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Mokiechan

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Journal Entries posted by Mokiechan

  1. Mokiechan
    As many of you are aware, the upcoming World’s Fair of Money will be held in Pittsburgh, PA from August 4-8, 2020.  Education and outreach to YNs are of prime importance to both the American Numismatic Association and this year’s host club, the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists.
    During the most recent F.U.N. show, Dennis Boggs (who plays Abraham Lincoln) and Pat McBride (who plays Benjamin Franklin) worked in tandem to create a remarkable attraction for show attendees.  YN’s flocked to Abe and Ben for their captivating historical presentations and “selfie” photo ops.
    Bringing President Lincoln and Dr. Franklin to the 2020 Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money would adda a vital element of YN-oriented outreach via fun, interesting presentations and personal interactions.  We have set up a Go Fund Me page to facilitate bringing Dennis Boggs to Pittsburgh. Contributions in an amount of your choice are appreciated.  Your donation will help us make the World’s Fair of Money a glorious show along the Forks of the Ohio this summer.   
     
    https://www.gofundme.com/f/get-abe-lincoln-to-pittsburgh
     


  2. Mokiechan

    My Most Favorite Island

    By Mokiechan,

    Whitman Folder #9088 is a remarkable little folder, a typical 3 panel folder, that has transported me back in time to a wild island off the coast of North America. 9088, the Newfoundland Coin Type Collection consists of 7 denominations for 1 Queen, and 3 Kings of England.  Her Provincial coin collection starts with Queen Victoria in 1865 and ends with King George VI in 1947.   In 1949, Newfoundland joined Canada and became her 10th and last Province. 

    As I may have mentioned in previous blogs, I have a great affinity for Canada and enjoy collecting her coins and ephemera.  I became aware of the possibility of collecting Canadian Provincial issues after completing my Dansco Canada Type Album.  The provincial issues available, in order of their output are Newfoundland (20 coins), New Brunswick (5 coins), Nova Scotia (2 coins), and Prince Edward Island (1 coin).  Of course, these numbers do not count the numerous varieties available within each set.  I chose to start with Newfoundland because it has the greatest number of coins, it has the only Gold coin, and it has the only coin folder. 

    Newfoundland is also a fascinating place in its own right.  L'Anse aux Meadows, on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, is the site of the only confirmed Viking settlement in North America.  Gander on the east coast was the town where 38 Planes, refused entry to the United States, sheltered in the aftermath of 9/11.  The hospitality shown by Gander residents and numerous other Newfies, for the 6000 + passengers is heartwarming and has been the subject of books and documentaries.  

    The Newfoundland $2 gold coin was minted from 1865 to 1888 but was only minted in 6 years between 1865 and 1888.  This was the only gold coin issued by any of the provinces, they chose the denomination because a silver Dollar was considered to heavy for a pocket and a $1 gold coin was considered to small and light.  The $2 was deemed just the right size.  My example is graded AU 55 by NGC.  I am happy to have completed my Newfoundland type set.  Now I move on to New Brunswick, 2 coins down 3 to go.  Completing the Newfoundland set has been a wonderful experience, I hope all your collecting endeavors are equally enjoyable.

