Henri Charriere

3 hours ago, GoldFinger1969 said:

Not familiar with French "roosters" -- what's their story ?

As I am generally discouraged, if not outright barred, from discussing roosters, I will throw all caution to the wind (hope our colleague, VKurtB, isn't peering over my shoulder, and offer the following)...

In a nutshell, half the 16-coin run are "originals; the other half, "restrikes." For whatever the reason, they are notably unavailable in the top MS grades and, most regrettably for me, do not reside in anyone's Set Registry, here or elsewhere. Complicating matters are two apparent factors: the earlier originals reside in Europe and judging by the prevailing census reports seem to be the purview of PCGS (hence all the incomplete registry sets at NGC, including my own.) While they do come up for auction, they do so infrequently and apparently rarely at the upper end of [what I refer to as] the Richter scale.

With the run-up in gold, I have been besieged by offers to buy my collections outright, or by offerings of lesser-grade specimens at now inflated prices. (Interestingly, some inattentive sellers are still offering their wares at below-melt cost!) Whether a SG or .18 [AGW] troy ounce "or Coq Marianne," (their formal name) I believe in buying low/selling high, but if an opportunity to upgrade presents itself, though my collection at PCGS is #1, I might consider it. Douglas Winter had the benefit of a lifetime of research, publishing and collecting. My days, at [damned near] 70, are almost over.

I have enjoyed your posts and wish you all the best in the pursuit of arguably the finest coin ever produced by the mint!

1 hour ago, VKurtB said:

You are correct. The US Mint “decides” almost nothing, other than some details on bullion pieces. Your Congress Critters make almost ALL coinage decisions.

I wrote the Mint director a few years ago to induce him to come up with some more appropriate designs in time for the country's SESTERCENTENNIAL (250th anniversary: 2026) and was politely advised that only Congress can make that call, after appropriate study.  U.S. coins are just not as attractive as they once were and plenty of countries print better currency. (I am glad I picked up a number of those old trillion-dollar Zimbabwean banknotes when they were being sold for only five dollars.) To think, there was a time when U.S. coins were proudly featured on U.S. currency! Maybe a hitherto unknown artist can produce a rendering more deserving of national adulation. The present sludge just doesn't cut it. My opinion, right or wrong.

1 hour ago, VKurtB said:

You are correct. The US Mint “decides” almost nothing, other than some details on bullion pieces. Your Congress Critters make almost ALL 

On 6/30/2020 at 12:14 PM, VKurtB said:

Okay, I confess, it's me. I caused it. I'm the guy. I have too many coins. It's 1964 all over again. I feel so dirty now. 

Nope, not you. Not even one Federal Reserve district can precipitate a shortage. (Drug money, however, can effect a surplus as seen in South Florida in the 1980's.)

19 minutes ago, RWB said:

This is whisper text:  Psssnsnsnsnnsnsnns.....bzbbzzzzzb.

20 minutes ago, RWB said:

This is whisper text:  Psssnsnsnsnnsnsnns.....bzbbzzzzzb.

Ah well, no tool bar.  You guys are the best.  And thanks for having my back!

55 minutes ago, Hinkle said:

I just basically get on here to have fun. I'm 44 years of age. There's no way I will have many, many years of experience like alot of people. So I'm just trying to cram everything in my little brain so I know a few things. Idk if that's bad or good, but it's worth it. Gotta love the hobby. 

You made my day with those jewels of wisdom!

2 minutes ago, Hinkle said:

With this being said, maybe I'll take a trip to New York and pull some of them coin's up out of the asphalt. And then post them on here and try to convince everyone there errors. Because you know them are going to be some very bad damaged coin's. Lol and to be honest I stoop down and pick up any coin, it's fun.

Mr. Hinkle, you're a funny guy.

How am I funny?

You know, the way you tell a story. You're funny!

No, I don't know. You said it!  How am I funny?  You mean, I am here to amuse you? How the **** am I funny? What the **** is so funny about me?

Almost had you... I don't know about you -----. You might fold under questioning.

YOU ARE A FUNNY GUY!

