Coin Show Report - Clifton, NJ

[DaveG]

Today I went to the 25-30 table, third-Sunday-of-the-month show at Clifton. It's a decent show, particularly if you're looking for lower-priced coins (raw and slabbed). There are several dealers with bargain boxes, as well as a dealer who has both foreign currency and US checks (historic and cheap!). While nowhere as crowded as Parsippany, sometimes you have to wait to get to a table.

 

The nice part about Clifton is the chance to eavesdrop on dealers. There are several wholesalers who regularly go to Clifton and they and the dealers with tables talk about the state of the market, will discuss what's wrong with a coin they're trying to sell, etc. (As Yogi may have said: "You can hear a lot just by listening.")

 

I stopped by Ira Meltzer's table to look at his Mercury dimes. Over the past couple of months he's had a fair number of the mid-grade (VF to XF) mid-decade (20s) mintmarked coins. Not today, unfortunately - obviously, others have found him. He was talking about just being back from Boston, where he hadn't had a good show because the hotel was being renovated and the dealers were split among a lot of small rooms. He was also talking about the recent price increases in classic coins, particularly early 19th century coins. He says he can't replace his inventory.

 

As far as new releases go, there were several folks with the new Buffalo nickel (25 cents each). One dealer said that the Mint has sold out of them. I also saw two dealers with the new California quarter.

 

Not much caught my eye today, except for (what I think is) a So-Called Dollar. It's copper (or bronze) and from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. It features an image of the "US Govt Building" on one side and the legend "Treasury Department - United States Mint Exhibit" around the edge and "World's Columbian Exposition - Chicago 1893" in the center. I think Wihlborg posted an image of it a few months ago, but couldn't find it. (John, if you have one, can you post it to this thread?) Unlike Wihlborg's SCDs, mine wasn't slabbed, red or MS-64, but, then, it was only $15! Hey, now I have an excuse to get the "updated" H-K book, which is rumored to be coming out soon.

[Wihlborg]

Hi Dave,

 

You are correct, the metal you picked up is a SCD. There are two versions of this metal, HK-154 & HK-155. Both are made from brass and are basically the same, the only difference being the size of the words that spell out U.S. GOV BUILDING on the obverse. The HK-154 has larger size letters, while the HK-155 has smaller letters.

 

The HK-154 is listed as being scarce (501-1,500 pieces known) and the HK-155 is listed as being very scarce (251-500 known). Here are the images of my example.

My example is in an NGC holder graded MS-66 and although I agree with the grade, I believe it is mis-attributed. According to the Hibler & Kappen SCD book the HK-155, the ones with small letters are also called type 2. The letters on my example look the same as those of other HK-154 examples I have seen, but the holder’s label lists it as a HK-154;T-2.

 

Needless to say the label is quite confusing.

 

John

[DaveG]

John,

 

That's it. Thanks for posting the picture! (The 2x2 has '155' written on the back, by the way.)

 

Brass, huh? All I can say is that mine looks a lot more like bronze than brass. Gee, I hope it's not AT

 

I'll try to remember to bring it with me to Parsippany.

 

By the way, do you expect to be at White Plains on Saturday, April 2nd? (If so, I'll bring it then.)

[michael]

The nice part about Clifton is the chance to eavesdrop on dealers. There are several wholesalers who regularly go to Clifton and they and the dealers with tables talk about the state of the market, will discuss what's wrong with a coin they're trying to sell, etc. (As Yogi may have said: "You can hear a lot just by listening.")

 

 

GREAT THREAD DAVE BUT AS PER THE ABOVE PLEASE ELABORATE

[Wihlborg]

Hi Dave,

 

I have to work on Sat. the 2nd so I won’t be able to make it to the White Plains show then, but I will be there on Fri. the 1st. Let me know if you can make it to White Plains on Fri. and I’ll bring my metal so we can compare the letters. If not, we can get together at the Parsippany show on Sun.

 

John

[cpm9ball]

As far as new releases go, there were several folks with the new Buffalo nickel (25 cents each). One dealer said that the Mint has sold out of them. I also saw two dealers with the new California quarter.

 

Dave, I don't believe that the mint has sold out of the new Buffalo. True, they sold nearly 46 million of them in the first week. The problem is that the quality is so poor that you would probably have to buy half that amount just to find one MS67. I went through 2000 coins from bags and I'll be lucky if 4 or 5 grade 64. The reports from others on rolls is just as bad. If you are interested in these, it would be my suggestion to wait until the Uncirculated Set is released on April 11.

 

TWENTY-FIVE CENTS APIECE? GEEZ!

 

As far as the CA quarter is concerned, they should call it the Condor Quarter! They have filled die chips in so many different places, it looks like Condor Resi-DOO!

 

Chris

[DaveG]

Michael: Unfortunately, I don't remember any more specifics than I put in my post. (I always make sure I put in the juicy gossip, since I know that's what everyone loves!)

 

John: I can't make it to White Plains on Friday, so I'll see you on Sunday instead. (Don't forget to Spring Ahead! My least favorite day of the year!)

 

Chris: I was just passing on what I heard about the new Buffalo nickels. I'm not interested in buying any - I'll get mine out of circulation, the way a "circulating commemorative" is supposed to be acquired.

 

The 25 cent price was for singles - I think that they were cheaper by the roll.