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Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Journal Entries posted by Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

  1. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    You can teach old dogs new tricks...
    ...or in this case, an old dog can find another fascinating facet of our hobby.I was browsing on Teletrade, and found a "So-Called Dollar" medal. Evidently it was issued to commemorate (according to the auction description) the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition, which was held in Omaha. On the front is a left facing female bust.However, it's the reverse which makes this medal fit into my Wild, Wild West set. The reverse shows a mounted Indian (I would assume a Plains Indian) spearing a bison. Needless to say, when I saw the reverse, I had to bid on it!!!!!!!!The only down side to this medal is it has been graded by ANACS, but since this is the first one I have ever seen, I can live with that. I don't know how I'll work it into my set yet, but you can bank on the fact it is in my Wild Wild West set.Since I've found out about these, I've bid on 2 different ones that commemorate the Pony Express. I'll update everyone when I receive them.Now a question and a plea. If any of my fellow members happen to be numismatic book dealers, I understand there is a book (I understand printed possibly in the '60's) dealing just with the "So-Called Dollars". Does anyone know of such a book? and would there happen to be one for sale? or where would I look for it on the web???All for now, I am including pictures of the medal.1898transm
  3. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Will I have some nice closeups?
    It's sure nice to be "back in the saddle again" for my collection. I went through a good year period where I had to really watch my coin expenditures, but now hopefully I have everything straightened out.
    I'm bidding on some ABN plates in a Stacks/ANR auction. I can't wait to see if I win them, as they will fit in nicely with my Wild, Wild, West Signature Set. I'm also looking at a Trade Dollar from Carson City, but it has a big splotch of toning right around the cotton bale area. I usually DO NOT like toning, but I've been waffling on whether I should bid or not.
    However, the best news is I bit the bullet today and bought a new digital camera and a short tripod. The new cam has made a difference, but I think the biggest difference has been made with the tripod. So I think my money has been well spent today. I've attached a photo of my 1887-S trade dollar. I'd appreciate any comments on how you think the photo looks.
    1877STrade
  4. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Should I go on the warpath to purchase some of these for my Wild, Wild West Signature Set?
    While browsing a few of my favorite coin web sites, I've come across coins (comparable I guess to our commemorative coins) put out by the Shawnee and Poarch Creek Indians. As you all can imagine, these coins arouse my curiousity, and the Shawnee coins especially would fit in wonderfully with my Wild, Wild West signature set.
    Now, since my coin budget is limited, I have questions. Can these coins be classed with modern US commemoratives (for example the Bison commemorative, the Lewis & Clark commemoratives etc.)??
    Will NGC grade these coins?
    Any input from any of you would be much appreciated.
  5. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    or open mouth and remove foot!!!
    I don't know what I was thinking about last night when I was writing my journal entry, but it evidently wasn't coins. I have no idea why I typed Roosevelt dimes when I know I should have typed Mercury dimes!!!!!
    I hope everyone got a good laugh out of it. Now, if you'll please excuse me while I go to surgically remove a size 9 foot from my mouth. :-)
     
  6. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Doubled or Overdate???
    First let me say that I do not consider myself the world's greatest coin expert, especially for Roosevelt dimes. When I looked at the 1942 dime picture, my first impression was it was just a doubled strike, rather than an overdate. Now, I'll admit that maybe my reading of the definitions were not understood correctly. I thought an overdate was caused by a date punch (in this case 1942) over the previous date (1941 or over the current 1942).
    I do think that it's not a normal strike. So Michael, I guess I'm not really helping in determining what it is am I? :-)
    Also, any photo tips Mike you'd want to email me would be appreciated. I've got what I consider an adequate digital camera, but I think it's my lighting that is affecting my photos.