    Designer: Leonard C. Wyon

    Weight: 3.328 grams

    Diameter: 17.98 mm

    Fineness: .917 gold, .083 Copper  .0981 oz


     
    Haxby, James A. : A Guide book of Canadian Coins and Tokens, 1st edition



  3. Mokiechan
    My Pittsburgh Area Numiez, the South Hills Coin Club of Bethel Park PA will be holding their 60th anniversary coin show on February 1st and 2nd.  I believe it is important, even in the age of online auctions, to attend shows, even the smaller ones.  By attending smaller shows and supporting their bourse, you are keeping many small part time dealers in the game and you are stimulating the local coin community. 
    The South Hills Coin Club show will have approximately 40 dealers and will also have door prizes and other fun stuff throughout the 2 days.   The Show hours are 1000-1700 on Saturday and 1000-1500 on Sunday.  So if you're in beautiful Western Pennsylvania, jump on the Parkway and find yourself at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.   I will be helping at the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists (PAN) each day and our table will have free foreign coins, Beaver Falls Centennial medals, and Lincoln Cents for the younger ones.  We will have a friendly handshake and lots of coin talk for us older ones.  My partner Tom may also bring a display case with his awesome display of Swedish Plate Money.   Cya There. 
    Crowne Plaza Hotel 164 Fort Couch Rd Pittsburgh, PA 15241
  4. Mokiechan
    Nowadays, a lot of us, including me, buy most of our coins via the internet.  This is way different from when I started collecting back in the late 1960's.  In those days, even Department Stores had a coin and stamp counter, Heck even the local Woolworth's had a section of the store where you could buy a Red Book, a Lincoln Cent Folder, and all the other associated supplies.  Local coin shops, at least in the Pittsburgh area, were plentiful, and there was always mail order through a dealer you might have spotted in Coins Magazine, or the Numismatic News. Those days are gone, for the most part, but the local, regional, or national coin shows are still around and are still one of the best ways to fill your want list, meet your fellow collectors (I really do feel completely at home surrounded by my fellow hobbyists), and even learn a thing or two.   The Pennsylvania Numismatic Association (PAN) is hosting their Fall show this week, 17-19 October, in beautiful Monroeville PA. There will be about 120 dealers, ANACS will take your coins for grading, and there are a number of speakers, to include Clifford Mishler, holding forth on the 18th.  As if that wasn't enough, here are the top 11 reasons you should attend the Fall PAN show:

    1.  Parking is Free, Admission is Free, Spending time at the traveling Burns Library is Free, Distinguished Speakers are Free, and the KidZone is Free (for all YNs under 18).
    2.  Clifford Mishler is going to speak about the remarkable Chet Krause on Friday afternoon.  Cliff is a personal Numismatic Hero of Mine.
    3.  The weather should be excellent with no rain, or snow, or other natural calamities in the forecast.
    4.  Monroeville is conveniently located off the Pennsylvania Turnpike for those of you coming from other parts of Pennsy.
    5.  Monroeville is just a Parkway, a tunnel, and a Parkway from beautiful downtown Pittsburgh.
    6.  The concession stand in the convention center actually has moderate prices, an excellent breakfast burrito, and a $5 soft drink you can refill for free all day long.
    7.  The convention center is adjacent to the Monroeville Mall, which is WORLD FAMOUS for being the Mall featured in George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.
    8.  Clubs including the Harrisburg Coin Club, the West Penn Coin Club, the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, Western Pennsylvania Numismatic Society, PAN, and the Barber Coin Collectors Society, will be present to answer your questions and solicit your membership.
    9.  There will be outstanding competitive exhibits available for your viewing pleasure and you can vote for Best of Show.10. Did I mention Ben Franklin?  Ben Franklin, His Honourable Self, will be appearing throughout the show to provide wisdom and selfie opportunities.
    11. Finally, the bourse floor is populated by a number of dealers selling slabbed coins, raw coins, medals, ancient coins, currency, books, and supplies.  If you want it, you will find it.

    I hope to see you there, if you do make it, stop by the KidZone table and say Hi, I will be there all day Saturday. 

     


  5. Mokiechan
    I am getting really excited as October nears and the PAN Fall Coin Show beckons.  We had a planning meeting last night and I presented some things I am planning on doing ifor the KidZone, to include our usual auction with our newly minted auction dollars.  Last May, we could not find our auction dollars so had to use carnival tickets instead.  We also could not find our Wheat Cents and had to scramble to find sources on the bourse.  .  So we now have a whole new batch of auction dollars that I have been printing over the past few weeks and the aforementioned 9000 Cents donated by a PAN member with a PAN dealer committing to another 1000 Cents (Plus the Remainder from Last May).  Suffice it to say, we are going to have plenty of Cents on our table for the YNs Cent Albums.  PAN also purchased 120 one-a-year Lincoln Folders, 1909-2009 at Cost from a national dealer.  They are really nice folders and they will make the Penny Table so much more fun since we can also add Memorial Cents for the first time.   We've got coloring books coming from the Mint, we have Ben Franklin appearing at the KidZone and judging the "Color Ben" coloring contest.  We have loads of donated items, Copper Rounds and T-Shirts for each registrant, and 50 great auction lots to spend their auction dollars on. All For Free!!!!
    I actually went through the donated cents this morning, they were all rolled up so it took me awhile to go through, I checked maybe 2 or 3 dates per roll and found a very good mix with Cents as early as 1910, since I did not find a 1909  (although there is a good chance one was among the mostly unchecked cents), I threw a VF 1909 Lincoln into the bucket so I can honestly tell the Kids, somewhere on the table, is a VF 1909 Cent, and maybe more .   The KidZone will be operating all day, Saturday, October 19th, if you make it to the Fall PAN show, stop by and say Hi, I will be there manning the KidZone Registration all day.  For more details, go to the following link.  It should be updated shortly with information about this October's KidZone auction Lots, etc. 
    https://pancoins.org/pankidzone/
    .



