Newbie to Newbie advice for this forum... 0

[Liam ll]

I would like to think this is practical advice for anyone who has decided to post questions in this forum...I am open to constructive criticism if there's a differing opinion... After reading multiple posts I do perceive an opportunity to give back a little to a community that gave to me first. 

  There is a "Newbie" advisory post that is requested that every "Newbie" reads...Please read it before posting. Actually, read it a few times...its a practical attempt to insure a good level of communication. 

 Review past posts, there's a good chance your question has already been answered for someone else at another time. I found that reading past posts answered questions that I hadn't even realized I might need to ask yet. That's the cool part, later no-one knows you were as dumb as you were about some of this. 

Appreciate the fact that this provides a free, practical, hands on education based on the experiences of others who may have already lost as much if not more learning the same things they are sharing. 

 

 

 

[JKK]

We try to get people to read past posts, but not very hard. For one thing, every coin (or fake coin) is unique on some level, and most of the newbie posts are "I found this Rare Valuable [parking lot] Coin in my change and was wondering if I can now retire?" While they typically can't, we need to see the coin, and that means a thread and posted pics and some patient responses. This also applies to 1776 Continental Dollars, replated Lincolns, and other categories full of cattle's_solid_wastes. Yeah, we could tell them to please look at all the hideous fakes and replicas we've seen over the years, but in the end, there's nothing definitive but for knowledgeable people to look at the coin.

That's not to say that we don't gain respect for people who show that they have done a little reading. It makes a lot more sense than the persons_with_braincases_of_bone_matter who post sale items outside the clearly marked marketplace, or who post piles of semi-readable more_bovine_solid_wastes trying to tell us how smart and clever they are and why we're therefore all chowderheads and "playa hatahs." (All lies. I like the beach.) I know that I react differently when someone says:

"Hello. After looking over the forum and searching a little, I'm almost sure this example of a 1776 Continental Dollar is phony. Can you please confirm this for me?"

Than:

"wussup peepz my bampaw left me this rare 1976 contenental dollar i wanna no what its worth there very rare i no that also dont be a playa hatah i was muged on my way to ur 4um and bad peepz stole my speling ability and all my punktuation so its not my fault if this is hard to read then again nothin in my world is ever my fault cuz thats just how i roll now ima post this 4 times here and in sum other 4ums on account of i think this improves chances u peepz will help the n00b oction it so i can retire 2 a condom minimum"

And no, none of that is meant to imply anything at all about ethnic background. This garbage transcends all backgrounds. Stoopid and selfish are universal constants.

[Liam ll]

I agree with your descriptive. I personally found that the majority of my initial questions had already been answered at some point, or a reference to another source given to seek the answers I thought I may have needed. I now jokingly refer to the collection I inherited as "BamPaw's Hoard" especially the looser ungraded items. Fortunately there seems to be an overall discipline to his collecting. My personal interest is more one of responsibility than of a great interest in actual collecting at this point..well except at times I do find myself up a little later than usual chasing a certain Coin that I've pulled from the hoard...hmm, but that's probably how it starts. While I certainly have respect for the graded gold and silver, sometimes its the little folded envelopes of obviously not so valuable coinage that catch my attention. One in particular with a scribbled note on it...something like, "Pawn Shop, Honolulu 1939." and a few worn Hawaiian coins inside. He was in the military, stationed in Hawaii pre and post Pearl Harbor. After couple of more decades or so of service he retired out of White Sands in New Mexico. Spent a few years there as an engineer both military and civil designing and testing missile systems. Parkinson's got him finally. But that's way off topic..Currently I am sorting through an ammo box of hand rolled clad Eisenhower Dollars all seemingly clad at this point. Next will be about 3/4of an ammo box of Franklin proofs, all in plastic holders (ungraded), but some of which, although obviously proof's, have the hairline scratches indicative of cleaning...which is a curiosity, since they look in every other aspect like proofs. At first review, there seems to be mostly 1962's. But there are also a "56" and "57" NGC graded 67 to use as a reference. I've not made a decision about what's after that yet...its still a learning experience at this point. I appreciate all of the reference and advice given in this forum, its been very helpful...

[GoldFinger1969]

On 9/27/2022 at 8:47 PM, Liam ll said:

I agree with your descriptive. I personally found that the majority of my initial questions had already been answered at some point, or a reference to another source given to seek the answers I thought I may have needed.

We are a patient group.  I don't think we'd have a problem if a newbie asked some questions on Saints or Morgans for which there were threads....it's easy to miss things or not find them.