  7. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    A MPC? from WW2
    I hope everyone doesn't mind another collector who is missing his dad on father's day. Dad's been gone 26 years this December, but sometimes I can feel him still with me. I've told about the 1900-O Morgan that I have now, that he saved. I asked mom a couple of weeks ago if she knew why he would have kept that particular date, and she couldn't think of any reason. Maybe the reason is when I look at it, I think of him.
    I know back when I was a kid (grade school and junior high) Dad would take me into town (a small town) for the local coin club meetings. (There isn't one any more in town, maybe I should think about starting it again.) Anyway, they trusted me at that age, and for that I'll always be grateful.
    Dad was main reason I started my WW2 Signature Set. I was looking through some of my currency earlier this evening, and found what I think are some MPC's that he brought back. So tonight I'll use the front of a 10 franc note for your viewing pleasure.
    I love and miss you Dad!
    P.S. If anyone could give me any more information on the note, I'd be grateful.
    10francf.j
  8. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    World War 2 and the brave men and women who served our nation.
    I'm starting a new signature set, to commemorate the veterans of World War 2. My dad served in the Army, and this is a tribute to him.
    Before I go any further, I do want to say, I'm not trying to slight any veterns of our armed forces. I truly appreciate their sacrifices for us, from the Revolution to now. It's just as I said, this set is being made to honor my dad.
    This set will consist of 17 coins of circulation strikes. These will be the 3 steel cents, the 11 war nickels, and a type dime, quarter and half from the 1941-45 era.
    After those coins, the remainder of the set will consist of both American and World Commemoratives. Right now, I know of some Canadian coins that will be added. I'll write more journal articles as this set grows.
  9. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Isn't AU-58 better than AU-50?
    This topic has been bothering me for a while. Since NGC, PCGS and ANACS all grade AU coins with at least 4 levels (50, 53, 55 and 58), shouldn't regsitry scores reflect this. And also in VF and EF, they throu in 25, 35 and 45.
    So shouldn't someone who paid extra for a higher grade receive more points??? To me, it's the same as for the MS grades, a 63 will get less points than a 64 and so on. I can understand for modern coins (but to be fair, all should be treated equally), that with modern methods, there's probably not as big difference in the grades. But for older coins, I really think it's unfair to give the same amount of points for an AU-58 and an AU-50.
    What does everyone else think?? And NGC, can you respond with an argument against???
    2Cent1869o
  11. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Pike's Peak Or Bust....
    ... or maybe the discovery of Pike's peak and it's discoverer. This is an ANACS graded so called dollar medal of Zebulon Pike. The front has a front bust view of him, and the reverse features Pike's Peak. I've included a pic of the obverse.

  12. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Is it really?
    I'm not an expert on the American Eagles, but just reading the coa scan, I would read it as the U.S. Mint did the orignal coin, but not the gold plating. What does everyone else think? Also, the copyright notice down at the bottom right is not from the US Mint. It looks to me like it says The Merrick Mint. To be honest, if it were my money spent to get the coin, I don't know if I would have.
  13. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    There comes a time in the affairs of men, when we must take the bull by the tail and face the situation. -- W. C. Fields
    I have been reading the journal articles concerning grading and turnaround time, and I've decided it's time for me to put in my 2 cent piece. :-)
    I truly feel that possibly all of us, we as customers and NGC as professional graders, are both right and wrong. Please let me explain.
    First let me say, that I'm probably a mellow and laid back person. I've finally have learned that happens, and no amount of complaining or whining is going to change that fact. Any of you fellow collectors could come talk to people who know me, and they would tell you the same thing. So my point here is this...sometimes the squeaky wheel DOES NOT get the grease, and NGC has to realize that sometimes we do make mistakes (we're all human after all) and they have to learn to admit to their mistakes. As an example, if any of you are big baseball fans like I am, you know that a batter or pitcher who contiually whines about balls and strikes, will usually not get the calls, no matter what. I know personally, I work in a retail environment, and the customers we break our backs for are all the sweet people in the world who never give us trouble, who call in their orders early to give us time to fill them, and in general treat us the way we all want to be treated. But here again, we have to treat everyone the same, as they are all customers. (NGC, do you understand?) So my point is I guess is quite simply the golden rule.
