Trade dollar variety book - update 0

[zadok]

On 5/13/2024 at 11:24 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

I think the narratives and stories and history behind our coins is part of the allure.  I'm interested in history, so maybe it's just me.

Isn't that why so many non-coin collectors ended up buying an SSCA coin ?  For the history...the story ?  

Maybe if I had more $$$ to be buying I'd be spending less time reading. 

...the "allure" n "history" of the coins r certainly a part of the broader picture n make the hobby "warm" n "fuzzy" if thats ur driving motivation...but i dont think thats the mainstream motivation, otherwise u wouldnt see coin book authors running around begging for backers to publish their books...most collectors just want the coins n dont really care where they came from or how they got made or which mule carried which bag or ore down the mountain...or how many pounds of pressure it took to mash out each coin...regard the WF "hoard", the coins existed n needed to be sold to provide a profit so a story n a "nickname" had to be created to move the coins into the collectors hands n pocketbooks, after all there were more coins than collectors n trying to say "we got this bunch of so-so coins we found in a warehouse, how many do u want to buy" approach wasnt going to do the trick...ur reference to the SSCA coins is another prime example, first u create a market where one doesnt exist n then u try to find enuf buyers that r attracted to the "allure" n "history" n want a coin that really doesnt fit into their collection in the first place...but, it is only a hobby n there r really no rules n every collector has the privilege of setting their own boundaries n goals...its their money anyway...books r okay, perhaps u could just collect coin books, no bullion markups....

[RWB]

On 5/14/2024 at 11:44 AM, zadok said:

most collectors just want the coins n dont really care where they came from or how they got made or which mule carried which bag or ore down the mountain...or how many pounds of pressure it took to mash out each coin...

Sadly, very true even in sloppy language. Merely basic greed. Fortunately, there are a small proportion who actually want to learn more although they might not know quite what it is they want to know.

However, there are many for whom the interest is broader and deeper - part of our economic and cultural heritage - and for whom "wanting the coins" is merely the superficial beginning, not an end.

Edited May 14 by RWB

[zadok]

On 5/14/2024 at 4:52 PM, RWB said:

Sadly, very true even in sloppy language. Merely basic greed. Fortunately, there are a small proportion who actually want to learn more although they might not know quite what it is they want to know.

However, there are many for whom the interest is broader and deeper - part of our economic and cultural heritage - and for whom "wanting the coins" is merely the superficial beginning, not an end.

...keep on telling urself that, while ur designing book covers...hint: sloppy sells, verbose n tedious not so much....

[GoldFinger1969]

On 5/15/2024 at 9:56 AM, zadok said:

...keep on telling urself that, while ur designing book covers...hint: sloppy sells, verbose n tedious not so much....

Roger's 650-page book on Saints is outstanding.  And his other books on other coins have gotten good reviews.

I think there's a market for information in our hobby.  Just not that much among the part-timers.

 

[zadok]

On 5/15/2024 at 11:03 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Roger's 650-page book on Saints is outstanding.  And his other books on other coins have gotten good reviews.

I think there's a market for information in our hobby.  Just not that much among the part-timers.

 

...interesting, but possibly u have the full-timers n part-timers confused...

[GoldFinger1969]

On 5/15/2024 at 12:33 PM, zadok said:

...interesting, but possibly u have the full-timers n part-timers confused...

Yup....for sure, PT'ers can buy or look every few months or even every year or so...to those active every few weeks.

Wide variance, you are right.  

Edited May 16 by GoldFinger1969

[Henri Charriere]

On 5/14/2024 at 11:44 AM, zadok said:

...most collectors just want the coins n dont really care where they came from or how they got made or which mule carried which bag or ore down the mountain...

Obviously, I cannot speak to the motivations of other collectors, but I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I never met any collector of the female persuasion who was not curious as to which mule carried which bag or ore down the mountain. I mean, that's pretty basic stuff.  Also, though she may not be consciously aware of it, Penny, Charmy's pet is a critical component of her sales' strategy. In fact most collectors would inquire, "Hey, where's Penny?" first before they'd ask her about some quadrupled-die obverse Lincoln she may have picked up somewhere in her travels...   🤣

[Henri Charriere]

On 5/9/2024 at 11:33 AM, zadok said:

...its simple...folks just dont need to know everything there is to know bout the availability or sources of coins...numismatics is not a community help program....

Just another in a string of "none of anyone's business" logorrhea.  Come to think of it, you'd be the perfect participant on the P--- Set Registry where an inordinate number of people post their sets anonymously -- you don't know who they are, what their set looks like and there is no way to contact them. Now I know why you were bestowed the honor of President of the Anti-Social Social Club. In the end, no one will be surprised when, despite the incessant boasting, bragging and name-dropping, all you've ever had was that stone from Yap. Funny how those types gravitate to the "competitive sets" site. Contrary to MM's parting shot, I do have my big boy's pants on. I couldn't care less about death or the IRS. My wife? There's enough room to hide from her under my table. After all, I Am a Man.  

[numisport]

Yes I would like a good reference source on Trade Dollars. However I'm not so concerned with die varieties, more so what original skin should look like on higher grade circulated pieces. Some collect damaged (chop marked) coins but I don't consider those even slightly comparable to original straight grade pieces. Look at how few NGC/PCGS graded AU 55 coins there are, many of which are cleaned but not noted as such. Then see how very few get that CAC or CACG grade. The numbers are small to say the least attesting to the true scarcity of original unmolested pieces. One interesting note is that nice San Francisco mint coins seem to be available even though many were lost to Asian trade. It's just a cool series to collect but unfortunately I can't afford uncirculated coins. 

 

[RWB]

On 5/16/2024 at 10:46 AM, numisport said:

However I'm not so concerned with die varieties, more so what original skin should look like on higher grade circulated pieces.

Your best available analog is the standard silver dollar. Planchets received identical treatment before striking including the "whitening" process which removed part of the copper from the planchet surface. There is no great reserve of pristine Trade dollars. The U.S. Mint Bureau melted all it had for recoinage into subsidiary silver pieces.