That's it, ------!

AHHHHHHH!

***

You are a decent guy, Mr. Hinkle. A real gentleman. How can I tell? From reading that last line. Very humble and matter-of-fact. Enviable traits so sorely lacking in the concrete jungle.

13 minutes ago, RWB said:

RE: "I don’t believe this is a cleaned coin."

You are correct. It is a '52 Studebaker convertible.

 

 

That valuable huh? The previous owner should have gotten himself a more traditional ashtray.

On 7/29/2020 at 9:04 PM, James_OldeTowne said:

Those photos are inadequate to ascertain "cleaning".  I do like the semi-PL aspect, though!

I am inclined to agree but, unfortunately, my opinion doesn't count.

8 minutes ago, RWB said:

Feeding Trolls only makes them hungry. Their appetite for attention is boundless. Anyone what to help plant garlic at the executive mansion?

Trolls. With a capital T! You lost me on the Executive Mansion.

8 minutes ago, RWB said:

A poor time to buy any gold coin except ones that are truly scarce and which will retain their collector value. The others, including marginal ones such as 1922-S, are too close to bullion pieces to give the collector any chance of recovering their cost. An exception could be made for a clearly visible new variety, error, or bungled edge.

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.]

1 minute ago, Hinkle said:

I mean if anyone don't don't want there penny's or small change , I'll send you my address ,then you can send them to me.

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.

On 6/25/2020 at 10:47 PM, Just Bob said:

All right, "roll searchers." Time to turn those coins back in to the bank.

From the local Lowe's store this evening:

 

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!

Just now, Coinbuf said:

That is not rounding up, that is giving money away.

Whatever. Are you serious? Who cares?

On 6/26/2020 at 2:35 PM, Coinbuf said:

I don't know where you got this info but not everyone is rounding up, I know I have not been.

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

1 hour ago, kbbpll said:

No coin shortage at the liquor store today. The hag in front of me was paying for her bottle of vodka in quarters, dimes, nickels, and cents. Slowly. She came up about 25 cents short and had to start over.

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.

26 minutes ago, Hinkle said:

I think a few collectors would love to speak with Ms. White. 

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!

On 7/8/2020 at 3:41 PM, VKurtB said:

I'm rolling and even boxing cents for my neighborhood RiteAid, the people who keep me alive.

"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.

Just now, kbbpll said:

I think of it as "numismatic psychosis". I'm not going to write up a thesis on it, but we see many people exhibiting similar behavior. (I said this thread was no longer worth bothering with, yet here I am. Maybe I have it too).

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.

5 minutes ago, MarkFeld said:

Good post and I mean that, sincerely.

I do, however, disagree about “problem-solving” - at least at this point - on the part of the original poster. He’s been told by numerous posters, including experts, that he doesn’t have what he thinks/wishes.
Unless someone agrees with him, I can’t imagine what anyone could say which would satisfy him. And that includes the top grading/authentication companies. My guess is that if he were to submit it to one of them and the coin was deemed to be damaged, he’d say he didn’t get a fair shake.

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.

2 hours ago, VKurtB said:

Yes, of course. All it takes is a stout collar, like from an IGC slab insert, or an older NGC one, or even an AirTite gasket or ANY type of gasket, but anyway, your edges are NOT crisp and squared off like a newer or early saved coin should be. They are quite seriously beveled. In short, the "valleys" beween the reeds ARE ERODED, as we would expect. They are not unaffected at all.

 

On edit: I just went back and looked at your edge shots. They very much ARE the same as the two surfaces. Highly eroded. Have a look at how rounded those rims are! This is clearly an acid etched coin.

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!

On 8/2/2020 at 2:31 PM, l.cutler said:

No need to get in such a huff, nobody said it was a hanging offense.  When you join an online forum though, you agree to abide by the rules.  Simple as that.

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.

33 minutes ago, VKurtB said:

Does that mean Abe's a biker, or is that other meaning? I keep forgetting.

I better quit while you're ahead. 

On 8/1/2020 at 10:59 AM, VKurtB said:

Not a YouRube whore, then?

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