Henri Charriere

This is an incredible, er uh, assertion [I, again, am absolutely unable to contest]! I mean, if we were talking Dahlonega, I would be inclined to accept it. But Denver. DENVER? Meaning what, Philadelphia is King? (And S.F. is a mere footstool?) I, the rank amateur, never knew this. Such esoteric thoughts have never even occurred to me. One thing for sure, on this site, forum, chatroom, you VKurtB, are a mighty contender! There are comments you have posted here, in casual, off-handed manner, that reflects a deep, intimate first-hand knowledge of operations I am definitely not privy to. Insider knowledge. Stuff that only an investigative reporter can uncover stated, with steely confidence. My hat is off to you! Every time I see your byline I go, Whoa! Like in the old E.F. Hutton commercials: "When [VKurtB] talks, people listen." Remember? I have learned things from you I have never dreamt of. Again, my hat is off to you!

My sentiments, exactly!

Well, I for one am going to let the gentleman practice his religion as he sees fit.

Research, you say. Just curious... do the mining companies use cyanide to leach precious metals from the ground in open-pit operations because the alternative is markedly more expensive, or because there isn't one? (Been reading up on the mining going on in a small town in Mexico.)

Regrettably, there is nothing in my vast arsenal that can effectively counter what you have coughed up here today. To think there was once a time when collectors were chided for taking pencil erasers to coins! Acid? Where does acid fit it in on the restoration-conservation continuum?

Ha! Ha! Ha! Highly entertaining, this back-and-forth. You've "coined" a new expression I've never heard before, but to make doubly sure, somebody get me Forensics! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Short of throwing it away, I would apologize profusely before bestowing it upon an innocent bystander.

Melt value, notwithstanding, to me it has no numismatic value. Absolutely none... then again, I would nominate that coin for a "professional" cleaning however distasteful I find the entire subject. Like you said, it is what it is.

He has such a loveable, endearing aspect to his staccato posts that I seriously wonder why some of his biggest critics do not make greater use of the other end of the "Notify me of replies" spectrum, if it bothers them that much. (I just can't see getting all worked up about something nowhere near as ugly as that '21 Peace Dollar in MS-65, reportedly offered on eBay, prompting not a single viewer to courageously exclaim, The Emperor Has No Clothes! It looks like something that had been rescued from a sewer! Negative Three Eye Appeal! There is room for everyone on this forum. Live, and let live.

Kind of explains that slab I recall seeimg somewhere, with just one descriptor: "LACQUERED." [I found the reference provided, LCRC, to be most illuminating in this regard. Kind of explains the '83-D my brother and I found as kids with an absurdly large "D" that, in hindsight, suggests a coin we merely found "interesting," had more of a story to it. Our collections comprising two Whitman albums, virtually complete but for the few key dates which prudence dictated ought not to be pushed into a hole in cardboard, were dispersed years ago.] Thank you, Ratzie33 for bringing this fascinating resource I was hitherto unaware of to my attention. (I am afraid I lack the expertise to render a definitive ruling [opinion] on the matter of polished edges/rims.)

The cold hard truth is, where there is a profit motive involved, nothing anyone has to say here will make a difference. The boogeyman man out there doesn't care about what is okay and not okay, where money is involved. Last year, I did something nobody would do. I entrusted my life to a surgeon I had never met and, after a no more than five-minute consultation, said yes to a hip re-replacement. Re restoration and conservation, etc., there are surgeons at NGS that are practiced and well-versed in such matters. I would entrust them with my treasured possessions, unconditionally. You are never going to stop someone intent on doing the wrong thing. Instead, what you can do is protect yourself, defensively, by familiarizing yourself with all aspects of coin tampering thereby limiting your exposure to fraud, and worse. To think, there was a time when I actually vowed I would never give in to the encapsulation trend. The gradual, almost imperceptible, demise of brick-and-mortars and the advent of the internet forced me to reconsider. Accordingly, that recent item in Coin Week (I believe it was) regarding the couple that waltzed into a coin shop in Ohio with three St. Gaudens double Eagle, one of which turned out to be the rarest of the Carson City's in VF condition -- was, to me, a breath of fresh air. Who'd've thought a truly serendipitous surprise like that was still possible in 2020? Now that's a coin worth certifying! And if it needs sprucing up, that's a decision better left to the experts. (Let's not forget... someone had to re-do all those classic coins carelessly glued to boards at the world-renowned Smithsonian.)

