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New purchase from London trip
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41 posts in this topic

Does anyone have a copy of Peck handy that would not mind looking up 1380 for me? My reference is back in Mississippi and I am currently stuck at JFK in what seems like a never-ending layover. I added a new addition while abroad, and the wait to look it up is killing me! If it is not too much trouble a picture of the page would be so helpful. 

Edited by coinsandmedals
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Hi Don!

Good to hear from you my friend and sorry about the layover!! Sadly, I don't have a Peck reference and my fiancee doesn't either.....I made sure I asked her.  But, Wildwinds is a site I use to attribute my Faustina the Younger coins along with the Aorta reference and they have a section for British coins.  The Roman section does Sear and RIC numbers and it looks like there are Peck numbers in the British section.  It may be of some help.  Here's a link to it:

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/brit/i.html

Be sure to share your new pickups with us when you can.  I hope that Wildwinds is of some help.  Have a safe trip!

~Tom

Edited by Mohawk
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Hey Tom! I suppose layovers are just part of the misery of traveling. This has been by far the worst flight experience going to and from Europe. Delta managed to really mess up our trip. On any note, we are back in the Tennessee area, but we won’t return to Mississippi until tomorrow so I still have some time to wait until I get back to my reference books. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I checked out wildwinds but I had no luck with 1380. Nonetheless ,it is still a very impressive source of information. I am excited to research my new purchase and I will definitely post some pictures when I can. I need to catch up on posts. I can only imagine some of your new purchases have arrived by now. There is no shortage of ancient coins in London. I actually found a Faustina sitting in a tray and thought of you! Looking over some of the displays I could not help but realize my general lack of knowledge on the subject is astounding. Even though I didn’t entirely know what I was looking at I still enjoyed browsing. 

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Can't say that I have ever used my Peck before but it appears to be a Restrike proof halfpenny dated 1806 in Copper.

The reverse has a line under SOHO, olive branch with 3 berries, the ship with minute pennants at the mastheads and a double-cut bead between B and R.

Edge plain and are usually filed.

The Obverse: K (no dot) on shoulder, the third and sixth brooch jewels are rather weak and irregular, Several rust spots occur on the neck and jaw.

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Thanks Farthing! You have been super helpful. I am a bit puzzled though. It appears the attribution is incorrect on the slip from Baldwin’s. The coin is in fact a proof halfpenny, but it is dated 1807. I suppose I will just have to wait until I get back home to explore any further. Somewhat surprised Baldwin’s misattributed this piece. Pictures to follow when I get back home sometime tomorrow. 

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5 hours ago, coinsandmedals said:

Hey Tom! I suppose layovers are just part of the misery of traveling. This has been by far the worst flight experience going to and from Europe. Delta managed to really mess up our trip. On any note, we are back in the Tennessee area, but we won’t return to Mississippi until tomorrow so I still have some time to wait until I get back to my reference books. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I checked out wildwinds but I had no luck with 1380. Nonetheless ,it is still a very impressive source of information. I am excited to research my new purchase and I will definitely post some pictures when I can. I need to catch up on posts. I can only imagine some of your new purchases have arrived by now. There is no shortage of ancient coins in London. I actually found a Faustina sitting in a tray and thought of you! Looking over some of the displays I could not help but realize my general lack of knowledge on the subject is astounding. Even though I didn’t entirely know what I was looking at I still enjoyed browsing. 

Hey Don!  Yeah, layovers suck and they're often horrendously boring.  You gotta love some of these airlines......they can find ways to amazingly screw up the simplest of routes and plans.  It really is spectacular what they can accomplish in that area.  My mom had a job a few years ago that she had to travel often for....man, she has some amazing airline screw up stories!  It must have been spectacular to go coin shopping in London!  I've heard that it's one of the best markets for ancient coins in the world and then there's all of the other cool coins you can pick up.....like the British stuff you and my fiancee dig!  And, I must say I was touched by this:

Quote

I actually found a Faustina sitting in a tray and thought of you!

  I think I'm turning into our little community's Faustina the Younger guy....a title I carry proudly!  I think I have had three new purchases since you've been away....a Lucilla denarius, a Faustina denarius and my first copper....a Faustina sestertius (you inspired me to try copper on with your collection, my friend......and I love it!  You may have gotten me into some trouble!)  I'm greatly looking forward to seeing your new pickups and to hear more about how your trip went!

I hope you guys have a safe and easy trip the rest of the way home :)

~Tom

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Tom, I have flown more times than I care to admit for conferences (domestic and international) on more airlines than I can remember but this has been the absolute worst experience I have ever had. In my book, Delta has really earned the top prize for the biggest screw-up. Five delayed flights, lost luggage, damaged luggage....you name it they messed it up on this trip. We spent nearly 5X longer in delta lines on the flight to London alone than we did in security across 9 airports combined. 