    Secondly, I can understand the complaints on grading. But honestly, I don't know if my 52 year old eyes can really tell the difference between a 69 or a 70. I offer as an example my 2001 D American Buffalo commemorative dollar. I guess I can understand why we all would be upset with a beautiful coin getting graded as a 69 rather than a 70. And I can understand the assumption that we as customers are paying professional graders to tell us what our coins grade. As in any profession, the payment for a service leads to an assumption of professional expertise! But on the other hand, we ARE all human, subject to all the human frailities of making mistakes, personal preferences, etc. As an example, I hate toned coins. I've looked at coins in very catalouges and auction brochures, and wonder how anyone could pay some of the prices for an ugly toned coin. But this is a personal, subjective preference, and I don't presume to tell anyone how to spend their hard earned money. But on the other side of the coin, I feel NGC needs to maybe be a little more human, and if they make mistakes, at least admit to them, and try to make them right, like we all have to do in our jobs.
    Finally, I guess I just want to say, maybe we as customers need to go back to our roots, to our passion for coins that got us started in this fabulous hobby. I'm having so much fun, so much joy, and so much fun in learning new things with my Wild, Wild West set. Some of the coins we collect are the most beautiful designs, on the most beautiful metals and we need to remember this. But, maybe NGC needs to remember that we are human customers, with all our idiosyncracies, and they can't just treat us like a bunch of coins to be graded.
    Thank you all for reading this, and letting me blow off a little steam. I truly do not mean to offend anyone, I still feel we are a band of brothers and sisters enjoying a truly great hobby.
    AmericanBu
  14. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Why and what I collect, and likes and dislikes
    Hi Everyone,
    I'm a 52yo returning collector who collected as a student in junior high and high school. Isn't it funny(?) or maybe amazing how first interests are sometimes the best?
    Since I've returned to collecting, I must admit what I like to collect is more specifically defined. I still love Morgan Dollars, if I could only collect one set of coins, the Morgans would be it. But what I've noticed the most about what I collect is tying the coins that I buy with a common theme. For instance, I worked as a pressman in the printing industry for a day short of 19 years, so Franklin halves are a favorite, as is some currency.
    Also, if any of you have looked at my Signature set (Brian's Wild, Wild West) I also like the coins with a western theme (some of the state quarters, the new nickels, and type coins from the era). This brings me to my first dislike (but maybe dislike is too harsh), I sure wish I could add currency and stamps to the signature set. Probably all of us can think of at least a couple of pieces of currency that would fit right in. Can anyone post their guess(es)??
    I guess this a good place to put in my first LIKE, I love how we can use either NGS or PCGS coins in the registry. My Franklin registry set is a FBL set, and I've noticed on other websites, somtimes I can only find one or the other grading service for the coins I still need for my set. And here's another petty dislike, I sure wish the holders were the same height, as I see the NGC ones are a little taller. But that's a minor thing, as I have to be honest and say whem my PCGS collector's club membership is up, I think I'll go with NGC for my grading. (One of the big reasons is PCGS jacked up the rates and the minimum number of submissions at a time.)
    Well, I think this is enough rambling for one night. I would definitely be interested in hearing from other collectors about their interests, especially if you like the west and Morgans etc.
  15. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    What I really want for Christmas is...
    not my 2 front teeth. However, I would really like to be able to add graded currency to my Wild, Wild West set. I can think of 2 examples right off, one being the Indian Chief large size $5 silver certificate. The other is a large size $10 Legal Tender note that features a bison flanked by Lewis & Clark. Both of these notes would be such a great addition to my set. I certainly hope someone at NGC sees this journal entry and helps me out. I can only wish that among the "more features coming" in the Notes drop down menu will include this.
