Henri Charriere

[Begging the OP's indulgence... FYI: No proof sets are marked OMP. It's an acronym used by hobbyists to indicate as released by the Mint and may refer to everything from coin rolls and 3-coin sets to so-called Monster Boxes forwarded to TPGS, sealed and post-marked, to substantiate and accommodate time-sensitive First Day of Issue designations on labels.] Thank you!

Actually, silver [and gold] have been climbing. 🤣

Nearly a hundred years later, you've got old-fashioned mouth-watering, Sugar and Spice. I'm stuck with three vinyl sheets in a loose-leaf binder filled with 24 slabs (8 NGC, 16 PCGS). Bor-ing. 🤣

Where else can one go to see the incredible range of your collecting interests running the gamut from Koalas to Kookaburras, and everything in between! Keep 'em coming! Love the way your ever-vigilant avatar, Pistol Pete keeps a 24/7 watch over everything! 🤣

Makes sense to me. Thanks for bringing this to the attention of the membership.

For the record - USAO Years of Operation: Boise: 1869-1933 Seattle: 1898-1955 My personal favorite, a belief unsupported by a scintilla of doubt, much less a shred of supporting evidence for any as yet unfound SG DE Hoard(s) is the Badlands (not cornfields) in the vicinity of... Deadwood, SD: 1898-1927 Has a nice ring to it! As Alfred Hitchcock would say, mystery, suspense and surprise are all interrelated. 🤔

In point of fact, signing-out after a session is a Board requirement, per the Guidelines. One of my peccadillos is being an intermittent poster, but rules are rules. Besides, the succession of forced deportations, expulsions, time-outs and outright bans has made me weary. Is there anything more embarrassing than returning to the Board after a prolonged absence, liking a post as unobtrusively as you thought, only to be greeted with a jarring post directed thusly: "A Question for Quintus Arrius," a user name I do not believe I am permitted to use anymore 🤣 along with my former side-kick, 🐓.

Note: The description "2,000 Tons Burthen," as used under the name of the first ship, "Star of the West," is an archaic form of the noun "burden," which may be a reference to a ship's gross tonnage. (By comparison, the S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA (1857 ) weighed 2142 tons, was 272 feet long, had a 40-foot beam and a 32-foot depth.) Never let it be said ol' Henri Charriere never jumps at the chance of adding to the "body of knowledge" for the benefit of interested members and curious lurkers. 🤣

I see the month, November, and the day, Saturday the 19th, and the time and place of departure, North River (Hudson River) but what was the year??? Pre-SSCA, 1857, or post?

To my knowledge, the Board Guidelines require members to sign out after each engagement. While the powers that be insist they cannot sign-out anyone, as the only dues-paying lurker who "serves" at the pleasure of top management and flexing their Moderation muscle direct me to sign in, not only once a day but very often three or four times. If there is a "rush hour" so to speak, with maximum usage, it will take time to locate it but I will find it.

Lacking a control tower, I can only monitor passenger traffic through Chat Board usage, at a specific hour and day. On my favorite Forum, that of U.S. and World Coins, I have come up with some statistics other members may find interesting, concerning or even amusing. My device of choice is the cell phone. It seems at 10 p.m. on a Wednesday nite, there are about 10 pages of active users, 30 per page, 300 in total. One would expect the majority of users are members and, perhaps on other days and different hours, they are. BUT... here's what I found on just the first four pages: by simple extrapolation, 5 members interspersed among 120 "Guests" (formerly known as "Lurkers") which, by my reckoning, comes out to a membership composition of 4%. Which begs the question: Where is Everybody and if this isn't the usual pattern, what is? Theories, anyone?

There is much to be said about a member whose very presence is a credit to the Forum. Cheerful greeting, simple easy to understand words, a non-combative approach to problem-solving that effectively addresses the Topic at hand as well as can be done and a dignified departure using references and credits where same are due. If Modification wishes to credit me with the moniker Rising Star, it need look no further than Sandon's contributions to understand why. As difficult as it may seem to litter on a freshly-swept street, it is more so when you are in good company. It is unthinkable to derail or desecrate a thread in his presence. In fact, it would be nigh-high criminal. Congratulations Sandon for unwittingly modifying my behavior, introducing thought-provoking commentary and, in doing so, elevating the overall enjoyment of the Chat Board. Man, I love this place!