I’ll be posting a bit on my coin shopping experience when I finally get a chance to examine and image my new addition. The quality of stock was amazing at the two major stores I stopped at. The ancient selection was very extensive from what I could gather but I don’t know enough about them to speak intelligently about what was available. Overall I found it very difficult to find anything to add to my collection because my focus is so narrow. Almost every dealer I talked to said I would have to focus most of my buying efforts on large auction houses. 

I really did think of you when I looked at that coin. I recognized it based off your posts but I had to read the label to confirm. Seeing one in person I can fully understand why you enjoy them so much. Wow sounds like you’ve been busy my friend. I look forward to seeing the new additions. I am so honored to know I may have influenced you to explore copper!! I can only imagine finding well-preserved copper examples is nearly impossible. I look forward to seeing what you add in that realm.

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4 hours ago, coinsandmedals said:

Tom, I have flown more times than I care to admit for conferences (domestic and international) on more airlines than I can remember but this has been the absolute worst experience I have ever had. In my book, Delta has really earned the top prize for the biggest screw-up. Five delayed flights, lost luggage, damaged luggage....you name it they messed it up on this trip. We spent nearly 5X longer in delta lines on the flight to London alone than we did in security across 9 airports combined. 

I’ll be posting a bit on my coin shopping experience when I finally get a chance to examine and image my new addition. The quality of stock was amazing at the two major stores I stopped at. The ancient selection was very extensive from what I could gather but I don’t know enough about them to speak intelligently about what was available. Overall I found it very difficult to find anything to add to my collection because my focus is so narrow. Almost every dealer I talked to said I would have to focus most of my buying efforts on large auction houses. 

I really did think of you when I looked at that coin. I recognized it based off your posts but I had to read the label to confirm. Seeing one in person I can fully understand why you enjoy them so much. Wow sounds like you’ve been busy my friend. I look forward to seeing the new additions. I am so honored to know I may have influenced you to explore copper!! I can only imagine finding well-preserved copper examples is nearly impossible. I look forward to seeing what you add in that realm.

Wow.....that's just awful Don.  Delta sounds like they've really taken the *spoon* prize here.  My mom loathes Delta.....she's said that's the worst one for her as well.  I've never traveled internationally by air, though I have been to Canada and Mexico on buses, but I know many people who have and they've all said that some of the American airlines are the worst they've traveled on.  A friend of mine from an old job about 10 years ago undertook her dream trip to Australia.  She flew on an American carrier (I actually think it was Delta), British Airways and Turkish Airways on the trip.  She loved British Airways and Turkish Airways but she said the American carrier was an absolute nightmare......they couldn't find her reservation in the computer system, they lost her luggage....you name it, they messed it up.

You have indeed inspired me to get into coppers for my two Augustae......and it is very difficult to find well preserved ancient copper.  Fortunately, the large output of coins for Faustina make it easier to find nice copper from her than other empresses.  Now, Lucilla......Lucilla is a different story.  In their coppers, you really see the difference that having 30 years to mint coins in makes as opposed to having about 4 years.  But for both of them, nice coppers are a lot tougher than finding nice silvers.  But that sestertius.....that's really got me sucked in!  I figure that I should be able to at least have a decent run of coppers for Faustina with a couple of nice Lucilla pieces.  I also hear you about a narrow focus.....most shops around here that I've been to have ancient stock mostly consisting of emperors, with maybe a couple of lower grade empresses here and there.  Because Faustina's coins are so common, they often have at least a couple of her coins but they're usually in atrocious condition!  So there are some similarities between our pursuits there.  But, yeah, my coppers will never be as nice as yours....but ancient coppers have their own charm.  I really like them when they have green coloration. 

I, too, am looking forward to seeing your new additions as well! 

Edited by Mohawk
Forgot a couple important words....I have to slow down when typing!
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As some of you know, my wife and I just got back from a trip to London, Paris, and Edinburgh. As a dedicated collector to early English and Irish copper coinage, I had set aside June 20th (also my birthday) as a day to explore the handful of coin shops in London. Before arriving I had “the coin” I wanted to purchase. I went to the store and asked to see it only to be told that it had sold on June 13th. I was very disappointed but it obviously wasn’t meant to be so I checked out the dealer's other coins. The quality of their stock was phenomenal; however, the coins were well outside the realm of my collection. I was upfront about my budget after I realized the caliber of their stock. The dealer was very patient and even took the time to pull out coins I obviously could not afford (£5,000+). We had an awesome conversation about the pieces and I came to find out the dealer was a fellow collector of British patterns. The dealer didn’t become rude or discouraged by my inability to purchase anything and instead seemed to just enjoy showing me stuff. I left the shop empty handed but amazed by the personal touch they added to the process.

