Henri Charriere

[Hard to believe it happened a quarter of a century ago but one of the more memorable, "want-the-coin? buy-the-set" scenarios involved the proof 1995-W ASE's some 30,000 of which were struck and available only to collectors who purchased the 10th Anniversary 4-coin gold set for $999. My recollection is there was little or no advance notice and by the time the phenomenon was recognized it was too late to respond and the value of those manufactured rarities peaked at $30,000. I leave it to others to debate whether this was done intentionally or not.]

[It is a comfort to know every shipwreck will be located and its payload raised, and that every hoard of coins will be found. The so-called Treasure of the Sierra Madre, I'm not so sure about, but then I only saw the movie version (1948) with Bogart and Huston.]

[Notably auto parts.]

[Everyone touts the power of FMV -- until FFF, the Fickle Finger of Fate, shows up... then all bets are off.]

If these have minimal value they'd be good candidates for that hobo line of artistry. 😉

If Albany, New York can be honored with a commemorative half-dollar on the occasion of its 250th anniversary (1936) would it really be asking too much to respond in kind with a special line of classic coin designs to mark the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States (2026)? Seems to be a lot of resistance to this by the collector community but I am not sure exactly why. Do you feel the coins [and currency] currently in circulation are the very best we can do? There's something missing and it's not just denticles.

[Probably the most disheartening thing I've read this year.]

[It's your thread, friend. You are free to do with it what you wish. Besides, some tangential off-thread remarks inadvertently evoke rich veins of little-known historical facts. How many collectors can accurately describe exactly what distinguishes a Choice or Gem from a Brilliant Uncirculated coin? Sheldonization was inevitable.]

Coin Talk a scam? I don't believe so but something funny happened on the way to that Forum. I followed through on my threat to join, and after lurking about intermittently for a month or two -- without uttering a single word, tapped a Like of a comment of a member who ignores me here, and presto!... I became one of the vanished. It really ought to be illegal for anyone to have that kind of power.

[I defer to my peer and do so politely.]

Welcome back, old-timer! I, too, stopped out of the hobby in the Sixties and though I have followed developments over the years, only jumped back in two years ago. I have a small pet project I am working on as I am at that age when divestment seems to be the only sensible pursuit. It may interest you to know that old Red books and blue Whitman albums have become collectibles in their own right. You have the right mind-set and approach and will do fine in a hobby that offers infinite possibilities. I wish you all the best!

No known peer until every '59 flat-box has been opened and examined.

[Here's a thought that is sure to rile up some folks. Imperceptible to all but the most attentive is the thought that numbers on coins are larger in the hotter summer months and smaller during the frigid winters. This principle also explains the clickety-clack of train rails.] The serious collector would do well to familiarize him/her self with all aspects of already authenticated examples and consider too that the FDC (fleur de coin) you seek will find you, before you find it.

I believe the mintage of '09 "S" V.D.B. cents runs twice that and have always been considered scarce, no?

Was numismatics called the "Hobby of Kings"? Yes. Was it once, was it ever, the "Hobby of Kings"? No, never. Any chance it could become the "Hobby of Kings"? Considering the hobby's apparently irreversible and increasing vulgarization, no. Not by a long shot. Coin collecting neatly embraces the entire spectrum of wealth and where you stand on the continuum of mental illness vs. eccentricity is largely dependent on who you are and how much money you have in your pocket.

True, but would not the weight reflected be skewed and inaccurate?

