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Coin eNewsletter #9: Convincing Evidence of Evolution and New Purchases

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michael

michael

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Coin eNewsletter - Making the Grade #9: Convincing Evidence of Evolution; Plus my New Purchases

Inbox

 

Dave Wnuck

 

Jul 21 (1 day ago)

 

Contact info to reserve coins: PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL PHOTO REQUEST'S OR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO TO DAVE WNUCK (SEE BELOW)

 

Website - www.DaveWcoins.com

 

My email address – davewnuck@gmail.com

 

Phone - (203) 231-1213

 

 

Welcome to my latest e-newsletter. Summer is well underway. Speaking personally, my family just returned from our first real vacation in 2-3 years (although my family calls every coin show I travel to a “vacation,” and not a “business trip”. So by their count I enjoy about 15-20 vacations every year).

 

Despite the heat I haven't slowed down the pace of bringing you a new group of fresh, unusual, rare and beautiful coins. Take a gander at the “NewPs” below (by the way, NewPs is coin dealer slang for “New Purchases”. Squirt some mustard on your shirt and say the word “NewPs” a lot at coin shows and you will blend in comfortably with professional coin dealers like me).

 

Convincing Evidence of Evolution… (…of a Fledgling Coin Business, That Is)

 

When I first started up my own coin firm once again, lo those many weeks ago, one of my goals was to keep overhead to an absolute bare minimum. I wanted to do everything myself. My focus was (and still is) on the coins and the coins alone.

 

That’s all well and good, but like most people, I am better at some tasks than others. One of the things I am not good at is anything at all artistic.. I have no talent for it; I greatly admire those who do have it.

 

Nevertheless – in the first few days after my website was up and running I realized I needed some sort of graphic to insert in place of a photo of a newly purchased coin that I did not yet have. Sounds simple enough. “I’ll do it myself!”

 

Well, here is the result:

 

 

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I want you to know that I did not purposely try to make it crappy. It just came out this way.

 

So – did I realize that it was so bad that it looked like a chimp drew it? No. I told myself that it was quaint. Charming even. Perhaps akin to folk art.

 

And I began to use it. Really. And since I had very few photos of my new purchases in the beginning, that graphic showed up on my site a lot.

 

Luckily a guardian angel was looking out for me. A guardian angel in the form of Matt Powell, a coin dealer/website builder/graphic artist extraordinaire. Here is a link to Matt’s website: http://www.digitalstudionw.com

 

He sent me an email saying that he took the liberty of designing some graphics for me that I might want to use on my website instead of what I was using. I was surprised & delighted, and I gladly accepted his charity. Here is the one I chose:

 

 

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Also luckily, not many of you saw the old graphic, as I was probably averaging about 3 views per day on my website at the time. [Not to brag or anything, but these days I’m getting almost triple that].

 

My takeaway from all this: Do such a lousy job that you get unsolicited charity from someone more talented.

 

Or maybe -- just maybe -- there are genuinely nice people out there who enjoy helping others. Thus with the help of others my website continues to evolve.

 

 

Now On to the NEWP's

 

As in my previous newsletters – these coins are the items I have gathered over the last few weeks.

The plan is to upload all these coins to my website. In the meantime, readers of this newsletter will be the very first to eyeball these offerings.

 

The “Making the Grade” Featured Coin:

 

1871 Three Cent Silver. PCGS graded Proof-67 CAC [ogh].

This coin has claims to being the finest of this rare date in existence. Rings of brilliant gold at the rims fade to light blue and then pastel green as one approaches the centers. $16,950.

 

 

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NewPs

 

1652 Oak Tree Shilling. PCGS VF30.

Struck on a huge planchet, with even gray toning and a great pedigree: Ex. Ryder, FC Boyd and Andy Hain collections. $4975.

 

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1749 Great Britain Copper. PCGS graded MS63 Brown.

Listed in the Redbook and collected by US colonial coin specialists, even though this was struck at London's Tower Mint. Why? Well, over 800,000 regal 1749 halfpence had been shipped to Massachusetts in September of 1749 as partial payment for the colonists' assistance with the expedition against Fort Louisbourg, $1550.

