Neat Stuff from Jean Elsen's New List

[JamminJ]

Here are my four favorite coins from Jean Elsen's new list:

 

Germany/Brandenburg-Franconia 1530 6 kreuzer, 350 euros.

Coin 1

 

Germany/Fulda 1788 thaler, 600 euros. Coin 2

 

Germany/Isny 1508 Batzen, 225 euros. Coin 3

 

Hungary 1698 1/2 thaler, 150 euros. Coin 4

 

I couldn't get the pictures to post directly, so I just provided links.

 

Any comments? Which one would you buy if yoyu could have only one, and why?

 

-JamminJ

[the_Thing ®]

I like them all, but would have to go with the first coin due to condition, attractive surfaces and subject matter.

[gmarguli]

Coin #2, the Germany/Fulda 1788 thaler is nice. It's one I'd like to add to my collection.

 

The big problem with this one is the toning around the letters is too dark. Also, at €600 that's going to work out to around $925 after all the fees are added. Too much for a late 18th century taler.

[the_Thing ®]

Wait, I didn't see coin #1, I mean I would go with #2!!!!

[GDJMSP]

Based on most of the coins I have seen you post pics of in the past - I'd wait for the next batch. Not because of money issues - but because I don't think these fit your collection as well. Of course I may have only seen a small part of it.

 

But if I had to go for just 1 - #4 - I think it comes closest, it's just not as nice as the others I have seen.

[JamminJ]

OKI, now that every regular contributor to this forum has weighed in I'll post my thoughts on these coins:

 

Coin 4: GDJMSP is correct in that this coin fits best with my regular Hapsburg theme but to me it ranks dead last among the four. Although 1/2 thalers are quite a bit more difficult to find nice than full thalers, Hungarian Hogmouths are common. Since they are common I generally want to buy coins which are either inexpensive or very nice. Inexpensive rules out Elsen and nice usually rules out sight unseen transactions.

 

Coin 3: This is an unusual coin struck in the name of emperor Maximillian I from an imperial free city. This is the type of coin I'd but from Elsen as another one is unlikely to come along anytime soon. Very nice to have such an early date and I like the medieval looking legends. On the downside the yellowish tint to the coin strikes me as unattractive so who knows what it will look like in hand. I also find the reverse design to be uninspiring. Overall, a pretty good coin.

 

Coin 2: A nice looking thaler which has both an attractive design and a well preserved look to it. I like coins with Bishops and coats of arms on them and this coin has both. The date is somewhat later than I would like. For German stuff I prefer coins struck before 1647 when the Peace of Westphelia ended the emperor's true soverignty over all the petty states. It is also very, very expensive against a catalog of $500 in XF which is probably a fair price for this coin. If it was a coin I was searching for for a long time I might buy but otherwise I just can't justify the cost.

 

Coin 1: This is the coin I would buy if I were to choose one. For this there are many reasons. To begin it looks exceptionally well preserved for a 470+ year old coins - not too worn, fairly well struck and not unattractively colored. It is rare. It was struck when the emperor truly exercised power in Germany so it fits with my HRE theme - the double headed eagle does it for me. Not only does it mention Charles V but also George of Brandenburg by name, title and status. The final plus is the 1530 date, year of the Diet of Augsburg, so it would make a great companion piece to my 1530 Augsburg 1/4 thaler. The only downside is that the price is quite steep. If I had more free coin cash flow at this moment I would likely buy this coin. Who knows - if this guy is still around once the giant batch of coins Greg and I submitted gets sold it still may be mine.

 

Thanks for all the comments. Anyone else find somthing of note on the list?

 

-JamminJ

[TomB]

Can I at least be considered a junior member? I've been busy I tell you, busy!

 

I haven't read your analysis yet, though I see that you have written one. This is my take on the coins. Coin 1 has a cool bird on it but it doesn't have its original skin; it looks burned out and I would avoid it, as I think you would, too, unless it were prohibitively rare. Coin 2 has the nice shield motif, looks to have a terrific 3D effect and has a nice, mellow patina; this would be my choice of the four and I think you would buy this, too, because of the surfaces. Coin 3 is very similar to coin 1 in terms of surface abuse and I think you would pass, as would I. Coin 4 is interesting in that it has a dude with gnarly hair all over himself and this is interesting, yet we come back to the dipped out look it has, therefore, it is a pass.

 

If any, it would be coin 2.

 

Now I will read what you have written.