    Another Christmas wish would be the abilty to add stamps, stocks and bonds. I figure there are some who might disagree with me, but I really feel all of these items ought to be able to come together in a set. For example, one of my other interests is railroad items, wouldn't a nice stock certificate from the UP, or the old Central Pacific look awesome in a Wild West set? I feel all these items I've mentioned come under monetary and economic items, not just coins and currency!!!!
  16. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    I have wondered if Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday or some other person carried one of my coins around!
    First, a thank you to MWit for the kind words. I'm really flattered that someone else thinks my Wild, Wild West Signature set is a neat idea. And I promise to get some more images for you, if you can just bear with me for a few more days.
    And I do understand your dilemma on the Morgan Dollar registry set. I'm doing one also, and I really don't know how I can afford some of the rarities. I realize I'm going to have lower my standards on grade for about 30 coins.
    I also have other coins that I love (Walking Liberty halfs, Buffalo Nickels, Indian Head Cents) and I really would like to do a whole set of each. But I've resigned myself to the fact that it probably won't happen, so I've decided to do short sets on both the Walkers and the Buffalo Nickels.
    But for right now, my Morgan Dollars and Wild Wild West set will be my top priorities. In fact, today I received 2 coins that I bid on, a Mt. Rushmore Proof Half, and and 1883 Morgan Dollar.
    I'm including a pic of the Rushmore reverse for MWit's viewing enjoyment.
     
    RushmoreHa
  17. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Morgans, Morgans everywhere
    I have found out the hard way, and I agree with The Coin Guy's journal that we can't collect everything. So I'm sticking with my Morgan dollars, at least until I get to the ones over $5000.
    I'm gonna try getting more images on here, as soon as I get better with my digital cam.
    Also trying to keep working on my Wild Wild West Signature set. I'm enjoying it as much as my Morgans.
     
  18. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    competitor's grading cost
    In my previous article, I said PCGS had raised their comparable tier price to $20 per coin with a 10 coin minimum. I just went to their website, and it's actually $18 with a 10 coin minimum. I don't want to mislead anyone, so I'm correcting myself.
    Also this gives me a chance to put in an image of the back of the $2 bill from my previous entry. :-)
    1953Bltn$2
  19. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    27 days, less a holiday
    Received my second group of coins today (3/24). NGC received them on the 16th of February. So that means it took 27 business days, less one day for President's day holiday. So 26 business days, I used the Economy tier. So while this is longer than my first order took, I'm still very happy with the service. Of course, I'm a pretty mellow guy, maybe I'm too easy to please. :-)
    All kidding aside, I am happy with the service, and especailly with the prices, as the competitor (PCGS) has upped their comparable tier to I think $20, with a 10 coin minimum. So I think I'll keep using NGC.
    Also, I like NGC's registry and signature set registry a whole lot better than PCGS's. I do like the idea of the journals. I do enjoy most every journal I've read. While I may not like every type of coin, I do enjoy looking at the pictures of other types, I think the really old coins that have been posted with images have been totally cool to look at.
    While the image I've added isn't a coin, thought you might enjoy a graded $2 bill pic to look at.
     
    1953Bltn$2
  20. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    2 Gold Dollars
    This is my next installment on my Wild, Wild West Signature Set. I have a little more explaining to do on what is included and why.
    First, I consider (for the purpose of this set) that the West includes all states west of the Mississippi. When the Union Pacific was starting to be built, there was a quote I read that sums up why I'm including everything west of the river. In Don Ball's Book "The Colorful Railroads" he included a quote, and now I forget from whom, that went "...Nebraska Territory was on the rough edge of the frontier!" I know in Minnesota and Iowa, there were Indian uprisings in the 1850's and 1860's, I would consider that to be an extremely "rough edge of the frontier".
    As I said in Part 1, I tried to watch the coin prices (under $200 per coin) so I could the most coins. But I still couldn't include everything, as I would have loved to include the Old Spanish Trail Commemorative, but it starts at around $1300 in EF-40. And I sure wish I could include it, because I feel it fits into this set very well.
