I have. 🐓: If it's pressure you're worried about, you should've never become a slave to that other label. I like it here! Q.A. So do I. (And the Moderators exercise moderation. NGC Set Registry, I love you! ❤️

You see what I mean? I refuse to believe the "die is cast." Fake news! 😉

I agree, wholeheartedly. World gold is exempt from inclusion in the NGC Set Registry, but what's done is done. My #1 standing on the west coast stands a chance of being dethroned over less than a single point. I hope to remedy that at NYINC shortly (though I have always thought his set is more professionally presented.) Cross-grading entails risk as well as cost. However, if I were to win any of the lesser PB prizes, I'd switch everything here in a heartbeat for all the reasons you've cited. Great post -- and your set is super! 🐓

Okay. You guys would know. (Whether you are fully vaccinated or not, be sensible: wear a mask!)

Hopefully, someone reading this can offer a suggestion. Be sure to bring this problem directly to the attention of the chat board administrator!

Two thoughts... What the GSA holder's "problem" is its generic simplicity and indistictive look. They look like they were made for display; security likely was a secondary consideratiin. Fodder for those with creative instincts. The reports about fakes in PCGS holders are going to wane as their latest generation security chip embedded holders with Near Field Technology [NFT] begin to infiltrate the market place. Misc: I bought a coin from a "historical company" with a little-known name and when I Googled it, the internet lit up (the same way North West Territories did) and I discovered it was totally disreputable, had cheated investors out of a lot of money and had since been dissolved, a development that can occur when you fail to do your due diligence as a collector. Luckily for me, it passed muster with a TPGS. 🐓

@Lem E I am truly sorry, as a member, to hear of your operating difficulties as I appreciate seeing your latest acquisitions and mergers (your collaboration with BH to bring out in photos the very best attributes of your coins). Personally, I don't care for user names, PINs, security codes and passwords that "require," i.e., dictate, I use a minimum of 8 or 12 letters with or without punctuation marks. I drew the line with one private mint that demanded a16 number-charcter-upper case-lower case combo, and refused to do further business with them. The secret of my success is simple: I never log out. NGC graciously undertakes that procedure, unasked and free of charge, when I misbehave. 😉 Should I win the PB, I pledge to NGC Administration that I will remedy that, and any other glitch, gratis. 🐓

I hadn't realized no one one the top prize -- again. (I guess it takes time for all the 38? participating states to tabulate and collate their results. The pot right now is $610 million (if you choose the 20-year installment option). The one-time cash payout [in New York, pre-tax] is $434 million. The drawing is to-nite at 10:59 pm, Eastern seaboard time.

What happened to all the vetted, credentialed, numismatists with "150 years' experience" in this single area of expertise? Cat got your tongue? 🐓

Anyone know the official reason why FUN was cancelled? Or, more accurately, postponed?

To the OP, and my fellow coin collectors... I do not care who you are or what you own. In revisiting this matter, if you're being brutally honest, something about the above segment must resonate within you. By way of [poor] analogy, I asked my father who I was and where we were from. From memory, he drew me our family tree going back at least six generations. My mother specifically said she was a Crimean Tatar but our roots extended to the Hittites. That's provenance. Almanac-like facts. Now, the CBP, as some may recall, kidnapped three of my gold roosters 🐓 🐓 🐓 and held them for ransom releasing them only after I immediately faxed them highly personal information I had already divulged to an unknown operator from FedEx. That's just one of many high-stakes adventures I've undertaken to assemble my particular collection. I apologize if I offend (or amuse) anyone but that set is pedigreed to Quintus Arrius, who had the gumption to do things his way, whether rightly or wrongly. [No, this does not add to the "body of knowledge" or suggest an attempt to resurrect a thread on an issue that has been raging for decades. It does, however, allow me to get a few things off my chest. I bid thee all good-nite!] 🐓

The Hanukkah gelt, modest Sanskrit posturing and Chinese clay tablets from the Ming dynas -- -- Gentle reader... kindly disregard my musings. I forgot we're in mixed company.

That guy is holding a cellphone in his left hand and is busy tapping it with his extended right forefinger, and I defy anyone to tell me differently! Porcelain, si; Numismatic? Not by a long shot. (Sorry, OP).

@Mohawk A PM I received from an Administrator, making it quite clear I may not call out other members by name in hopes of evoking a reply, e.g., "I wonder where [so-and-so] stands on this?", pretty much eliminates the possibility of soliciting the first-hand knowledge other members who could possibly shed some light on why and when that policy was developed. There has to be a reason -- and someone out there 👀 knows what it is.

@GBrad Your coin just inspired a Eureka! moment. I know now why I always liked Canadian silver: they're denticled! They just feel good in hand. The older ones anyway. I haven't come across any in a long time. The quarters were exceptional; I've never held a Looney but I imagine I would find the experience quite enjoyable. 😉

Best of luck to you!

Well, obviously I did not win the jackpot. I don't know who did, but there were millions of winners of lesser prizes. One thing for sure, if I did, I wouldn't make any of the mistakes Jack Whittaker made. If there was a winner, and I am not sure there was, his name would not be announced until he stepped forward to claim the prize. 🐓

I don't know about you guys but I find it awfully annoying to feed up to twenty quarters in each machine in laundromats when a simple dollar coin - presumably developed to tackle the problems of dollar bills which have a service length of only 18 months, or so, was introduced to solve those problems Now, it's too late Many laundries have turned to using plastic cards which can be re-filled as needed and toll booths have gravitated to E-Z passes.

Faster than they tore down the wall? 😉

But your previous observation rings true. Members, myself included, still have a few old submission forms but I cannot use them as they carry an expiration date, one years' hence.

This is true. Just curious, coming from a time when steps, or lack thereof, were never noticed or mentioned, who discovered this phenomenon? I would be willing to bet it was a numismatic fanatic armed with a high-powered lens. Or this anomaly, one of many revenue-producing streams was "discovered" with the advent of TPGS? I believe this phenomenon was not "discovered" until the 1980's or 1990's. It was unknown in the earliest years as were all the other acronyms. All you heard about was "copper" cents, 7 or 8 tails, doubled dies and small letters vs. large letters. When you come right down to it, it would seem there would a greater profusion of such coins in the annual proof series sets, No? In Oldhoopster-speak, when was the first mention of Full Steps made, and by whom and where? I am guessing in periodical coin magazines or newspapers, like Coin World. 🤔

Gentlemen, fine coins both. They both exhibit a bold brash angular look in their numerals which are seldom, if ever, found anywhere. Nice additions! 🐓