Went to the Smithsonian coin exhibit yesterday.....Pics!

[franklinlvr-migration]

I posted these ATS but I thought I'd post them here as well. I'm up in northern Virginia visiting family and decided to take a trip to D.C. to see the Smithsonian's recently opened coin exhibit. I had a fantastic time looking at all these great coins. I tried to get as many pics as I could. Enjoy!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cpm9ball]

Thanks for taking the time to post this. I've always wanted to get a look at the 1849 $20 since only one was struck. It's too bad the Smithsonian couldn't come up with a better, camera-friendly, method for displaying them.

 

Chris

[franklinlvr-migration]

The lighting was very dim so I had to use a flash. It was not easy at all trying to photograph these, I had to take a few pics of each coin to get one that was halfway decent.

 

Some of the coins, including the 1849 $20, looks as if they've been cleaned at one time.

[cpm9ball]

The lighting was very dim so I had to use a flash. It was not easy at all trying to photograph these, I had to take a few pics of each coin to get one that was halfway decent.

 

Some of the coins, including the 1849 $20, looks as if they've been cleaned at one time.

 

It's the janitor's fault!

[bsshog40]

Very nice. Thnks for the time you took. Some awesome coins in thier collection!

[DC Dawg]

Some of the coins, including the 1849 $20, looks as if they've been cleaned at one time.

There was a time when it was "fashionable" to clean coins to bring back its luster. I'm sure that someone at the Smithsonian's distant past though it would be a good thing to make the coins look better.

 

Scott

[WinstonWare]

Cool pics. Thanks for sharing!

[physics-fan3.14]

Great pics, Bret! Thanks for sharing these! I've gotta admit, I'm a bit jealous of you right now!

 

Did NGC slab most of these? Why are they all raw?

[WoodenJefferson]

I was thinking the same thing....about the slabs, but they were not the sonic sealed slabs, the coins could be removed if need be. I'm sure David Lange can straighten this up. Like I said across the street, I was rather appalled in the manner these national treasures are displayed.

[jesbroken]

Great post, Bret. Thank you for sharing. What a collection of coins, but I marvel also at how they are conserved. I would have thought they would have been sealed regardless of who or how it was done.

Thanks again,

Jim

[Coindude]

That is outstanding... but you'd think they'd have a better way to display those instead of putting those precious things on those prongs! But at least they put copper on copper prongs... etc.

[rons]

Be still my heart <3 Gorgeous coins and a terrific display you have gifted us with. Thank you

[123cents]

Those are some awsome coins. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[BillJones]

The lighting was very dim so I had to use a flash. It was not easy at all trying to photograph these, I had to take a few pics of each coin to get one that was halfway decent.

 

Some of the coins, including the 1849 $20, looks as if they've been cleaned at one time.

 

How did you avoid having the flash bounce off the glass and give you no picture? I got a few decent shots in the bad light, but took from other from the pictures they had on the display monitors.

 

And yes many of the Smithsonian coins have been cleaned over the years. It's a documented fact.

[TJ'S Coins]

Great exhibit. Do some of those coins look cleaned to any of you? I was thinking in particular of the 1804 dollars.

[BillJones]

It is a well known fact that the 1804, at least the type I, has been cleaned. Part of that was due to displaying the coin in the light for many years. That's why they are in the dark now.

[kryptonitecomics]

Nice thread.....thanks for sharing (thumbs u

[franklinlvr-migration]

 

How did you avoid having the flash bounce off the glass and give you no picture? I got a few decent shots in the bad light, but took from other from the pictures they had on the display monitors.

 

 

It wasn't easy. I had take the pics at a slight angle to avoid the reflection and it took a few shots of each coin to get a decent one.

 

Glad everyone enjoyed this! I had a great time viewing these coins in person!

[pendragon1998]

Do they at least have the decency to be embarrassed about those harsh cleaning jobs?

 

[L1ncolnF4n]

Well that's more money than I'll have in my entire life x100...What an ugly display, those prongs...YUCK!

[michael]

great thread and even better photos

 

never seen these coins personally at the smithsonian and these photos are like being there as the photos show the coins so close up with crisp clear photos

 

amazing!!

 

and yes scott schechter was instrumental in making/designing to the curators/boards of the smithsonian satisfaction all ngc slabs for these coins where the slab can be opened and the coin removed for viewing purposes

 

and i must say the smithsonian does a great job displaying all those multimillion dollar coins with those fancy prongs on the boards bending them to hold the coin and sometimes usually centered in the pencil outline drawn on the back of the fancy cardboard backing

 

a wonderful professional exhibit at the premier place highlighting the worlds greatest american coin collection

 

also i can see that the coins are being cleaned properly with heavy pumice impreginated cloths (looks like sandpaper to me) to keep them nice and shiny

 

 

[Conder101]

It's the janitor's fault!

Actually it was the curators fault. On more than one occaision the curator felt that the coins were tarnishing (especially the proofs) and so they abrasively cleaned them.

[cpm9ball]

It's the janitor's fault!

Actually it was the curators fault. On more than one occaision the curator felt that the coins were tarnishing (especially the proofs) and so they abrasively cleaned them.

 

Curator.....janitor.....what's the difference.....they both have cleaning duties in their job description.

 

Chris

[TJ'S Coins]

These are great photographs of significant American coinage. (thumbs u

 

Thanks to those who confirmed that some of these coins have been subject to harsh cleaning. Very sad but understandable given the age of these specimens and 200+ years of exposure on display.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Unbelievable coins. Too bad about the cleaning.

[jonthecoinjunky]

Well worth the time!!. I went a couple years back. They are always updating what is on the floor. Gotta love the 74 cent!!!!

[coinman1794]

NGC must have missed a few! I dont see any of the coins that were part of the Temporary Numismatic exhibit. When I saw them, they were set up in the hallway next to the cafeteria, clamped in similar fasion in glass cabinets, with scalding hallogen lamps shining down on them. I was disturbed. Maybe those are the ones NGC holdered.