    I've also noticed another trend, as I was looking at coin prices and what to include. I noticed that lower denomination silver coins (dime, quarter and half) were well above my price limits. But what's funny to me, the 1881 Morgan Dollars are reasonably priced (except maybe for the CC version).
    Even the 1881 Gold Dollar is going to be included in this set as it runs around $175 in VF-20. So I'm going to use it and the 1862 Indian Head gold dollars.
    I hope you're all enjoying my trials, tribulations and studies on this set. I'd sure appreciate some feedback if at all possible.
    I want to include more journal entries on my set, but I hope I'm not boring everyone.
     
  21. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    OR, How To Collect on less than $200 per coin
    I finally found the time to sit down and plan out my Wild, Wild West Signature Set. I must admit, it is almost as much fun for me to plan and study the coins, as it is to collect them.
    Before I go any further, I must put in a big THANK YOU to "Coins" magazine, specifically their May, 2005 issue. In it, there was an article entitled "Westward Ho!" which turned out to be the impetus for me to do this set. I hope it's ok to give a plug for the magazine in my journal. Really, I was wondering around collecting a little aimlessly (except for Morgan Dollars), and this article brought things into focus.
    Now, for a little explanation as to what is in the set and why. First off, there's going to be a short type set of coins from the following years: 1862, 1865, 1869, 1876, and 1881. Why did I choose these years you might ask. Well, one of my other interests is collecting railroad memorabilia. So, 1862 fits in because Congress passed 2 pieces of legislation that year that were important to the settlement of the west, and the railroads. First was the Homestead Act, and secondly was the Pacific Railroad Act. The Pacific Railroad Act authorized the land grants etc. which helped build the transcontinental.
    1865 was the year in which the major building of the railroad started, and of course 1869 was the year when the golden spike was driven in at Promontory, Utah.
    I chose 1876 because it was America's Centennial Year and also because of Custer's battle at the Little Big Horn. 1881 is included because of all the things happening in New Mexico (Billy the Kid etc.) and Arizona (Tombstone and the OK Corral).
    Now I realize there could be many other years chosen. I came close to including 1849, the year gold was found in California. And I'm sure there are going to be collectors who don't like my choices for various reasons. And that's ok too, this is America and we all have our opinions. :-) I'm hoping that maybe someone else will feel strongly enough to do a set, picking different years. I would love to see what years someone else would choose, and their reasons why. :-)
    I think this journal entry is getting a little long, so I'm raise one more point, and then write at least a Part 2 with what I learned in the next couple of days. The point is, I tried to include coins that would cost less than $200 in what I consider nice collectible grades, that is VF-20 and up. I think I've mentioned in other journal entries that I don't have the financial resources to collect at the top end of the scale, especially on the older coins. So I've learned to be content with what I can collect, in the price range I can collect. For an example of what I mean, 3 of the Indian Head Cents I'm including can be had (and these prices are from the May, 2006 issue of Coin Values) for $100 or less in MS-60B. In fact, 2 of the Nickel 3 Cent pieces also are right at $100 in the same magazine for a MS-60 example.
    I hope you all enjoy this set even half as much as I'm having making it....
    To Be Continued....
    P.S. Hope you like the pic of the 2005 SMS Sac Dollar. It's included in the set.
     
    2005PSacSM
  22. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Worn, but worth it!
    Received my second trade dollar today. It's a 1875-S, graded by NGC as XF40. I can live with the lower grades, especially for the older coins like Trade Dollars. I'd love to put together a set MS60 or better, but I can't afford anywhere from 4 to 6 figures for them. But this 1875-S is OK with me. Yes, it's worn, and yes, it has a couple nicks in it. But Miss Liberty still has a touch of luster, the date is nice and clear, as is the mint mark. The coin seems to have been struck nicely, I can see nice lines in the stars.
