Henri Charriere

No. Stop it! In the interests of broadening the body of knowledge everyone with a piece of the jigsaw puzzle should join in making a truly collaborative effort. I was taught that all through my formal years of schooling. A member inquired about an obscure token used in a correctional institution that had long been decommissioned. I wrote the Michigan Department of Correction directly and, much to my surprise, they had no historical repository -- or for that matter, institutional memory. But the elusive token in unknown numbers is still out there. A leading lawmaker visiting a foreign land, for unexplained reasons, lacked identification with his signature. An aide saved the day with quick thinking, reached into his wallet and pulled out a one-dollar bill with his John Hancock which was accepted without question. When Governor Mario Cuomo arrived at an upstate juvenile institution with an entourage in an official state chopper landing on institutional grounds, most anyone would have admitted him on the strength of the unusual circumstances and instant face recognition. Not the Principal Keeper who demanded to see his ID. The governor was not offended in the least. Professional courtesy must acquiesce to proper procedure.

Q.A. I understand the case of the S.S. TILAWA has finally been resolved. What are the particulars? 🐓 : Indeed it has. On November 23, 1942, the S.S. TILAWA was sunk by Japanese torpedoes in the Indian Ocean off the coast of South Africa. Aboard were 3,000 people (280 of whom perished) along with 2.364 bars of silver which were "irretrievable" until 2017 when they were salvaged by a British exploration company owned by Paul Marshall, a hedge fund leader -- and apparently mired in litigation since. Earlier today, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled in favor of the then Union of South Africa which owned the precious metal which was destined for coinage. The Court did not specify how the $43 million bounty would be divided up by the parties involved. Source: CBS NEWS. Q.A. That's a great story! You've certainly earned your keep. Ever think of becoming our Grand Master's understudy? 🤣 (Posted solely at Moderation's discretion.)

@zadok : Why the sadness? She was Royalty: "Top of the list, Queen of the hill, 'A' number one!" (She was also billed as the world's wealthiest welfare recipient.) Membership has its privileges.

Positively shameful!

Q.A.: I understand you've been doing some research on Queen Elizabeth II, a number of coins for whom have been minted in her honor over the years. Have you come across any little-known facts collectors of those coins would find to be of interest? 🐓 : Yes: She was the only person in Britain who could drive without a license, or license plate, and she never had to take a driving test. Q.A.: How did you manage to find these facts? 🐓 : The automobile she owned and drove, a 2001 Daimler Majestic, came up for auction last month at Bonhams. They estimated it would fetch up to $75,000. I am unaware of the gavel price but 50 bids were placed, the highest being $59,000. (It had logged 16,200 miles.) Q.A.: Thank you for broadening the body of knowledge of the collector community who holds you in high regard. In the event @Sandon comes across this, and for the record, would you mind citing your sources? 🐓 : Not at all, "Bids on a sports car fit for the Queen," New York Post, Sun., April 28, 2024, p. 7. Q.A.: Thank you. I am much obliged. (Posted at the discretion of zmoderation.)

Hi tj! First, an overview... 2M of the 5-coin 2019-W series were minted for each of the coins designed for a total of 10M pieces. Anything made in the millions isn't rare, but they are the scarcest of the 2019 quarters. What bothers me about this quintet is the large price spread of anywhere from $162.00 to $6,250. I would expect any recenly minted coin to be in Mint State condition but with the grades being unknowns (presumably MS-65s) and all five to be graded and placed in one oversized holder, not to mention submission costs, I do not know whether the undertaking would be cost-effective. My sidekick, Ricky, and I have a difference of opinion on this... 🐓 : My feeling is if the coins were of MS-67 caliber, it would be worth the costs of submission and not a soul on the Forum would discourage you from proceeding with your plans. So, to submit or not to submit at or about that grade level is the question. Any chance you can post the coins here and get a preliminary analysis of each of the coins' states of preservation before you embark on your venture? I personally believe it would be helpful to get as many opinions, from as any members as you can before you commit yourself. Best of luck, buddy!

