Henri Charriere

True indeed. [But if one of the French 20-franc gold roosters in the highest grade possible suddenly becomes available, it's either now or never. I am whispering because VKurtB may be looking over my shoulder.]

The streets of New York City are literally paved with NEW pennies. As far as I am concerned, they stopped making real COPPER pennies in 1959. Apparently, a lot of my fellow New Yorkers feel the same way. I am [damned near] 70 and have yet to see anyone, fork or knife in hand, try to gouge a penny out of asphalt. In point of fact, there are countless nickels and dimes embedded in asphalt not to mention the tons thrown into city fountains for good luck or whatever. Just to be clear, I have stooped down for quarters.

I don't know about pennies, or change for that matter, but I like large coins. I settled on half dollars for their relatively large size and heft reminiscent of the Morgans of my youth. You can imagine my surprise when, for the umpteenth time, a teller at my bank told me she had the large-sized dollars. I thought she meant Sacagaweas but when I asked, she insisted they were "silver" dollars, the only coins left in the midst of this shortage. When I took her up on her offer, it turned out they were Ikes. Lots of them. I am not particularly fond of Ikes, but they beat pedestrian half dollars by a mile. I told her I'd take all she had. A dozen rolls, and get this, ALL bicentennials. Some old codger saved them likely in the hopes they would become valuable someday. I don't ever recall getting an Ike in change. Change shortage, indeed! (She had plenty of two-dollar bills, too. Great stuff!

Whatever. Are you serious? Who cares?

That's common knowledge. When I get pennies in change, I give 'em right back: "Here, you need these more than I do."

When a spinster pulled that stunt at the local supermarket I ridiculed her loudly (all pennies being laboriously counted out by hand) gave the cashier a dollar and said, Let's get going now! I throw my new pennies in the street where they belong.

I am not a collector of pennies but it seems to me there is a world of a difference between the old "copper" Wheaties and (excuse my French) the new-fangled garbage out there now. Pseudo coppers. A penny that costs two pennies to mint! The writing is on the wall. Good riddance!

"We keep you alive to serve this ship -- row well, and live." Quintus Arrius to Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 movie classic, BEN-HUR.

I would imagine the ping from a dropped copper coin sounds dramatically different from that of a dropped aluminum.

No, no, you do not. (I did, however, find your crack about the nefarious cabal somewhat out of character for you.😀) You've posted some really interesting comments and I value your opinion. Keep up the good work!

I am frankly shocked this passed muster. I had misgivings, but pressed SUBMIT REPLY nevertheless. I was hoping to put an end to the open-ended feeding frenzy which just wasn't right.

As hinted at in a prior post, there is a peculiar pathology here evidently involving the need for reinforced validation. However, I am not a doctor and rendering an opinion would be practicing medicine without a license, IF you get my drift.

Wow! Edges not crisp and squared off; Serious beveling (presumably, dremeling's cousin); Lands ok, Grooves shot; Highly eroded; Acid-etched. Well, RR2020, you asked for an expert's opinion and got yourself an Autopsy Report. My condolences!

Had to mull this one over. In my mind, since there was no intent to defraud anyone of tangible goods, this is simply an approach to problem-solving. Kind of like re-submitting previously slabbed coins, only difference being there is no profit motive. So RR2020 resorts to forum shopping hoping, against hope, somebody, anybody, will step up to the plate and proclaim: "Know what, I believe this young man's got something here." After all -- refreshing my recollection by re-reading the entire post beginning with the sadly optimistic "Hello Coin Lovers[!] I just recently found out..." -- suggesting this is what the OP was "told" and not something he conjured up to unnecessarily vex the community at large. The problem with alternate identities is here clearly illuminated. Spelling, grammar, syntax bolstered incriminatingly by deja vu visuals leaves a signature. And a signature leads to a culprit. I am not going to lambast the OP, but I am going to withdraw my hasty remark regarding The Rules. I should not have been so flippant about The Rules, apologize, and do so humbly and politely.

I better quit while you're ahead.

(Principal interrogator, Abu Ghraib prison, IRAQ, circa 2003. Easy VKurtB! Ha! Ha! Ha!)

(Oh me, oh my. Reports of the imminent death of this thread are highly exaggerated.) That's okay, I've been called worse. The latest exchange is reminiscent of the People's response to the defense: "You opened the door, counselor!" What fun! (Coinbuf, you too are a contender!)

(Oh me, oh my. Reports of the imminent death of this thread are highly exaggerated.)

The thing that concerns me is the realization I would very likely purchase a coin that had been subjected to your laboratorial skills solely on the strength of your scholarship, experience and imprimatur -- sight unseen. Now, that is a compliment!

I cannot help but feel those were accurately described as "slivers," part of a wave of fantastical error coins about to sweep the nation and far superior to anything submitted for our approval thus far. Perchance to dream.

Realistically speaking, if it were his a). It would have been seized a long, long time ago, and 2). If it were sold, the proceeds would be seized to satisfy that $33 million still outstanding judgment. I am not sure what I would do in a situation like that.

On reflection, I am being way too charitable. Some of the responses are wholly undeserved and bordering on the pathological. We are only talking coins here, no sex, nothing political or religious or anything else that might inspire unkind words and pejorative characterizations. A man offers that he has reached his 40th birthday and, instead of receiving the customary well wishes, gets a Medieval Trebuchet launched to the gut: I thought [you were only] eight, or some similar such put-down. Not right.

I can just imagine.

There is a dynamic at play here only a psycholinguist could fully appreciate. And precious little of it, akin to virtual bullying, is fair to RichieRich2020. And I think I will leave it at that. The guilty ones know exactly what I am talking about.

Noted, thanks!