Henri Charriere

On 12/7/2020 at 10:46 AM, Conder101 said:

I went and checked the references and I had it backward.  The plates with the F were the US printed notes (Printed by a private business, Forbes, under contract.  The Soviet issues do not have the F.  Also the Soviets were provided with a set of replacement notes that had a - preceding the serial number.  They apprently thought the - was intended to be part of all the serial numbers, so all of their issues with 8 digit serial numbers are preceded with the - .  When the number rolled over to 9 digits the - was removed.  (The only US issue that rolled over to 9 digits was the 1 mark.  All of the Soviet issues rolled over except the 1/2 mark and the 1000 mark, and the US didn't issue the 1000 mark notes they printed.

The US did have notes with the - preceding the serial number.  These were replacement notes, but they will have the F on them.

[The -, is a hyphen. And the #, commonly referred to as a hashtag (God only knows where that came from) is an octothorpe. Great stuff! Carry on...]

1 hour ago, Hoghead515 said:

I don't own a computer myself. All I have is this android phone. It is set up perfect for it. 

Same here. (And it's not even mine. It's my wife's. My phone doesn't even have the internet. It's an original, so-called "Obama-phone."  I was told if it's lost, stolen or damaged, it won't be replaced. It's obsolete.)

[Still have a ways to go but initial results re vaccinations vs. placebos appear promising.  However, a substantial % of the population has indicated they will pass on inoculations -- and whether you choose to be vaccinated, or not, you will still have to wear your mask. 

To answer Insider's question... the Superintendent of my seniors housing development confirmed quietly that residents have left never to return but the matter is never addressed publicly for fear of raising the alarm.]

13 minutes ago, bsshog40 said:

Yeah, the arrow showed back up. Lol 

[True, but a sinister aspect has quietly crept in... the unpublicized loss of a poster's running post totals.]

On 12/11/2020 at 12:16 PM, RWB said:

"...Save the humor."

Is that a new tax exempt charity? Is it related to "Send in the Clowns" or "Good Morning Vietnam?" There are semantic challenges out there for us all.

[With apologies to the OP, Turko, I should like to amplify what ought to be self-evident by suggesting the phenomenon of snuggling occurs most frequently during the act of smuggling which is how the ten 1933 Double Eagles were able to successfully effect their escape from the Philadelphia Mint, en masse, otherwise known as the "one-shot" deal.  😉]

On 12/10/2020 at 9:20 PM, rocket23 said:

[Note to any Young  Numismatist within the sound of my voice: Welcome to the Forum! And No, this is NOT the proper way to handle a coin. Any coin. Shame on a fellow member for setting a bad example i/f/o impressionable youth.]

2 hours ago, Alex in PA. said:

And now that NevadaS&G has cancelled his account will this effect the business deal?    

[I don't truly believe the gentleman cancelled his account. He let his lapse. Like me.]

1 minute ago, Quintus Arrius said:

[Don't even think about it, Prof. Poe!  We're all mature adults here simply reviewing historical artifacts.]

(Subliminally sublime.)

[Don't even think about it, Prof. Poe!  We're all mature adults here simply reviewing historical artifacts.]

48 minutes ago, gmarguli said:

I used to bust apart tons of 47-58 mint sets and submit the coins. I've submitted hundreds of these toned coins. 

[Pardon the incongruity, but that helps explain what happened to all the cherry-picked virgins...]

Coinbuf is correct. The difference between a 60 and a 70 is dramatic, but imperceptible between, say, a 66+ and 67.  In my R series the former (of a random date) was adjudged to have a Fair Market Value of $650., while the latter commanded in excess of $1,300., exclusive of sales tax.

33 minutes ago, Alex in PA. said:

www.ngccoin.com can provide all the answers to your questions.

[Except the overriding one (for me): Would it be bad form to request NGC relay a message from me to any one of the holders of top-graded French 20-franc gold roosters, stating, e.g.,   "Par-don, monsieur, but we have a member who is prepared to make you a very attractive offer for a 1902 French 20-franc gold rooster NGC-graded at MS-64 (pop. 1; none graded higher) presently believed to be in your possession?"]

27 minutes ago, RWB said:

Do you mean in the concept of information asymmetry, or in the deliberate withholding of information by sell from buyer - possibly in response to direct questioning?

As I cannot recall the last time I had personal contact with a seller, I am unable to answer your question.  The waters are shark-infested and, recognizing my shortcomings and irrational obsessing, I rely on TPGS and recognized authorities to do my thinking for me -- effectively shielding me from the distressing things and disturbing commentary regarding events on the periphery. And for all that, I have to be prepared to act decisively lest an opportunity be lost. Here is what passes for full disclosure on the internet:  "Rare Lincoln cent. Scarce, only one left! $5,000. (Accompanied by a photo of a circulated penny with a common date.)  What makes it rare? Well, you don't see any in circulation, do you? And so it goes... I am a risk taker. Bottom line: I buy from people I do not know and send money to people I have never met, and so far, have been incredibly fortunate. Scams abound. I read everything I can get my hands on with antennae fully extended. This is not for the faint of heart. I am only as good as my last buy.

On 12/12/2020 at 10:01 PM, RWB said:

Most states require disclosure of all known impediments and defects to buyers before a real estate transaction. Is there an "implied disclosure" required in numismatics?

Nope. You're on your own.. Caveat emptor!