Realizing the limits of my budget in relation to the caliber of the larger company stocks I decided to check out some smaller shops. Most of these dealers were not nearly as receptive and showed little interest in trying to help. I left those shops a little discouraged but I had one last option to check out. I knew Baldwin’s was located in London, but I had also heard that their prices were usually on the high side. I set aside that idea and decided to check it out anyway. I walked into their shop and started looking around. At first, I was very disappointed because their showcases were full of rather generic coins. At some point, a salesman walked up and asked if I needed help. I told him what I was looking for and he told me that I would need to go upstairs and talk to one the specialist. I was a bit hesitant but decided to do so. I am so glad I did.

Upstairs I had the honor to meet a gentleman named Chris Tyrimos who pulled several trays of coins for me to inspect. As it turns out he too is a copper guy. We had a very good conversation about the coins and some of the subtleties that are likely not appreciated by collectors of non-copper English coins. We talked about the difference between the US and U.K. markets and the impact of TPGs. In the process, I got to examine a few exceptional pieces and have a personally tailored buying experience. I found that the prices were a bit high on certain pieces but others could be had a decent price. Chris was willing to negotiate with me and I eventually ended up purchasing the 1807 Proof halfpenny pictured below. I was really trying to hold out for another pattern piece for my collection but he didn’t have anything that really caught my eye in that category. It’s a bit dark at first glance but tilting it slightly in the light shows brilliant reflective fields that exude a bright blue hue. The devices are distinct against the field but not quite to the point of a cameo. The coin is mostly clean with just a handful of very minuscule hairlines. Otherwise, this coin is essentially as struck. Although this isn’t the coin I had my mind set on, it is a nice addition to my collection and fills a gap that was previously empty. Plus, I really did not want to leave London without adding a piece of English copper to the collection.1371182135_1807GreatBritainHalfpennyRestrikeP-1383.thumb.jpg.019f7caf8240ebbf308cf3f3a51b8e33.jpg

Edited by coinsandmedals
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23 hours ago, Mohawk said:

Wow.....that's just awful Don.  Delta sounds like they've really taken the *spoon* prize here.  My mom loathes Delta.....she's said that's the worst one for her as well.  I've never traveled internationally by air, though I have been to Canada and Mexico on buses, but I know many people who have and they've all said that some of the American airlines are the worst they've traveled on.  A friend of mine from an old job about 10 years ago undertook her dream trip to Australia.  She flew on an American carrier (I actually think it was Delta), British Airways and Turkish Airways on the trip.  She loved British Airways and Turkish Airways but she said the American carrier was an absolute nightmare......they couldn't find her reservation in the computer system, they lost her luggage....you name it, they messed it up.

You have indeed inspired me to get into coppers for my two Augustae......and it is very difficult to find well preserved ancient copper.  Fortunately, the large output of coins for Faustina make it easier to find nice copper from her than other empresses.  Now, Lucilla......Lucilla is a different story.  In their coppers, you really see the difference that having 30 years to mint coins in makes as opposed to having about 4 years.  But for both of them, nice coppers are a lot tougher than finding nice silvers.  But that sestertius.....that's really got me sucked in!  I figure that I should be able to at least have a decent run of coppers for Faustina with a couple of nice Lucilla pieces.  I also hear you about a narrow focus.....most shops around here that I've been to have ancient stock mostly consisting of emperors, with maybe a couple of lower grade empresses here and there.  Because Faustina's coins are so common, they often have at least a couple of her coins but they're usually in atrocious condition!  So there are some similarities between our pursuits there.  But, yeah, my coppers will never be as nice as yours....but ancient coppers have their own charm.  I really like them when they have green coloration. 

I, too, am looking forward to seeing your new additions as well! 

I never had an issue with Delta until this trip. I will do my best to avoid them in the future. I love British Airways. They have always been more than accommodating when they make a mistake.

Wow, that is a great honor, Tom! It means a great deal to me that my collection was able to serve as some inspiration for you. I can not imagine how difficult that hunt must be. It can be hard enough to find nice examples of the coins I collect and your focus is centuries older. I bet it will be so cool to have the copper alongside the silver. I really hope I get the opportunity to see your collection in its entirety someday. Delta gave me a few Amazon gift vouchers as compensation for the trouble. Given our prior conversations, I am strongly considering adding my first dinosaur coin to the collection. Do you have any relatively inexpensive recommendations? 

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26 minutes ago, coinsandmedals said:

I never had an issue with Delta until this trip. I will do my best to avoid them in the future. I love British Airways. They have always been more than accommodating when they make a mistake.

Wow, that is a great honor, Tom! It means a great deal to me that my collection was able to serve as some inspiration for you. I can not imagine how difficult that hunt must be. It can be hard enough to find nice examples of the coins I collect and your focus is centuries older. I bet it will be so cool to have the copper alongside the silver. I really hope I get the opportunity to see your collection in its entirety someday. Delta gave me a few Amazon gift vouchers as compensation for the trouble. Given our prior conversations, I am strongly considering adding my first dinosaur coin to the collection. Do you have any relatively inexpensive recommendations? 