But most/many of the newbies are here to tell us about some coin they found that they are sure is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars and 99.99% of them are not. 

[JKK]

On 9/28/2022 at 9:25 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

But most/many of the newbies are here to tell us about some coin they found that they are sure is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars and 99.99% of them are not. 

Which I'm fine with as long as they either accept the answer or shut up and submit it. If you (general you, not specifically you) really think you have a genuine 1804 silver dollar, you will hand carry it to the grading service and pay whatever it takes to get it slabbed. If you do not do that, we know that even you don't really believe the story, and are just trying to get people to bless your preconceived notions. That's the point at which I just drop the Ignore hammer. For me, Ignore is my cue to never again waste time on that person. Everyone insufficiently_cognitive gets put on it, not because I won't read their posts, but to remind me never to give them my time. Cast not one's pearls before swine.

[Liam ll]

I appreciate the response and have seen what you've mentioned also. Fortunately the majority of the Saints and Morgans I have have been graded and slabbed by NGC or PCGS. I'm currently working from the bottom up in understanding this collection I'm dealing with. My intent is to liquidate the less important items in order to have some of the ungraded gold authenticated and graded. I am fairly confident that at least the majority of it will fair well. I only have one Saint to be graded, and a Liberty $20. The rest are a mix of fives. tens, maple leafs and such. There should be paperwork with it all, the initial moving has some of it out of order. The collection is pretty eclectic, a lot of commemoratives, proofs etc. to sort through. Tonight was a journey through over a thousand Eisenhower's. There were only around 30 Saints, and not quite twice that in Morgans and a few Peace. Sure is easier to scan the bar codes and have the info at hand. Enough rambling, back to Bampaw's hoard...

[J P M]

On 9/29/2022 at 2:26 AM, Liam ll said:

I appreciate the response and have seen what you've mentioned also. Fortunately the majority of the Saints and Morgans I have have been graded and slabbed by NGC or PCGS. I'm currently working from the bottom up in understanding this collection I'm dealing with. My intent is to liquidate the less important items in order to have some of the ungraded gold authenticated and graded. I am fairly confident that at least the majority of it will fair well. I only have one Saint to be graded, and a Liberty $20. The rest are a mix of fives. tens, maple leafs and such. There should be paperwork with it all, the initial moving has some of it out of order. The collection is pretty eclectic, a lot of commemoratives, proofs etc. to sort through. Tonight was a journey through over a thousand Eisenhower's. There were only around 30 Saints, and not quite twice that in Morgans and a few Peace. Sure is easier to scan the bar codes and have the info at hand. Enough rambling, back to Bampaw's hoard...

Nice coins, Looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you. Good luck 

[Henri Charriere]

Some notable exceptions:  I have an 1804 silver dollar in splendid condition. Not a mark on it. But it is doubly thick and weighs 2 ozs.  I have a St. Gaudens $20-dollar gold piece, but member RWB said the statute on the top of the Capitol building is facing the wrong way (not to mention it, too, is 2 oz of .999 silver.)  Last but not least, I have an 1857 Flying Eagle Cent in Mint State condition, beautiful antique finish with not a blemish on it anywhere, front or back, but its diameter is a little off: it measures exactly 3".  To the eternal consternation of card-carrying numismatists on this Forum, I refer to them as my small collection of authorized, legitimate counterfeits.  I have Fugio Cents, Continental dollars and a copper coin inscribed with a curious message:  the width of this coin equals the width of the copper skin on the "Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World."  That, my friend, is the official, formal name of Lady Liberty in New York harbor.  [I decline, dear reader, to get into a debate with you as to whether she stands within New York's waters or New Jersey's.]  Happy collecting!

Edited September 29, 2022 by Quintus Arrius
Routine die polishing: typos, etc.

[Liam ll]

That is an interesting collection of the counterfeits. I am hard pressed not to believe there's a few counterfeits in this pile.There is also a multitude foreign coinage in various states and wraps, rolls of older small U.S. coinage. it has been and will continue to be  an education. 

[VKurtB]

On 9/29/2022 at 9:15 AM, Quintus Arrius said:

Some notable exceptions:  I have an 1804 silver dollar in splendid condition. Not a mark on it. But it is doubly thick and weighs 2 ozs.  I have a St. Gaudens $20-dollar gold piece, but member RWB said the statute on the top of the Capitol building is facing the wrong way (not to mention it, too, is 2 oz of .999 silver.)  Last but not least, I have an 1857 Flying Eagle Cent in Mint State condition, beautiful antique finish with not a blemish on it anywhere, front or back, but its diameter is a little off: it measures exactly 3".  To the eternal consternation of card-carrying numismatists on this Forum, I refer to them as my small collection of authorized, legitimate counterfeits.  I have Fugio Cents, Continental dollars and a copper coin inscribed with a curious message:  the width of this coin equals the width of the copper skin on the "Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World."  That, my friend, is the official, formal name of Lady Liberty in New York harbor.  [I decline, dear reader, to get into a debate with you as to whether she stands within New York's waters or New Jersey's.]  Happy collecting!