     
     
  6. Mokiechan

    20 July 1969

    By Mokiechan,

    It's hard to believe it has been 50 years since Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin first landed on the Moon.  In the summer of 1969, I was an 11-year-old living in Mt Lebanon, PA and feeling the excitement of the impending Moon landing.  Back then, the Space Program was a really big deal and dominated all 4 TV channels, Mad Magazine, and of course our two daily newspapers.  There was no internet, there was no social media, or YouTube, or all the other things we expect in our daily lives today.  But the entire world was waiting with bated breath for the moment when the Lunar Module made its landing. 
    That night, a Sunday, I had been invited to a sleepover at my friend Ralph's home.  His Mom knew I had a telescope, a very inexpensive Tasco refractor, and asked me to bring it so she could view the moon.  Ralph's house was only about two blocks away, so Ralph and I started walking along Sleepy Hollow Rd toward his home on Fruithurst Dr., about halfway there, I was Egged by some Teens speeding by in their car.  I saw a white streak flying toward me, felt gooey wetness on my shirt, and thought, for a moment, I had been shot.  Strange, it didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would, but then I quickly realized it was just an egg.  Oh well, I still feel I cheated death on that auspicious night. 
    We reached Ralph's house, got me cleaned up and proceeded to watch the live broadcast on one of the three main channels.  Probably CBS since they had Walter Cronkite.  I remember they gave directions on the screen for those who wanted to get a decent picture of the footage from the TV.  I think it was the most exciting time in all my life, up to that point.   We were holding our breath just like the guys at Mission Control, we were elated when touchdown was confirmed.  Of course, when Neil  hopped onto the Moon, the whole living room exploded with cheers, in fact, we could hear other people cheering next door and across the street, I think the whole world was cheering. 
    A plethora of Apollo 11 souvenirs could be found at every store in the aftermath of the landing, I had a model kit of the Lunar Lander, I had a model kit of the entire Stack, I had astronaut trading cards, I had space helmets, a moon globe, and I even had one Numismatic item.  The medal you see pictured here, it is gold colored, and aluminum, and not very detailed but it is pretty cool, and it still reminds me of the night I cheated death and saw One Giant Leap for Mankind.  Thank You Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Aldrin, and Mr. Collins, you will always be heroes to me.
    Where were you that night?



  7. Mokiechan
    Revenant's recent post about FUNKO POP figures has me thinking about the many parallels between the current numismatic market and the comic/pop culture market.  Earlier today, I saw a press release from Coin World about plans to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Carson City Mint.  According to the Press Release, on 01 August, The Carson City Mint Building will fire up one of its Coin Presses and mint 200 copies of the 1870-CC Half Dollar (with the word COPY stamped in the field, in pure silver).  If you want to obtain one of the first 200, you must buy a ticket to the release party, $140-$150, and then you must participate in a lottery to find out what your number of the 200 struck, will be yours.  On 02 August, a further 2800 will be struck for the general public to buy for their retirement portfolio.  I am assuming the numbers from 201-3000 will be sent either randomly or based on your order date.   Anyway, getting back to the original point, this kind of parallels the Comic Market of the 90's and 00's.   A lot of hype, a lot of "limited editions", and a lot of cost for something that is probably doomed to become relatively valueless over time.  Even with pure silver content, they will each have less than an ounce of silver, and will be worth about $7 at current spot.  $140 cost to get a piece of silver worth $7.  Sounds like the ultimate deal to me. 

  8. Mokiechan

    Deja Vu??