Hi Don,

First off, your adventures in London sound great!! I really liked hearing about your dealing with Chris Tyrimos .....I think it must have been amazing to work with and make a purchase from an expert like that.  I'd love to have a similar experience with ancients.....maybe one day, I'll be the Chris Tyrimos of Faustina the Younger coins!  Your new pickup is nothing short of amazing, Don.  It really is spectacular......I really love the coloration on it.  That's one of the sexiest copper coins from any country that I've ever seen in my life......that's one I think you'll be happy with for years to come.  And, of course, you couldn't go to London and not come home with a nice piece of English copper.....that just wouldn't have been right at all!!  It'd be like me going to London and experiencing one of the most amazing markets for ancients in the world and coming home without a new Fausti.....just wouldn't be right!  I think you really made the right choice in your selection.  I don't think anyone could look at that and have any reaction aside from "Now, THAT'S a great coin!"  I'm  hoping that someday I get to have a birthday trip through some of London's coin shops.

Yeah.......Roman coppers of the two I like can be tough in nice shape.  I can get Faustina coppers all day that are worn down to nothing or covered in bronze disease, but of course I don't want those.  Lucilla's are scarcer all around and even more so in nice grades.  But I think with patience and a discerning eye, I'll do alright.  Of course, I have to make allowances for condition or I'd never get anything.  I really like the ancient coppers with green patinas.....you can get some really nice coins with that patina and they're often far less expensive than brown coins just because they're green!  I think that will work to my advantage in building my set....if I go for F-VF coins with green patinas, I should be able to get the optimal combination of good details and good price.

As for dinosaur coins, I believe you're probably looking for non-avian.  So, here's my all time favorite non-avian dinosaur coin....I have one of these in PF 70 myself:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Albertosaurus-Dinosaur-Proof-20-Silver-Coin-9999-Fine-15284-NT/143161449048?hash=item2155165a58:g:ZUUAAOSwzVhcgENr

The great thing about this coin is how accurate it is.....the RCM actually consulted noted paleontologists in designing the coin.  As you can see, the Albertosaurus on the coin has a very important feature that many coins depicting theropods lack.......he has feathers!  As far as I know, this is the first coin minted where a non-avian theropod that wasn't Archaeopteryx was depicted with its plumage.  This would be my recommendation for your first dinosaur coin.  It's absolutely stunning in hand!

As always, it's great to chat with you my friend. 

~Tom

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Man, how rude of me!! I'm so sorry.....happy belated birthday, Don!

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We had such a great time in Europe. Looking back on our trip I am amazed by how much we managed to do in just under two weeks. Working with Chris was a real treat. It was nice being able to talk the “language” with him and not wonder if we were on the same page. It was for sure a very different buying experience. I have no doubt you will end up being the Chris of Faustina the younger coins. I appreciate the kind words, my friend. It was one of about 3 coins I was considering but the eye appeal of this example made the choice easy. It looks much better in hand. Haha, it would have been a Shakespearian level tragedy to have not been able to add a nice English copper piece while in London. Well, when you do have your birthday trip please let me know and I will make a few suggestions! 

Well from everything I can tell, you certainly have a great eye for quality coins. All of the ancients you have posted have been exceptionally nice. I have no doubt that your collection will be nothing shy of amazing. I find the green patina bit very interesting. I can see the allure. I look forward to checking out your first copper addition. 

Thank you for the suggestion. That is a very interesting coin and the fact that the RCM actually took the time to get the details correct. I will have to check this thing out and see if I can use my amazon vouchers for it. I know eBay has restrictions on the use of gift vouchers and I suspect Amazon may be the same way. If I can use the vouchers for a coin this would be an excellent opportunity to start the Dino collection.

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12 hours ago, Just Bob said:

Happy late birthday, and welcome back to the hot, muggy, South. Love the new coin!^^

Thanks, Bob! The hot muggy south for sure. It was cold and rainy in London. I joked with my wife that we went from the freezer back to the oven when we got back the south.

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12 hours ago, Mohawk said:

Man, how rude of me!! I'm so sorry.....happy belated birthday, Don!

Haha, thanks, Tom! I originally put the bit about my birthday to brag on my wife a bit for being patient enough to go to 5 coin stores with me. I think she secretly enjoyed one of them. In fact, the second shop was above an antique bookstore. She found some cool stuff in there but it was all very expensive.

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6 hours ago, coinsandmedals said:

Haha, thanks, Tom! I originally put the bit about my birthday to brag on my wife a bit for being patient enough to go to 5 coin stores with me. I think she secretly enjoyed one of them. In fact, the second shop was above an antique bookstore. She found some cool stuff in there but it was all very expensive.

