Henri Charriere

5 hours ago, NevadaS&G said:

Update: I successfully charged back the entire amount sans the 69 dollar Membership fee. They can keep that and go to Greece. Thread Closed Again !

Thread closed? Already? You just got here! Do drop in from time to time...

5 hours ago, Alex in PA. said:

There's no hostility towards this person.  Did the OP take his complaint to the CU Forum - NO!  Did the OP file a complaint with PCGS - NO!  The OP brought his grievance into our house avoiding any contact with PCGS or their Forum.  Why?  You have an untold number of his comments dissing PCGS, their graders and all Californians to boot.  Those are the actions of a blow hard looking to stir up troubles and those troubles could cause a grievance between this Forum and CU like in 2003 and 2004.  The OP needs to accept responsibility and deal directly with PCGS instead of involving our forum and stop being a cry baby about this.    

Alex, my dear friend Alex. The gentleman has stated repeatedly all good-faith attempts to communicate with them have failed.  He is relatively new here, he is clearly upset, and out a comparatively large sum of money considering his expectations and actual results.  (We've had two other members unload here recently; I am very interested in what each has to say because there is a grain of truth to each and none of us have emerged unscathed in the TPGS juggernauts.)  We should encourage all comers.  None of us are infallible and immune to being taken advantage of. I like to hear people out.

55 minutes ago, rocket23 said:

Found my first fake.....barber half dollar 1906.......no reeded edge, and the weight was 11.8 grams. down from 12.5.......early ebay find....20 bucks gone at least it's silver......so make it 1/3 rd the spot price off the 20......I'll throw it at a siver buyer when silver hits 50 bucks an ounce,lol

They say condition is irrelevant when you're talking about counterfeits, but I am curious, nevertheless.  Is your Barber well worn?  Does it appear thin?  Is it silver or possibly pewter (or some other elements commonly found on such coins such as lead and tin?)  No sign of reeding at all?  Very interesting!

2 hours ago, Dimeman said:

Pretty coin, but it is a Baby Dime.......not a Dime.

2 hours ago, Dimeman said:

Pretty coin, but it is a Baby Dime.......not a Dime.

Okay Dimeman.  I'll meet you halfway and call it an early nickel.  😉

On 12/3/2020 at 11:24 PM, Jacob S said:

My new 1857-O Seated Dime. Got this for a steal. Also my first Proof Morgan.

[I don't care if Uncle VKurtB sees this or not, but I love the rich gold and iridescent blue toning on that well-preserved dime!]

[I still cannot fathom the blatant hostility leveled at the OP, still a relative newcomer with a smattering of posts -- and a compelling desire to share his grievance with the membership at large. Since not a one of you dared stick his neck out to venture a guess as to the condition "assigned" to my coin, the "upright, unblemished and without sin" 1909 Rooster, I will take the liberty of sharing with similarly disgruntled former members of PCGS three things I felt was a turn-off.  Firstly, automatic re-subscription to the service at its highest tier necessarily denying me that choice upon reflection and forcing me to jump thru unsubscribe hoops to accomplish same.  Secondly, producing a submission form which rivals the IRS in unnecessary complexity including a gratuitous additional charge based on the fair market value of a coin which very often has not been determined or is out of date. And thirdly, arbitrarily cancelling a grading credit, without notice and/or consultation prior to one's subscription expiration.  (Interested parties who want to play "Grader for a Day" are still welcome to make their assessment providing any substantiation, for or against, as they feel is warranted (on my coin which has since migrated mid-thread to page 2 of this post.)]

To all the professional numismatic experts out there with over 150 aggregate years of experience:  Guess the grade assigned by PCGS to this 1909 French 20-franc gold rooster I paid a ransom to have brought to the United States.

1 minute ago, Lancek said:

When I first read you sent stuff to GC, I wondered if that was a good idea.  Seems like most of your stuff is recent date, pulled from circulation.  The W have value, but not much else.  Sure, GC only takes 5%, compared to ebay/pp 13%, but they have listing fees too.  $3-5. Not a big deal if you have $100 plus coins.  But a $10 coin, half your sale is eaten up by fees.  They prob did you a favor sending them back.  They have a service where you can request an estimate ahead of time for what your coins might sell for.  That's what I did, and I realized half of what I wanted to send in wasn't worth it.  

With what I did send in I netted $500 after fees/commission.  So I was happy with their service.

Thank you sincerely, Lancek, for your Public Service Announcement.

It seems like I am being bombarded by those who've expressed an interest in moving my collection, including GC.  When I was much younger, I was only interested in filling the holes.  Now that I am much older, I've set my sights much higher and though my collection is complete, I won't feel comfortable letting it go until it is as close to perfection as possible.  I think a number of us feel the same way.

