Henri Charriere

🐓: Say, Q! This space says "Reply to Topic." but how can any member do that when the Topic is the Original Poster? Q.A.:. It's okay. She's new. We welcome all members, cordially. She'll learn the ropes.

🐓: I believe our mutual friend has laid down a gauntlet daring to challenge anyone from crossing the Big Red Line punctuated with Big No-Nos. Q.A.: True, but his observations are valid. Hey, remember the time we joined there when I was disfellowshipped here and I absentmindedly Liked a comment there made my a member who had Ignored me here? 🤣 Those were the days! Still and all, I have a few ideas I would like to test-drive over there. Are you game, Ricky? 🐓 : You down with OPP? Yeah, you know me. 🎶

I would agree but one cannot overlook the quasi-personal.connection here. Take Paterson, NJ out of the equation and what are you left with? A scrawny eagle. [I would go further and suggest if you take a really close look at the family tree you'd find Bing Crosby was a scion.]

This defensive posture has been used many times by many different members, buy I fail to see why the fact DDO's haven't been detected to date on this dime (date/mm) automatically rules out new discoveries. There's always a first time for everything but I am guessing the thinking here is a "diagnostic marker" or, whatever the correct term for this is, never occurs just once.

Only uncle z knows and he says he is "under no obligation to report the whereabouts..." (Posted at the discretion of Moderation.)

I am not a collector of this series but your question has interesting ramifications... Here's one. 🐓 : He means business, Q! He's talking about 484 V's and about 600 to complete the whole shebang but he's already conceded he is not inclined to commit himself. You go tell him I need just one to fill slot 137, and I'm done. Q.A.: But what if he says, "Tough luck, It's not for sale."? 🐓 : Then you go back and tell him I am not in this business for my health and that it would be in his best interests to comply. Failing that, we may have to resort to that old standby... the threat of force and violence. That seems to be the only language some of these carry-permit guys understand. Seriously, I believe if your set is foundering and you have the one coin I need to complete mine that is grade-compatible, I would consider it a personal affront to refuse my most reasonable request. I do not subscribe to the zadokian doctrine of "being under no obligation" etc. And, I don't like to be kept waiting. I like this whole power crazy thing. It helps speed things up. 🤣 [Edit: Some of the above was reworded. On reflection, I would say unless you're very young and have considerable resources, you should consider concentrating on one series or the other. If you can do it -- compile a composite -- by all means do so; if you cannot, don't.]

[I read everything posted on this thread, Mike. Great stuff! The hue and cry was raised many years ago about the wanton destruction of newspaper morgues due primarily to the prohibitive cost of storing records. After an interval, they were routinely being destroyed. Photographing copies proceeded rapidly to microfilming and scanning with storage in cyberspace. However, much like the Chat Board, besieged with material contributed steadily and continually resulting in exponential storage needs, files are deleted. When deletion occurs, records are lost. With loss of records, history is lost. When history is lost, it's gone forever. Informal notes and secondary sources are consulted if they exist. Research extends to oral histories and institutional memories This is true for every field of endeavor. Regrettably, while diamonds are forever, the storage of data isn't and there is presently no oversight body empowered to review the matter of storage of cyberstorage and it has since been disclosed that with the stroke of a key massive amounts of are continually being destroyed. Without photographs and newspaper accounts and books on the same, what is one left with? Nothing.

[ Philately has gone crazy lately. The Forevers make no economic sense for the USPS. And, truth be told, postage is a burden borne by buyers. Case in point: it cost me $2.80 to send 20 crisp bills in a greeting card to France. The weight was 1.40 oz. I don't have a scale but shipping a coin the size of a nickel in a slab from the seller, which couldn't weigh more, cost me $60. That's apart from the price. I assembled my entire set of 🐓 and do not recall a single instance of the postage being so, er, memorable. I wouldn't be surprised if a special courier wearing a cap, suit, tie -- and white gloves, shows up on my doorstep to hand-deliver the package to me personally, that is, if Customs doesn't intercept it first.]

Q.A.: We've been here five years. I wonder if we made the right choice... 🐓: We did. Trust me. I have it on good authority. We haven't missed a thing. Q.A.: Man, I love this place!