Bad news: the world has thus far refused to be enlightened. California and Massachusetts perhaps least of all. Alabama and Switzerland in the running for most. Pennsylvania USED TO BE a “home of Liberty” but it has lost its collective mind. One reason I left. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by VKurtB

[GoldFinger1969]

On 9/29/2022 at 2:26 AM, Liam ll said:

I appreciate the response and have seen what you've mentioned also. Fortunately the majority of the Saints and Morgans I have have been graded and slabbed by NGC or PCGS. I'm currently working from the bottom up in understanding this collection I'm dealing with. My intent is to liquidate the less important items in order to have some of the ungraded gold authenticated and graded. I am fairly confident that at least the majority of it will fair well. I only have one Saint to be graded, and a Liberty $20. The rest are a mix of fives. tens, maple leafs and such. There should be paperwork with it all, the initial moving has some of it out of order. The collection is pretty eclectic, a lot of commemoratives, proofs etc. to sort through. Tonight was a journey through over a thousand Eisenhower's. There were only around 30 Saints, and not quite twice that in Morgans and a few Peace. Sure is easier to scan the bar codes and have the info at hand. Enough rambling, back to Bampaw's hoard...

Looks like a WONDERFUL collection, congratulations ! 

Can I ask how you came to acquire it ?

[RWB]

Thanks for your helpful comments!

[Liam ll]

In response to how I happen to be currently responsible for this collection...It was my Grandfathers prior to his passing several years ago.

 

[pigeonman333rd]

Here's a fun one this is a double headed penny a friend of mine found in change but it's not real it has cut marks along the rim and weighs an off weight. When my friend found out it wasn't real he offered it to me for a dollar and I couldn't resist. I just find it impressive that anyone could pull off a stunt like this. I posted the third pic so people can see the crack its on the right hand side and just under the rim. I know it's fake but who in their right mind would take the time to do precision work like this and then just throw it back into change? 

[Sandon]

@pigeonman333rd--Your "two headed" 1963 cent is what is known as a "magician's coin", as such pieces have been used to create illusions by magicians (or, in this case, to cheat someone who called "tails" on a wager).  I have a similar cent that has two reverses. You can see a seam running down the center of the edge where the two halves were joined together.

   Please place your posts as either new topics or replies to related topics, instead of intruding into someone else's unrelated topic as you have done here and elsewhere!  (Your addition of an example of a "BIE" cent to my topic on these, however, was an example of an appropriate reply.)

[pigeonman333rd]

Hey some one already told me go to the newbie page to post so I did. At least I thought this was the newbie page. If this is not the newbie page where do I post my latest coin finds or things I have recently purchased because this is just getting confusing. 

[J P M]

On 10/27/2022 at 5:36 AM, pigeonman333rd said:

Hey some one already told me go to the newbie page to post so I did. At least I thought this was the newbie page. If this is not the newbie page where do I post my latest coin finds or things I have recently purchased because this is just getting confusing. 

You are on the right page you just have to make a new topic. Just click the green box on the top right of the main page and make a new thread.

[ldhair]

On 10/27/2022 at 4:36 AM, pigeonman333rd said:

Hey some one already told me go to the newbie page to post so I did. At least I thought this was the newbie page. If this is not the newbie page where do I post my latest coin finds or things I have recently purchased because this is just getting confusing. 

It's easy. Just start your own new thread. 

[Liam ll]

Here we are again.., just reread all of this post...seriously have to say that I am far more "educated" regarding all of this than I was when first posting this...with a nod and sense of appreciation to those patient enough to guide me in the right directions...but...Pigeonman333rd...I don't have any idea about the questions you've posted in the threads I started, what I do notice is that the pics you post are on the same background, same scale etc., your first being of the Morgan you purchased for your father after working a second job to purchase it. I simply don't understand how someone who has been on this forum for as long as you have,  2018, has to ask the questions you have asked...You know to weigh a coin for authenticity...I didn't know that on my first post. you actually have a scale... I still don't....I call wildly_fanciful_statement...prove me wrong and I will let everyone know I was wrong...But until then...step away with the hustle.