Insider Posted September 10, 2020 Author Share Posted September 10, 2020 40 minutes ago, Alex in PA. said: VKurtB said: "However, if it disintegrates into TPGS bashing, at this point in time, then I believe you are doing harm. Why? Because the power and influence that the alphabet soup brothers have in 2020 is so entrenched that fighting it now seems like opposition for opposition's sake. I might not have felt that strongly 20-25 years ago." psst: don't forget CAC! I don't allow ANY DISCUSSION of TPGS experiences in my classes. There would be no time left in the week to teach! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider Posted September 10, 2020 Author Share Posted September 10, 2020 37 minutes ago, VKurtB said: Thank you, sir. We got married in Alabama. This May, it was literally impossible to get all the paperwork Pennsylvania needed. I made a joke about a Confederate monument outside the courthouse in Huntsville. It's gone now. I'm all about "bucket lists" now. I got to go INSIDE the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse at St. Andrews, the one day each year people can do that (Nov. 30), and I got to hit a ball out of the Road Hole Bunker on #17 (about 4ft from the cup) and rake my footprints out of it before getting our picture done on the Swilcan Bridge. How about posting some images? One of my favorite threads on the ATS is photo Friday. I cannot wait to look in again tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Insider said: How about posting some images? One of my favorite threads on the ATS is photo Friday. I cannot wait to look in again tomorrow! They ARE on my iPad (I think so, it could be the "cloud'). Which would be the best section here? Water cooler? Hey!!! Did you just trick me into advocating a new section? Edited September 10, 2020 by VKurtB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 18 minutes ago, Insider said: You sure do make me feel dumb. "Lemme tell ya', them guys ain't dumb..." RonnieR131 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 2 hours ago, Insider said: You sure do make me feel dumb. I should think if we can take 20 coins and have them graded within three weeks of each other IN A MATURE STEADY COIN MARKET the results would show there actually are "standards." of a sort. Some would not agree on whatever they turned out to be. The multitude of grade inflation samples are sound indicators as are the anecdotes of coins in XYZ early holders from 1995 are now 1 or 2 "grade numbers" higher, or the obvious stretching of existing "grades." Etc., etc. - the present confusion is not successful except in the trivial monetary sense. Even now, TPGs are surviving on cute labels, imaginary special categories and emergency issues, and all the jumble issued by the US and other mints. The two basics are: 1) Authentication - the item is genuine and unaltered 2) Condition - degradation from the item's original manufacture state. These must be present, empirical (or as close as humanly possible), knowable, and repeatable. Everything else is a descriptor of some sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 34 minutes ago, RWB said: The two basics are: 1) Authentication - the item is genuine and unaltered 2) Condition - degradation from the item's original manufacture state. These must be present, empirical (or as close as humanly possible), knowable, and repeatable. Everything else is a descriptor of some sort. It seems grading, a mere opinion, upsets your "present, empirical, knowable and repeatable" -- and otherwise respectable, apple cart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 1 hour ago, Quintus Arrius said: It seems grading, a mere opinion, upsets your "present, empirical, knowable and repeatable" -- and otherwise respectable, apple cart. That's because the present apple cart it filled with rancid turnips which have to be dumped if collectors are to have room for a good crop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Bath Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 1 hour ago, RWB said: That's because the present apple cart it filled with rancid turnips which have to be dumped if collectors are to have room for a good crop. I had a highly placed registry set until I started replacing them with lower graded coins. Resistance is futile but liberating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider Posted September 11, 2020 Author Share Posted September 11, 2020 17 hours ago, RWB said: The multitude of grade inflation samples are sound indicators as are the anecdotes of coins in XYZ early holders from 1995 are now 1 or 2 "grade numbers" higher, or the obvious stretching of existing "grades." Etc., etc. - the present confusion is not successful except in the trivial monetary sense. Even now, TPGs are surviving on cute labels, imaginary special categories and emergency issues, and all the jumble issued by the US and other mints. The two basics are: 1) Authentication - the item is genuine and unaltered 2) Condition - degradation from the item's original manufacture state. These must be present, empirical (or as close as humanly possible), knowable, and repeatable. Everything else is a descriptor of some sort. As long as the value of a coin is connected to its grade we will have some sort of gradeflation either by designations (stars) or more numerical options including decimals. The actual condition of a coin graded XF long ago that is now graded MS did not change that much in the period of time that its grade increased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 (edited) Agree; and value, or rarity, or prior ownership are not part of an assessment of state of preservation (grade). "Value" is a free market determination and not a grading one. Edited September 11, 2020 by RWB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Wright Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 On 9/8/2020 at 5:59 PM, Insider said: I just ignored someone with all four choices. I thought about it for a long time and finally did it. Apparently, I will see nothing he posts and not know if any other member mentions him. Color me selfish. I'm here to learn something and I get nothing from him. Hopefully, he will be able to take part in my new quiz. Have you ever ignored anyone (no names)? Did you take off the "ignore" after time passed or are they still being ignored? My freshman year in college (VPI Corps of Cadets) we were awaken long after lights out and told to get dressed w/o saying a word. We formed up outside in the dark. All lights in every building and the street lamps were off. We were marched to Lane hall and I could see the entire Corps was formed up in silence. Charges were read for some invisible cadet who had broken the Cadet Code of Honor. Then we were given the command to about face (from where ever he was) and marched back to the dorm. We were told his name would be stricken from all school records and his name was not to ever be spoken. I have no idea who he was or what he did. I guess that is similar to the ignore feature here. So long what's your name, it was no fun at all. So, is that like double-secret probation? Insider 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider Posted September 11, 2020 Author Share Posted September 11, 2020 1 hour ago, Carl Wright said: So, is that like double-secret probation? Nope, Just like a diamond it's forever. Here is a funny story that could be applied on this site. When I was single, I joined Match.com. I put in all the parameters for the women I wished to meet and hundreds of them popped up within 25 miles. Next I started to delete any of them that I was not attracted to just by their appearance. I probably deleted a lot of wonderful women. BTW, I never had a "bad" date on Match. Anyway, the funny part of the story is a member is only allowed to delete a certain number of profiles. I'll guarantee no one ever searched the way I did. I broke down their system with hundreds of rejects! After a week or two when I complained, they must have added more space as I began deleting more. ! met my wife on Match. What's that have to do with this forum? I wonder how many members can be put on "Ignore?" I'll confess that this place is much better for me without the member I "dumped." