Henri Charriere

I reported the miscreant for a number of reasons... No. 1: misspelling nickel. No. 2: Lack of a single bid recorded or even an offer being made. No. 3: the Mint mark was not crooked or misplaced; it was missing entirely unless you believe in the theory of nocturnal mintmark migration. No. 4 : as hereinabove stated, no coin I saw was encapsulated. Assigning it a grade allegedly certified by a TPGS is, to me, a worser crime than counterfeiting. No. 5: if there were any reviews, I did not see any. Eternal vigilance is an invaluable tool to use to shine a glaring spotlight on scamsters -- but it requires responsibility as it inevitably reflects on a seller's reputation, and livelihood. 🐓

@zadok. Oh, Great Zadok. Your crankiness reminds me of the time U.S. military helicopters bearing much-needed disaster relief supplies arrived at Myanmar's great tributary at its southern-most point following damaging Monsoon flooding and were immediately challenged, in Burmese, by their country's military, loosely translated: "Who are you? Why are you here?" I guess unsolicited humanitarian aid is an unknown concept to them. No, on this one, I am afraid I am going to have to disagree with you my friend. When was the last time someone walked into Rick's Pawn Stars, presented an item Rick or his staff was unfamiliar with, asked politely if the customer would mind if an expert were called and was met with defiance? Not any time I recall. I do not believe you yourself making such a trek would not be interested in hearing what a consultant would have to say -- unless doing so would expose your prized relic as being a poor imitation or outright fraud. (The majority of sellers have felt honored to learn as much as they can about a treasured heirloom and have an expert chime in.) Note: none of the foregoing should be taken as a sign that I have nothing but the utmost respect from you and would not genuflect before you, without hesitation, in your presence. 🐓

@GoldFinger1969 My first purchase on eBay, which come to think of it involved more money than I had subsequently spent on any 🐓, was totally sabotaged by a 14-year old kid employed in PayPal security in Nebraska who cited my bank as the problem and after the owner demanded payment and was informed by PayPal that it ran contrary to their logarithms blasted me in a personal call denouncing "people from my neighborhood as well-known scamsters" (rather doubtful since they are largely unsophisticated, impoverished and uneducated) and unilaterally voided my winning bid after I learned the seller was right here in New York City and offered to meet with him any pay him in cash. I believe the only way anyone would agree to meet with someone as distinguished as @RWBwould be in an attorney's office or some other secure location -- but the fact the owner would not accommodate a recognized, distinguished, published, professional numismatist (among the 100 most influential) is telling.

@Mr.Bill347 This has to be the funniest one-liner 🤣 ever recorded on any thread!

@GoldFinger1969 No quarrel with me there.

@RWB There is a non-sequiturial quality to your response. What happened to the old RWB we've grown to love, admire and respect? Are not the planets and Milky Way, other galaxies all a tiny sub-segment of the infinite university at large? The author of the article the Administrator (and OP) cites makes a convincing argument that, at least for now, things are looking on the up and up. He cites figures he asserts are not required for reporting to the government. This is incontrovertible proof. The general direction of the stock market, over time, is up. It's like the weather. Cold in winter, at least where I am. Warmer in spring. Cooler in autumn. And cold all over again. Gradually, over time. Almost imperceptibly, punctuated by cold and hot waves. Forget the baseball cards, deltiologists and hand-blown emerald pedestal eye washers. The rare coins and bullion markets are on the move. 🐓

@Mr_Spud If you can resist the irresistible impulse to bathe your token in various liquids, why not consult the King of Tokens, our very own Just Bob as this is his area of expertise. Any inadviseable choice you make considering the composition of coin/token at issue may well be irreversible and the last thing you need is someone dismissing your possession with upturned nose as "cleaned."

@VKurtB. According to your 7/10/2020 dispatch (found in the column, "French 20-franc gold roosters,") with an ominous reference to anvils and "severed fingers," you were referring to lingo used in the U.K.

The computer doesn't lend itself to formal letter-writing. If I am not mistaken, you yourself have used IMHO and a whole spectrum of acronyms. It seems to have superseded Pittman's shorthand. The King's English is long gone. I assumed a troll was simply a friendly gremlin who resided under a bridge. How was I to know differently?

@Alex in PA. C'mon Alex. She just walked in through the door. If I, a mere chiffonnier, am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, so should you.

