~*~*~ My PCGS/NGC "Eclectic Box of 20" collection ~*~*~

[lordmarcovan]

In 2013, I decided to pare down my collections and simplify to just a single "Box of 20" for everything, hopefully to focus more on quality than quantity. Still, pursuing quality is an ongoing challenge on my budget.

 

The idea is a freestyle "Box of 20" collection with no parameters or restrictions except that the coins must be certified and the collection is limited to twenty pieces. When one comes in, another must go out. Otherwise, anything goes. In a way, I have narrowed my focus by limiting myself to just twenty slabbed pieces, but on the other hand, I've opened up my horizons to pursue whatever catches my fancy, be it ancient, medieval, modern, or even some tokens and medals. It sort of feels liberating to be freed of the constraints of collecting "sets". Now I can collect what I like and not be a slave to any predetermined "structure". But as the coins get nicer, I suspect it will become more and more difficult sentimentally for me to stick to the "one in, one out" rule.

 

 

 

(Links lead to individual coin discussion threads Across The Street)

 

Ancient Greece (Thessaly), silver "Rhodian Mercenaries" drachm struck by King Perseus of Macedon, ca. 175-170 BC

 

 

 

 

Ancient Rome (Imperial): silver denarius of Tiberius, ca. 14-37 AD: the biblical "Tribute Penny"

 

 

 

 

Ancient Rome (Imperial): silver denarius of Otho, ca. January-April, 69 AD

 

 

 

 

Ancient Byzantine Empire: gold tremissis of Justinian I, ca. 527-565 AD

 

 

 

 

England (Anglo-Saxon): silver penny of Aethelred II (978-1016 AD), struck ca. 997-1003 AD

 

 

 

 

England: silver Short Cross penny of King John (1199-1216), struck in the name of Henry II, ca. 1205-1207

 

 

 

 

Italy (Venice): silver grosso of Antonio Venier, ca. 1382-1400

 

 

 

 

Netherlands (Gelderland): "St. John" type gold gulden (florin) of Arnold van Egmond, ca. 1423-1472

 

 

 

 

Great Britain, silver "South Sea Company" shilling of George I, 1723

 

 

 

 

Great Britain: gilt copper proof halfpenny of George III, Soho Mint, 1806

 

 

 

 

USA: gold Liberty half-eagle, 1842-D small date

 

 

 

 

USA (Syracuse, NY): brass merchant token, A.C. Yates Clothing Emporium, ca. 1850s

 

 

 

 

USA: bronze Civil War token, "Our Little Monitor", 1863

 

 

 

 

German States (Hesse-Darmstadt): silver kreuzer, 1866

 

 

 

 

Japan (Meiji Era): gold Nibu-Kin (2 bu), ca. 1868-1869

 

 

 

 

France: gold 20-francs "Angel", 1877-A

 

 

 

 

USA: copper-nickel three-cent piece, 1880 proof

 

 

 

 

Great Britain: gold half-sovereign of Queen Victoria, 1901, ex-Terner Collection

 

 

 

 

German States (Saxony): silver 3 mark proof, Battle of Leipzig centennial commemorative, 1913-E

 

 

 

 

USA: silver Pilgrim Tercentenary commemorative half dollar, 1920

 

 

 

 

Archives

 

In the very unlikely event that anyone is interested enough in the evolution of this collection from its humble beginnings, there are links to its archived past incarnations in the second post down on this thread Across The Street.

[Coinbuf]

Certainly a wide range of coins and tokens in there lordm I really like the gilt copper proof halfpenny, thanks for sharing.

[lordmarcovan]

Thanks. That gilt halfpenny is one of my favorites.

 

Here it is in the previous NGC PF64 CAM holder. It just went PR65 DCAM at PCGS, which was a happy upgrade for me.

 

 

Phil Arnold even gave me a second Trueview for it:

 

[JJSingleton]

What an interesting set. That first coin is just amazing. I have no idea what it is but it just has the look.

 

And of course a good Georgia Boy like you would have to a some Georgia minted gold. Whats not to love.

 

 

 

[Raisethis2]

Beautiful box of 20.

 

 

Boy, people were ugly back in the day though............just sayin...

[yonico]

Thanks. That gilt halfpenny is one of my favorites.

 

Here it is in the previous NGC PF64 CAM holder. It just went PR65 DCAM at PCGS, which was a happy upgrade for me.

 

 

Phil Arnold even gave me a second Trueview for it:

 

 

 

Beautiful diverse box! Very interesting coins!

 

The gilt halfpenny is just spectacular. Beautiful pics, and WOW you got a huge upgrade on the grade! Way to go!

[bsshog40]

Thise are pretty cool! I didn't know that slabbed square coins, referring to the Japan one. Real nice!!

[Walkerfan]

Some beautiful coins there!! It's tough to pick just one, so I'll pick a few-----I like the 1877 20 Francs "gold angel" and the 1723 Shilling.

