This forum is dead - post your favorite coin or story

[Zebo]

Post your favorite coin or story about a coin. We need some interest in this forum.

 

 

[Star City Homer]

Okay, I'll bite. It does seem rather sleepy around here! I can't say I have a 'favorite' coin but I do have a few front runners and some stories...

 

This is a newp and perhaps most people would not be so excited about such a baggy piece of gold. In this case I love it.

 

The backstory... Ahmet Zogu rose to prominence in newly independent Albania, which emerged after years under the Ottoman Empire. He became president and subsequently declared King. Progressive in some areas, yet known to be ruthless.

 

He recognized the need for outside support to drag his rural country into the ranks of modern nations and looked to Europe as a model. Italy became the prime source of support and as WWII loomed Italy tried to exert control. King Zog was not pleased and did not want to agree that the new independence be lost.

 

In 1938 he married (an American/Hungarian countess who happened to be Roman Catholic, while Zog was Muslim). The next year Italy had enough and invaded, just a day or so after the Queen had given birth. Zog had planned ahead and was able to send the Queen, newborn infant, and household away by car. He followed and carried the majority of the gold in the treasury with him.

 

IIRC it was an 18-ish hour journey over poor mountain roads in some places. I can only imagine how horrible a journey it was for the newly delivered Queen and newborn, but every time I look at baggy Albanian gold I imagine I am seeing evidence of the hasty escape. Not that I mind the nice examples, but the large, bagged examples do pique my imagination.

 

So, my latest NEWP (in an MS-62 slab)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zebo]

Nice

 

[Star City Homer]

Well, I tried. Okay, your turn as it seems we are having a private conversation

[Zebo]

 

This is an Isle of Man crown minted for the centenary of the horse drawn tram created in 1876. The tram is the worlds longest running tram and only took a very brief break during World War II.

[PocketArt]

During the summer of 1981, Dad took us on a family trip to Niagara Falls. I was 7 years old at the time. One of the moments I looked forward to on the trip was when Dad would spend some of his Canadian money at a shop, tourist site, or, restaurant- he'd hand me a few Canadian coins. By the end of the trip- I built up a nice cache of Canadian coins. When we got back home- I put all my Canadian change in 2 x 2's, and put Canada along with the year on each holder.

 

Well, after the school year started later that summer, we had a show and tell day and I brought all my Canadian coins in to share with my classmates. Following show and tell we had a recess break, and a few classmates asked to look at my coins. One girl asked if she could have one, and I agreed, then another asked, and pretty soon all my classmates had a Canadian coin. They were all happy, and I was quite popular!

 

My 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Krill was aware what happened, and asked to speak with me at the end of the day. She asked me if it was okay with my Father to be giving away my coins, and I told her yes. She said to me that she'd need a note from Dad saying it was okay, and asked all my classmates to give the coins back to me until I had permission. I can remember a collective, "awwwhhhh," and I was embarrassed, and pretty unsure of the task that lay ahead in asking Dad. I tried convincing Mrs. Krill it was okay; but she sensed I was lying. I can remember her saying, "Richard, you're just going to have to bite the bullet and ask your Dad for permission."

 

I went home and asked Dad, and he told me "NO"! He wasn't responsive to my pleading, knowing I had to tell my classmates the next day. I dreaded that moment going back to class empty handed.

 

In school the following day I had to tell each of my classmates Dad said no, and sorry. I burst a lot of bubbles that day, and regretted having brought my coins to school for show and tell.

 

Below is one of the original coins that I gave away to one of my classmates, "Nicole," she wrote her name on it sometime before I got it back.

 

 

 

[Zebo]

That must of been hard. Just think of all the possible collectors you mig have made.

[toyonakataro]

One of my favorite design.

[joeyuk]

Not a world coin but a story I would like to share. In 2007 when the Washington dollar came out there was an event at Grand Central Station in NY where you could purchase the new coins at face value. I purchased about 10 or 15 rolls and gave my twin sons a roll each to share with there classmates. They were in 4th grade at the time. The teachers were shocked I had brought the coins to their school to be given out on the first day of issue and asked to purchase extras from them after everyone had one.

I had submitted the rest to be graded and the ones that did not receive the minimum grade were labeled gem BU. When the boys had a report to give on presidents day the shared the gem BU coins with their classmates.

The following year one of my boys was short a dollar for lunch and their favorite teacher gave paid for them and said do not worry about it. When my son told me I gave him a graded MS65 Washington dollar. The teacher was very interested and saved the holdered dollar to remember. It is nice to use the hobby to expose children to something they may otherwise never experience.

[Star City Homer]

Great story about the schoolkiddos and teacher--maybe a YN or three have been launched.

 

Love the Fuji coin--small but beautiful and in a great condition. I'm sure you have much better coin sources but finding a nice one from this era in the US can be very challenging.