No one, I repeat, No One -- not even a machine, is going to accept that thing covered with an octopus' tentacles all over it. On the other hand, it would make an ideal candidate for sale on etsy. I would imagine a sale price of $50,000, Or Best Offer, would drum up some interest. Hey, and it's rare! When's the last time you saw one of those? Don't forget to say you have only one left. Hurry! 🤣

It's real alright. Who would bother desecrating a fake? I don't perceive it as being off-center. Denticle insurance was not introduced until the late 19th century. 🤣

Looks like we have inadvertently dispensed with the usual greetings and salutations having been caught up in the moment of a newcomers in distress. Welcome! You have a monumental time- and labor-intensive task ahead of you. A few years ago a member introduced a topic which, if memory serves, was reduced to a single question, in substance: what plans have you made for your heirs. One member made a practical observation: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Maybe not yourself, but certainly those to whom you would choose to entrust your possessions. He suggested leaving instructions or divestment. I am not ashamed to say if I were faced with a herculean task like yours, I would very likely contact an auction house. By all means, separate the wheat from the chaff, but acknowledge you cannot do what you need to all by yourself perusing a stamp catalog. Seek advice by calling auction houses like Heritage. I am afraid those who were the most devoted philatelists may no longer be interested in buying, but better consulting them or running into Rick's Pawnshop (no criticism intended). And let this be a cautionary tale for those who cling to the notion that life will let you know when the 11th hour is approaching. Sure it will: at a quarter to 12! Capiche? In the absence of Yellow Pages, you may wish to try the internet. As for me, I have given away most of what once was a legend in my own mind. The extent of my holdings now, at age 72, is 24 coins, and a few odds and ends. I'm good. I wish you the best of luck!

A word about Ampersand... Elsewhere on the Forum, currently, our Grand Master has posted a Topic, entitled: "Members' assistance requested," which is galloping along at a respectable, steady clip. So as not to detract from the main purpose of that Topic which is to elicit comments or questions to be considered for possible inclusion in a new edition of FMTM, I have chosen to express a miscellaneous observation here. In a letter from a Nathan T. Perkins datelined Boston, 1858 [Posted today, June 8th, by RWB] you will find a line reading: "Among these must necessarily be some rare coins, such as the Washington cents &c." [Emphasis mine.] At one time, according to Wikipedia, the ampersand (&) was "... regarded as the 27th letter of the English alphabet, as taught to children in the U.S. and elsewhere." Under the heading History, highlighted in purple, a contributor wrote: "The ampersand, also known as the 'and sign," is the logogram '&' representing the conjunction "and". It originated as a ligature of the letters of the word 'et' (Latin for 'and'). A considerable body of research covering a thousand years is devoted to the origin, progression and representations of the amersand over time. 🐓 (Posted at the discretion of Moderation.)

🐓: There's a new #2 in gold roosters on the West coast? Q.A.: Really? Who? 🐓 : YOU! Q.A.: Me??? Nooo! How? Why? Give me that... Is this thing on??? *** A few minutes later... Q.A.:. Holy cow! It's true, but -- wait a minute... you can leap frog over me, but that won't change my set rating, only my rank! Hold on,... it says my set isn't complete -- that I need one more coin! Preposterous! 🐓 : Better check your set... Q.A.:. THE 1909! MY FAVORITE! IT'S GONE! 🐓: So what! You got the cert #. Add it back on to the itinerary. Q.A. IT SAYS IT'S ALREADY IN SOMEONE'S SET! 🐓 : First things first. It's Saturday. Better drop them an e-mail and uh, one more thing: Don't mention it on the Forum! You know... the bigger they come the harder they fall. You'll never be able to live this one down with your gaggle of Ignorers. Q.A.: Say, maybe that's why some members block the cert. numbers on their coins... Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. To the membership-at-large: For non-Set Registry participants, no actual theft occurred. This is simply an inventory tool and virtual showcase. As no actual loss occurred, and it being mid-year, post Awards, it is not an urgent matter. It will be addressed. What I am really interested in finding out is whether this has ever happened to anyone here, or elsewhere, and if not, whether anyone would care to hazard a guess as to how this may have occurred? All opinions and conspiratorial theories are welcomed. Posted at the discretion of Moderation.

Agreed, however they have been on an evidently large sustained buying binge and when they stopped gold was down $80. We'll have to wait see.

Your question would elicit a more definitive answer on "Ask NGC/NCS" which may be found listed under NGC FORUMS. They would be better able to advise you on matters relating to coin orientation and whether your coin is properly graded Mint State or Proof.

