Henri Charriere

The OP seems very pleased with his instrument. Seeing as how little goes on here without my knowledge and consent 🤣 may we know the reason for your customer dissatisfaction?

Rhymes with Xanax... XA-nix; ANACS... AN-nix 🤣

[Unsolicited and shamelessly gratuitous comment: If the venerable seasoned veteran, the one insisting he'd "rather be right, then nice," offers to buy a single raw coin solely on the strength of a photo taken by this newfangled contraption (which likely represents a substantial portion of my annual rent for senior subsidized housing) then, and only then, will you know with certainty that you've got quite a gadget at your disposal. The gentleman alluded to has reportedly never acquired a raw coin not in-hand and in-person presumably not trusting that sacred duty to any stand-in regardless of reputation, grading-skills, acclaim and prominence and has racked up untold number of frequent-flier and over-the-road miles in his never-ending quest.]

But, but... who in their right mind would turn down coins that have bullion as well as numismatic value? And then, next thing you know, silver certificates regardless of denomination were declared no longer redeemable in silver, circa 1967. That section, 102, states, in pertinent part: "All coins and currencies of the United States....shall be legal tender..." Where does counterfeiting fit into all this? Were not anti-counterfeiting statutes on the books since the days of the colonies? Or am I missing something?

Blast from the Past! 🐓: Is it just me or is this more than a private joke? Q.A.: Pablo Escobar. Early 1990's. I believe the quote was "Plata O Plomo," (Silver or Lead) I suggest we pretend we didn't "wink-wink" read that on a coin Forum. 😉

I cannot help but feel if the coin were mine, I would decline to have it encapsulated. There is the primary consideration to consider, cost, but very often there is a special attribute that overrides that. I don't see that here. Numismatists look for strong strikes, high state of preservation, original mint luster, or traces thereof, color and an aesthetically pleasing attractiveness to the eye. Barring sentimental reasons, I would likely enclose it within a two-by-two flip and keep your eyes open for something better to come along -- and trade up.

[Actually, "No member will ever be hanged..." Pictures are hung.] 🤣 Back on Track.

FWIW: One of the first 1856 Flying Eagle Cents made available to the public in nearly 20 years, a [4-ltr word]-certified MS-66, from the Blay collection, was auctioned off a few days ago for $343,125. Its Cert # 81467176. If you can access it, it's definitely worth a look. The surfaces of both sides appear to be pristine clean.

FWIW... Gold spot is down today, Nov. 21, 2023, as of 20:52 hours, EST. oz. $2,008.30 gm. $64.57 K. $64,568.34

I do not doubt it would be valuable if authenticated, but unless it has some strategic sentimental value, I would hold it raw with an eye toward acquiring a much finer, aesthetically-pleasing example. [Understand that it is difficult for the viewer to make an informed assessment on a coin that most regrettably displays a "washed-out" look from our perspective.]

Welcome to the Forum! I see you've been mulling this over for awhile. I do not know if this crime was cleared with a series of arrests, but it has all the hallmarks of having been pulled off by amateurs. You don't do this in broad daylight in full view of motorists and quite frankly the entire incident was too risky, labor-intensive and time-consuming. There are too many things that could have gone wrong and did go wrong only the participants do not know that yet. This incident, repeated many times since, presumably by copy-cats who simply see an opportunity, and seize it, brings to mind., Locard's Principle of Exchange, which states that "with contact between two items there will be an exchange." In forensic science, Locard's principle holds that the perpetrator of a crime will bring something into the crime scene and leave with something from it, and that both can be used as forensic evidence. The value of trace (or contact) forensic evidence was recognized by Edmund Locard in 1910. He was the director of the very first crime laboratory in existence, located in Lyon, France

@dprince1138 : While I believe I understand your motivation for posting this now, now that the thread has again come around full circle, the OP had made his intentions and expectations clear in his first post on page one. By "edit" I believe he means delete and you may wish to consider posting it elsewhere by incorporating it in a suitable Topic, or perhaps, starting your own. This is one of the longest running, continuous threads which, unbeknownst to most old and many new members has its own rules we are all bound to respect, with, I might add, the full blessing of Moderation.

Re: 1911 French 20-franc gold rooster... Only the most common, least valuable coins ought to be used as jewelry accessories, but then there would be little point in displaying them in such manner. There are two reasons why the coin depicted had me cringe: firstly, because it was from a series I collect and secondly, collect well enough to know the example chosen was the rarest of the so-called "restrikes" (1907-1914). I do have a question of my own regarding the mount affixed to the top. True, it could be removed, but it would leave "damage" behind indicating its former presence. My question: Even though any damage would be concealed when encapsulated, would its presence, Mount Removed, disqualify it for certification consideration? My instinct says, Yes, but I wonder whether some may be interred in the sarcophagi of some of the lesser known or now defunct TPGS. It really is too bad a coin in an attractive condition was chosen but such is life. The family member who left you these coins had an exquisite taste in gold and a worthy inheritance.