You definitely have a keeper Don.  She sounds awesome.  If my fiancee and I went to coin shops in London it could get REALLY expensive, especially since London shops are good for both of our coins specialties.  Your experiences prove that even more to us and it could be very dangerous to our bank accounts with two collectors in the family.  The antique bookstore sounds really cool also.....I dig books and I'd likely be digging for the volume of the RIC reference that has Faustina and Lucilla in it, along with some others.  May I ask if your wife is a book collector?  If so, that's a cool pursuit!

Thanks for forgiving me my bit of unintentional rudeness, my friend!
~Tom

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Yeah, I agree she’s definitely a keeper. I am still amazed she can put up with me sometimes. Expensive might be an understatement. I suppose that was one of the good things about Marion’s reluctance to collect coins. The bookstore was amazing. It was 2 stories and full to the brim of antique books. Madison found a first edition of Pride and Prejudice for £1800 ($2284). That would be an awesome find! I had hoped I would stumble upon an original copy of Montagu’s The Copper, Tin and Bronze Coinage and Patterns for Coins of England: From the Reign of Elizabeth to That of Her Present Majesty. I found a copy in the states but they wanted north of $200 for it. I always try to add antique reference books to the collection. She has a small collection of antique Shakespeare books that I’ve purchased for her during the course of my travels but she doesn’t really collect anything. I’m determined that I’ll eventually get her to collect coins. 

No worries my friend. I honestly didn’t notice until you said something. 

Just for fun, here’s one of the older references I have in my collection. 

CAAC424C-A0BB-4CF5-91C6-21A29D52A87F.thumb.jpeg.62c0efb4cca4b14c81ddd3097b199e32.jpeg3FD588F7-5AF5-4EF5-9624-518BB60948CE.thumb.jpeg.0680000b5bbe95b818a68508ac89501b.jpegED7B4961-A914-448D-8E3C-2C0C9D57520B.thumb.jpeg.c6dadc24162b62fc074775c392834b0e.jpeg108F7F93-3998-4E50-87B4-F98017EC6013.thumb.jpeg.35c06cc1d4c6e1622aaa4f782f4f57c1.jpeg5036CF97-D1B7-4910-9EAA-875BFE46A409.thumb.jpeg.bbefd2f3a1f2fed9242a3d3ce51c1137.jpeg

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19 hours ago, coinsandmedals said:

Yeah, I agree she’s definitely a keeper. I am still amazed she can put up with me sometimes. Expensive might be an understatement. I suppose that was one of the good things about Marion’s reluctance to collect coins. The bookstore was amazing. It was 2 stories and full to the brim of antique books. Madison found a first edition of Pride and Prejudice for £1800 ($2284). That would be an awesome find! I had hoped I would stumble upon an original copy of Montagu’s The Copper, Tin and Bronze Coinage and Patterns for Coins of England: From the Reign of Elizabeth to That of Her Present Majesty. I found a copy in the states but they wanted north of $200 for it. I always try to add antique reference books to the collection. She has a small collection of antique Shakespeare books that I’ve purchased for her during the course of my travels but she doesn’t really collect anything. I’m determined that I’ll eventually get her to collect coins. 

No worries my friend. I honestly didn’t notice until you said something. 

Just for fun, here’s one of the older references I have in my collection. 

CAAC424C-A0BB-4CF5-91C6-21A29D52A87F.thumb.jpeg.62c0efb4cca4b14c81ddd3097b199e32.jpeg3FD588F7-5AF5-4EF5-9624-518BB60948CE.thumb.jpeg.0680000b5bbe95b818a68508ac89501b.jpegED7B4961-A914-448D-8E3C-2C0C9D57520B.thumb.jpeg.c6dadc24162b62fc074775c392834b0e.jpeg108F7F93-3998-4E50-87B4-F98017EC6013.thumb.jpeg.35c06cc1d4c6e1622aaa4f782f4f57c1.jpeg5036CF97-D1B7-4910-9EAA-875BFE46A409.thumb.jpeg.bbefd2f3a1f2fed9242a3d3ce51c1137.jpeg

Now THAT is cool!  Candice isn't home tonight. Her parents are having their house painted and the painters need access to the inside of the house while they're at work and someone has to guard their cat so he doesn't go running off (especially since I saw a Bald Eagle, a Golden Eagle and four Turkey Vultures hanging out at a local grocery store today.....they must have thrown out a pile of outdated meat or something) when the painters come into the house, so Candice is there tonight. But I know she'd be DROOLING over that reference of yours!  BTW.....she REALLY loves your new pickup.  She's trying to decide what her next coin purchase will be for her British collection and she's thinking about building out her coppers more now.....you've infected us both with the copper-bug Don :devil:.......I've got my eye on some more coppers also, trying to decide between a Faustina as, another Faustina sestertius or a Lucilla sestertius. 

