Scott A's Journal

A journal by Scott A

0
  • entries
    36
  • comments
    5
  • views
    1,465

Entries in this journal

Very Rare Sierra Leone Die Trial

Finally got it graded. I finally had this very rare obverse die trial of this cool Sierra Leone Company token graded. I tried to have it graded by NGC a few years ago and they sent it back stating that they don't grade these coins any longer. (Funny how my regular issue piece of this type was graded by them). So off to PCGS a month or two ago and now it resides in a nice holder and appropriately graded as MS63RB. A very cool addition to my small Sierra Leone Company collection. It's small
Scott A

Scott A

0

Unusual Congo Pattern Discovery

Unusual Variety Find! I just bought a rare Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) 1970 Pewter Essai KM E4 Pewter of KM13 from a major auction company. It weighs 14.36g, uniformed bust three-quarters right, rev. arms, value below, essai stamped below. This seems to be an odd variety that has the word Zaires instead of Zaire on the reverse for the denomination. This is not like the coin pictured in KM nor is it like the gold and gilt coins that I own, which all are spelled in the expected sing
Scott A

Scott A

0

Unlisted and Unknown Katanga Rarity

Off the market for decades. A recent discovery that I found of this extremely rare Specimen Proof from the King's Norton Mint Collection which grades PCGS SP66RD. While no official mintage records are kept for most of these types of coins, typical mintages are 5-15 pieces. Sources that I have believe that there were only 3-5 of these struck, but who really knows for sure? This particular coin was off the market for decades. Currently no example has been graded by NGC, and only two are graded
Scott A

Scott A

0

Tough Find

Another very tough addition to my collection! I just added a great and very rare new piece to my Belgian Congo collection. It is a 1917 (H) 5 Centimes in Proof. It is graded NGC SP65 and super rare. I have been looking for one for the past decade and this is the first I have seen for sale and was lucky enough to buy it. I almost missed it somehow, as I did not notice it for sale in the World Coin News and almost recycled my paper but relooked for some reason and bam!, right there in an add
Scott A

Scott A

0

Silver Lion Essai Rarity

One tough one left. I recently bought one of the last of the 1965 10 Francs Essai coins that was struck in silver and just had it graded and it is now graded NGC MS64. I found it in a London auction. I have the aluminum version NGC MS66, copper-nickel version NGC MS64, and a copper uniface Die Trial NGC MS65BN. So the last piece left is one struck in gold, which is listed in Krause, but I have never seen or heard of one existing in the many years that I have been collecting this series. Th
Scott A

Scott A

0

Red Katanga

Finest Certified Franc of Katanga! I just added the finest certified 1 Franc coins of Katanga, a region of the Belgian Congo, to my collection. NGC MS66RD!!! Although quite a common coin in general, finding a choice gem piece with original full red color is very difficult. I guess that's why there is only one graded this high and none higher at either service. As nice as one would hope to have in a top notch collection like my Belgian Congo sets. Please take a look. To see old comme
Scott A

Scott A

0

Rare New Edition!

Only 10 Minted! The newest rare coin to join the Belgian Congo family is a 1970 1 Zaire Silver Piefort-Essai, which is 4.75 mm thick. The coin is thick enough to warrant a custom slab from NGC, which is quite notably larger than their normal slabs. It is graded NGC PF65CAM. It is one of only 10 minted and the only one graded by any grading company to date. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
Scott A

Scott A

0

Petite Real

I don't mind the hole. I just added a nice little 1/4 Real to my Latin American Beauties collection. It is a Colonial issue of Philip II and looks nicer than most that I have seen of this scarce coin type/denomination. Yes it is pierced, as many are, but it does not detract from the eye appeal in my opinion. It is slightly heavy for the issue as well. A very charming addition to my collection. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
Scott A