 

Many of my favorite coins are Japanese--and the last silver 50 sen 'double hoo' is one of my most favorites.

 

You can get them blast white:

 

 

or

 

Full of color (love the way the Rising Sun motif is highlighted by the color):

 

 

[toyonakataro]

Stork

Mt Fuji 1 sen is too cheap to find at major coin show even in Japan.

Deales won't bother to display such cheap stuff.

I've benn serching to find one in perfect condition, but it's a tough task.

 

You have some nice silver 50 sens there....I also love that design. They also come with pretty toning more often than other Japanese coins.

[Star City Homer]

Well, it's not a favorite coin, but a favorite medal. I'm experimenting with a new way to link a picture. See if this works. It might be too big.

 

Never mind. It was too big.

 

 

[Zebo]

Here is a Christmas gift that I enjoy:

 

[nk1nk]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing those great stories!

[Star City Homer]

Well, this is partly to show off a cool coin and partly an attempt to test a new photo sharing host.

 

As for the coin, I love it because it was a gift. My husband, who I frequently advertise as having no interests in numismatics, manages to find ways to get truly excellent presents. This one was purchased in Tokyo...he snuck out and found a coin shop and was able to negotiate this one. It came with a photo certificate and packaging from the JNDA.

 

EDITED: I'll try and add the photo later. This test failed too.

[Zebo]

I'd like to see the best purchase, gift or swap for a coin in 2016. Mine has not arrived yet.

 

Happy New Year everyone!

[USAuPzlBxBob]

Happy New Year!

 

(just wanted to put this funny-titled thread back, front and center, on the Boards title-page)

[toyonakataro]

As far as the color goes, I love this coin best among all of my collection.

Bought it raw, took 4 times to get into a holder ( BB 3 times for questionable color)

The actual coin is a bit darker and has more purple than the image suggests.

 

It's a Japanese 2 sen copper from 1875

[toyonakataro]

 

By the way, I also bought this coin raw from the same seller at the same time.

Took 3 or 4 times to get into NGC slab.

Color is not as nice as the previous 1875 copper, but still pretty.

 

It's a Japanese 2 sen copper from 1877

[Star City Homer]

Love those!

[toyonakataro]

Thank you Stork.

I won these coins from Yahoo auction. After the end of auction, the seller offered to give me some discount on these coins because they were tarnished.

"Tarnished" coins were not popular in Japan in those days.

[Scott A]

One of my favorite coins, and who could really have only one?, is the Congo Free State/Belgian Congo 1887 5 Francs of KM 8.2 with the full legend "Roi Des Belges".  Only 100 coins were struck that year, and very few remain available.  I am really interested in the piece that sold at Heritage last year, which was struck in proof format NGC PF66.  The coin is believed to be unique in proof.  That piece sold for $44,650 (including buyer's fee).  I was one of the significant underbidders at $36,425 (including buyer's fee).  I just couldn't afford it.  Fortunately, I found out who bought the coin and he has promised to consider selling it to me in the future when he is ready to part with it. Hopefully by then I will be able to afford it.  

[Zebo]

Very nice and good luck!

 

 

[coinman1794]

[Star City Homer]

Okay, here's another, and a test of the web host/NGC board interaction.  This is the first silver yen I ever bought.  It was used as a placeholder in my Dansco Japan Type set album for many years.  After all, a chopped up yen would effectively function as a trade coin.  Now I strongly suspect this was a messed with/played with coin as there are just so many chops.  Any chop experts could perhaps weigh in on that.  Even so, it's a sentimental piece and has character.

 

[toyonakataro]

Here are 2 of my unchopped M23 yen.  I bought the first one from Yahoo Japan , so I'm not sure about the authenticity. The second one is from auction-net (one of the Japanese auction site) , but unfortunately , it's been cleaned in the past ( I believe).

[toyonakataro]

Really dead.....so I guess I'm allowed to post anything....even US coin. US coin is foreign to me anyway.

I've posted this coin in US coin forum before. It was in ANACS MS62 holder when I bought it. Sent to NGC for "cross at any grade"

Came back as MS61.....not pleased at all.

Craked out and sent to NGC.....came back AT

Tried again.....came back AT

Again..........came back as MS66

I personally believe it's MS65, but I'm not good at grading.

[physics-fan3.14]

Yes, this forum is super-dead. 

And Yes, that half dime is AT.  That shade of blue is just not natural, especially in that pattern. 

[toyonakataro]

3 hours ago, physics-fan3.14 said:

Yes, this forum is super-dead. 

And Yes, that half dime is AT.  That shade of blue is just not natural, especially in that pattern. 

Odd color for sure.  But ANACS gave it a straight grade(MS62) and NGC twice(MS61 and 66) , whitch makes me confused a lot.

[Zebo]

Hope someone at NGC reviews their grading MS61 to MS66 - I can see one point here and there, but 5???