Somebody get me REWRITE! NO EDITORIALIZING! THE BBC IS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF CHARACTERIZING THE CONTENT OF ITS PRESENTATIONS: THIS IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE ABOUT INDIAN GOLD REFINERS. Period. Keep it up Roger, and you'll never get to work for The New York Times (without a chaperone!)

So if the animal faces a droite, it's a bison, but if it faces a gauche, its pedigree changes to a buffalo. Numismystique. 🤣

The Gold Standard can be resurrected but only if the transition is unpublicized. Fat chance of that happening, but if it does, enquiring minds via The Enquirer, will be the first to know.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Here, let me pretty this up for RWB-types. (We don't need Re-write.) Pay close attention! "Informed sources have indicated..." "Unconfirmed reports..." "The principals, declining to speak for attribution..." "Confidential sources not authorized to speak for attribution..." You get the idea. Got that Roger? Use terms like "could not be confirmed by independent sources"... & "Allegedly,..." Or as the FBI once put it during an unpublicized interrogation, "We are not accusing you with anything. You are simply being charged with ------- in a Federal complaint. For those intent on assailing my good character and name... some additional fodder: In New Orleans, bodies are not buried underground due to the high water table. They are entombed, much like General Grant. [Edit: Vacancies develop when there are no survivors left, remains are literally swept out and a newly-deceased interred. This is practicality and hews with common-sense tradition.] The Chinese, correction, the Red Chinese, harvest organs. In the United States, donations of organs is commonplace and blood is taken for use where needed. I don't think many people here would argue burying everyday artifacts for use by King Tut's entourage is [Expletive deleted.] Many personal items were taken. But how does the recycling of teeth and hair or all those horrific acts committed by those in the interests of science on living souls compare with the totality of the circumstances? When dehumanization occurs, anything that comes afterward is made easy. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY ALL OVER THE WORLD TO THIS DAY WITH LITTLE OR NO NOTICE. (POSTED AT THE DISCRETION OF MODERATION WITH MY INFORMED CONSENT.)

@GoldFinger1969 : Re: "35 BB French Francs had been hoarded or about 2 BB U.S....not all gold, some silver, but probably mostly gold." If I may muddy up the waters, only 117-1/2 MM 20-Francs gold roosters were minted, only 1/3 of which, the "originals," are relevant to the conversation, having been struck to 1906. The "restrikes" (1907 to 1914) were re-minted between 1951 to 1960. The 1914 was re-minted in 202,359 copies in 1921. Clearly, the number of gold roosters available for melting, some 43 MM played a miniscule role when one accepts 35 BB pieces were involved overall.

ATTENTION MODERATION: Whether I like it or not, whether I approve of it or not, I can not and will not, countenance the misuse of a topic I introduce in good faith to be perverted, as it were, by anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) other than a Newbie who simply would not know better, as a springboard for spontaneous, superfluous, entirely gratuitous, venomous vitriol of a highly personal, essentially undignified nature better suited for private and confidential communication. Consequently, it is my desire THIS TOPIC NOW BE CLOSED TO FURTHER REPLIES. Henri Charrier, Associate Member, CS 114 400 Sunday, May 5, 2024, 0523 HRS. BATTLE OF PUEBLA DAY (MEXICO) Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary by the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla.

Respectfully, in consultation with leading experts on the Soloviev-Imamura Quantification of Tsunamis and the proposed new 12-point Tsunami Intensity Scale, and in consideration of the various variables involved, a 33° departure from the vertical, as here depicted, would result in great damage and catastrophic loss of life inconsistent with a claim of "minor rotation." 🐓

I know I have said this before but it bears repeating. Some judges keep a tight rein on courtroom proceedings (one even "ordering" a deputy USM go fetch a sport coat for a defendant who appeared before him in jail garb.) When one witness embarked on a scenic tour whilst on the stand, the jusge, unprompted, directed the AUSA to instruct his witness to be more responsive. As regarding our Grand Master, it may cost me more than I am willing to lose, but I am seriously entertaining the thought of suggesting your ongoing Hatfields and McCoys sniping was approved by top NGC management to keep things interesting on the Forum. The "crimes" you have cited as having been committed are, if they even rise to that level, little more than miscellaneous differences of opinion which all are entitled to. (Posted at Moderation's discretion.)

