A fun time had by all!

[jtryka]

Well, a few of us Puget Sound board members decided to copy the California guys and have our own meeting to attach names to faces and share some of our collections. We met it Redmond, WA, at the offices of a smaller software company, and in attendance were Nysoto, EZ_E, WACoinGuy (from the PCGS and Numisaddict boards), Oldtrader3 and myself. I was a great time, and a small enough group so that we could all share and not be overwhelmed. Everyone brought something of their collection, though I think we were all a little afraid to bring too much and make it too much for everyone to take it all in. Nysoto brought some really cool bust halves, including some with very interesting die cracks, a doubled edge lettering example, several cool die clashes, and a number of early draped bust coins. He also brought a really cool presentation medal from the 1905 Portland Lewis & Clark exposition. EZ_E brought a whole lot of stuff, including a really cool 1861 seated dollar, a type set (I really loved his early half cents), a gorgeous toned buffalo nickel, and a really pretty (perfect I guess from the MS-70 grade) 1988 Olympic half eagle. WACoinGuy brought a nice collection of Indian quarter eagles, including his 1911-Weak D, and a number of stunning Liberty Nickels (I was most enamoured with the 1885 Proof Cameo!). Oldtrader3 brough a wonderful collection of 3-cent silvers, with some really stunning coins (though my eyesight is getting weak, so I needed the loop for most!). And finally, I brought a couple of Saints, a few bust halves, and my favorite Barber quarter, as well as Darktone's counterfeit Indian quarter eagle (thanks Mike!) which no one picked up on for being fake! After talking coins and sharing for 3 hours or so, three of us when out for some pizza and beer, and talked some more. It was a really fun time! And, I just got back and found out the Cubs won game 2 of their double header with the Pirates and clinched the division title and the last playoff berth. Days just don't get much better than this!!!!!

[darktone]

Your welcome Jeff, but I think with all the other coins to look at and with everything else going on it would be hard to spot that $2 1/2 indian as a fake- heck I bought it and owned it for half a day before I figured it out . Did you let them all in on it? Sounded like everyone had fun! Well did the faces match the personalities that you have come to know? I alway's tend to think of how someone looks in my mind and when I see a picture I am usually way off base . You know a hundred years from now your little meeting might be looked apon as the start of new numismatic society. mike

[Wihlborg]

Jeff,

 

It sounds like everyone had a great time looking at and talking about some really nice coins!

 

John

 

[GP_]

sounds like a great day!

[Oldtrader3]

Speaking for myself, I enjoyed the outing and I'm sure the others did too.

[EVillageProwler]

[paigow_johnny]

We need another Southern California summit soon !!

[gmarguli]

We need another Southern California summit soon !!

 

It is being worked on. We're trying for near the end of next month.

[jtryka]

Your welcome Jeff, but I think with all the other coins to look at and with everything else going on it would be hard to spot that $2 1/2 indian as a fake- heck I bought it and owned it for half a day before I figured it out . Did you let them all in on it? Sounded like everyone had fun! Well did the faces match the personalities that you have come to know? I alway's tend to think of how someone looks in my mind and when I see a picture I am usually way off base . You know a hundred years from now your little meeting might be looked apon as the start of new numismatic society. mike

 

Well, it was interesting, I passed it around and said I just got it, and no one really noticed. And then I told everyone it was a fake, and had them look at the extra metal around the rim, and the eagle on the reverse which was all wrong, especially the tail. OT3 then told us about the time he was somewhere in Latin America (not sure if it was Mexico or someplace else) and he saw a whole case of Indian quarter eagles and they were all fakes! I guess it was just an object lesson in the hazards of buying raw gold as they are counterfeited much more often than other coins.

 

It was funny matching the names and faces/perosnalities. Some, like Oldtrader3 and Nysoto, looked just how I pictured them. EZ_E was totally different, and WACoinGuy was a lot quieter than I had imagined. Speaking of him, his Wead-D 1911 quarter eagle was extremely weak! I must have looked at it for a good 5 minutes trying to see it, and the best I could see was a slightly raised blob where the mintmark should be. Kudos to him for recognizing it, since I would have just assumed it was a P and moved on! As for the start of a new society, well, I doubt it, but at least it was fun!

[Nysoto]

I had a great time, meeting collectors and seeing their coins is the best way to increase knowledge and appreciation of other coin series. Everyone had some nice gold coins, I may have caught gold fever again!

[EZ_E]

Jeff,

 

In response to your statement: It was funny matching the names and faces/perosnalities. Some, like Oldtrader3 and Nysoto, looked just how I pictured them. EZ_E was totally different...

 

I know what you mean, my dashingly goodlooks throws alot of people off-guard!

[EZ_E]

The greatest advantage of the meeting was getting to see other peoples interests and perspectives. Nysoto brought an awesome collection of bust halves, including a 1795 half in F/VF. Most impressive to me was an example with a double struck edge. It was as follows: DDOOLLAARR. I guess that Mel Tillis should own that one. (p.s. he's a stuttering C&W singer).

 

WaCoinGuy had an 1885 PR 64 cameo Liberty nickel that I lusted after for my type collection. JTRYKA had an incredible example of a Barber quarter. Simple gorgeous! Oops! I broke another commandment coveting that piece.

 

OT3 brought some very nice trimes. One that caught my eye was a very nice piece with sweet luster and eye appeal with no unsightly toning to obscure the viewing.

 

The Indian quarter eagle had and has me snookered. I still, even in retrospect, don't know the diagnostics to deem it counterfeit.

 

Everyone of the guys at the meeting were perfect gentlemen and professionals in their fields. It was a true honor to meet every one of them.

 

Charlie, Jeff and I went to a pizza joint afterwards called Knights of the Round Table . It far surpassed Pizza Hut. Definitely good stuff! Had a little ale, too, but not enough to make us ail.

 

Thanks fellas for a great experience!

[spiny]

I was disappointed that I couldn't make it. Sounds like it was fun. Maybe next time...

 

On the brighter side, I made a quick stop at the show down in Portland this weekend and picked up these two, along with some other beauties.

 

[jtryka]

Wow! That Irish coin is a beauty! What is it?

[spiny]

It's a shilling. I think the 1942's, or at least some of them, were sold as cased sets which caused the toning like this.