coinsbygary

This information on the Icelandic monetary system is really interesting. Especially, since I went to Iceland in October for my daughter's wedding. Concerning Iceland, I loved it! It was quite an adventure. We may return at some point in the future to visit the sites we didn't have time to visit because of the wedding. Iceman, did you get a chance to read the post I wrote about my visit? If not here's the link.   

That is totally cool! Congratulations on your rare find!

I am posting the pictures of my medal in The Freedom Museums exhibit.

I've collected moderns that fit a themed set of mine and will continue to do so. I will also begin collecting coins that will not end up in a registry set and will not be slabbed. Since I have a set entitled "Inspirational Ladies" and a set entitled "The Coins and Medals of Laura Gardin Fraser" I will collect the new silver quarter series. I intend to collect them raw and leave them in their mint packaging. Perhaps I'll buy a certified example of a few quarters for the aforementioned sets. I've been through all kinds of collecting phases and I find my myself drawn back to a simpler and more enjoyable time of collecting.

On 1/9/2022 at 9:55 PM, jgenn said:

...Did Laura Gardin Fraser have any notable apprentices/students?

None that I know of. However, all the great artists had assistants and apprentices that took care of all the grunt work in the artists studios. Some even ended up sitting in as models. For their efforts young aspiring artists could glean all sorts of tips from the greats of their day. For any artist to be selected by the Frasers to assist them in their studio would have been a great honor and privilege. 

Jack

There is something to be said for your winning set that does not include high grades and the lowest graded coin in Very-Fine condition being a Top-Pop. Congratulations on your Potosi Mint 8-reales set winning the Best Presented award.

...On another note, congratulations on your Lincoln Cent set award! Mark's photos of your cents look phenomenal in your winning set. Your set is truly pleasing to the eye and a testament to your eye in choosing coins with pleasing eye appeal. Your set is truly worthy of award and recognition!

I was also disappointed with NGC dropping the journal awards but like you, it was not unexpected. Congratulations on the Zimbabwean coin set winning best presented. I have always thought hyperinflation as a cause of disappearing coins was a very interesting and compelling theme. I am also glad that we are NOT rid of you because of the journal awards.  That said, some things were just not meant to be. Believe me, I would have enjoyed you catching up to me in the journal awards. It was fun while it lasted and BTW, you won't be rid of me either! 

Congratulations! Your fine set certainly deserves to be recognized and applauded!

On 12/10/2021 at 6:49 PM, morganthebrave said:

Went to look for a copy of the Patina catalog on Spink web site and it is out of stock. It has been like that for perhaps 2 years or more. Any person have a spare copy or can send a photo copy? 

In my estimation, Spink should have this catalog scanned into the Newman Numismatic Portal. That said, if you do a search there using only the words "Spink Auction" it will return 591 records found. I own an 1879 copper "Three Graces" Spink fantasy coin with the "Penny Black" rendition of Queen Victoria. That said, its like pulling teeth to find any information beyond that of this beautiful fantasy coin. Good luck wading through 591 records. I hope you find somewhere in those records the information you seek. Gary. https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/searchwithterms?searchterm=spink auction

The following is a link to the write-up of this fantasy coin in my collection https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/wcm/coinview.aspx?sc=611230

Yes there are! I have a typed letter signed by Laura Gardin Fraser concerning her sculpted abutments for the Roosevelt Bridge in Washington DC. Incidentally, these were never installed and are rumored to be stored in a government warehouse someplace. Gary

I had a positive experience with a customer service representative proving and preserving a provenance attached to two of Laura Gardin Frasers medals in my collection. Reading an article in the June 2018 issue of "The Numismatist" I read the story of a family who had charge of numerous items from James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser's studio. Among the items were medals, plasters, and sculptures. I also found from a phone conversation with the curator, whose parents were aides to the Fraser's, that the plasters of Laura's Washington Quarter design were borrowed by the US Mint for the 1999 Washington commemorative half-eagle. For his trouble the mint presented him with a proof example of the Washington Commemorative. But I digress. Soon after the the article was published, I was contacted by my "all things Fraser" mentor-friend that the curators only lived 60 miles from where he lived and that he made an appointment to inspect the studio collection. From his inspection he recommended that I purchase two medals from the Fraser studio collection. Acting as my agent, my mentor-friend negotiated a good price for me and it was a sale. When I sent the medals to NGC for grading, I asked that the provenance be preserved. I presented them with a hand written bill of sale, a canceled check, and the Numismatist article as evidence that the medals I now owned once belonged to the Frasers. Over the phone I talked with NGC's head of medal grading over the wording of the provenance and finally settled on "Fraser Studio Archives."

