Collecting family.....here's a post just for you!!!!

[kryptonitecomics]

Tell the kiddies to hold on to their hats!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[collectingfamily]

WOW...Thanks Shane for sharing these pictures with us!!!!

 

Emma has a long list of favorites! She really likes the pink ones and the Liberty Bell one and the 1970 Penny (I think this one is my favorite!). Her favorite is the 1885! She does have a question. Why does the 1885 coin (the first one pictured) only have toning on one side? Do most coins that are toned only have color on one side?

 

Could you tell us more about the 1787 coin? It is so amazing that, that coin has been around for so long!

 

Bree really likes all the ones that are half colored, especially the 1883 one.

 

Thanks so much for sharing these with us!

Kelly, Keith, Bree, and Emma

[jgrinz]

Why would you go and PAINT all those coins - They do look pretty but I think it hurts there value no??

 

Just joking - nice post

 

m

[kryptonitecomics]

Well let me see...where to start.....the 1885 and most of the Morgan Silver dollars have what is known as bag toning. Bag toning occurs from long term storage in old cloth mint bags. Hundreds of millions of Morgan's were minted from 1878 to 1904 and again in 1921 and the supply was far more than was needed for commerce at the time. This meant that millions of uncirculated Morgan's sat around in sealed bags in bank vaults all around the Country for many decades and sometime upwards of 50+ years. Depending on the climate they were stored in: hot, cold, dry, damp......and due to chemicals like sulfur that were embedded in the cloth bags......wonderful toning sometimes formed.

 

The reason most bag toned Morgan's have color on 1 side is that 1 side laid against the bag and the other side laid against the other Silver dollars so one sided toning in the norm for bag toned dollars. When you see the bright crescents like the first coin it just shows you that another coin was in front of that coin against the side of the bag so only part of said coin was actually touching the bag which prompted the crescent toning.

 

Album toned coins typically have toning on both side of the coin but not always. Album toning is just that....toning formed from exposure to old card board albums used for coin storage, which of course also contained sulfur due to the process of making the paper/cardboard. Album toning is almost always more subdued and lacks the flash that many bag toned coins have. Here is a good example that illustrates what an album toned coin can look like:

 

 

Notice how both sides are toned and while the colors are attractive, they aren't neon like on the bag toned examples. This coin is also a good illustration of what target toning looks like. Target toned coins feature concentric rings of color that band inward on a coin and are usually very popular with collectors. It is very common to find target toning on any Silver coin stored in albums for a number of years.

 

Let me catch my breath and I will answer the next questions in subsequent posts to this thread...

[kryptonitecomics]

Why would you go and PAINT all those coins - They do look pretty but I think it hurts there value no??

 

Just joking - nice post

 

m

 

I'm just crazy like that.....please send me some of your painted coins so I can replace mine now that they're ruined

[TomB]

The 1787 "coin" is actually more properly termed a "token" since it was really struck in the latter half of the 19th century with new dies made outside of the Mint. But don't get me started on this because Shane might be a little sensitive to me by now on this issue.

 

Hey, KC, you da man!

[kryptonitecomics]

Here is some information on the 1787 coin.....

 

New Haven Restrike

 

The coin I own is a restike of the original minted in 1787 so while it isn't nearly as historic as the originals.........I paid about a 3rd of the price. I had been looking for a nice Fugio Cent but it is tough to find them with nice eye appeal and most of them are in lower grades. I decided to go after eye appeal and found this stunning restike in MS63 choice uncirculated condition. Here is a picture of the reverse:

 

 

 

 

The symbolism on the coins is quite interesting and very historic....I'll try to break it down for you as it has been written on the internet:

 

Obverse:

 

 

The Meridian Sun over a sundial and the word "Fugio" which means to flee all are meant to symbolize " Time Flys" though technically the word Fugit means to fly so it's unclear why they were a little off on their translation. "Mind you business" at the bottom had a different meaning than the literall translation now days. It meant to put in a good days work, pay attention to what your doing before time gets away from you. The original coin is the first coin authorized by the contenental Congress a full 6 years before the mint began striking regular issues (1793). It was desinged by Benjamin Franklin and the original copper used to mint the coins is said to have come from copper straps on French gun powder kegs. Kegs that were said to have been given to the America to help fight the British in the war of independance in 1776. Now I don't know if that's entirely true but it makes for one heck of a story.

 

Reverse:

 

 

The reverse features 13 interlocking Rings which represented the original 13 colonies and the Unity shared, hence the words "United States....We are one", also insribed on the reverse.

 

 

So that is the history as I know it so hopefully you got to see some pretty colors and the kids also got a bit of a history lesson

[kryptonitecomics]

The 1787 "coin" is actually more properly termed a "token" since it was really struck in the latter half of the 19th century with new dies made outside of the Mint. But don't get me started on this because Shane might be a little sensitive to me by now on this issue.

 

Hey, KC, you da man!

 

I am not sensitive....I know it's more akin to a counterfeit than it is to a restike since completly new dies where created most likely from copies of the originals or an original coin. The coins still occupy an interesting place in history and have become more popular over the years but....if you want the real deal......you'd have to pay out about $5,000 for the same coin in MS63 so budget minded me chose the restrike

 

I think that TomB and I both agree it's a very eye appealing example but.....it is what it is...........a recreation of the original design.

[collectingfamily]

WOW, thanks for the great explanations. We really enjoyed all the information about the 1787 coin...that is really neat! I think I'm going to print out this thread so the girls and I can refer back to it. Thank you for taking the time to type all of this!!

[TomB]

I agree with you 100% and I would even buy one at the level that you paid for yours if I were to see an attractive one on the bourse while walking around. These are way cool and I like them very much. You could do much worse than putting your money where you did.

 

I was just giving you a hard time.

[kryptonitecomics]

I agree with you 100% and I would even buy one at the level that you paid for yours if I were to see an attractive one on the bourse while walking around. These are way cool and I like them very much. You could do much worse than putting your money where you did.

 

I was just giving you a hard time.

 

Now we all know that I don't have a sense of humor so quit picking on my Tom or I am going to tell my mom

 

 

I am glad you liked the explanation....I wrote from memory but I believe it was a pretty accurate assessment of these historic coins