[At the urging of a colleague, just read "This Dying Hobby" at dirtyoldcoins.com and must say your kind offer and words of inspiration are a much-needed breath of fresh air!]

[I hate to embarrass myself in front of my friends like this but one day I realized that an empty cardboard box of tea bags (Bigelow/Twinings) could accommodate well over a dozen different sized slabs from every TPGS on the planet unlike the custom-made sarcophagi manufactured by the various services to fit only their own products.  True story!]

[To whomever is responsible for the sneak preview of the sleek new look for 2021: the Eliquis and Lipitor are working. Thanks for clearing out the pipes!]  Man, I love this Forum.

17 minutes ago, gmarguli said:

Managed payments will soon be eBay processing your credit card or debiting your bank account. They don't want an outside entity getting a cut to process the payment, so eBay will begin handling them. Same way you buy on Amazon from an independent seller, but Amazon handles the payment processing.

I was flat out told that PayPal will not be available to use once they are fully switched over to managed payments. 

Not only did eBay not tell coin sellers that they would be locked out of selling, but they actually encouraged them to switch. I got a call from them telling me of the low rates and to switch right away. "Any changes or drawbacks?"  Noooo.... Did a little research and found out that I'd be blocked from selling coins, which is the only thing I sell on eBay. F****** !!! I know several other coin-only sellers who got called also. 

Well, that changes everything and also explains why sellers, particularly outside the U.S., are quite candid in expressing their dissatisfaction with PayPal and the fees they charge for currency conversions -- and encourage bank wire transfers instead.

4 hours ago, Coinbuf said:

Managed payments allows for more ways to pay such as apple pay and google pay and it still includes paypal as a payment option.  The issue; as I recall, is that whomever ebay is using to manage these payments has an issue with accepting payments for money, coins or paper money.  Sellers of coins and paper money should have been notified and have the option of not switching over to the new managed payments until this could be sorted out.

Actually there are a number of items that are not allowed to be sold under the new system, here is a link to those as listed by ebay. 

Unauthorized items

This issue was brought up on another thread recently and I didn't pay it no mind figuring it will all be sorted out eventually. But you've got to love this creative line, and I quote:

"When eBay manages the end-to-end payment experience...."

Come to think of it that experience approximates the sensation one feels when driving North from Jackson on Hway 49 to Yazoo City, MS.  One giant roller coaster ride that beats the Cyclone in New York's Coney Island. (Thanks for that quick-link!)

38 minutes ago, MAULEMALL said:

ACTUALLY, I don't..

Unless I can't sleep.. If you post over one sentence and haven't got my interest, I'm gone

And anything pertaining to a rooster is saved for nappy time...

Seriously, When you were boasting of your trolling prowess, I had high hopes but man what a letdown...

Once bitten, twice shy.  The only people following me are those who are ignoring me.  Go figure. Great hearing from you, as always.

4 hours ago, MAULEMALL said:

you still think people read what you post.. Thats cute

You do, and that has to count for something. 😉

Raw coins... yeah, I remember them.  I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest the problem with selling them started with misrepresentations being made aggravated by poor photography, switcheroos, unsuspecting consumers (many with inadequate grading knowledge) deceitful sellers, outright thieves, problems with returns, hour-long waits to speak to the single available teenager tasked with resolving PayPal disputes using inadequate logarithms from Nebraska -- and the collection now of sales tax.  Do you know the sales tax for each of the fifty states?  Of course not.  Why would you?  The problem has gotten so tedious what with registering requirements and paperwork that the average person will take the path of least resistance and resort to selling their goods (raw coins and refined antiques) at a deep discount to roadside yard selling stands and dealers. The high cost of postage and all that it entails, has obliterated profit margins and put a real damper on those who would pursue a hobby with some measure of satisfaction.  At my advanced age, I will likely wind up giving away my treasures to some wide-eyed children and divesting myself of an organized collection with the assistance of an auction house.  I never thought I would live long enough to see someone post a question like that. What a shame!

For what it's worth, these blanks with beveled edges may be found all over the streets of New York. I always thought they were simply pre-punched washers.  I never knew of the electrical connection.

1 hour ago, RWB said:

Quintus,

Did you get any higher "grades?"

So far none has graded higher than MS-67+.  Dozens have been added to the 66 and 66+ columns. 

I picked up a 1908 PCGS MS-67 from France, and a 1910 NGC MS-67 from California (which I requested be forwarded to PCGS for cross-grading before being sent to me).

There are still no 67s for the original series, 1899-1906 and the number of 67s for the so-called "restrike" years, 1907-1914 by each of the top two TPGS, can be counted on one hand.

I own a few of which none have been graded higher, but nothing unique.  I still cannot account for the peculiar obsession I have for these coins.

On 12/13/2020 at 6:42 PM, MAULEMALL said:

I won my case that I brought before the court. Not the government. Me, Mr private citizen.

Respectfully, yes, you Mr. private citizen, won before a "state" court.  The matter Prof. Hill has the admirable audacity to address has the potential to trigger the full weight, power, prestige and infinite time and resources of the United States Government.  I was going to suggest sending a policy-before-politics-type like VKurtB down for a fireside chat after the change in Administration,  but this is no time for levity.  Sorry, but errors and me just don't mix. I don't understand all the minimization and resistance engaged in by spectators. I stand behind Prof. Hill 100%. We have enough garbage in circulation out there as it is.  If what Prof. Hill has brought to light is true, it needs to be nipped in the bud.  And where does the ANA stand on this???