22 hours ago, Woods020 said:

What photo process distorts the staples in the 2x2 that way? 

Simple punching malfunction.  For a cleaner line, squeeze the feeder directly onto the cardboard -- then punch.

The thrill of victory... part 1. I purchased a 20-euro banknote (for 28 and change) threw it in an envelope and mailed it directly from Grand Central's adjoining post office.  Not 24 hours later, a 1908 MS 67 French 20-franc gold rooster arrived, professionally packaged, with an invoice which indicated, based on my prior satisfactory buying experience, some fancy footwork was engaged in to justify the shortage (13.45 euros) they termed a "global discount." I placed it in my Set Registry ATS and my overall standing, now 65.688, was increased by a whopping 0.093, within hours.  My intention is to compile the finest possible set rating which currently stands at 67.219.  Yes, even if doing so reduces me at [damned near] 70 years old to scavenging for bottles and cans in the street.  Stay tuned for part 2 which involves a similar purchase from a reputable dealer in California and a request to have it cross-graded.  Hopefully, with the sluggish way things are moving, I will get a sneak preview on the verdict sometime early next year.

Seems like the pandemic has inspired its own pandemonium.  The U.S. Mint, the various TPGS and on-time performance has been altered to such a degree that when outfits like FedEx which formerly used to brag, "when you absolutely, positively must have something," no longer do so.  I recently got three different text messages from DHL advising a package I was expecting would be delivered late in the day, Wedneday, 1/9, Thursday, 1/10 and Friday, 1/11.  (It arrived on my doorstep early yesterday afternoon.) The only guarantee is, there is none.  When you're dealing with the Federal Government, you're in good hands -- but anything goes. Just be patient. After all, they've got to rely on the USPS, and that's a whole other spectacle.

6 hours ago, MarkFeld said:

Welcome to the forum.
Your dime is worth 10 cents and OK to spend.

Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here.  When Judy in her very first post feels confident enough to say her dime is "identical" to that of the OP's, I have two crucial questions: in what way? And does it include the off-color staining "WonderCoin" referred to as a "diagnostic marker"?  I would not expect Judy to understand any of this -- and I am impressed she went through the entire thread suggesting she feels she is on to something (not to mention the promise of Ratzie33's possible vindication) but I would still like to know the particular distinguishing characteristic she observed which led her to believe her dime is more than just similar to Ratzie33's.

4 hours ago, robec1347 said:

Superlative beyond words!  And yet, there are some, among them -- our much beloved VKurt "embrace the change" B, who has publicly declared he has never, and will never buy a coin, sight unseen, and not in his hand (and does not see the utility of a Set Registry citing non-strategic  competition.) What more would one need to know beyond what's been presented here?  Just minutes ago, I received from DHL a coin I never laid eyes upon from an overseas location, an 1908 MS 67 French 20-franc gold rooster which I expect to supersede the MS 66+ now lying in my Set Registy ATS  -- at a cost differential of $300. All I knew is what I had seen in pixilated form.  I am not at all ashamed to say I would not hesitate to purchase a coin, sight unseen, from someone I do not know and never met.  Nice catch, robec1347!  You've got Coinbuf droolin' and that speaks volumes. (He won't refute this because he's got me on Ignore.)

1 hour ago, robec1347 said:

1 hour ago, robec1347 said:

Great piece with fine dentil insurance and an iridescent glow to die for! (First evidence I've seen that submissions have exceeded the 50-million marker). Lovely copper!

6 hours ago, RWB said:

There are no SMS 1964 coins. There were no SMS sets. The OP's coin is not one of the first coins off a new die pair for 1964.

"My broker is E.F. Hutton. And when E.F. Hutton talks, people listen." Anyone old enough to remember that?  😉

25 minutes ago, MAULEMALL said:

Virginia is a sh1thole..

Drove down Arther Arse Blvd through all the beggers and the homeless sleeping in the Arther Arse center and you would use hydra shocks instead of hollow points..

 

If "Virginia is for Lovers," is the way you've described it, where does that leave me, a lifelong denizen of the Empire State and a resident of El Barrio a/k/a Spanish Harlem, and all that that entails, including but not limited to drug sales and use, urination, drinking, petty thieves selling stolen goods and muggers all conducting their trades openly, publicly and shamelessly.  And let's not forget, I pay for the privilege of living (surviving) here? 😉

Two take-aways from all this:  it's still alright to be partial to so-called "blast whites" but it has never occurred to me to carry around a magnet.  Copper scrap dealers use them routinely to separate the chaff from the wheat.  Some of the more powerful, portable ones can fit in your back pocket may be had free by simply cannibalizing stereo speakers discarded on the street. Very useful thread.

