20) grivna1726 - 1786/5 2 roubles


8) Marv: RSFSR 1922 Proof Rouble, NGC PF66. Mintmaster AG. Ex: Heifetz, Hesselgesser

That proof rouble is gooooorgeous!

Indeed it is. Marv has posted some truly spectacular coins.

1785 - not just because it's golden..

When I buy a coin, I want to be able to enjoy looking at it, not just enjoy having it. For me, appreciation of a coin's design and eye appeal are paramount. I don't buy circulated coins or uncirculated coins that have evident defects, such as excessive hairlines, bag marks, etc. That way I know that, when I get ready to sell, someone else will desire the coin as much as I do. This philosophy means that I don't buy lots of coins, but those that I do buy are very desirable, and I have slowly acquired a nice variety over the years working with a few dealers who know my preferences. I would rather have a few really beautiful coins than lots of bag-marked, hairlined or heavily worn coins. Of course, these are my choices; I respect others who choose differently.

For me, silver and copper coins are much more interesting than gold, as, apart from the design, most gold coins look the same. They look, well, GOLD. If you lay down 10 gold coins from 10 different countries, take a few steps back, and voila! You really can't tell the difference. I will admit that some gold coins are spectacular also, but I usually can't afford those!

With silver and copper, you have almost an infinite range of toning. Unless they're dipped, after 100 years, usually no two silver or copper coins will look the same. I think that people who want all their silver coins to be "bright, white" are missing the added dimension that toning brings to silver. With copper, full red is spectacular, and almost impossible to find with coins that are over 100 years old, but beautifully toned copper can be a joy to behold also.

Well-preserved coins that are very old are really small miracles. They shouldn't exist, as collectors before the middle 19th century were few (and mostly wealthy) and they didn't worry too much about preserving a coin's surfaces. Coins were stored in wooden cabinets, passed around with bare fingers and were kept "clean" (and hairlined) by wiping with a cloth. As well, most European and Eastern US climates were humid which damaged silver and copper. So finding a coin like my superb 1826 Russian rouble is really a miracle especially so as it is a circulation strike, not a proof. Proofs (and novodels) were made for collectors of the era, so one would expect those to be somewhat better cared for than circulation strikes.

Marv Finnley

Thanks for the thoughts, Marv!

Grivna wins 12 - 10