    By Mokiechan,

    As a result of a recent post, I did some research on the ATB Quarter Series and found out that when it's completed in 2021, the legislation requires the return to the original Washington Quarter Obverse (I wish it were Laura Fraser's Washington Bust) but changes the reverse to depict General Washington crossing the Delaware River before the Battle of Trenton.  This all sounds wonderful until I was reminded that Washington Crossing The Delaware has already appeared on the reverse of the 1999 New Jersey Quarter.  Since the ATB legislation was written long after the 1999 quarter was issued, one wonders how that slipped through and if a significantly different scene will be used in its stead?   I think there are a lot of different Washington Scenes that could be used on the reverse, maybe Washington taking the Oath of the Presidency, Maybe young George Washington at the Forks of the Ohio, or maybe even an Eagle, like it might have been depicted in the late 1700's.  What do you all think?  Should we reprise the 1999 New Jersey Quarter or should we be more creative?  



  9. Mokiechan
    There has been a tremendous amount of excitement associated with the West Point Mint in recent months due to the release of the FIRST EVER W Mint Lincoln Cents and the release, into the general economy, of 10 Million W ATB Quarters.  But there is a largely forgotten W mint product that has been slowly dwindling in mintage.
    Back in 2006, the 20th anniversary year of the silver eagle, the mint started producing, what they describe on their website as the American Silver Eagle One Ounce Uncirculated Coin.  This rather generic title implies the coin is no different than the silver eagles you can by in bulk at your local coin dealer.  Why would someone pay a premium for something they can get, in bulk, for spot plus a small %?  

    What makes these Silver Eagles so special is their Burnished finish.  Burnished coins have a soft matte finish that harkens back to the Matte Proofs of yesteryear but without the double strike. To produce a burnished finish, the silver blanks are cleaned then polished in a drum, similar to a rock tumbler.  By doing this, the planchets are smoothed and all surface scratches, blemishes, etc. are removed.  This process also gives each planchet the trademark soft matte finish, which remains true after the coins are struck.    The 2019 Burnished Eagles have been released.  I think this special issue deserves attention for both its beautiful appearance as well as its increasing rarity.   Consider buying one for your collection before the coin community catches on.

    In 2006 the mint sold 468,000 of these Uncirculated Eagles and mintage peaked the following year but has been in decline since:
    2007- 621,333
    2008- 533,757
    2009 - None Produced
    2010- None Produced
    2011- 409,776
    2012- 226,120
    2013- 222,091
    2014- 253,169
    2015- 223,879
    2016- 216,501
    2017-176,739
    2018- 131,935
    2019 -  Still Lower??

  10. Mokiechan
    There is a gentlemen doing business in Colorado that makes amazing reproductions of US coins. Even though his copies are exquisite, he gets away with not affixing the word COPY anywhere on his coins because he creates Fantasy pieces.  I own two of his Peace Dollars, one dated 1918 and one dated 1965.  The 1918 is in high relief (like the 1921) but also includes the infamous broken sword that caused so much controversy before the Dollar was released.  The 1965 Dollar is obviously meant as an homage to the fabled 1964 Peace Dollar, but is given a fantasy date so as not to run afoul of the actually minted 1964 version. 
    Mr. Daniel Carr, the creator of these pieces, takes pains to overstrike these fantasy pieces on genuine Peace Dollars.  Mr. Carr does this same thing with Morgan Dollars (he has produced a 1964 Morgan) and with a large variety of other US coin types.   I also own his 1858 Braided Hair Large Cent, overstruck on a genuine Large Cent of the era and a club medal struck for the Colorado Springs Numismatic Society, which was overstruck on a 1976 D CN Eisenhower Dollar.  You can even see the outline of Eisenhower on the Obverse, it kind of reminds me of clashed dies.   So bottom line, Mr. Carr is prodigious and his efforts sell well on his website as well as on Ebay.  
    I happen to like his products, I am glad he is able to skirt the Copy law, I am assuming, since he only produces fantasy dates, no one can ever be fooled.  What do YOU think?
     