Unassailable logic. You win. Again.

And what explanation, pray tell, was offered in support of withholding the "P" mark for Philadelphia?

The key to these is you have to know where the highest points are in the relief. I see "transactional"* wear on the hair of the '08, but the Indian fella's feathers are beyond compare. Guess that's why I'll always be a professional amateur. 🤣 * Wear attained during transfers between a succession of stewards and raw coin spectators over a hun'red years.

Member Buffalo Head -- exquisite photography skills, notwithstanding -- has a lot of explaining to do on behalf of his ancestors. 🤣

I like the warm feeling that comes when you wake up in the morning and without doing anything at all your modest precious metals hoard, accumulation, rounds, bars and /or coin collection is worth more and your net worth, on paper, has grown. Here's my prediction for the new year as regarding silver and gold: I believe a new support level has been reached and precious metals, with but a few corrections now and again, will begin their slow inexorable climb to higher ground.

I have to go along with @Fenntucky Mike. In some respects, this whole "Do or Die" mindset/mania has taken on a life of its own. I knew someone that collected cobalt-blue antique bottles like the Poisons with their criss-crossed raised tactile features and another who collected insulators from power lines that were taken down. Certification of either would be unnecessary. They speak for themselves and the ability to handle them makes them attractive. Some things speak for themselves, are instantly recognizable and should be "accessible." A Mint die does not require encapsulation. Unless Jay Leno starts encapsulating his extensive car collection, I believe all one needs is a nice make-shift wood and lucite display box.

Very true. Very true! I have a feeling many of the companies I have done business with, virtually tapped out of higher tier coins, have reverted to their own grading standards. In fact one, has dispensed with SPL (or Fast stempelglantz in German; MS63 and MS64 in English altogether, Their grades are listed as SUP (or Superbe in French; VZ or Vorzuglich in German: AU55 to MS62 in English) slash / FDC or UNC (as it is defined in Angleterre) to ST. So, for all intents and purposes, the U.S. equivalent of MS63 and MS64 is no longer recognized. Obviously, on the gold rooster line, anything from AU55 to MS70 is not helpful. What I would really love to have is a 1900 gold rooster graded MS66, but none yet have been so certified. I realize it's transitory but seeing Silver at $25 and Gold back up at $2,000 does my heart good. I am hoping scarcer examples will be sold off and if this keeps up, mining companies that have been holding off on excavations will jump back into the thick of action. The wall I have hit at upgrading has actually started me thinking into developing a parallel registry for the 10-Franc line which is smaller and less expensive.

All well and good, but what about the guy who devoted a thread expressing his desire to get one of these next year? (What I would like to know is why a member gave his imprimatur to resurrecting the wild-haired Birch cent, but I am too ashamed to ask. 🤣

Well, Seattle ain't exactly Boise but still and all this little gem you've dug out does not exactly portray the United States Government in the most favorable light. Then again, that was the age of train robberies, stagecoach holdups and cattle rustling. The Justice Department had a Bureau of Investigation as early as 1908 but interstate jurisdiction of crime investigations was not authorized until the Midwest crime wave of the 1930's and formation of an independent agency: the F.B.I. Great stuff!

Blast from the Past! 🐓 : If you ask me, this guy's got you beat by a mile. Q.A.: PLEASE! THIS IS A PARTY LINE! THERE'S NO TELLING WHO MAY BE WATCHING! 🐓 : Why don't you post the painting you got from the talented wife of one of your gracious admirers? Q.A.: Good idea!

For the benefit of members, like me, who had never heard of the French 100-Francs Gold Bazor, it may be of interest to know there are 5 set registrants who are owners, all whom had managed to acquire at least one example, all. dated 1935 and certified MS,-64. One member owns 3 of the sets, the same gentleman who currently owns (and will soon own) 5 of the top 10 sets on NGC'S Set Registry for the 20-Francs gold roosters. (Note: It is possible to start a set with a single coin and if the majority of F100GF Bazors were never released or melted down, the only option for set registrants who collect this brief line of coins is to either upgrade or acquire the only other generally available example dated 1936.) Back on Track. Carry on, gentlemen!

That's as good a title as any. They were virtually identical to the 20-Francs Gold Rooster in size and weight but tres unattractive in appearance beginning with their notably tan color. I thank you for contributing to the body of knowledge.

Man, I love this place! 🤣