One minor observation... I believe we have all had that experience where before you've had a chance to compose your thoughts (and hunt-and-peck, as I do) two, three -- sometimes more members have already chimed in virtually destroying any continuity the thread could have had. I believe this is what may have happened here. Note to posters: if you've received a message that another member responded to the thread you are working on, it's best to tap on the notification and check it out before continuing on. Don't worry, your thoughts in progress will be saved and it may even give you a chance to re-word your response. In any event, let's all try to be a little more accommodating to both newts and newbies. 🐓

@leeg Firstly, thanks for shelving that intimidating avatar. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, the same way they recently changed Verrazzano's name by correcting the spelling, regardless the cost, the city of Cleveland can best honor Moses Cleaveland by correcting the spelling of his name. Nice coin! P.S. I have some thoughts on mispronunciations, but that's another issue for another time and place.

@Conder101 Sorry, Mighty Conder. No more cutesy comments. On the strength.

@VKurtB re Take my wife... I said to my wife, "Where do you want to go for our anniversary?" She said, 'I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen.' -Henny Youngman in "Goodfellas." (Sorry, can't help with that one either.) 🐓

[I am going to take the liberty of assuming we have hashed out all our differences achieved a guarded serenity of sorts and can now state with confidence @Alex in PA.the Cro Magnum guy, @RWB and last but not least My Cousin Vinny are once again, and forevermore, bosom buddies. I also trust we will welcome all newts and newbies with open arms.] Man, I love this place!

@dleonard-3 🐓 🐓 🐓 🐓 🐓

I respectfully request the response given be stricken from the record in its entirety. Kindly address the matter raised in the opening line of the comment. Anyone?

@VKurtB I do not believe I have felt as sorry for any new member as I have for this one. Some of the terminology used by those who chose to respond to her is inappropriate for someone who, bless her heart, paid her dues and was virtually bum-rushed. If I were more knowledgeable and informed about the matter at hand, I would take her by the hand and show her the ropes. In over four months she spoke up only as many times. She was silenced into submission. Some learned members resort to the one-size-fits-all approach unaware it can be intimidating to someone new. @RWB's final comment was superfluous. It was we who did all the talking; the OP hasn't uttered a word since the Ides of March. I have come to expect @VKurtB's "I'd rather be right than nice" stance but of all the 50 states this young lady could have been from I wonder whether My Cousin Vinny was aware he was addressing a fellow Alabamian. If not, at the very least he should apologize for his unknowing, inadvertent insensitivity book-ended here at her expense. 🐓

@JT2 Actually, it's a nice piece!

I don't know about all that but if I am interested in a coin and am handed photos of both the obverse and reverse taken by member Buffalo Head, someone's got a sale. I do not need to know the seller, I do not need to contact him and I don't need to have it in my hand, encapsulated or raw. My Cousin Vinny ordered me to get with the times and "adapt." And that's exactly what I've done. Have I made any mistakes? Yes. In fact, I am prepared to make a bold assertion. Though I may be a mere chiffonier, I challenge the entire membership (which allegedly is comprised of individuals with an aggregate of 150 years of numismatic experience) to affirm the French 20-franc gold rooster 🐓 bearing cert# 607 7 279-005 (with numbers spaced for easier reading) and NGC-graded MS-67, presently offered on eBay for over $1,200, is as advertised. PCGS refused to cross it, and quite frankly I have serious concerns it qualifies as an MS-66. My crime? I rarely look at the 📷 photos of coins I buy. (That's something you do in a pastry shop: "Ohhh! That looks scrumptious!). Instead, I rely on the grade bestowed upon it by a recognized TPGS graders. NAYSAYERS: With all due respect, I don't understand your beef. You got your money 💰 back, right? QA: That's irrelevant! It was quickly returned to stock, on-line, its recent history cloaked in anonymity. As far as I am concerned, this is no different from counterfeiting. The evidence is there for amateur and expert alike to examine. Take a good look. I know what MS-67 🐓's look like. I've got a flock of them.

@Woods020 Those are some very high grades (and authentic old holders). I am very happy for you! This does not happen very often.

I would be curious to know when IN GOD WE TRUST first began appearing in court houses above the judges' benches and who was responsible for suggesting that. I have to admit I always liked it as displayed on the two-cent piece. (It was the final question on the TV show, "Who Wants to be a Millionnaire," but none of the contestants got it.)

@RWB I am afraid simplyng going access to a confidential document is difficult (Some courthouses will have to recall it from the archives and insist you read it on the premises). Publishing or posting the contents of one is out of the question and may very well be unlawful and illegal punishable by being drawn-and-quartered.

Fleeting thought: if production of the cent, with as little copper as it presently has, is expensive, maybe the Mint ought to consider bi-metallic as was done here. Great set!

My good friend, @Oldhoopster's translation: "I quit." Am I right or wrong?