Is Gold to High to Buy Now? Apparently, for China; YES! Their 18-month buying spree has come to a grinding halt. Why? Because it's gotten too high. Here's the blurb: SPOT GOLD PRICE DROPS $50 PER OUNCE AS CHINA's CENTRAL BANK HALTS GOLD RESERVE BUYING. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, there's your answer and don't forget, you heard it here first. (I got it second-hand from Ricky 🐓 but by all accounts he has no reason to lie.) I believe we will see fluctuations, but no noticeable trends until the profit-taking is done. I also believe when gold stalls at a resistance level, the spot price will resume its rise in fits and starts -- and even surpass it's former highest level.

I hope you fully understand that even had the FBL and FS (any steps below 5 FS are ineligible for attribute consideration) you still have the not unweighty matter of decapsulation to consider. If any "damage" were to result from a coin presumably deemed flawless, by you -- or the TPGS involved, the MS-70 grade formerly bestowed on it would be lost irretrievably. (I believe TPGSs cannot be held liable after you sign that consent form.) Since the coins lack the attributes you were hoping for, it is best to leave them, as is, stored in a safe environment. You should consider yourself lucky you sought a second opinion, and got several from Members well-versed in this matter, free of charge.

@RWB : I cannot imagine any member who knows full well he will be challenged on a matter involving a matter of specificity, alleging something he knows to be untrue. Your evidence illustrates a setback; he provides a solid date with no axe to grind and nothing to gain I am going to pull a Don Rumsfeld, Sec'y of Defense on you here with a quotable quote and a notable one, to follow. "You go to war with the army you have, not the army you want or wish to have at a later time." 🐓 : "You continue to mint coins with the die(s) you have, not the die(s) you want or wish to have at a later date." I don't feel it is beyond possibility that coinage resumed after a hiatus. Would you be willing to concede some coins were not even minted in some years. (Tangential comment: If it weren't for a mere pair of parenthesis, who could challenge coins destined for minting at West Point were minted at San Francisco instead [ASE]). Had member @Nouzillet insisted mint production at S.F. resumed earlier than expected, dem's fightin' words. He'd have to produce documentary proof. I know I 'd take a bullet for you on principle, but one or both of you are going to have to come up with something a little more compelling than memory and paper.

@Coinbuf : There may be some credence to what member Idhair suggests. Many moons ago when it was suggested respectable members bum-rush a disorderly member off the Board, I distinctly recall another member suggesting simply changing one's User Name was insufficient if he used the same internet protocol [IP] number unique to each phone. You would have to change phones, but he also observed it would be very doubtful a member could maintain the charade with his distinctive way of "speaking" and use of vocabulary. @RWB was the first to challenge Henri Arrius choosing to address him directly as Quintus. That was one reason why I chose to change my name and am considering yet another change which I know my uncle z will get a big kick out of.

🐓: Any relation to big pharma?

(Sorry, all, but I am not going to re-visit this issue.)

Complexity? There's a $4. PROOF "Stella" on eBay right now. Price? In excess of $200,000. Even if I had all the time, money and wherewithall to acquire it, I wouldn't pick one up for . Know why? I can't stand that misshapen star on the reverse. So right off the bat, that's out. I love everything about two-cent pieces.

Established as a family-owned business in 1959, Brigandi's Coins & Collectibles was the nation's pre-eminent dealer of coins, currency, bullion and rare and high-quality pieces of history as well as sports memorabilia. For three generations, the Brigandi family had operated from their latest Manhattan storefront, 104 East 57th Street -- just off Park Avenue, around the corner from Heritage Auction's New York office, and down the street from Stack's-Bowers newest location -- to curate rarities from across the globe. In the 65 years since Brigandi's first opened its doors, initially downtown and later uptown, Midtown in its heyday boasted as many as a dozen coin shops. Today, that number can be counted on one hand. While they appear to maintain a presence on social media, including an internet site, it is not clear whether they continue to operate as an internet-based operation. They were one of a kind and bring back fine memories of a pre-slab time when coins were sold loose (not raw) or in stapled 2" x 2" holders. Proof sets were sold in original flatback boxes and envelopes. They will be sorely missed.

Respectfully, neither the telegram or letter specially refer to mintage or the first date of mintage. Perhaps the official Date of Mintage and Issue was designated February 4th in time for all the kinks to be worked out.