Scott A

0

Peruvian Curiosity

Mint State Cantina Token I just acquired a new Latin Beauty. It is an 1873 Peruvian Cantina Token with a 20 Centavo value from Aguas Del Rimac. I really don't have much information on this token, but love it. It is appropriately graded as NGC MS63, and might be a tad bit finer. Most likely not common, at least in this condition. If any of you fine numismatists know more about this token, feel free to share your knowledge. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New
Scott A

Scott A

0

Pedigree Corrected By NGC

Double Pedigree Several years ago I submitted this set of 1887 Belgian Congo silver coins that I purchased in a Stacks Auction, Lot 1479 on 2/17/1999. When I submitted the coins I put a bracket on the submission form to encompass all four coins with the pedigree for ex. Goodman and ex. Hall. Unfortunately NGC didn't notice the bracket and ended up putting Goodman on one of the coin and Hall on another coin and nothing on the other two coins. I intended on having this corrected over the yea
Scott A

Scott A

0

PCGS Makes Good On Their Mistake

Finally A Real Win With A Grading Service I sent an unlisted and very rare pattern in for grading to PCGS since I had a coupon for four free submissions. After several interactions online with their customer service people to correct errors that I saw on the PCGS website related to this coin, as well as providing them with a variety of information about the coin, since it is not listed in any major catalog, the coin was shipped back to me as "unable to authenticate". Now this coin is not a di
Scott A

Scott A

0

Pair of small Peruvian Gems!

Extremely rare quality on typically somewhat crudely made coins. I recently bought two wonderful little Gems. 1850 and an 1855 1/2 Real Lima, both in NGC MS66! Anyone who knows these small pretty coins knows that to find one of these in this state of preservation is almost a miracle. Well this miracle hit twice. Dos Milagros Baby!!! I have added a slab pic, but to see them in closer detail go look at my Latin American Beauties Custom set. To see old comments for this Journal entry, c
Scott A

Scott A

0

NGC Messes Up An Easy Congo Coin

Easy Overdate Missed I just bought a coin from an eBay auction, which was graded by NGC. The coin is a lovely coin, and properly graded, but it is not a standard 1888 5 Centimes that it was labeled as. It is in fact a 1888/7 5 Centimes, which is very easy to detect and should have been caught by NGC. I have 3 Gem 1888/7 5 Centimes pieces (NGC MS66RB, PCGS MS66BN, and NGC MS65RD). This is a common and well-known overdate that NGC should have caught with a second of looking at the date. Not o
Scott A

Scott A

0

Newest Elephant

One of the Finest Graded I just added another Belgian Congo 1943 2 Francs piece to my collections. I actually have a few, but as many of you know, it's nice to keep upgrading when you can. So I finally added a new piece graded NGC MS65, which passes up my PCGS MS64. And for those of you who do not know the series, NGC has only graded 2 in MS65 and one in MS66, while PCGS has only graded 5 in MS64, 4 in MS65, and none higher. So as you can see it is a tough coin to find this nice. I was ou
Scott A

Scott A

0

Newest Congo coin

1928 50 centimes KM23 1928 50 centimes KM23 PCGS MS65! Finest graded of the type. It truly is a beautiful coin. I would actually even say it should have graded MS66. Take a peek and let me know what you think.
Scott A

Scott A

0

Newest Belgian Congo Rarity!

Must-See Belgian Congo Mule I have just received my newest Belgian Congo rarity back from PCGS. This is a must see coin. It is a 1936/1922 1 Franc Mule. It is the size of a 1 franc coin in nickel-bronze (the composition of the 5 francs coin of 1936). One side is the design of a 1936 5 Francs (KM24) and the other side a 1922 1 Franc (KM21). Weight before slabbing was 9.23 g This is truly a very cool coin and probably unique or close to it. I was pleased to see PCGS accurately confirm t
Scott A

Scott A

0

New pics

New pics of freshly certified coins. I have added several new pics of coins in my Belgian Congo collections and my Latin American Beauties collection that I got back from PCGS. Take a look and enjoy.
Scott A

Scott A

0

New Congo Goodies!

