ikaros

Funny you should mention. I hit up my LCS yesterday, and found three 1970 Lenin commems in the foreigns bin, but almost never see a regular issue ruble coin. The only other ones I have are the 1987 Tsiolkovsky, and the 1991 regular issue, which was purchased singly rather than from a bin.

I don't think I've spent more than $80 for one single coin yet. There's a reason my collection is mostly base metal.

I think the new design of the Jeff looks good on the matte uncirculateds, especially since the coin has no sculptural depth anymore. I'm not convinced on the proofs, though. The cameos look like they were added later, and the fields are too flat. They're like a hand mirror, not a telescope mirror. If I could make any one change to our coinage, it would be to return to more deeply sculpted designs.

I dunno, it's hard to improve on the simplicity of 'Art'. I have to think longer about this. I was leaning toward the Latin "Ars", but that has other issues, mostly involving being too near to a certain British slang term.

Too many choices! I abstain.

I'm just kind of in awe of the fact that this thread is so very close to stretching back 500 years, one coin at a time.

Oh yeah. I'll definitely go back to the guy I got the Five Kings and the Elizabeth I pieces from. Great selection (if a little disorganized, but I'm a disorganized person), no questionable grading, and the prices were already what I deemed fair--and he gave me a discount anyway, unasked. I will be seeking him out next year, and I will be prepared to spend more with him than I did this year. The other guy, with the non-FS "FS" nickels, no. I won't shop with him again. I found two nickels that were fairly priced and graded, but I won't go back. I usually won't dicker either. I would like to assume that these are professionals and that they have marked a price that fairly reflects the value of the piece and a suitable profit for themselves, and are not trying to get more out of it than there is. The advantage of a show, of course, is that you have a lot of dealers to choose from and if you don't like one guy, there are scores of others to check out. And I suspect word of mouth gets around on these guys.

It's the 'pricing purposes' that bothers me. If they're using premium-inducing terms like 'FS', they may be inflating the price above what's fair for the coin's real condition, but below the price of a real FS nickel, to try to sucker someone into thinking they've found a real steal. I mean, this guy was even marking FS on the proof issues. Uh, no kidding. I'd be more surprised to see a proof Jeff that *wasn't* FS. Something else I've noticed -- the matte finish really works well for the modern low-relief issues. Those 2008s look terrific.

Oh, let's get some of the other ones up. 1963 Fiji penny: 1963 Iceland 5 aurar: 1961 USSR 5 kopeks:

Yeah, I was surprised by the quality available this year at very reasonable prices. Too bad the show wasn't last month, I'd've put some other nominees into PCI2011! I'm kind of hoping one of our resident experts can help me nail down exactly what that Elizabeth I piece is. I've been researching it online, but this is my first hammered piece and I know really nothing about them.

Here we go again! Got some lovelies yesterday! 2009S Proof: 2008P and D Matte Unc: 1965 SMS: I would not hesitate to call this one proof-like. The fields are foggy-mirrored and there's a subtle but definite cameo. It's got killer eye appeal that the camera just can't capture. 1964 Proof, nice cameo, possibly even a candidate DCAM: 1958 Proof, cameo on obverse, not so much on the reverse: 1955 MS64 with color all over the place: I want to run off on a little rant here. One thing I saw a lot of were Jeff holders marked 'FS' when the swiftest glance showed they weren't. Needless to say, those were dealers I didn't do much business with. Considering that most of the people at a show like the CONA show are well-versed enough to at least know what FS means and what to expect when they examine the reverse, just how stupid do these dealers think we are? Anyway, I have reached the point where I completely ignore the grade and notes as written on the cardboard flip. If the coin meets my standard for eye appeal, that's good enough for me. The only thing that I use the handwritten grading and notes for is to gauge the honesty of the dealer. I mean, I looked at one that had FS written on the front... and a gouge that crossed all the steps clearly visible without magnification. I don't think I bought anything from him. Anyway, a bonus image -- this is one I got from Allen's a while ago, but couldn't get a decent picture of, until now. It's a 1962 proof, with the most stunning plum toning going on. As usual, the picture doesn't do it justice, but it gives a good idea. 1962 Proof, toned:

The Haul from this year's CONA show -- pictures to come, most of the ones I took came out awful, but there are a few below. For the British set: Elizabeth I hammered coin; date uncertain, the dealer had it between 1595-1597 and did not indicate the denomination. I'm not sure if it's a shilling or a sixpence. But the price was right, it makes me happy, and it's the new dean of my collection! For the birth year set: Fiji 1 Penny Greece 30 Drachmai "Five Kings" This is the only coin I can recall seeing that has raised letters on the rim, rather than incuse. Iceland 5 Aurar Israel 1 Agorot, 1/2 Lirot (small animals) Norway 2 Øre Yugoslavia 20 dinara (upgrade) For the "In Soviet Russia, coin collects YOU!" set: 1941 1 kopek 1961 5 kopek For the Poland collection: 1923 5 Groszy 1974 200 Złoty 25th anniversary of the People's Republic For the hell of it: Morocco AH1366 (1947CE) 10 Francs The Jeffs will go on my Jefferson Project thread.

My Jefferson project has settled in to just coins that really catch my eye, whether white or toned. The nice thing about the Jeffs is that twin sets are feasible, and might even make a nice display for a CSNS show some day. It's not like Lincolns where I'd need to find both a red and an appealingly toned 1909SVDB

Even the earliest ones are quite reasonable in mint, relatively. The 39D will be about $100, and the 39S a little south of that. You won't get into trouble unless you start getting fussy over full steps, or want the errors. If you want the proofs, the only ones that will put a serious bite on you are the earliest six: 1938-1942/1942P. And sometimes you can get just flat lucky. I got my '56 and '57 proofs for a buck each because the guy was liquidating an estate and just didn't care. I've even started hearing a little voice in the back of my head suggesting twin sets -- one blast white, the other toners... anyone got some thorazine I can borrow?

