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Because I’m slowly going blind?

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Revenant

Entry posted by Revenant ·

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So one of my stocking stuffers on Christmas morning was a small pocket magnifier that has a light built-in. I saw this and asked my wife, jokingly, “So is this because I’m slowly going blind?” She said, “No! It’s for your coins!” “… and the fact that I’m slowly going blind?”

In early 2016, right around the time Ben was born, I got a 5 mm corneal abrasion right in the middle of my right cornea – it almost split the cornea in half. I was lucky enough that it didn’t cost me use of the eye, but it did cost me a lot of the finer vision in it. There was a fair bit of scarring afterwards in the middle of the cornea. I went from barely ever needing glasses for 20/30-ish vision to getting 20/60 in that eye with my glasses. I’ve noticed the last couple of year that I now have a much harder time making out fine details – and sometimes dates and mint marks on small coins like dark old brown pennies.

This is something that will make you a bigger fan of larger coins, brighter coins. I really had dreams of building a set of civil war tokens one day but I’m starting to question how well that might go for me.

This has caused some sad times over the last 3 years as I realize that I am getting older and things aren’t always going to work as well perhaps… When do you start realizing that you’re not going to last forever? Anyway…

I also got 5 new notes to add to my Zimbabwe 2nd dollar sets and the seller was giving out UV lights for checking / seeing the UV features of notes. The Zimbabwe notes have features that show under UV light but I’ll have to test and see if the light / these features can be seen under / through the PMG holders. I know lots of otherwise transparent plastics can block and absorb UV light, so it might not be possible to use this light or see the UV active security features on graded and encapsulated notes.

I also finally got to take a look at my Zimbabwean dime and was pleasantly surprised. I took a bit of a risk on it as the sellers photos didn’t make the coin look nice / had me thinking there might be some problem areas. The coin looks much better in-hand and shines quite nicely.

My wife took pictures of me opening it. I decided to ham it up a bit for fun.

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Of course, this is what most of the morning was really about:

 

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See the train table / playset in the background? Guess who was putting that together at 10:30 PM the night prior, after that same 3 year old came in and woke me up at 5:15 that morning because he wanted to go downstairs, watch his tablet and play with all his old toys, that are not getting a 2nd look now that there are new toys that are now his favorite.

This is what you get when you tell a 3 year old that there are presents with his name on it and he can't open them yet. Bare in mind, he'd already gotten to open all the presents at his house and we were at grannie's house.
 

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Electric Peak

I turned 58 (gasp!) last month. But for many years, I have not quite accepted turning 30. In my mind I'm still young, but my body gives regular reminders that my 20s are long gone. It's mostly the left knee and other joints, but the eyes are slowly failing as well. I have trouble at coin shows. If I go wearing contacts, then I need reading glasses for the 1-5 foot distance range, and can't see clearly closer than that. Or I can wear glasses similar to the contacts. Then I can slide them down my nose to see at reading distances. And looking above or below the lenses (no correction), I can see up close pretty well. Neither option is ideal, but I usually go with the glasses. Either way, I can see well through my loupe. It's just a matter of being able to see there's something worthy of the closer look.

In any case, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy spending time with your family.

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Mokiechan

I know where you're coming from.  I have had two cornea transplants in each eye and am always fearful that I will lose my sight or at least my correctable acuity.   I suppose it would be like a person who loves music losing their hearing or a person who enjoys playing guitar, finding their arthritic fingers no longer work.  Oh well, at 61, the great beyond is not that far in the future.  As long as I make it to this summers ANA WFM in my hometown, I will be Happy Numie. :)

Edited by Mokiechan
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Revenant
On 12/27/2019 at 9:29 AM, Mokiechan said:

I know where you're coming from.  I have had two cornea transplants in each eye and am always fearful that I will lose my sight or at least my correctable acuity.   I suppose it would be like a person who loves music losing their hearing or a person who enjoys playing guitar, finding their arthritic fingers no longer work.  Oh well, at 61, the great beyond is not that far in the future.  As long as I make it to this summers ANA WFM in my hometown, I will be Happy Numie. :)

If you're 61 you've got at least 20-30 more years. ;)

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MIKE BYRNE
On 12/27/2019 at 10:29 AM, Mokiechan said:

I know where you're coming from.  I have had two cornea transplants in each eye and am always fearful that I will lose my sight or at least my correctable acuity.   I suppose it would be like a person who loves music losing their hearing or a person who enjoys playing guitar, finding their arthritic fingers no longer work.  Oh well, at 61, the great beyond is not that far in the future.  As long as I make it to this summers ANA WFM in my hometown, I will be Happy Numie. :)

I don't think you will have a problem. Good things happen to good people. You are one of The nicest gentlemen I have met.  Your knowledge of coins the work you do with The Pan kids. I will also pray. Keep up the good work we will all be pulling for you. Mike

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