 

Ca. 1766 William Pitt Medal. PCGS graded MS63

40 mm. Betts-516. Dies by Thomas Pingo. Made in Great Britain to honor William Pitt, this flashy, high relief, silver dollar sized copper medal has fully prooflike surfaces over medium brown toning. A great piece of our shared colonial history in high grade, available at a very reasonable price. $975. 1786 Vermont Landscape Copper. PCGS graded XF40.

 

1786 Vermont Landscape Copper. PCGS graded XF40.

Vermontensium type. Completely smooth planchet that is free of roughness or any sort, and which shows the design on both sides boldly. If you have been hunting for a Vermont landscape copper, you know that is no small attribute. The next small step upward in overall quality in this issue would double or triple the price. $3450.

 

1787 Fugio Copper. PCGS graded MS63 BN CAC.

Even medium brown, superb luster, and ideal for the type. A well known US gold specialist looked at this coin after I bought it and asked, “Is this a restrike? It looks too perfect!'. I assured him that it was an original striking from 1787 – it is just remarkably well preserved. $4850.

 

1787 Fugio Copper. PCGS graded XF45.

Newman 12-U die variety, considered to be rarity-4. Because this variety was not included in the Bank of New York hoard of Fugio coppers, this variety is quite difficult to obtain in high grades such as this. $1575.

 

1889 Indian Cent. PCGS graded PR66 BN CAC.

Some lime green mixed with gold and rose. Beautiful and original. $975.

 

1944 Lincoln Cent. Error: Struck on a Silver Netherlands 25c Planchet. PCGS graded MS63.

This is a coin that will stop you in your tracks. It has the look of a choice uncirculated 1943 steel cent. But wait! It is dated 1944! As comedian Steve Martin would say, “What the dang deal is goin' on here?” This certainly qualifies as a coin which I term a “One coin collection”. $9500.

 

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1939-D Jefferson Nickel. PCGS MS65.

Reverse of 1940. The key date of this oft-neglected series. Why is this coin on my list? I’m really glad you asked! It happens to feature wild and beautiful toning – greens, reds and golds primarily. This was the highlight of a toned set of Jefferson’s that was broken up at the Baltimore show. I’ve never seen another like it. $375.

 

1836 Bust Quarter. PCGS graded XF45.

B-4, considered to be rarity-4. Light gray in color, with some “dirt” in and around some of the devices. $625.

 

1918/7-S Standing Liberty Quarter. PCGS graded VF25.

Very light gray in color, with some deeper toning right at the rims. The all important overdate feature is bold, as one would hope. $4500

 

1830 Bust Half Dollar. PCGS graded VF35.

Small 0, as stated on the PCGS tag. Peripherally toned and quite attractive. $395.

 

1831 Bust half Dollar. PCGS AU58.

O-108, considered to be rarity-1. A 100% untoned blazer. Full cartwheel luster on both sides, with just a touch of friction on the cheek. This coin is the very definition of “AU-63”. Fresh from a local Connecticut collection, and has never seen the inside of a major show or auction. $1275.

 

1836 Reeded Edge Half Dollar. ANACS Cache XF45.

Gray, with some gold and blue around the periphery. The old style ANACS Cache holders... $3985.

 

1837 Reeded Edge Half Dollar. PCGS AU50.

JR-25, considered to be rarity-5. Very attractively toned. I have been surprised how quickly collecting reeded edge halves by die variety has caught on. The attribution book has only been published recently. A gorgeous coin that would be worth a good premium even if it was a common variety. $1475

 

1877 S Seated Half Dollar. NGC graded MS62 CAC.

Pedigreed to both the Col. HER Green and Eric Newman collections. Original dusky gold coloration from storage over decades in a paper envelope. $775.

 

1840 Seated Dollar. PCGS graded XF45 CAC.

First year of issue. Crusty, originally toned and attractive. Surprisingly difficult to find like this. $1975.

 

1879-CC Morgan Dollar. PCGS graded VF20.

Crusty, original & charming Carson City date. $295.

 

1837 Classic Head Quarter Eagle. NGC graded VF-35.

Light gold in color. Popular example of early & affordable US gold. $725.

 

1856-C $2.50 Gold. PCGS graded VF35.

Deep yellowy golden in color, with some faint coppery toning around the devices. A difficult date from the perennially challenging Charlotte, NC mint. $2375.