Everyone needs a break, and yours is well deserved! In this season of Thanksgiving I give thanks for my supportive wife just as you do yours. Enjoy your week together! Gary

This is one of the most thorough write-ups I have ever read. Not just concerning this medal but any medal. The read is both enlightening and enjoyable. Generally speaking, a write-up of this length doesn't keep my attention all the way to the end but this one has. This is a well written and enjoyable read. Gary

This is interesting. I think I'll pursue a little theory I'm working on. Since the age of enlightenment led to a disdain of royals and by extension the church, could it be that this led to Christians fleeing to America to escape religious persecution? I know this was true of different sects of Christianity earlier than 1790 fleeing Great Britain and persecution from the king and the Church of England. Included with that number are other Europeans fleeing similar persecutions in other European countries. Could it be that the first amendment to the constitution sprung from the experiences of people fleeing religious persecution? History has a cause and effect to it that I find fascinating as it shapes the world we live in today. As for the Age of Enlightenment and the Reign of Terror, the French Revolution had the rest of the European continent shaking in its boots as it expanded beyond the borders of France causing countless others to flee for the Americas. Very interesting stuff all marked in history by the coins we collect. Gary

Welcome to the NGC registry and journaling! Currently, my collecting interests are very broad, but I do have a Ukrainian and a Latvian coin in my collection!  

On 10/4/2021 at 8:57 AM, coin928 said:

Hi Gary,

An excellent post as always.  Your photos are a great comparison of techniques, but I'm surprised you didn't try side lighting on this coin.  Many years ago, I took photos with a very cheap camera and two lights shining towards each other from the sides in an otherwise dark room. The lights are at the same angle as your 45 degree axial, but without the glass (or in your case, the CD cover)..  I was just trying to do comparisons, so the final quality isn't great.  I wasn't concerned about dust or the camera lens reflecting on the coin. This technique only works well for cameo proof coins, but the effects can be quite dramatic. The fields can appear totally black which sets off the cameo devices.  A similar effect can be achieved using a flat bed scanner. I have not tried either technique on a reverse proof though. I would be curious to see what that looks like.

Above photos taken with a very cheap camera and two side lights.

Above images acquired with a flatbed scanner.

I got to hand it to you, the flatbed scanner for your standard proof SAE really looks nice! 

You may not have liked the wait, but I think the grades you got were worth the wait! Congratulations! 

Sam looks pretty happy in your pictures! It's good to see him as active as any boy his age. I had to sadly sigh when I saw the picture of him in that hospital bed.  Hospitals are no place for kids! It looks to me like you are pretty happy also!  Gary

I bought a modern coin that went up 10 times in value soon after I purchased it. Its still holding pretty high after having been released almost two years ago. It's odd but I think if you get two people in an auction that feel the item they are bidding is a must have acquisition, the final hammer can go very high. If not there are occasional good buys out there. Keep your auction watch lists up to date and strictly adhere to your maximum bid, there may yet be some good deals to be had. Perhaps you'll watch ten and win one. It all depends on the demand at the time of the auction. Of course eye appeal, grades, and other miscellaneous factors have a lot to do with demand. Don't give up on locating items at coin shops or direct sales from other collectors. They can be your best value. In the end, it really is a treasure hunt. Below is the coin of which I am referring.

Gary

Ahh, trying new angles and edits when photographing coins is my favorite pastime. That's when I enjoy my coins for free! Some of my coins have been photographed more times than I can count! I dare say that I have probably spent more time photographing my coins than I have spent researching my coins. Oh, BTW, nice pics! Gary

Seven to eight years ago I bought just over 40oz of SAE's. Immediately thereafter the spot price continued to fall. My attitude towards selling them then was that I had them free and clear and was never in a financial need to sell them. After holding them all these years, I finally sold them all to a local coin dealer for nearly $27.00 per ounce. My profit was just north of $125.00. Nothing earth shattering, but a profit nonetheless.

What stopped me form buying more silver back then was the realization that I primarily collected coins just for the fun of it without thinking of them as an investment. Sure, I much rather make a return on my coins when I sell them. But if I take a loss, I chalk it up as the cost of participating in this hobby just as green fees are the cost of playing golf. A silver stacker I'll never be. Gary

P.S. That said, I never criticize others for buying what they like to collect. Collect what you like has always been my motto. 

First what has always fascinated me about this hobby are the people that have found a somewhat-affordable niche in a specific area of numismatics to create world class sets such as yours based on the Soho Mint. I have found my niche in Laura Gardin Fraser designed coins and medals. This began with my admiration for Mrs. Fraser and her pioneering spirit as the first women medalist to design a US coin. Forever she has paved the way for other female medalists. Just 60 years after the Alabama centennial half-dollar, Elizabeth Jones became the chief engraver of the United States mint. Just a collector of ordinary means, I have acquired several scarce pieces including two pieces with a documented provenance of once belonging to the Frasers.

Finally, no one assembles a world class set without help. A close friend of mine in the hobby has been there for me every step of the way. He has sent me tips on auctions, helped me with my research, proof-read many of my write-ups, and finally sent me all the research he assembled on Laura Gardin Fraser. Incidentally, he also acted as an agent to secure the two Fraser studio pieces that I own. When I gave a Money Talks presentation on LGF at the 2019 ANA Worlds fair of money show he reviewed my presentation and suggested a few good tips to make it better. Truth be told, it's the relationships with other collectors that attract me to this hobby more than anything.    

That is a beautiful coin with lots of luster. Congratulations on obtaining it!

This is a scholarly write-up. Well done on your research and on making complex data readable to the uninformed collector like me! Gary