Scott A's Journal

A journal by Scott A

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Entries in this journal

Awesome Gem Belgian Congo Error

Who needs an extra hole? 1888 1 Centime Double Hole Punch Error PCGS MS66RB. A tremendously cool error in top notch grade. Likely a unique error. It does show that the holes were punched after the coins were struck. This is a magnificent treasure that will now grace my Belgian Congo collection, where it will find good company with other rarities and gems. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
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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
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Amazing Bolivian Cob

Mint State Cob I am pleased to announce my latest early Latin American coin. It is a Bolivia 1686 P VR 1 Real 2.9 grams NGC MS63. There are no other Bolivian coins of the type approaching the condition of this magnificent Potosi mint Charles II Cob. This coin is also approaching a round shape with the date, mintmark, and assayer initials all struck up and sharply defined. To find a mint state silver cob of any series is quite amazing. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click
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1898 Belgian Congo Oval Gold Ticket or Pass for Congo Railway

Extremely rare medal in gold designed by the famous and talented Isidore de Rudder (1855 - 1943) I just added this magnificent medal to my Belgian Congo Collection. 1898 Belgian Congo Oval Gold Ticket or Pass for Congo Railway. COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS BY SUBJECT, Exploration and Travel, Africa, Congo Railway (Chemin de Fer du Congo), Inauguration, 1 July 1898, oval Gold Ticket or Pass, by Isidore de Rudder (Belgian 1855-1943), semi-naked female seated before locomotive, rev legend and initia
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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
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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
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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
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A Herd of Elephants at the RNA

My display at our club's annual coins show. I entered a display for our club's annual coins show this past weekend. The club is certainly one of the more famous coin clubs in America. It is the Rochester Numismatic Association, aka RNA. John J. Pittman is a former member, and I was fortunate enough to meet him shortly before his death, and get to know his wife and daughter soon after his death. The coins that I displayed were 17 Belgian Congo coins that depicted elephants on them, includi
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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.
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Building A Set

Peru 1850 Date Set I just added an 1850 Peru 4 Reales piece to my "Latin American Beauties" Custom Set. The coin is from the Lissner Collection and I bought it in a very recent Heritage sale. I know I overpaid for this coin, but I am putting a mint state, silver date set together, and it's tough to find what you need. Only two are graded by either service, both NGC one MS62 and one MS64. The coin is quite lovely despite the scuff marks, and is one of the best struck pieces of the type that
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Extremely Rare Belgian Congo Proof

Gem Copper Proof I was fortunate enough to acquire an extremely rare 1887 10 Centimes copper proof coin. This is not a pattern and was not a coin that I knew was ever made in proof format. But here it is all beautiful and gem looking like the "belle of the ball". This coin will join my very impressive (if I do say so myself) Belgian Congo collection. It will also make a nice addition to my 1887 Silver Proof Set. Maybe someday I will find the other copper pieces in proof, if they exist. T
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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
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Actually Look At Your Coins

Overdate Discovered I recently bought a PCGS graded 1923 Belgian Congo 50 Centimes (Flemish version) that was graded MS64. The grade looked right. But within seconds of looking at this coin with a loupe I noticed that it was an overdate of 1923/2, which was not listed in KM. The overdate was easy to spot so I looked the coin up in a Belgian reference book that I have and noticed that the overdate is known to them. I resubmitted this coin to PCGS and they corrected the date. I was sure to
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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Extremely Rare Belgian Congo Specimen Proof 5 Centimes Conservation

SP65 upgraded to SP66 after lovely conservation services. 1917 5 Centimes (KM17) NGC SP66. Extremely Rare. The only one graded by NGC, none graded by PCGS, and the first I have seen after more than a decade of searching. Now graded SP66 after dramatic NCS conservation (Previously SP65). They removed cloudiness and some slight staining. It now is as beautiful as the day it was minted. I wish I could post before and after photos here. They really did do a great job. To see old co
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Another new rare Belgian Congo pattern!!!

Unlisted Pattern I have yet been lucky enough to purchase another new very rare unlisted (soon to be listed) pattern from a Belgian auction. Not yet graded, but similar to the 1906 20 Centimes Pattern with unpunched hole in aluminum-bronze that I have listed in Part 2 of my Belgian Congo Collection. This piece is a 1911 5 Cetimes pattern with unpunched hole in aluminum-bronze (or brass). Unreported in Dupriez or Bogaert, 2.53 g, 19 mm. ex. Veilinghuis Eeckhout-Aalst, May 7, 2011, Lot 1
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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