 

You gotta love that Pilgrim, which is very pretty and original looking, too.

[Curry]

The diversity. I love it.

[lordmarcovan]

Thise are pretty cool! I didn't know that slabbed square coins, referring to the Japan one. Real nice!!

 

They do indeed, though the coins can look a bit odd, albeit not as odd as in the days before "prong" inserts, when they really had a "square peg in a round hole" appearance.

 

But oddity can have its charms. That is a fun little coin, and since the gold content is low (about 1/3 gold alloyed with 2/3 silver), the price wasn't bad- about eighty bucks, pre-slabbing.

 

 

Some beautiful coins there!! It's tough to pick just one, so I'll pick a few-----I like the 1877 20 Francs "gold angel" and the 1723 Shilling.

 

You gotta love that Pilgrim, which is very pretty and original looking, too.

Thanks. I just scooped up that Angel basically at melt price, on the BST forum ATS.

 

The shilling was the one downgrade in my last submission, having been cracked from an NGC MS64 holder. But that wasn't too bad a slide, and having the new pix is worth it.

 

A Pilgrim half was mandatory, since I am supposedly descended from William Bradford on my mother's side.

[Flatwoods]

Dang, Rob. I thought I was eclectic!

 

Nice group of coins.

[Walkerfan]

Some beautiful coins there!! It's tough to pick just one, so I'll pick a few-----I like the 1877 20 Francs "gold angel" and the 1723 Shilling.

 

You gotta love that Pilgrim, which is very pretty and original looking, too.

Thanks. I just scooped up that Angel basically at melt price, on the BST forum ATS.

 

The shilling was the one downgrade in my last submission, having been cracked from an NGC MS64 holder. But that wasn't too bad a slide, and having the new pix is worth it.

 

A Pilgrim half was mandatory, since I am supposedly descended from William Bradford on my mother's side.

 

Interesting commentary. (thumbs u

 

Also, good score on the Angel.

 

And, no, I wouldn't be worried about the VERY SLIGHT downgrade on the Schilling. I know what you mean about the pics, too! I am a lousy photographer, so I value a good image a lot.

[coinsarefun]

Beautiful collection!!! Love all of them Rob

 

 

[Coindude]

Very impressive set there Rob. Thanks for taking the time to share them with us.

[physics-fan3.14]

A very nice collection, indeed - but dang, that Thessaly is really impressive. I've wanted one of those for a while now. That is gorgeous.

[lordmarcovan]

So here we are at the late-October update.

 

 

Two old friends go away:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And three new additions come in:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, that makes 21 coins, so another one will be leaving. The German Hesse-Darmstadt coin above is sort of holding a place in the box until the other two newps get slabbed. Then I'll decide which coin will be leaving. (I never thought I'd consider a 19th century MS67-graded coin a "filler", particularly as it has the highest technical grade in my collection. But it happens to be the least expensive in the box.)

 

The set has become rather more "modern" recently, and less ancient. And rather heavy on 19th century coins (with three from the 1860s. Hmm.)

 

In due time I will pick up some other ancients again, but they will likely be higher grade pieces in keeping with the idea of this being a slabbed set.

[TonerGuy]

Never saw this thread before. Glad I clicked on it. Very cool Box of 20. Eclectic is alive and well and some very beautiful coins especially the medieval coins.

[lordmarcovan]

Never saw this thread before. Glad I clicked on it. Very cool Box of 20. Eclectic is alive and well and some very beautiful coins especially the medieval coins.

Thanks. Actually, I was rather late in posting it on this side of the street, mostly because the hyperlink codes aren't the same here as they are ATS.

 

So copying-and-pasting from those boards to these will work for images, but not for links.

 

It wasn't until last night that I got all the links working here, actually, though of course they all go ATS to the individual coin posts.

 

 

[SkyMan]

That is a VERY cool looking group of coins and tokens!!! CONGRATULATIONS on such a wonderful set!!! Me likey a lot!!!

[e1cnr]

awesome group

 

 

the biggest problem I have with the 'box of 20' is deciding which to unload when a new purchase arrives (or even what it takes to consider bidding/buying another item)

[lordmarcovan]

awesome group

 

 

the biggest problem I have with the 'box of 20' is deciding which to unload when a new purchase arrives (or even what it takes to consider bidding/buying another item)

It does get difficult, and will probably get harder as time goes on.

 

Right now, the decision is largely based on monetary value (the lowest go in order to bring up the bottom margin, so to speak), but I have at least a little sentiment for all of them, or I wouldn't have bought them and included them.

 

I finally have it to where the least expensive coins have all crossed the $100 threshold now. And seven are over the $500 threshold. One lone coin has a four-figure pricetag over $2K (you can guess which).

[Mr. Smith Guesser]

Wow! Awesome collection!