     
     
     


  11. Mokiechan
    I have been following a lot on EBAY for several days and waiting to see if their would be any bidders or if it would simply timeout.  I sometimes use this method to monitor a lot I might want, but am not willing to pay the price, for one reason or another.
    Well, this lot of three irradiated dimes caught my eye, and I almost pulled the trigger at the original price but hesitated because the only Dime I was really interested in, was the Dime in the Worlds Fair holder, the other two were nice, but I already had examples.  The price was pretty good though, about $11 each when you added in postage.  The thing that made me hesitate was a thought that maybe if the lot expired without a bid, it would be relisted at a lower price, that happens sometimes, and I often buy when that happens.  

    This lot closed without a bid, and the owner did relist but at a HIGHER price, from 29.99 to 31.99 plus postage of 3.89.  Higher Price, what is this dude thinking? It puzzles me.   Maybe he raised the price because:

    1.  the old marketing concept of perceived value, if a thing is cheaply priced, the perception is the product is inferior, a higher price raises the perceived value in the eyes of the consumer.   The seller thinks the higher price will attract a better heeled buyer.
    2.  Someone told him his original price was too  low and that each of those dimes should sell for at least 15.00 each, he decided to raise the price because he thinks they're correct after doing his own research on irradiated dime sold prices.  But again, it was not a BIN sale, so if there were interest, he should have at least received the minimum bid.
    3.  He put no real thought into the price increase, he just saw that EBAY offered to relist and raised the price for heck of it.  

    What do you think?  I am still following this lot, but I am far less likely to buy it now, if he had even left the lot the same price, I probably would have put in a minimum bid.

     
  12. Mokiechan
    If you are like me, one of your favorite things to collect are type coins, particularly those type coins from the 19th Century.  Well, unbeknownst to many, the Mint recreated some of the most beautiful type coin designs starting in 2007.   These coins were the bronze corollary to the First Spouse series of 1/2 ounce Gold Coins differing in their size and with the mottoes, denomination, and gold content information removed.  The reason they exist is because the President at the time of his Presidency had no spouse.  The enabling legislation specified that in the absence of a spouse, a symbol of Liberty, at the time of the President's term, would be used in place of a spouse. 

    So if you want a pristine set of Nineteenth Century coin design, at least the obverses, then these bronze beauties are the way to go.  I assembled the whole set for approximately $40.  I wish the Mint would have done Silver versions but I am happy with what they provided. 

    2007  
    Thomas Jefferson's Liberty (1801-1809)
    Draped Bust  -  Gilbert Stuart/Robert Scot
    1/2 Dime to Dollar   

    2008
    Andrew Jackson's Liberty (1829-1837)
    Capped Bust - John Reich
    1/2 Dime to Half Dollar
    Martin Van Buren's Liberty (1837-1841)
    Liberty Seated - Christian Gobrecht
    1/2 Dime to Dollar

    2010
    James Buchanan's Liberty (1857-1861)
    Coronet Head - Christian Gobrecht
    Gold Coins- Quarter Eagle, Half Eagle, and Eagle
     
    Reference:  A Guide Book of United States Coins, 2020 EditionFirst Spouse Bronze Medals - http://firstspousegoldcoin.com/first-spouse-bronze-medals/




  13. Mokiechan

    Senior Momentum!!!

    By Mokiechan,

    Have any of you had this experience?  You are searching for your sunglasses and you find you've been wearing them, pushed up on your forehead the whole time, Or, you can't find your wallet and you suddenly realize it is in your pocket.   If so, you can probably understand how this happened. 

    About a week ago, I started panicking when one of my prize chop marked coins could not be found.  I looked EVERYWHERE, I even spoke to a friend on this board about the lost coin and thought, maybe I left it at the coin club meeting during show and tell and somebody stole it.  I was going crazy, thinking I did not want to buy coins again until it was found and just feeling generally miserable about the lost coin.  As an aside, I even took the coin out of my NGC Collectors Society Custom Set because I did not feel good about having missing, possibly lost, coin displayed to the world.  

    TODAY, I found it, in plain sight, in the very NGC Slab Box where it is always located.  Somehow, I did not recognize it, and just started searching everywhere else after my inventory did not reveal the coin in its normal box.   OMG, I am actually mortified at myself, so much wasted energy looking for something that was never missing.  Thank Goodness I did not contact the Club President and ask her to request an anonymous return of the coin.  It is a small club and I would have never felt good about going there again.  Finally, Thanks My Friend, for giving me some comfort while I was in a major freakout.