New Finds And Great Grades Two new additions to my Belgian Congo collection. To note, one is an error coin. From my experience errors are difficult to find. I have a few in my collection. 1967 10 Sengis Error Obverse Partial Brockage in NGC MS65. If you look closely at the pictures you can easily see the obverse brockage reeding, but a little tougher to see it the high pushed up metal on the opposite corresponding side. A small but mighty little error. The second coin is an over-date I
Scott A

Scott A

0

New Belgian Congo Pattern

Varieties Exisit I just bought a new Belgian Congo Pattern that is interesting. It is a 1944 1 Franc similar to KM 26, but struck in steel. It is the same design and metallic content to another steel pattern that I have, but this piece has the "PATT" punch above the elephant, while the other steel example has no letters punched over the elephant. Both the copper and brass examples have the "PATT" punch as well. I am not sure if the coin without the punched letters was intentional or just g
Scott A

Scott A

0

My Congo collection

It's Growing My Congo collection continues to grow. I have added several great coins to this stunning collection. Sadly I have missed out on a few coins that would have been great additions. I can thank one person in particular that could have helped me but chose not to. What a . Oh well, we can't get them all now can we? Or can we? I will certainly keep on trying. After looking through many of the other sets on here I truly believe that Part 1 and 2 of my Congo sets are some of the
Scott A

Scott A

0

Little Latin American Rarity

Rare and maybe the finest. My newest and lovely Latin American Beauty! Guatemala 1829-NG M Real, KM75. One of the classic rarities of Latin American, a rare one-year type, provisional issue as the State of Guatemala. The SCWC reports only 4 known, but realistically about 12-15 exist. I have traced most of them and the majority are in low grade and/or damaged. The few that are nice and two that are numerically graded by NGC in the same grade I find to be in lower grade than this example. Even
Scott A

Scott A

0

Large Denomination vs. Small Denomination Patterns

Recent discovery in elephant patterns. I have been collecting Belgian Congo coins for many years and discovered some of the 1 franc elephant patterns several years ago. But more recently I discovered that there are some varieties in these elephant coins. The obverses have the same elephant design. However some sport the "PATT" above the elephant and some do not. But the reverses are markedly different as you can see by the photo of the two side by side that I have attached here. I am call
Scott A

Scott A

0

High Grade Belgian Congo

Top Graded date! I just bought a lovely 1919 5 Centimes graded PCGS MS67! Coins from this country very rarely reach this basically astronomical grade, unless they are modern of course. In fact, not counting modern proofs, my collection only consists of 4 coins graded 67 with none higher and none to my knowledge graded higher by either NGC or PCGS. Please take a look at my wonderful Belgian Congo collections (broken up into 2 parts because of prior size restrictions). I am always trying to c
Scott A

Scott A

0

Great Little Belgian Congo Error

A Real Doubled Die I discovered this charming little Belgian Congo 1944 1 Franc error several years ago and had it conserved and graded by NCS/NGC. I could never get a good photo of this coin until today. The coin is graded as a NGC AU55. Regardless of grade this is an exceptional find for this series. I have a few errors in this collection, but they are as rare as can be. So I am finally sharing the photo that I took today with you fine collectors. I hope you enjoy it. Note:I am slowl
Scott A

Scott A

0

Fantastically Rare Belgian Congo Essai

Very Rare, shiny, and new to me! My newest Belgian Congo rarity. 1920 Albert I of Belgium nickel Specimen Essai Franc SP66 PCGS, Dupriez 182.   This enchanting coin depicts the laureate head of Albert I of Belgium with ESSAI stamped to the right of the palm tree motif. Virtually unseen in the marketplace, this rare issue presents attractive features and lustrous surfaces, highly-coveted as such. This piece, very similar to the piece that was sold in the Spink & Son 12/17/14 auction.
Scott A

Scott A

0
0