Honestly, I am not really concerned about whether you are right or wrong. I am, however, obligated to defend, with my life if necessary, your right to express your opinion in a public forum. For the sake of keeping things on an even keel, I am going to assume all this animosity and ill will, some latent, most blatant, is simply a by-product of the heat and humidity we have all been experiencing of late. Tomorrow is another day I always say.

This is one thread I hope is never shut down. Unravel? Maybe. Shut down? I hope not. Where anyone else -- including myself, would have long given up the ghost, RR2020's irrepressible style, irreproachable virtue and enduring stamina comes shining through. Bravo!

True indeed.

With so much ire in the air, I would like to try a different tack. You said all this stems from a remark made by a "local coin and antique auctioneer." Fair enough. Would it be bad form to simply return to that gentleman (or lady) for further elucidation on exactly what it was about the coin that led him to make that observation? I am not taking sides and would prefer to reserve judgment until more information can be obtained. Is that still possible, RR2020?

Is this coin really deserving of this one-drop-of-blood in the center of a shark frenzy which really ought to be reserved for outright, blatant, tricksters and fraudsters? I don't think so. Besides, what about the "chilling effect" this rat pack attack will have on the uninitiated who may be considering submitting their own specimens for review? I challenge any reader reading this right now to view the offerings presented at buyuscoins.com and state unequivocally that they found absolutely no problem with any of the grades assigned therein. [The Red Book used to advise that "Proof" refers to the special unique process the Mint uses to produce its line of not-for-circulation coins. I am strictly old-school in that regard. A proof, is a proof.] Constructive criticism offered in a spirit of good will, minus the condescending, wholly superfluous, negative verbiage, is always welcome. In the interim, caveat emptor!

Not to mention those older proof sets from the 50's, packaged in flimsy cellophane, stapled once at the top and distributed in flimsy cardboard boxes. Anybody remember those? Carbon spotting was nothing unusual.

You "heard?" C'est impossible! [Perhaps not as consequential a sieve as that afflicting the U.S. Supreme Court] but that flies in the face of what one forum user swore to, presumably on a stack of Bibles: what happens in the grading room, stays in the grading room.

I have heard of flat tires, but flat rims? That's a new one on me.

I love Wheaties, always have, always will, but this is not my area of expertise. I wonder what a true aficionado would have to say about all this? Someone ring up Coinbuf!

Wow, my lying eyes have deceived me! Apparently, in post surfing I confused one with another. My sincere apologies. (Staying up so late in this New York heat wave I am beginning to unravel.) Oh, and thanks, Morpheus, for the heads up. Now where was I?

Pardon @Maurine for my hasty and intemperate remark. In all fairness, what you perceive as doubling appears to be a nuance of vibration. On balance, I believe Just Bob's assessment is just right: Low mintage, apparently little demand coupled with a most unfortunate extended interment in an open casket (a/k/a a brooch) exposing it to all manner of potentially harmful elements. Thank God the gold market, presently, is in your favor. All the best!

Good thing a photo was requested. That fault line (rivaling that of the San Andreas) on the reverse side ought to settle the matter of numismatic worth. Worn only once you say? (Shame on the driver of that Mack truck.) As I am not licensed to conduct on-line autopsies, you should seek a more professional second opinion.

To quote that Geico commercial guy with the long bill on his cap: "I don't see it." Then again, I have cataracts, or so the eye doctor says. What's needed here is a Third Opinion. Anybody?

I don't know about labels. Just wanted to congratulate you on your River Monster series!