    Have you had a similar thing happen?  if so, let me know, so I feel less an insufficiently_thoughtful_person.  
    Later, Mokie
  14. Mokiechan
    The weather was great, despite a forecast of some rain, the walk from the trolley station to the convention center was pleasant, and the ANA National Money Show turned out to be all that I expected. I had two purposes for attending the NMS. First, I had signed on as a volunteer for Saturday but knew the heavy lifting would be at the end of the show, when we had to pack up our considerable amount of "local sponsor club" stuff for storage until the next show in May.  So, I had duties to be sure, helping out at the exhibits area, manning the club booth, and walking the show in my ANA Ambassador shirt to answer questions and to point people toward the museum exhibit where one could view a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, an 1804 Dollar, a 1933 Eagle (one of about 20 legal to own), and the fantastic 1943 Bronze Cent.  There were several other exhibits as well, but those were the most popular.
    Just interacting with the attendees was the  best part of volunteering.  I especially enjoyed interacting with YNs and their Parents as they came to our club booth during their treasure hunt.  We were question #1 on their form, "What was the first year the United States produced coins?"  The possible answers were 1776, 1793, 1804, or 1812. I probably assisted about 15 Juniors with their form and with a wee bit of coaching, they were all able to get their first question correct.  Our  booth had a big box of foreign coins and each YN was able to choose two coins as soon as they got the correct answer.  Seeing their eager faces and their happy parents, made the whole volunteering experience worth much more to me than it probably did to them.

    But volunteering was only half the purpose.  Second, I had a want list and was determined to find, an NGC slabbed 1918 Lincoln Illinois, a raw 1925 Canadian Cent for my Whitman folder, and an NGC slabbed NO-VDB Cent, 1909-1917.  So many temptations along the way, I could have easily blown my entire budget before I even spotted any of my wanted items, but I persevered and finally found the 1918 Lincoln, in MS65, with a CAC Bean to boot.  Now that particular purchase pretty much blew my budget but luckily I had already had an offer accepted for the 1925 Canadian Cent, from EBAY, that same morning.  I never did find the Slabbed NO-VDB, but they are plentiful on EBAY and I will buy it soon.  Finally, I saw something that brought waves of nostalgia to my little collector heart, it was the SILVER STORY with Silver Certificate, Morgan Dollar, Peace Dollar, and Silver Flakes for a price I could not pass up, so I took the last of my budget and bought it too, just $50.00. 

    Freebies were a little scarce on that final day of the Con, political campaigning for the ANA Board was occurring so I got a very nice token from Mr. Donald Kagin, he is running for ANA President, and I also received a poker chip issued by Mr. Thomas Uram, who is running for ANA VP.  Both men spent some time talking with my partner and I at the PAN booth, I like their enthusiasm for the Hobby and I also like their can-do attitudes.  To top it all off, I met and shook hands with one of my all-time Numismatic heroes, Mr. Clifford Mishler, I told Mr. Mishler how much I loved his stories of convention trips over the years and I only wish I had asked him to take a photo with me. 

    I can't  wait until August of 2020 when ANA returns to Pittsburgh.  I can guarantee you, I will be there on the floor again doing my Ambassador duties. 
    One interesting note, as I was searching the bourse for my 1918 Lincoln/Illinois, it became apparent that PCGS slabs outnumbered NGC slabs by at least 5 to 1 all over the floor. 
     



  15. Mokiechan
    As you're all aware, the US Mint is giving us all an incentive to purchase their proof sets, and uncirculated set in the form of 3 different Lincoln Cents with a West Point Mint Mark.  One of the W Lincolns, standard proof, is already in the wild and will soon be slabbed by the tens of thousands, the other two, a reverse proof, and an uncirculated version.  This is a very smart marketing decision by the Mint, they have guaranteed themselves higher sales for each of the three sets and they have also created some needed excitement in the collecting world.
    My problem, and I speak only for myself, is the idea that the mint is creating a scarce (rare) coin in an unnatural way.  When you look at the history of the Lincoln Cent, certain rarities stand out, the 09-S VDB, the 22 w/o visible mintmark, the 55 Double Die and a few others.  In each case, some unplanned set of circumstances led to the creation of the rarity, it did not occur due to some prior decision by the Mint.  Now obviously the W Cents are going to have a mintage of several million for each coin, but most collectors of the W Cent will want all three and, at least in the early stages, these Cents are going to be pricey.  How high they go and how far they eventually drop is something I cannot speculate about.  I do want to get one of them or my Lincoln Type Set, representing another mintmark, but I am going to be patient and wait for that, hopefully, large drop. 
    So Mint, please do not start making this a habit, I don't want to see a series of W nickels next year, etc.
     