I think you'll get Madison with the collecting bug one of these days, Don.  You just have to find her area of interest......that can be tricky, but it can happen.  I got Candice into collecting coins actually.  She went to coin shops and antique malls with me pretty much as soon as we started seeing each other (she wanted to become acquainted with my world) and, once she saw her first Victoria crown she got the bug!  And once she started seeing British coppers (like the stuff you collect), she was in for life!  She's even shown an interest in ancients recently also......since the original English penny is something of a post-Roman successor to the Roman denarius, I got her a nice Elagabalus (she likes the bat*spoon* crazy Romans) denarius for her collection and she absolutely adores it!  So, you never know.  Madison does like books, and that's a glimmer of hope for some possible collecting!  Maybe she'd like something from Shakespeare's time or Jane Austen's time.  Or maybe she'll become fascinated with a person on coinage, like myself and my beloved Faustina.  You never know......I'd say there's hope! :)

 

Edited by Mohawk
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12 hours ago, Mohawk said:

I saw a Bald Eagle, a Golden Eagle and four Turkey Vultures hanging out at a local grocery store today...

 

I have this mental picture of these guys standing around the parking lot, wearing t-shirts and black leather jackets, slicked back 50's hairdo, (feather-do?) matchstick hanging from the Bald Eagles beak, whistling at the Sparrows as they walk by.

Edited by Just Bob
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2 hours ago, Just Bob said:

I have this mental picture of these guys standing around the parking lot, wearing t-shirts and black leather jackets, slicked back 50's hairdo, (feather-do?) matchstick hanging from the Bald Eagles beak, whistling at the Sparrows as they walk by.

LMAO!! Yeah!! It was actually very much like that!  They did look like a bunch of dinosaurian greasers looking for trouble!  I actually pulled my car into a parking lot across the street to get a better look at this spectacle.  That Golden Eagle......she was the biggest bird I've ever personally seen outside of a zoo (she was so big she could not possibly have been a male, that's why I'm so sure of her pronoun)....she must have had a seven foot wingspan and likely weighed almost 20 pounds.  I really wonder how this assemblage impacted the store's sales that day.....it really was quite a sight!

Edited by Mohawk
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Thanks for the kind words Tom. Sounds like quite the sight. Bob’s post made me laugh pretty hard. Now that is all I can picture when I think about all of those giant birds in one area. I was very pleased to add those two volumes to my collection. I think they slipped through the cracks at auction because I got them super cheap with only one other bidder in the mix. I wish I had the entire set. 

Haha well Tom, I apologize for putting a don’t in the budget, but I am very honored to know that I had some influence on both of your collections. The copper bug can be pretty severe. I used to trim my nose up at “copper people” when I was younger. I never understood why someone would pay good money for a cent. Now Copper is the only thing I collect. I have no doubt that you both will greatly enjoy the process. I obviously do not have any pointers/extras for the ancient coins but I may have some decent duplicated around if Candice is on the hunt for anything particular. 

I think I’m making progress with the Shakespeare books. She’s a Shakespeare scholar so it is right up her alley. She has a nice little collection of about 20 books that’s I’ve found at antique stores. The leather spines also look really good in the bookshelves in the living room so I suppose I have that going in my favor as well. It’s awesome that you were able to get Candice into coins. I can completely understand why a nice Victorian crown would do the trick. I mean who could resist a big well-designed piece of silver? Add some nice patina and luster and you’ve knocked it out of the park. I just haven’t found the Victorian crown equivalent for Madison. I have our entire lives to figure it out though!

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10 hours ago, Conder101 said:

Nice copy of Denton's, all I have is a reprint.

Thanks, Conder101! To be honest these mostly sit on a shelf. I would use a reprint for reference. I would hate to damage these thumbing through them.

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8 hours ago, Just Bob said:

I have this mental picture of these guys standing around the parking lot, wearing t-shirts and black leather jackets, slicked back 50's hairdo, (feather-do?) matchstick hanging from the Bald Eagles beak, whistling at the Sparrows as they walk by.

This is priceless. 😂

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22 hours ago, coinsandmedals said:

Thanks for the kind words Tom. Sounds like quite the sight. Bob’s post made me laugh pretty hard. Now that is all I can picture when I think about all of those giant birds in one area. I was very pleased to add those two volumes to my collection. I think they slipped through the cracks at auction because I got them super cheap with only one other bidder in the mix. I wish I had the entire set. 

Haha well Tom, I apologize for putting a don’t in the budget, but I am very honored to know that I had some influence on both of your collections. The copper bug can be pretty severe. I used to trim my nose up at “copper people” when I was younger. I never understood why someone would pay good money for a cent. Now Copper is the only thing I collect. I have no doubt that you both will greatly enjoy the process. I obviously do not have any pointers/extras for the ancient coins but I may have some decent duplicated around if Candice is on the hunt for anything particular. 