Honstly, sheer luck. I'd set them on a kitchen chair almost but not quite directly under the ceiling fan while rummaging around for my camera and happened to notice that from directly above, the colors reflected really well. The ceiling fan has four CFL bulbs in it at about 7' above the ground -- maybe 5' above the coin? Anyway, I positioned my camera about 2.5-3' directly above it -- I love tripods that adjust in every direction -- and set it to maximum optical-only magnification, center-meter, and center-focus. I suspect that since the overhead light was towards but *not* directly at the camera, I was able to get the bright colors. It did not work with proof issues, which reflected the light more directly.

Finally got a decent picture of the toning on some of my Project nickels!

Nice. I'm thinking about moving on to Roosies once I finish the Jeffs. Edit: Or after I finish the Ikes after I finish the Jeffs... decisions, decisions!

Couple of 2011s finally hit my pocket -- dime and nickel, both 2011P. Quarters past the SLQs remain scarce.

The more I see those really early American coins, the more I like them. Even worn they have a particular art and dignity to them.

ikaros, Copper, 1801-1900, 1825 UK farthing, ikaros 1825 farthing ikaros, Copper, 1801-1900, 1889 UK penny, ikaros 1889 penny ikaros, Copper, 1901-present, 1944 UK halfpenny, ikaros 1944 UK halfpenny ikaros, Copper, 1901-present, 1944C Newfoundland cent, ikaros 1944-C Newfoundland 1 cent ikaros, Copper, 1901-present, 1936 USSR 2 kopeks, 1936 USSR 2 kopeks

ikaros, Silver, 1901-present, 1942-P US nickel, ikaros US 1942-P nickel ikaros, Silver, 1901-present, 1941 US dime, ikaros US 1941 "Mercury" Dime ikaros, Silver, 1901-present, 1963 Canada half dollar (PL), 1963 Canada half dollar, proof-like ikaros, Silver, Exonumia, Franklin Mint Apollo XIV medal, 1971 Franklin Mint Apollo XIV commemorative Struck from a melt including silver flown on the mission.

Yeah, I've already started research on the Eisenhowers. There aren't any killer dates or varieties other than the 1972 Type II; outside of that, it's the silver market that's really messing with it now -- and as usual, errors don't appeal to me. The circulation strikes are all pretty reasonable. I thought about even going slabbed with the Ikes... but I doubt I will. I don't need to pay the tombstone premium, and I only collect them to make me happy.

I just noticed that tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of this project, which has due to regular daily financial concerns lain fallow for a while again. Until yesterday. 52S, 53PDS, some really sharp 1968-70DS, a gently frosty 1963 proof, and a 1962 proof that is the most astounding shade of plum. Pictures when I can get some good ones! Obviously I've dispensed with just doing it all in chronological order. It's going to be the right coin at the right time as based on my available cash... which is really how it should be, isn't it? Anyway, I've already decided that once the Jefferson Project is put to bed and in maintenance mode, the next one will be a top-notch Eisenhower set. After that, I might go after Roosevelts. I can't think of any killer dates in the Roosies. Boy, looking back on this thread, I need to get better pictures, too. Some of these look really ratty.

Pending further additions, these are the ones that I know for sure I want to enter; I am going to try to get better images of some of these before the deadline. ikaros, Base Metal, 1801-1900, 1883 nickel, United States: ikaros 1883 US Liberty nickel 'no cents' ikaros, Base Metal, 1901-present, 1963 half crown, New Zealand: ikaros 1963 New Zealand half crown ikaros, Base Metal, 1901-present, 1938 nickel, United States: ikaros 1938 US Jefferson nickel ikaros, Base Metal, 1901-present, 1963 five cents, Netherlands Antilles: ikaros 1963 Netherlands Antilles 5 cents ikaros, Base Metal, Exonumia, 1969 Man in Space series, Gemini VII: ikaros 1969 Glendenning Man In Space series: Gemini VII Part of the Glendenning series on American spaceflight. Aluminium. ikaros, Base Metal, Exonumia, 2006 Central States Numismatic Society convention token: ikaros 2006 CSNS convention token Minted on-site at the convention by the Gallery Mint. Unknown composition; soft base metal. ikaros, Base Metal, Exonumia, 2006 Central States Numismatic Society convention homage to ancient coinage: ikaros 2006 CSNS Homage to Ancient Coinage Minted on-site at the convention by the Gallery Mint. Unknown composition; soft base metal. I am entering two "special coins" on the basis of being issued by unrecognized governmental authorities (one seriously aspiring to legitimacy, the other rather less so): ikaros, Base Metal, Special Coins, 2009 42 Solaris/π MUs, Aerican Empire: ikaros 2009 Aerican Empire 42 Solaris/π MUs Minted 2009 for the micronation, The Aerican Empire. Total run was 100 coins. Composition is zinc alloy w/antique silver plate. ikaros, Base Metal, Special Coins, 2006 10 Shillings, Somaliland: ikaros 2006 10 shillings The issuing authority is de facto rather than de jure; the currency is not internationally recognized and does not have an official exchange rate, but it is reasonably stable and at least the paper currency is in use in the region. Composition is stainless steel.

Yeah, it's been so long since I've seen a small portrait five, I did a double take... especially when I saw the date. I wonder if there's a good way to de-wrinkle it without doing anything untoward or unacceptably artificial to it.