     
     


  17. Mokiechan
    I used to frequent the NGC site about 8 years ago.  Back then I had a different handle.  I just found my old journal entries and they are interesting reading as I see the things that concerned me back then.  I will be gradually adding new content to the site as a thought or two strike.  In the interim, glad to be back and happy to see some folks from that time are still here.
    Mokie
     

  18. Mokiechan
    So, I had put together a little custom set of the 4 Lincoln variations from 2009 , the 2010 Union Shield Lincoln, and the Lincoln President Dollar.  But, as I was putting together the set, I decided it should be a Lincoln Type Set.  At first I thought, add the Lincoln Illinois Half Dollar, the Proof Lincoln Bicentennial Silver Dollar,  along with the Wheatie Proof and Memorial Proof (just ordered).  Now, I am thinking I also need a VDB, a Steel Cent and a Lincoln Memorial Zinc Cent (Since I already ordered a Lincoln Memorial Bronze Proof.   I know I have missed some variety, so if you can think of anything else to add to my type collection LET ME KNOW. 
    Ok, Do I have to add a Lincoln Shell Case Cent too?   Collecting is the ultimate obsession. I should be able to find a reasonably priced Lincoln Illinois at the National Money Show, gotta be NGC and Gotta be under 125.  Now I'm starting to ramble.  OUT, Mokie
  19. Mokiechan

    I'm a Member

    By Mokiechan,

    Tell Colin that Malcolm sponsored you.
    Do trade coins, the coins that flowed between Europe, the USA, Latin America and China, fascinate you? Are you interested in understanding an important part of silver and it's impact on numismatic history? Then you should join the Chop-mark Collectors Club [CCC].
    We are a group of collectors from around the world who have one thing in com-mon. We all share an interest in chopmarked coins--the coins that were used in trade in the orient from 1600--1935. If you have any such coins in your collec-tion or are simply interested in this fascinating area of numismatic the CCC wants you.
    Joining is free and there are no dues. We publish a quarterly newsletter entitled Chopmark News. The e-edition of the newsletter is currently free, paper ones by subscription.
    If you are interested please email me at: chopmarknews@gmail.com or write me at the address below.
    I look forward to welcoming new collectors and dealers into the club.
    Welcome!
    Colin Gullberg, editor
    Chopmark News
    29 Tien Mu West Road, 3F
    Taipei 11156 Taiwan
    chopmarknews@gmail.com

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  20. Mokiechan

    Recent Mint Purchase

    By Mokiechan,

    Sometimes you just can't stop yourself
    Well Folks,
    I have not been very active in my collecting endeavours lately but I did note the Mint was offering their 2012 Silver Proof Set. For once, the Silver Proof Set is ALL silver and even includes the Silver Dollar. I could not resist, it just looked so nice.
    As always, will eventually be given to my Daughter Hana, but Daddy will admire for a few years until College expenses start accuring (11 Years Hence).
    Hope all of you are also enjoying your collecing efforts both extravegent and modest.
    Happy Holidays,
    Malcolm