    When I was younger, I would have scoffed at collecting the lower grades. But now (maybe I'm a little wiser?), I'm happy that I am.
    I'm going to get an image posted in the next day or 2.
    1875STrade
  23. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Should I put in some gold??
    I'm impaled on the horns of a dilemma!!! I deleted my Wild, Wild West Signature Set, I was unhappy with the way I had set it up. I felt I could have a more logical order to the way I added the coins. So for the few of you who looked at it, it will be back.
    But for my dilemma, should I put in any gold?? I've got to admit, right now most of the gold coins (especially from the years I want to include in my signature set) are pretty much out of my price range! I've tried to keep a limit of $200 or less on any coin I buy. (Yes I'm more or less income challenged. :-) ) I've noticed even some of the older silver commemoratives are pushing the $200 limit, if not being more than the limit. And my problem with the commems are, a few of them would really fit into the theme of my set. For example, the California Diamond Jubilee half would fit in extremely well, as on the obverse it shows a gold miner. But in Coins magazine, it lists for $180 in AU-50.
    I'd love to put in a Double Eagle from one of the years I've chosen to include in the set (1862, 1865, 1869, 1876 and 1881). But the 1881 Double Eagle is very expensive (at least for me) and the 1881S is about $600 in AU-50.
    Also, I'm including a pic of a new purchase, I bought a Sac satin finish dollar from Heritage, planning on using it in my signature set. I'm pleased with the coin, and especially the price of it too. What do you all think of the pic??
    So I guess I'm trying to take an informal survey from other members. What do you think I should do?
    Also a report today about the coins my brother and I sent in to ANACS. We finally received them back yesterday (3/11). They say 4 of the 6 were cleaned. While that doesn't really bother me, as I totally dislike more than light toning on any coin, it seems to me that with 4 of 6 being cleaned, why did it take so long to grade the other 2??? It was exactly 2 calendar months from the date ANACS received them to the date I received them back. So the point is, I'm going to stick with NGC, especially if they keep up the good work as I noted in an earlier entry.
    2005PSacSM
  24. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    NCG received 2/2, I received 2/27
    I've been reading the journal articles about turnaround time and feel I should (at least this time) stand up for NCG. I sent 5 coins in to grade and NCG received them on February 2. I just received them back in the mail today, February 27. I used the Economy service tier, they say turnaround time is 21 days. Well, this group came back in 25 calendar days, and I'm extremely happy.
    I also sent some currency to get graded by PMG, and had good luck with them also. I really hope my second group of coins that were received on the 16th get the same treatment.
    So anyway, I'm happy, and I hope everyone who hasn't got their coins back yet do really soon. I must admit, though, there's one grading service I'm unhappy with. My brother wanted to send some to ANACS so I sent a couple of Morgans along with his (yes I always get a plug in for Morgan dollars). They were received on the 11th of January, and I still haven't received them yet. So I guess my point is, I'm going to stick with NCG, because I'm really happy so far.
     
  25. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    A very worn 1900-O dollar
    I received a very nice comment today on my ramblings of yesterday (1/30/06). So I thought I'd write a little more, to explain why I love Morgan dollars.
    My dad saved some dollar coins, mostly Peace dollars, but one Morgan dollar. The one he saved is a 1900-O, and very worn. When I was a kid (about 7 or 8 I suppose) I loved to go in to his chest drawer where he kept them, and just hold it. When you're that young, I guess I loved the heft of it, Morgan & Peace dollars are not small or light coins. Anyway, many years later, my mom let my brother and me divide up the coins, and I got to keep the Morgan.
    I suppose some Morgan collectors would laugh their heads off wondering why I would keep such a worn coin, but I like it, and think of my dad everytime I look at it. :-)
    I took some pics of it with my digital cam, and am going to try to post them here.
    Thanks for letting me write.
     
    1900OMorga