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lehigh96 Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 I think due to my dogmatic nature, I am usually the guy that gets added to those lists rather than the guy doing the adding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtryka Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Getting back to the original topic, I have blocked perhaps 6 to 8 users on this forum in the past 18 years, and have actually unblocked one person (though the jury's still out on whether that was wise). I appreciate that the forum allows you to view specific posts if you choose, but one improvement that the admins could make would be to hide quoted posts from people you've blocked. That seems to be the only flaw in the system. Life is too short, and this is just a hobby, it should be fun and informative, it should not add stress to your life for no good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 2 hours ago, jtryka said: Getting back to the original topic, I have blocked perhaps 6 to 8 users on this forum in the past 18 years, and have actually unblocked one person (though the jury's still out on whether that was wise). I appreciate that the forum allows you to view specific posts if you choose, but one improvement that the admins could make would be to hide quoted posts from people you've blocked. That seems to be the only flaw in the system. Life is too short, and this is just a hobby, it should be fun and informative, it should not add stress to your life for no good reason. I agree - block the quoted post; but leave the unblocked member's answer. I'm delighted with this "block" idea and I'm going to use it on another forum for another "non-contributing" pest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brg5658 Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Does anyone remember @noow from like 6-7 years ago? OMG, that guy drove me bonkers even after he was on "ignore"... @physics-fan3.14, @lehigh96, @bsshog40, any others remember him? Sometimes enough people ignoring a poster eventually does drive them to leave. My ignore list is very short - but every one of the people on it deserved it - probably long before they achieved the "honor" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physics-fan3.14 Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Oh, yeah, I definitely remember that guy. Round and round and round... made my head spin. brg5658 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsshog40 Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 (edited) Yep, I remember him also! I actually still have him on my ignore list. Edited September 15, 2020 by bsshog40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 The only person I recall ignoring was some wealthy tapeworm who insisted on rubbing everyone's nose in his high-cost, hyped coins, but would not share any of his supposed vast specialty knowledge with anyone. Insider 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtryka Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 I think I recall noow, but I might have blocked the memory. I still have truthteller on my blocked list, is he still around? Most of the others on my list of 9 I don't actually recall, so they likely faded from the forum... gmarguli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebo Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 3 minutes ago, jtryka said: I think I recall noow, but I might have blocked the memory. I still have truthteller on my blocked list, is he still around? Most of the others on my list of 9 I don't actually recall, so they likely faded from the forum... I haven't seen him in years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmarguli Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 You can take TruthTeller (Dave Baptista) off your ignore list. He won't be coming back. He died around 12/2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 1 hour ago, gmarguli said: You can take TruthTeller (Dave Baptista) off your ignore list. He won't be coming back. He died around 12/2017. That hasn't prevented others from posting....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brg5658 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 (edited) 27 minutes ago, RWB said: That hasn't prevented others from posting....? ...a la Herman Cain? Edited September 16, 2020 by brg5658 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWB Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 8 hours ago, gmarguli said: You can take TruthTeller (Dave Baptista) off your ignore list. He won't be coming back. He died around 12/2017. In that case, those so inclined may wish to accord me that honor. I am STILL HERE, STILL STANDING, STILL STRONG and loving every minute of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1917 Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 On 9/9/2020 at 8:42 PM, Insider said: Yep. All four. He does not exist in my mind or on my screen! according to relativists, he isn't even real (or something like that; when ur rule is there shall be no rules...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 14 hours ago, 1917 said: according to relativists, he isn't even real (or something like that; when ur rule is there shall be no rules...) Unfortunately, when one of the other active members quotes his nonsense I get to recall his name. BTW, this is only the second alert I've received in five days here! I think as a place to discuss numismatics, this place will never recover WITHOUT A VERY ACTIVE (Multiple times a day) INTERESTING & INFORMATIVE INPUT FROM NGC EMPLOYEES. . I have not given up YET; but if about five members here went to another site, I would leave and join them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus1967 Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 25 minutes ago, Insider said: I think as a place to discuss numismatics, this place will never recover WITHOUT A VERY ACTIVE (Multiple times a day) INTERESTING & INFORMATIVE INPUT FROM NGC EMPLOYEES. They are at least 10 days behind just opening mail of incoming submissions. I hardly think posting on this forum is high on their "to-do" list lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex in PA. Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 (edited) Welcome to Sleepy Hollow Edited September 22, 2020 by Alex in PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