I think I’m making progress with the Shakespeare books. She’s a Shakespeare scholar so it is right up her alley. She has a nice little collection of about 20 books that’s I’ve found at antique stores. The leather spines also look really good in the bookshelves in the living room so I suppose I have that going in my favor as well. It’s awesome that you were able to get Candice into coins. I can completely understand why a nice Victorian crown would do the trick. I mean who could resist a big well-designed piece of silver? Add some nice patina and luster and you’ve knocked it out of the park. I just haven’t found the Victorian crown equivalent for Madison. I have our entire lives to figure it out though!

You make some great points as always, Don.  Before I ventured outside of US coins, I wasn't impressed with copper coins.  I think it's because I don't find the designs on US copper coins aside from the Draped Bust to be very appealing personally.  Everyone has their own aesthetic and I can understand why they would appeal to some people, but they weren't for me.  But as time went on, I found that to be true of most US coins with me.  There are a few that I like (the Draped Bust, the Peace Dollar and the Panama-Pacific Commem Half.  And the Standing Liberty Quarter has a pretty good eagle on the reverse), but that's not much.  Also, US history was never my area of interest, so I think that plays into my collecting tastes as well.

But, then I started seeing the copper coins from other nations.......the United Kingdom, Canada, British India, Italy, the Ottoman Empire and Japan all produced some very beautiful copper coinage and my opinion on coppers began to change, though in many ways I remained a silver and, later, a silver and nickel guy.  However, my recent venture into ancients and my resulting transformation into a mostly ancients coin guy has given me a chance to explore some copper coinage as I like to be a bi-metallic collector and the Romans obviously did not issue nickel coinage.....so copper it is!  It's an adventure, for sure, but that's part of what makes ancients so fun for me!

That's a very kind offer about duplicates for Candice as well!  I'll have to touch base with her on what she needs.......her main pursuit is a British type set, but I don't know how far back she's decided to go with it right now......she's having some debate about that.  She wants to go back as far as her collecting budget will let her and still allow her to buy nice mid to high grade coins.  As I know you know, collecting British is fertile ground and there's a ton of paths that could be taken.  She's still making her map, so to speak. 

It's really cool that Madison is a Shakespeare scholar.  Shakespeare really understood the human condition like few others and it's amazing how well his work still holds up centuries later.  Shakespeare is a very cool area to specialize in.  I was kind of a pain in the *spoon* in high school and English Lit classes were some of my worst.  But when my classes would study works by Shakespeare, I would shut up and behave because, unlike with most of the other stuff they made us read (like Jane Eyre *shudder*.....I don't like the Brontes), I actually really enjoyed Shakespeare.  I particularly enjoyed Macbeth and I still love that work.....talk about a great story!  I think you'll eventually find Madison's Victoria Crown......after all, you said it best here

Quote

I have our entire lives to figure it out though!

I love that sentiment :)

~Tom

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I started off as a Mercury dime collector when I was a kid. I liked the design, size, and relative availability of the series. I spent so much time poking through the “junk silver” pile at a local dealers shop trying to find the best example I could without paying much above the silver value. I eventually found the 21s at a flea market, but I never acquired the true key. At some point, I discovered early American copper and my focus pretty much stayed with it for years. I currently do not collect US coins, but I always gravitate to the large cent section at shops and shows. I can’t say I would have the ability to turn down a nice piece of EAC if it was within my budget. 

All that to say that although our collecting paths are very different, we seem to share some similarities. I find it so cool that you’re exploring copper with your ancient collection. I am very excited to see what examples you add to your collection. Please do ask Candice. I am more than willing to help a fellow collector! A British type set would be a challenging but manageable goal. You’ve hit the nail on the head about it being fertile ground. The possibilities are endless. The availability and relatively low cost of some hammered pieces are astounding to me. When she maps out what she wants her collection to look like please, by all means, let me know if I can help. I have a small box of nice raw British copper that does not entirely fit my current collection but I am just unsure what to do with. There may be some stuff in there she may find useful.  

Madison’s interest in Shakespeare is parallel to my coin obsession. I use that as “ammo” when I go on a coin rant and she calls me a nerd. We tease each other often about our little quirks. She’s extremely knowledgeable on the subject. She basically gave me a mini history lesson when we went to see a play at the Globe. We even discussed some of the controversies surrounding Shakespeare and I was somewhat convinced she was going to pass out when we went to his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. She’s a walking factbook when it comes to Shakespeare. I think this interest is likely the starting point for her collecting bug. I just need to find a way to mix it up and really capture her attention.