Back on Track! Back on Track! Pronto!

To the OP: I would like to know what the Final Disposition of this matter was, that is, whether it was ultimately resolved in your favor or not.

I would have assumed, sure as that burning mine fire in Centralia, you'd've been able to walk into any venue in PA and acquire what your heart desires solely on the strength of your reputation and good looks or, in the alternative, affect your best Clifton Webb impersonation, tap your walking stick on the auctioneer's shoulder, and demand to know: "See here, my good man! Don't you know who I am?"

Generally speaking, cleaning is a dirty word in numismatics.

Note: There are two big No-No's on the Forum: feral cats (maybe all cats) and any mention of China. Now, where was I?... the best way I can answer your question is by illustrating my own dilemma. Though my West coast set registry has been deemed the best in F20FrGR's, it is not the best possible, nor will it ever be due to unavailability. Every coin added on to any registry must be certified. The difference in price between an MS-66 and an MS-67 is roughly $1,000. I have a number of MS-67's, and believe I am intimately familiar with their features. I also have a number of MS-66's to compare them with. I tried cross-grading, and lost. Raw? Can't. Too much at stake. Plus, membership is a pre-requisite before a submission can be made. Obviously, this would not be a concern to the average hobbyist but there is no telling where one's inclinations may take him. While I cannot speak for others, it is my considered belief it is highly unlikely an MS-67 graded piece of essentially bullion can be acquired raw from a dealer in such wares and seller's I have contacted are disinclined to commit themselves to what a coin's ultimate grade might be. My personal feeling is it's all been gone thru and cherry-picked. That's probably why AMPEX continues to advertise such a coin they apparently discovered and submitted discreetly marked SOLD at the bottom of the ad. To answer your question, where a high grade is the major determinant of price, I have no choice but to abandon the hunting and gathering approach of my colleagues and yield to certified examples. Make sense?

If you have purchased coins from a Mint, whether foreign or domestic, you have a reasonable expectation of receiving an authentic product from a legitimate concern. This goes for buying goods second-hand housed in Original Government Packaging, as well. If you are buying bullion, transacting business with an authorized dealer would be strongly advised. We have members who insist on buying Raw coins, in-person and in-hand. For various [excellent] reasons, they eschew encapsulations and similar contraptions. This Topic is more particularly, but not exclusively, addressed to them. In keeping with z's maxim which states no one is obligated to respond to any query and, indeed, has the right to remain silent, feel free to respond accordingly. How much money would you be comfortable parting with to execute the acquisition of a coin you have been given sufficient time to examine under suitable lighting?

The two biggest red flags for me, and others like me who privately believe they would never fall for a scam on eBay is a clearly rare coin being offered uncertified, with a No Returns Accepted policy. I do not believe knowing who the seller is or the percentage of favorable reviews received -- or price would encourage me to lower my guard. And if the item is up for bids, I am afraid I would have to pass. Have I taken risks? Yes, we all have. If there is one thing I have learned though it's err on the side of safety. And confine your buying to reputable dealers who've been around awhile with proven track records. There is no reason why a particularly valuable coin should be offered for sale without certification.

Not so fast. With the OP's permission, I should like to cross-examine this witness... I should like to direct your attention to the lower of the two panels provided by the OP above. The crisp, clear features of the coin are quite evident but I am certain all would agree the example depicted does not exhibit UNCIRCULATED traits. It would arguably be assigned a grade of EF, at the least, on the more optimistic end. If I may, I should like to suggest you re-visit a related thread. You know, the one in which you stated the 1941 LHC depicted up to XF tendencies. What say you now? My thanks to the witness for his cooperation, and the OP for her indulgence.

Opinion: To me a doubled-die is not something you should have to look for, hence I recognize none beyond the 1955. For the benefit of the gentleman who provided the annotation... the term is die deterioration.

My thoughts coincide with those expressed by the "Grand Master." He has managed to articulate my humble thoughts precisely.

[With my luck, the Moderators will get word I have been watching videos on YouTube with racy titles, without parental guidance, and that'll be it for me.] 🤣

There are always two ways of looking at things. One is, I am a follower of yours. One of two. Which means when I am gone, you've effectively lost half, or 50% of all your followers. Fair enuf?