11 minutes ago, ProfHaroldHill said:

"Eerily"? Well, I was going for "ominously", so I guess I better work on my intonations!

Today there are many investors who want to do more than look at balance sheets and ledgers. People who want to know more about the way the company acts as a corporate person, if you will. They are called, "ethical investors", and they do not ignore 'values' when doing an evaluation of a company. Their values are as diverse as they themselves are as people, but they base their decisions on where to put their $ on more than profit alone.

They/we believe that the future worth of any company cannot be determined with precision without looking carefully at current and past corporate behavior.

NGC established the "Water Cooler" so that some conversations could be reserved for a more or less, 'private audience', generally involving non-coin matters, such that the overall public presentation of this forum would be nicely focused on coins, etc. Hobby stuff.

The issues that may arise from the discussions of the two main points of my Water Cooler thread, (and the things that may be said by those expressing their opinions on those issues,) might slightly upset some die-hard fans of one or more 'TPG's. I'm pretty sure the 'mods' would prefer that discussion to go on wholly within the realm of the Water Cooler, so you'll forgive me for not discussing them openly here, (though certainly others might choose to do so.)

 

[I cannot help but feel, sir, that you have more than earned your honorific.  It is always a pleasure to watch you weigh in on somewhat sensitive matters with discretion.]

4 hours ago, leeg said:

The reverse:

 

Well, to quote actress Marisa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinny,"  your half's a splendid example of "dead balls on accuracy" (which she assured Joe Pesci was a standard term used in the automotive industry). Take a look at those strongly struck reeded edges!  That's quite a fine Benjie you've got there. I'm impressed.

[Is there no one here, or any other thread, willing to stick his neck out and say disinterment from a slab, coffin, or whatever you wish to call it is a sacrilege and an abomination unworthy of the ideals upon which this hobby was founded?  I have only been here a few months and it has begun to seem a number of members regard this vandalism as normal human behavior. It isn't, and I for one, refuse to accept it.  If you disagree with the opinion rendered by a TPGS, there are procedures in place for having your disagreement reviewed and otherwise addressed.  I don't know what I find worse: discovering activity which reflects adversely on the hobby actually exists, or finding those the numismatic community universally holds in high regard tacitly approving of this disgraceful and disrespectful approach to problem-solving with their deafening silence.]

[With kbbpll's indulgence, who may or may not have permanently ensconced me on his "pay him no mind list," a/k/a ignore, I should like to offer the following startling update on what he refers to as my "precious niche."  It seems, based solely on my own observations as undertaken during my regular monthly population censuses that sometime within the past two months, a sizeable dump of French 20-franc gold roosters, many in various grades of mint state condition submitted mostly in high grades primarily to PCGS' European outposts. In addition, possibly with the recent run-up in gold prices, those graded MS67 which were nowhere to be found anywhere, suddenly inundated the market from all quarters.

This gave me an opportunity to do something VKurtB, our much esteemed seasoned veteran, likely in transit, swore to the heavens he has never done and never will do: buy a coin sight unseen, out of hand.  I just purchased two -- sight unseen -- and it remains to be seen if I will ever get them. I used a bank wire transfer on one (because I refuse to generate income for PayPal's "overseers" with whom I have had two fruitless "discussions previously,  and USPS money orders on the other though they do not list it on their site as an approved form of payment. With Roosters, you must expect the unexpected.  Sometime soon, I expect to learn the thrill of victory... or the agony of defeat.  The more interesting facet of this venture is my Set Registry is complete and has received a * which I take to mean is ranked #1, but is not the best possible. Right now I have to find a way to transmit 16 euros to France. A wire costs $50. and your local cash checking establishment which uses Western Union, transfers funds to individuals -- not companies. I asked the coin emporium to carry the shortfall (on a nearly one thousand dollar order) as a debit, having done business with them several times in the past without incident.  If anyone within the sound of my voice has any ideas, I would be happy to hear from you.

3 hours ago, rocket23 said:

I put a bunch of unc pennies on flea bay. I doubt I’ll get a sale.  Wheaties are weird some times. 

The first 50 years -- no offense to Coinbuf and other serious collectors of the series -- are, IMHO, the only ones worth collecting.  Why?  Because they were real.  Today, coin collectors who refuse to be extorted by the U.S. Mint and their cronies, "the authorized distrubutors," are reduced to scavenging for "errors" dubious "varieties" and all manner of oddities which can easily be explained by "authorities" and "experts" who frequent this site. A very sad state of affairs indeed.

4 hours ago, Coinbuf said:

Your stunning, seemingly straight off the presumably for-circulation minting press never ceases to amaze me!