AuldFartte

You have the most amazing collection of English hammered coinage I've ever seen, and the history lessons you provide are simply fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing all of these with us.

Hus, that George V Halfpenny is stunning!!!

Oooooh, you all know me. I LOVE toners!

The next one was undoubtedly artificially toned ...

... that'll do for now

Jim Coad Rare Coins in Albuquerque, NM, is the only shop I'll buy from around here. There are a couple of other so-called coin shops here, but, since I got treated like crap at both of them, I'll stick with Jim. His coins are priced fairly, he has a huge inventory, and he's friendly.

One of those Hungarian Denars, but mine's a 1549 (400 years before I was born!!!)

Crummy photo. Sorry.

1851, toned

1818 N-10

1828 12-star, probably recolored.

I just gotta add my Barber Half. I love the "look" of this thing. I know ... y'all are gettin' tired of seeing it ...

I finally got a good one for my new attempt at a US Type Set ...

I've picked up a couple recently ...

"Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794 - 1836", Third Edition, First Printing by Al Overton. It's the "bible" for U.S. Bust Half Dollar variety collectors. Thanks Jorg !!! I hope to get started on some coin acquisitions soon.

... and ...

"Early American Coppers Anthology" - an anthology of "the finest research in the field of United States Large Cents and Half Cents" - 1977 Edition (only 1000 copies made) - It contains published works by such early copper greats as Crosby, Frossard, Gilbert and Newcomb.

1794's

or you could use staple-free holders and avoid the problem entirely ...

Good point!!! I'll try some.

I learned the hard way to flatten the staples. And Stu is right: It was a coin I really really liked

PM sent. I want two!!!

Not so much now...

I can't believe I read both of those monster threads

But keep in mind that the slabs in question are older types which are not airtight to the degree of most newer slabs.

Bustchaser -

Well said !!!

I thoroughly agree with the majority of your points here. The biggest exception is the statement, "the coin being slabbed is surely not a counterfiet". Well, the vast majority of the time that is quite accurate, but I have seen a few and heard about many more coins that were slabbed and turned out to be fakes.

Also, if a slabbed coin gets stolen, it is a rather simple matter to crack out the coin. Then there is a raw coin without any serial numbers to trace.

I have purchased both slabbed and raw coins for my collection. The vast majority I bought raw because, in most cases anyway, I trust my ability to grade and spot problems such as cleaning. When I buy a slabbed coin, I look at the coin, not the plastic tomb or its label because I don't give a rat's rear-end what the TPG thinks about the grade. I listened to enough collectors and dealers tell me to "buy the coin, not the slab" - so that's what I do.

The thing that irritates me most about TPG's is the adverse way they have affected the market, particularly with MS coins. I guess I don't understand why an MS-65 coin is worth $1,000 but the same coin reslabbed with an MS-66 grade is worth $7,500. And this happens frequently. People will buy a nice 64 and crack it out, submit to another company (sometimes even the same TPG !!!) and it comes back at 65. I know people who do this all the time. It's fine for these dealers/speculators/investors to make money - it's just beyond my comprehension why anyone would pay such huge differences in price because of a one point difference in grade. As you said, grading is highly subjective, so why do most collectors assume that the TPG is more accurate than anyone else? Besides, can you really spot the difference between a 65 and a 66? Or a 68 and a 69? With that, I will end my little rant.

Another WOW !!!

My favorites are the 1808 Bataille de Sommo-Sierra and the 1808 La Princesse Pauline with the "Three Graces" reverse. Awesome pieces.

Here's the lousy "translation" from one of those online translator programs (these things rarely work well !!!) ... and it is Danish:

Obverse: arbeidsom industrious. sparse abdru. trust and good treats the human being blessing and fornoieligt brother all the life 18 days. 01.

Reverse: by good action and country salutary assiduity from lieutenant h. v. buchvald

I know ... it doesn't really help much

The Columbian is a real beauty!

I need one of those UNC 1909 VDB's

A lot of very nice coins there!!! Those guitar coins are a riot

Just four Victoria's so far. I have some later monarchs, too.

The "Godless" was my first Florin