C'mon, @Captain Murder ! We have tread this ground before. I even suggested you change your User Name to give youself a fighting chance at a come-back, and what do you do? Go back to selling, or attempting to sell your wares -- on the very same Forum you were asked not to! The playground for buying and selling coins and related tchotchkes is COIN MARKETPLACE. It is listed right alongside all the other NHC Forums.

I only have a fifty-year affiliation with the hobby which, admittedly, is a lot less than those who boast of attending President William McKinley's inauguration. If that be the case, would any member more erudite on such matters, and so disposed, volunteer what they feel may be the defining distinction between a coin deemed to be inauthentic which to me seems to be a more polite, less judgmental way of dismissing a coin as being a counterfeit.

British Petroleum [BP] ain't got a da-ned thing to do with it! Revisit the figures I provided upthread. Gold Rooster melt, then, was $429.82. [Spot gold was $2302.02.] The gold bullion dealer with the least expensive gold roosters was APMEX: $445., exclusive of dealer premium and sales taxes, where applicable. The gold bullion dealer with the most expensive gold roosters was Money Metals Exchange: $488., exclusive of dealer premium and sales taxes, where applicable. That was then, yesterday. Today is today, and tomorrow, may be further up or down. One thing I have to give @zadok credit for was opening my eyes up to the fact that F20FR GR are bullion. Of course, gold spot price is less of a consideration the higher you go up the Mint State scale. The owners of the finest examples, I believe it safe to say, do not fret over fluctuations.

THAT'S A DAMNABLE LIE. Besides, as I have pointed out out recently, gold spot is risng suddenly in fits and starts. If dealers monitored them they'd have time for nothing else. You're in scrap and consequently on the prowl. While you are not required to keep close track of irregularities, you would do unto others what others do, or should do, unto others. I have NEVER compromised my principles for.money, least of all filthy lucre. One more reason why I turned out as well as I have.

A dork nozzle, where, up my schnozzola? I regard everyone who carries a nozzle or muzzle as an abject loser. The brains - - - has give me has held me in good stead. Through thick and thin, I have always prevailed. And if something happened, and I were dispatched suddenly, what would I have left to fear about? Nothing. Death tends to reduce things to their losest common denominator. Most people worry about living, not dying. Besides, I have a 🐓 collection to complete. There's always a time to die. Capiche?

That query made famous by New York City's mayor Ed Koch in the 1980's is applicable here in one sense: Set Registrants, and more particularly those participating in them on the West coast. My early morning subterranean travels (pointedly discouraged by at least two distinguished members here) have yielded some little-known facts. For one, a gentleman whose rank is Numero Uno out of 85,823 users has amassed an astounding 68.77778 score and 3500 out of 3500 points, an achievement shared with dozens of others. In checking around further, I discovered yet another set registrant who had also accumulated 3500 of the 3500 possible points and was gobsmacked by two other figures provided: Highest Rated Set 71 and Highest Graded Set 71.5. (The last time I addressed this anomaly, I was charged with seditious bashing so I shall decline to elaborate on this mind-boggling little-known phenomenon, and do so politely My only Highest Rated Set is 65.906 while my goal, the finest possible set rating is 67.313 which like all scores can change in a blink of an eye as the certification juggernaut moves on relentlessly. So, how are you doing? (Posted at the discretion of moderators whose terms and conditions I accept.

FYI: French 20-francs gold rooster melt is: $429.82. (Gold spot was $2302.02, as of an hour ago.) What it costs, presently, to own one... from lowest to highest prices: BULLION DEALER, PRICE, DEALER PREMIUM: 1. APMEX, $445.22, $15.90. 5. MONEY METALS EXCHANGE, $488.93, $59.09. Note: For the majority of Set Registrants interested in acquiring an older "original" at these prices -- regardless of state of preservation -- the time for entertaining that silly notion is long past. Only 5 years ago, fistfuls of gold roosters could be had raw for between $259. and $289, minus sales taxes which were yet to be imposed on platforms like eBay. 🐓

🐓: That may very well be a cold carom shot! Q.A.: It's okay... at least we get a shout out now and then from our biggest fan. 🤣