Revenant

On 12/9/2021 at 10:07 PM, coinsandmedals said:

This really would be a beautiful type set to put together. I feel as though you've pushed me closer to the edge here! 

I'd have to be pretty selective in my definition of that set. These coins from about 1900 to 1925 are pretty. Most of the Italian coins I've seen from 1930-1950 are butt-ugly - Straight up not good.

I just don't  think I could ever talk myself into paying someone to image my coins. Through years of trying and doing and redoing I keep slowly getting better... 🤷‍♂️

On 12/9/2021 at 6:11 PM, coinsandmedals said:

May I kindly request that you not share these? I am doing my best to stick to my core collections, and these coins are a direct threat to that mission! 

All joking aside, I have long admired the designs of the early 20th century Italian coins. I've had many higher grade examples on my watchlist for the better part of a year now. 

I'm also trying to mostly stay focused on core projects - which at the moment is mostly Zimbabwean coins and maybe some other stuff soon. But these are a small diversion with minimal cost versus "registry grade" collecting of high grade coins so I'm just having some nice fun with it with no pressure or expectations on it. It's nice.

They don't cost much and don't take up much room.

On 12/9/2021 at 5:50 AM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Not including the 90 & 91 coins in the set would be a let down, I think, they would definitely add something special/personal.

I suppose anything is possible but I think I'd rather just be #2 (or #3, or #4) than to not include those in the set long term. Having those in the set just adds too much to the message and the core of the set, and I think yanking them out at the last minute for 24 hours to win "wins" by throwing the point of the set under the bus, so I just don't see the value in "winning" under those circumstances.

On 12/9/2021 at 5:50 AM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Congrats on the wins! 

Thanks! We'll see where the future takes the set(s).

On 12/3/2021 at 5:44 PM, Fenntucky Mike said:

I like that 20c, not only is the reverse gorgeous but I also like that the obverse has a different stylistic approach. Kind of old school / new school, Quattrocento / Futurismo. My interpretation anyway. 

Kinda funny that you say that in that you have the Futurism movement in art and Italian society starting around 1909, emphasizing youth, modernity, "a new, great italy," war, violence and extreme nationalists. They were basically anti-woman, proto-fascists. The movement fizzled in the1920s because many of the participants / leaders died in WWI - glorifying war and violence has a price.

Finished Retouching the coins in the 2nd string set and made their banner to compliment the main sets by emphasizing different designs.

Here's a new banner image for the 1986 Mint Set. I chose to have it use the same layout and look as the banner image for the Proof set, just with images of the mint state coins. I like the commonality that gives the presentation of the mint state and proof sets, even if it does leave me at risk of being called unoriginal by reusing the idea.

The month ended up being more eventful than hoped - including with Mom spending most of the weekend before Thanksgiving in the hospital with unexplained low blood pressure issues. So Choya was not able to get the 1986 coins to me until the afternoon on Thanksgiving day, and there was a coin missing from the group when he did - though I think that can be easily forgiven under the circumstances. But I am trying to get what I can reimaged and ready to go and I'll hopefully use these to bust out one last banner image:

old:

new:

old:

new:

old:

new:

In its own way I think it can be freeing to know that #1 is not in the cards and you can just build it the way you want it, that makes you happy and which maximizes your value/ enjoyment without the pressure.

I taught a 65 student class for 1 semester. I never want to do it again. It is a lot of work unless you just shove most of it off onto the TAs, and even then. And it is infuriating to see students blow off a class on Industrial Hygiene and Process Safety.

Congrats on top 10,  but that screen cap makes just moving up to 9 sound expensive and hard.

When I first joined here in 07/08 I bought like 25 graded Lincolns with dreams of a set, then I looked at all those slots and did some basic math and gave up.  So you get props from me on it. I don't even want to reimage mine... 

On 11/26/2021 at 11:20 AM, coinsandmedals said:

Wow, the new set cover images are great! I especially like the classic look of the 10 Gulden set. After seeing your new journal banner, I decided to follow suit and try my hand at it. I usually have fun making these types of things, but jeesh, they take way more time than you would think. 

The simpler ones like for the gold coins are pretty easy. The more complicated ones like the Kookaburra image and the Panda image are bigger time-sucks. The Zimbabwe image is the reigning champ for taking forever because I had to isolate all those design elements like the tree and the bird and the buffalo.

On 11/26/2021 at 11:04 AM, coinsandmedals said:

If that's the case, I may fit in just fine! By the way, your comment almost made me choke on my tea. 

Good...  There's no emoji for rubbing your hands in a super-villian like manner.

On 11/26/2021 at 10:49 AM, coinsandmedals said:

I am not sure that I would have anything to contribute as I know nothing about paper money, but I certainly would learn a thing or two! 

Psh! We don't know things! We spend money on old worthless money and share our crazy! 

On 11/25/2021 at 8:42 PM, Mohawk said:

I think I'm going to start being active over there, William.  A new participant always helps in some small way.  What's the troll situation like on that side of the house?  Any Slicks or Ratzies?