 

1834 Classic Head $5 Gold. PCGS graded AU55 CAC.

Rich gold color, , flashy cartwheel around the periphery , no major marks, and a hint of original greenish gold color. A great coin and underrated in such pristine condition. $2275.

 

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1924 St. Gaudens Double Eagle. PCGS graded MS64 CAC [early, 2 piece slab].

A coin that appears to be conservatively graded if not undergraded, and housed in a very scarce, early generation 2 piece transitional slab from the late 1980's. $1950.

 

circa 1842-1850 A. Bechtler Gold Dollar. NGC graded AU50.

27G, 21C, Plain Edge. Lovely, free of distractions and quite affordable territorial gold coin. $3475.

 

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(1857) 1779 2R CM Berry Counterstmp. The host coin is graded VG-8 by NGC.

A rare counterstamp from the time just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. Caspar M. Berry ran a saloon on the northwest corner of Fifth and Chestnut streets in Philadelphia between 1857 and 1860. NGC grades the host coin and not the counterstamp; the counterstamp grades XF. This countermark is listed in the Rulau reference. $875.

 

1871 Hawaii 12 ½ cent Token. PCGS graded VF20.

Wailuku. Narrow Starfish variety Beautiful milk chocolate brown. $2275.

 

1928-M 20c US-Philippines Mule. PCGS MS64+.

Thick luster, gorgeous peripheral toning, and a rare type utilizing the reverse of the 5 Centavos. One of the finer pieces in existence, and certainly among the prettiest. Listed on page 417 of the 2015 Redbook. $3950.

 

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World Coins that Circulatated in Colonial America

 

1758 Brazil 6400 Reis Gold. PCGS graded MS66.

A large gold coin that ranks among the finest of its type in existence (about the diameter of a US $20 gold piece) in nearly perfect shape, for less than a common date, well circulated early US $10. I am excited about this coin. If you believe that the coins of the Americas are wildly underrated, this is the perfect coin for you. …Price = POR

 

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1772 British Halfpenny. PCGS graded MS64 Red & Brown.

These have been collected by many colonial specialists in recent years. They are surprisingly difficult to obtain in true uncirculated condition, and with this much mint red, especially for under a grand. $975.

 

1776 Brazil 6400 Reis. PCGS graded AU-55.

A “magic date” for US coin collectors, and very difficult to find in such a high grade as a result. Lovely lemon yellow color and significant amounts of cartwheel luster remaining. $3350.

 

1781 Bolivia Four Reales. PCGS graded AU55.

Potosi mint, PR assayer. A very tough denomination to come across, especially in such a high grade. 4 reales are always the last denomination to be found when collectors assemble a high grade denomination set. Attractive golden gray toning, with significant underlying cartwheel luster. It is important to note that no mint state specimens of this entire type have been graded by PCGS to date. $1975.

 

1791-D French 1One Sol Copper Coin. PCGS MS66 Red.

Remarkable. Full, undimmed mint red. The only specimen graded of this type this high by PCGS. Since it is the same size as a US large cent of the period, I will use the analogy to compare the two. If this was a US large cent in this condition, I doubt $200,000 would be enough to buy it. Yet this coin is only… $2850.

 

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1804-PJ Bolivia 1 Escudo Gold. NGC graded MS65.

A full blown gem example of this early coin of the Americas. The finest example of this date that I have personally seen. $6950.

 

 

Contemporary Counterfeits that Circulated in Early America

 

circa 1840's Bechtler $5 Gold Contemporary Counterfeit. Struck in copper with a gold wash. Fine [uncertified].

Georgia Gold, 128 grains type. Purchased as genuine by a dealer, this coin is a rare but known contemporary territorial gold coin. So unusual that most dealers and advanced collectors have never even seen laid eyes on one. $1250.

 

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1843-D $5 Gold Contemporary Counterfeit. Struck in Copper. Fine [uncertified].

Hand cut dies, some wear, with none of the original gold wash remaining. This coin could tell some tales, I am sure. $325.

 

 

Contact info to reserve coins:

 

Website - www.DaveWcoins.com

 

My email address – davewnuck@gmail.com

 

Phone - (203) 231-1213

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