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  21. Mokiechan

    Complete Turnaround

    By Mokiechan,

    How Numismatics became another faded interest.
    Hi All,
    Been a while since I posed anything so I thought I would weigh-in with a few thoughts and unburden in the process.
    I have deleted about half my registry sets because I intend to eventually sell the coins and i didn't want to even slightly tempt myself to change my mind. I put aside 20 very nice coins for my Daughter Hana and I have decided to keep my Mercury Dimes, my Walking Liberty Halves, and My Peace Dollars. Will also be keeping my custom sets intact. Everything else will go go go, or is already gone gone gone.
    The reasons are complex but it basically amounts to new priorities and a renewed focus on my retirement in 5 years. My wife and I have decided to buy a home sometime soon in our targeted community, Bethel Park PA. Why Bethel Park? I have a 7 year old daughter and we are very interested in getting her into a good solid school system before she enters Middle School. We also want to get her away from a part of Southern California that we feel is turning from a nice middle class community to a poor community. The school district where we live is substandard even by California's general mediocre standard. Finally, I just happen to Love the Pittsburgh PA area.
    Still love the Hobby and will still continue to pursue Peace Dollars, and keep my Sacs and 21st Century set current. These will also eventually go to Hana but they are my toys for now.
    Hope you are all doing well. Fall is my favorite time of the year.
    Later,
    Malcolm

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  22. Mokiechan
    And it is lower than I expected
    Folks,
    Saw that Modern C0in Mart have posted prices for their NGC Slabbed 75th Anniversary SAE sets.
    PF69 sets - 199.00
    PF70 sets - 249.00
    That MS69 set price is ALMOST inexpensive enough to get my interest. I will wait a bit though, I want to pay just a little bit less. They begin shipping on 10/03.
    Happy Weekend Everybody,
    Comic Con Beckons,
    Malcolm
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  23. Mokiechan
    Who would choose this coin, send it to NGC, pay the associated fees, and be Satisified with this result.
    Folks,
    This journal entry is kind of a reaction to Allen's "ngc cencus ??" journal entry. In his Journal, Allen correctly states that modern high grade condition rarities are a risk at current prices because of the huge inventory of unopened mint packaged coins and pristine rolls existing in the hands of collectors and dealers.
    I have recently purchased a coin with very little downside (about $5.95 postpaid) and very little upside. The coin I purhased is a 2012-S MS64 El Yunque Quarter, graded by NGC. This coin must have initially been submitted by someone who believed it would garner at least a 66 or 67. They must have been sorely disappointed with the MS64 grade.
    I have not checked but I would tend to believe the 2012-S El Yunque in MS64 must be a great rarity at the moment. I would also tend to believe it will never be very valuable, at least in my lifetime. So my 5.95 investment seems about right.
    This coin was purchased for my El Yunque Quarter Custom Set. The set will make its debut shortly. I am still waiting on arrival of a PCGS MS67 El Yunque Philadelphia quarter, purchased yesterday on Ebay. The whole set of 5 quarters came in slighly less than $50.00 with the Silver PF69 at 16.00 being the most expensive.
    Thanks for your time and stay cool everybody.
    Malcolm

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  24. Mokiechan
    And Inexpensive to Boot!
    Folks,
    I have been in a bit of coin collecting doldrums lately. I have 4 coins on a want list with JJ teaparty, I have added a couple of inexpensive Peace Dollars to my registry. But, I have not made any purchases that I would consider significant or even sexy.
    So, I have decided to put together a small inexpensive custom set consisting of the different types of El Yunque quarters available. I am not going to focus on labels, just the actual coins. By my count there are 5 to be obtained. 2012 P-D-S in mint state, and 2012 S in Clad and Silver Proof.
    I have already made my first purchase. I obtained the little gem, Clad PF69, pictured below for less than $7.00 from a dealer on EBAY. Once all the quarters are obtained, will put together the set with pictures and descriptions. should be fun and should light a little fire in my collector's heart.
    Hope all your pursuits are equally fun and those of you attending ANA please report back to us via your journal.
    Later,
    Malcolm

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  25. Mokiechan
    A little plug for a great org.
    Folks,
    Just became acquainted with the Chopmark Collectors Club through the editor of their wonderful "Chopmark News" quarterly publication. This publication is not the usual 8 or 12 page newsletter with a bit of recent news. Instead it is a full-fledged publication with about 40 pages of very scholarly information about all things concerning chopmarked Trade Dollars/Oriental Coins, etc. One of the issues even showed a Peace Dollar with chopmark. Membership is free and the E-version of the quarterly is also free (although they do suggest a modest 5.00 donation). If you're interested, contact Colin, the Editor, at chopmarknews@gmail.com.
    Later,
    Malcolm

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