You need posts for there to be trolls. We have Me, Mike, a guy named Pounds, Steve, Ddr70, and Shiek. Maybe a few others. And the crickets.

You should both post over there. That place makes this place look lively.

On 11/24/2021 at 3:53 PM, coinsandmedals said:

Interesting, it appears you found a good dealer that happens to be in Ukraine. They sound like a good source to keep a close eye on. 

Fenntucky Mike has also had good dealings with them so they just seem solid. Lemberg-zp is what they go by if I remember right and you're shopping for moderns. 

On 11/24/2021 at 3:15 PM, coinsandmedals said:

Wow, it seems like that kind of developed rather quickly! How was your experience purchasing from Ukraine? I've purchased from and sold to people in more countries than I care to admit, but Ukraine never made the list. 

There's a dealer out there that sells sets of coins from different countries or lots of 5 sets at reasonable to good prices that delivers good coins that I've dealt with mostly for Zimbabwean Bond Coins. That's about the extent of it for me and Ukraine. But 4 of the 5 Bond Coins I submitted from the 25 they sold me came back as MS67. The 5th was MS66. So they send pretty good stuff IMO.

On 11/24/2021 at 2:38 PM, Mohawk said:

It sounds like you have a lot of projects going on, which can be cool and fun, but sometimes a little frustrating deciding which direction to focus in, at least if you're me!!

Yes and no. Most of these NCLT coins are things that used to be a major focus of mine 10 years ago. For the last 3 years I've mostly just had the one focus, which has been Zimbabwean banknotes, which expanded to include Venezuelan hyperinflation notes and now Zimbabwean coins and maybe soon Venezuelan coins - mostly in a raw state, some of which I have graded or will grade later to make a complete Mint State type set. But since those are mostly complete now I am looking at a bunch of mostly long abandoned sets and thinking about what's next, and thinking about going back to something old rather than go off on some wild, random, tangent again.

But... there is another tangent building. But more on that later.

On 11/24/2021 at 2:20 PM, coinsandmedals said:

This must be the process we were discussing in another thread.

Yes, this deals with 2 of them anyway - the disappointing first one and the better 2nd one. I've dealt with three dealers now buying lots of these coins - one in California, one in Utah and one in the Ukraine. I think I have something like 150-200 circulation strike Zimbabwean coins at this point with more likely.

On 11/24/2021 at 12:54 PM, coinsandmedals said:

Wait, you mean you don't have the superpowers needed to make a meaningful estimate of the grade in those instances? I would rank this as my biggest pet peeve when trying to buy coins online, either raw or graded. It is less annoying for graded coins because I can often use the certification verification images, but it still bothers me. With raw coins, I usually pass unless it is a bargain or I feel like testing my luck. This has played in my favor more times than I care to admit, but I've also had my fair share of strikeouts. Maybe after your post, you can create a guide for inspiring sellers and ask it to be pinned to the top of one of the main forums. 

Sometimes when sellers are selling sets / lots of "uncirc" coins I'll make a smaller purchase and see what I get. I've tried this with 5 sellers. One ended horribly on a Zimbabwean purchase with Environmental damage on "Mint" coins, 3 have produced great, TPG worthy, shiny coins in the mix (and you always get some with ugly bag marks) and for one my trial purchase is coming in the mail today.

I'm going to be trying to focus more and more such purchases on the sellers that have proven themselves already as my available pool expands enough to get me the options I need.

Looks like you continue to be in-range on the grades. Hopefully this isn't costing you a ton in extra shipping fees but enjoy getting back what you can. 

On 11/24/2021 at 11:02 AM, coinsandmedals said:

They don't tend to respond well to that.  I have a low threshold for deceptive practices like this, so I take my money elsewhere. 

So, slightly random, I was thinking about making a separate rant post about this and some of this will be touched on later when I post about this shopping / these purchases, but my favorite pet peeve at the moment is sellers of raw coins / lots saying, "I'm not a grader! Use the pictures and grade for yourself! What you see is what you get!" Except what you see is low res photos of a group / pile of coins from which no meaningful grade / wear judgement can be made on individual coins and you're taking a wild shot in the dark.

On 11/24/2021 at 10:21 AM, coinsandmedals said:

My favorite is when the dealer tries to market a clear  RB as a red because the holder says it is.

Just remind them that NGC says the guarantee on that grade is void after 10 years!  

On 11/24/2021 at 10:00 AM, coinsandmedals said:

Good job on the new set cover images! I plan to redo the banner for my custom sets at some point, but who knows when I will get around to doing it. 

I feel your pain on the Philharmonic. A few years ago, I had a small collection of NCLT and had a few issues like that. Now I almost exclusively collect copper, and I am more paranoid than ever! Copper is such an extremely reactive metal that you have to be very careful when storing it. There is nothing worse than watching an RB coin turn BN in a holder over a few years. 

Funny that you say that in that I have a group of Lincoln cents and I find that RDs, that come as RD and look bright RD, tend to stay RD, where RBs tend to continue turning. I have a 1927 RB that at this point is pretty much a BN with some red around the rim.