There is a gaping hole in my Set Registry at the 1912 MS66 position. For esthetic purposes, I long ago decided I wanted to maintain the re-strike line (1907-1914) at MS66. Suddenly, an MS67 surfaced which put me in a quandary: buy it as is and become one of the few collectors to display one at NGC, or cross it and allow it to fraternize with its many associates on my PCGS Registry. The dealer was within a stone's throw of PCGS and I requested he send it directly to them for cross-grading (something I would not be able to do because I had allowed my membership to lapse). With long turn-around times, pandemic sanitation precautionary measures in place and the USPS apparently reverting to dirigibles for air delivery, I promised myself I would allow all parties to proceed at their own pace without annoying calls to Customer Service inquiring as to order status. Eventually, I got a call from a surprisingly amiable Christian at Liberty who told me the coin failed to cross. Just Bob, this has never happened to me in my entire life. My money would be refunded after adjustments had been made complicated by my refusal to use PayPal, my involvement with two separate TPGS, the cost of registering and insuring a coin based on FMV, and ultimately time, postage and resources. Decapsulation/re-encapsulation. What a mess. Naturally, I apologized for putting them through all this a process through which all parties maintained their cordiality and professionalism. [Some trivia: There are presently 619 compilations in NGCs Set Registry for France. Of those, 326 feature 20-franc coins from 1870 - Date. A grand total of 34 French 20-franc gold rooster collections remain extant. [During the last run-up in gold prices, dozens of previously unseen roosters were submitted for formal grading -- mainly in Europe (France, Germany) with only a few assessed at MS 67, all in the restrike (1907-1914) range many of which have since been sold.]

Welcome to the Forum where everyone who "comes correc[tly]', as it is said on the street, gets a fair shake. While I am sorry for your loss, not all fakes and counterfeits are bad. Many, in fact, fetch top dollar and are stunning to behold. Right now, as we speak, the Intagliomint, which bills itself a private, boutique mint, is churning out 1873-CC Trade Dollars that are of exceptional quality and a sight to behold. On the reverse you will find a rather amusing but likely accurate "960 Grains" and ".999 Fine Ag." These "Tribute" reeded edged coins are 6mm. thick and weigh Two Troy Ounces. Now, I am aware precious metals such as gold and silver are weighed in troy ounces while metals such as copper are weighed using the avoirdupois system. Question: is that a tare weight balance you are using for your coin and, if so, why? Ordinarily tare weights are used in connection with the trucking industry at weigh stations and such or is the presence of a "mode" setter provided to correct that?

Good point; my fault... when you purchase a coin from overseas there is the small matter of paying to have your USD to euros. That's where eBay comes in. In the U.S., payment on a winning bid is expected as soon as the clock runs out. You will get something, in substance, like: YOU WON! NOW PAY UP! I had become so programmed to pay up without delay that I had forgotten that I was obliged to wait until all costs had been calculated. In my haste to pay, I tried my local check cashing place. No go. They are contracted to use Western Union to transmit funds to specific individuals in certain areas of particular countries. I then went down to my bank: "That'll be $50, (for a formal bank wire transfer from your bank account as opposed to currency from your pocket.) After all was said and done, I got a polite reminder that there was still the comparatively small matter of 20 euros due for the currency conversion which would cost me an additional $13.45. I told them it would cost me $50. to send that to them then thought the better of it, threw it into an envelope and mailed it. In due course, I received a lovely note saying they could not accept the payment as it had since been written off as a "global discount." I told them, "It's Christmas! The coin is beautiful! I don't want you spending money to send money." And it all ended on a good note though I feel somewhere our seasoned, globe-trotting veteran is sitting there shaking his head in utter disbelief.

One point you have in your favor is never having to say you're sorry.

Eighteen months... and counting.

In view of the fact uncut BEP sheets of various denominations are (or were) routinely sold through the U.S. Mint, their value is strictly in their novelty. Two things we do know are they were not printed in Fort Worth and all were earmarked for the Philadelphia FRB for distribution.

Interesting damage. Too bad we will never know how old this thing is.

Every formerly uncirculated jeton, considering the purpose for which they were designed and produced, is going to exhibit wear.

Re Goldwater. I believe AZ is a designation used by the BOP to designate Alcatraz in California. Goldwater (and "Sammy the Bull" Gravano) are inextricably linked with the state of Arizona.