A True NT Story

[supertooth]

Hello Folks----I started to collect coins in 1955. As a young boy, my dad and granddad used to bring silver dollars home to me from pocket change. My gramps was a part time bar tender in his retirement years. He loved to see me root thru his pockets---thru the Chesterfield tobacco and tums remains---for whatever Buff nickels, Mercs, Walkers etc. that might be there. He did not collect but enjoyed my glee when I found a coin or coins that I needed. My dad was a purser for a steamship company. He paid off the ships as they came to the Baltimore harbor. He was constantly in the major Baltimore banks. He started to give me a silver dollar for each birthday that I was alive. He got them directly out of the mint bags from those Baltimore banks. In 1967, he brought me home 21----as I was 21. Told me that 'that was it'. Bank people were no longer going to trade dollar for dollar. Well, I had hundreds of Morgans and Peace dollars at that time. I stored them in the old blue Whitman books #9025 [no date or mintmarks---just holes for silver dollars]. About mid 1970's---in my CC 20 dollar gold period---I had a chance to buy an 1871 CC20 in XF condition. I sold every coin that was not in my 'main' sets and many of the Morgans and Peace dollars----In order to make the 2250 price tag for the 1871CC20. I kept two of the Whitman blue books---54 coins---filled them with the best Morgan and Peace dollars that I had. I tried to keep one of every date and mintmark that I had. At that time, I added another newer Whitman---with plastic sleeves for some of my Morgans. Anyway, those dollars have sat in those blue books----mostly since the early 1960's. In the time since then, I have moved at least 6 times. My blue books have been in closets, in safes, in cedar chests, on floors and yes, under beds. Once in awhile, I would open them to look at the coins---Yep, they were still there. Then, in 1999, I started up again with my Walkers----went looking on Ebay---lurked on the NGC chat boards----and finally joined up thanks to TOM B. And, again, as luck would have it, I invited TOM B to my home after the Winter Baltimore [2006] show----to look at my Walkers. Well, you collectors know that you must look at everything. So---the Morgan obverses got looked at. Tom B commented that the toning was real nice on several of them. I said 'yes' and that was that. I recently bought another collection and was getting ready to ship many coins to NGC for certification. Thought about those Morgan toners and decided to include a couple of them. Well, my long story now gets to its main point. You know how guys talk about NT toning?? Wow, on Good Friday I looked at those Morgans. I had reverse toning over the entire reverses of many of those coins. They had not seen the light of day in 30--40+ years. I was shocked beyond my wildest dreams. In order, there was an 1879S, an 80S and an 81S. After them was an 83--0, an 84--0, and an 85--0. Then there was an 86, an 88, and an 89. I had a super obverse toned 1896---the one that Tom B had commented on. And one super toned 1928S Peace Dollar. Out of the 54 coins, 35 were Morgans and 19 were Peace. The only super Peace was the 28S. Others had some degree of toning---but nothing really super. Out of the Morgans, I figure that I have about 14--16 coins that are worth slabbing at NGC. Currently, I have 11 of those coins enroute to NGC to be slabbed in Multi--holders. I will let all of you know how I did in the coming weeks. But my good fortune is not the only reason for this post. Sure, it is a good story---and a super find in ones own collection. But I write to tell others to look at your old blue books---at the reverses. There must be other guys from my era of collecting who also have not pulled their coins out to look at them for many years. So, take a look my friends at those reverses. You may have some beautiful coins---and not even know it. And, yes, I too want you to see some pictures. But I can only take scanner pictures which do not show decent color. And my wife and I worked with the digital for 3 hours the other day with no great success. Pictures showed color but were not clear. Today, I was just informed by my buddy in California----that my digital is not capable of taking good coin pictures. Something about the macro capabilities. So I guess a new camera is the only future answer for that problem. But, in the meantime, check those reverses in the old Whitman blue books. Bob [supertooth]

[cpm9ball]

Great story, Bob, and I hope your Morgans come back with *s*t*a*r*s* in their eyes!

 

I have been having pretty good success with the Canon Powershot Pro 1, and some of the other members are also using it. The macro and supermacro capabilities are easy to use. It costs about $700.

 

Chris

[Morgannut]

Great story Bob--

[michael]

a great family history and an even better collector

[CTcollector]

Hopefully some of these will give the "Battle Creeks" a run for their money !

[MikeKing]

Yes, Great Story!!! We should all chip in and get you a camera, I'd love to see photo's of those coins.

[kryptonitecomics]

AT but I like you Bob so I am willing to make a strong site unseen offer on the coins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[IGWT]

That's a nice read. Only dust bunnies under my bed. Make sure you give us a follow up with photos!

[Brotherman]

WOW - what a great story!

I too hope you are able to post some pics.

 

Hays

[EZ_E]

Bob, this was a great first-hand account of the hobby! It was a very personable and historic account. Thank you.

 

I, along with Chris, also purchased the Canon Powershot. Great camera but, if you can afford it, also purchase the macro lens so that you can get close up images at a greater distance w/o the lens blocking the light source. This will enable you to get better shots of toned coins.

[etexmike]

That was a long read.

 

But I do love stories with happy endings and this one was well worth the time.

 

Congrats on the coins and the best of luck with the grades.

 

 

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etexmike