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Hey Don,

I, too, have found the similarities between collecting British coins and collecting Roman coins to be absolutely fascinating!  And even more fascinating to me is the similarities in our collecting that you and I share as individuals.  I think that you and I both started with US stuff, and that was okay, but we ended up finding deeper fulfillment as collectors in other areas and we've both evolved into specialized pursuits.....you with you Peck collection and me with my beloved Faustina.  And, I have to say that I really enjoy seeing your coins......even though they're a different area than what I collect, I think that every coin of yours I've seen has been absolutely beautiful.  If I didn't have Faustina's coins in my life, I may have ended up a British collector myself.  At one point, I was thinking about attempting a complete Victoria type set from the colonies and everything......then I realized that such a set would essentially be impossible.  But I do still enjoy Victoria's coinage and i have some Victorian India pieces that I absolutely love and adore to this day.  One of the first coins I bought when I got back into collecting when I was in my early twenties was an 1881-C Indian Rupee that I still have.  I love that coin!  It's fun to view Victoria and Faustina as two empresses who were very different, so different that the only real commonality that they share is that they both issued some of the most beautiful coinage that their respective nations ever produced.  I find the differences between these two powerful women fascinating to consider and contemplate while enjoying their coins.  Like you with the EAC, I still find myself interested in Victoria's coinage as well.

When Candice figures out her copper section of things, I'll certainly let you know what she's looking for.  If you have some stuff she needs, I'd be so glad to work out a deal with you on that.  She's mulling the whole thing over currently, and I'll let you know when I know :)

As far as the nerd factor, Candice and I have both resigned ourselves to the fact that we're both huge nerds and have decided to revel in that fact.  I see some similarities between you and Madison and Candice and myself.  It's really too bad I'm in NY State and you're in Mississippi.....I think the four of us would have a hell of a good time on a double date! 

~Tom

Edited by Mohawk
Got rid of that giant space!
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I agree, the similarities between our collecting paths are really interesting. It just goes to show how this hobby can help bring people together. I appreciate the kind words Tom, but that is far from a one-way street. I wholeheartedly echo that sentiment with the coins you’ve shared. You truly have an eye for quality and the Faustina coins you have shared have been absolutely stunning. The Victorian issues are very attractive so I can totally understand your point of view. That would have been a very impressive set to build. Nonetheless, you bring up an interesting point about the comparison between Victoria and Faustina. Perhaps at some point, you’ll find your collection captivated by both. 

I know how difficult that can be. There are just so many different paths Candice could take with her collection. If she is anything like me she will likely explore a few before she really decides on one. My offer stands for whenever she is ready. I am also happy to assist with any research she needs help with. I have a decent collection of reference books for British coins.

It really is a shame. I think a double date would be so much fun! Maybe after we all get done with grad school we can meet up at a coin show or something. Plus who knows, maybe I’ll have a conference in your area at some point. If this ever does occur you’ll have to bring your stock book. I would hate to miss an opportunity to see your collection in hand!

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Hey Don,

I must thank you for the kind words regarding my eye with my Faustina coins.....that really means a lot to hear from you as you are someone whose skills I respect highly and who also collects some amazing material!  I think that I eventually will revisit Victoria's coinage, probably in the area of India.....those are the ones I enjoy the most.  I have a pretty good start to a Victoria India type set......maybe I'll finish it off at some point.  The thing about Faustina's coins is that, even though she's one of the most common Roman empresses (if not the most common), I know that there will be a point where I hit a wall as far as finding quality pieces.  Low grade stuff, I could buy all day every day but good quality.....that gets to be much fewer and far between.  I aim for VF or better with silver and F or better with copper, with a preference for green patina on the copper pieces.  And, with Lucilla, I'll hit that wall even sooner, so she's not a great fall back pursuit.  So, Victoria India pieces may be a good fall-back for when I hit that wall.  I'm also trying to decide where I'd focus if I chose a series with the Indian coins.....that's a tough one because they're all quite nice.  I guess I'll just keep mulling it over.  Though, I have to say that the Rupees, 1/4 Rupees and the copper 1/4 Anna are all great coins :).

I think you're right on about Candice needing to try a few paths on....I think she's in the process of looking at them now and taking a few tentative steps down them to try them on.  I know she loves the copper coins quite a bit, and it's easy to see why!  Candice is a planner with the things that are important, and I know she views her coin collecting as very important, so she'll have to mull it over, try a few things and make her blueprint.  Then, she'll hit the ground running like an abelisaur running down the titanosaur she's been tracking for three days in Cretaceous Gondwana!  It's actually fun for me to watch this process as she's so much more intricate than I am with stuff.....which makes sense since she's a techy working on a PhD in Computer Science!  Me, I'm more like a dromaeosaur.....I'm always leaping at something with my wings flapping and my claws out, with a planning process but nowhere near the one Candice has.

I would also hate an opportunity to see your collection in hand!  Tell you what....if I ever end up in Mississippi, I'll let you know where I'll be.....if you do the same with me if you end up in New York and we're close enough to one another, we may be able to plan a get together....which would be a blast!  I think you'd also be great to go to a show with....we could definitely get in some trouble there :)

Edited by Mohawk
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