Post your most recent acquisition: US 8 8

[Coinbuf]

That is a very nice shield for your collection @Woods020 Crisp!!

Edited May 19, 2021 by Coinbuf

[Mr.Bill347]

I picked up another nice one today.

[Hoghead515]

1 hour ago, Mr.Bill347 said:

I picked up another nice one today.

Nice one Mr. Bill. 

[Hoghead515]

5 hours ago, Woods020 said:

Another shield nickel for the type set. It’s a beauty. Ready to have it in hand. Now if whoever owns it now would release it from their registry I would be a happy camper. 

Very nice. You got some beauties the past few days. Very cool stuff my friend. 

[Henri Charriere]

I have never seen a Shield nickel so fine it mimics silver.  In fact, I never knew one existed in this top tier grade. You've done very well. Congratulations!

[Hoghead515]

11 hours ago, Quintus Arrius said:

I have never seen a Shield nickel so fine it mimics silver.  In fact, I never knew one existed in this top tier grade. You've done very well. Congratulations!

I agree. It's a very beautiful piece. Would love to own something that nice for my collection. 

[Woods020]

On 5/19/2021 at 3:48 PM, Woods020 said:

Another shield nickel for the type set. It’s a beauty. Ready to have it in hand. Now if whoever owns it now would release it from their registry I would be a happy camper. 

I got this in today and the pictures actually don’t do it justice. It’s as clean as any modern proof I’ve seen and the cameo is sharp. It exceeded my expectations. 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Woods020

[Coinbuf]

A modest somewhat pedestrian purchase that I bought for the holder and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of color around the rim.   Just a couple of quickie photos, I'll need to redo in order to play with the lighting to lose the harsh glare and hotspots.

 

[Woods020]

7 hours ago, Coinbuf said:

A modest somewhat pedestrian purchase that I bought for the holder and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of color around the rim.   Just a couple of quickie photos, I'll need to redo in order to play with the lighting to lose the harsh glare and hotspots.

 

Is that the first Gen holder? I keep an eye out but have not seen one yet. I like the toning quite a bit on the coin. 

[Coinbuf]

5 hours ago, Woods020 said:

Is that the first Gen holder? I keep an eye out but have not seen one yet. I like the toning quite a bit on the coin. 

This is a Hallmark slab and as far as I know Hallmark only had one slab label generation.   According to my info Hallmark was founded by Q David Bowers and Lee Bellisario and began operations in 1987 and closed operations in 1991.   This was the timeframe when the TPG model was hot and many firms were created in an attempt to tap the new numismatic market of third party grading.   I have been told that Lee was the main grader and that overall the grading was considered very conservative.   However Hallmark did not capture the fancy of dealers/collectors I have read that some did not like the look of the slab, other stories I have heard simply say that Hallmark did a poor job of marketing itself to dealers.   When Hallmark closed up the assets were sold to PCI and PCI used this slab with the green insert for a few years before going to the gold/yellow insert.   The early PCI holders that look like this one were also considered conservative, but had three generations of the green slab label.  Once that company changed hands the grading became atrocious, luckily its easy to know by the slab label when PCI was sold.  I have a few examples of most of the PCI slab generations but not a Hallmark.

I bought it for my holder collection, I've had opportunities to purchase Hallmark slabs before but by now most of the really nice coins have been broken out and moved to other holders like NGC or PCGS.   This one is a rather unusual opportunity to buy not just the holder but to also find one with an attractive coin inside so I'm very happy to add it to my stash of old and defunct holders 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Coinbuf

[Henri Charriere]

[An old, utilitarian but since discontinued encapsulated product from a defunct company and forerunner of today's TPGS.]

[Lem E]

[Woods020]

4 hours ago, Lem E said:

Beautiful Merc! Personally this is one of my favorite coin designs/series. 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Woods020

[Lem E]

37 minutes ago, Woods020 said:

Beautiful Merc! Personally this is one of my favorite coin designs/series. 

Thanks. I like the design too. Too bad it’s so little. I really like it on the palladium reverse proof eagle. 

[Henri Charriere]

If there is a coin collector who dislikes a Merc, for any reason, I haven't met him.  Women, in particular, find them to be quite beautiful. 

[Hoghead515]

She's a rough looker but I've been dying to get my hands on one of these. Swore I'd never buy a details coin knowing it was a details coin. I never could afford one of the nicer ones. After reading about these I really wanted to own a piece of the history. I'm still very happy to add this to the collection. I won it in auction at a very good price. Cheapest I've ever seen one. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to add a nicer example in the collection. Also gonna try my best to go for a Vermont also. 

[Woods020]

7 minutes ago, Hoghead515 said:

She's a rough looker but I've been dying to get my hands on one of these. Swore I'd never buy a details coin knowing it was a details coin. I never could afford one of the nicer ones. After reading about these I really wanted to own a piece of the history. I'm still very happy to add this to the collection. I won it in auction at a very good price. Cheapest I've ever seen one. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to add a nicer example in the collection. Also gonna try my best to go for a Vermont also. 

It’s nice to get one in VG even with details. Anything pre-1800 is wildly expensive. This is a great add to your collection!

[Hoghead515]

8 hours ago, Woods020 said:

It’s nice to get one in VG even with details. Anything pre-1800 is wildly expensive. This is a great add to your collection!

I got it at $48.11. I'm surprised someone didn't outbid me. Last few I've seen in auction around that grade in details went for way more. I'm very happy to get one. I've read some wonderful books that talk about the history of these. When I get to read some good history about a coin it makes me want one more. So glad I got into this hobby. I've had a wonderful time collecting and researching. Everyone here has been so good to me too. Helped me with alot of knowledge. 

[leeg]

The "P" coin in NGC 67 FT is a bear to find for a reasonable price.

This will have to do for now (POP 2/0):

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by leeg

[Henri Charriere]

55 minutes ago, leeg said:

The "P" coin in NGC 67 FT is a bear to find for a reasonable price.

This will have to do for know (POP 2/0):

 

 

A 67 and a + and  a *.

You've arrived, bro!

As Sinatra put it...." I'm number one, Top of the list, Head of the heap, King of the hilll...."

 

[Alex in PA.]

2 hours ago, Hoghead515 said:

I got it at $48.11. I'm surprised someone didn't outbid me.

You did good; very good.  I've seen some of those type go for up to $100.00 on the Bay.

[Alex in PA.]

1 hour ago, leeg said:

This will have to do for know (POP 2/0):

Q.A. got it right.  Don't see many of the + and * together.  Very nice pick up.

[Coinbuf]

That is a very cool Connecticut @Hoghead515 she does have some porosity but no reason to kick that to the curb, congrats on the newp.    

[Woods020]

New add this week. Finally got it in hand today. 

[Lem E]

1 minute ago, Woods020 said:

New add this week. Finally got it in hand today. 

Wow! Gorgeous color and clean. Nice 👍 

[leeg]

Thanks all.

That's a beauty above!

[Walkerfan]

[Lem E]

Just picked this one up today. My first Bust half. Now the fun begins in trying to figure out which die marriage this one is. I picked a heck of a one to start with. 49 or so different die pairs for this year from what I have read. I have a lot of research to do. Should be fun. 

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Lem E

[Coinbuf]

Very pretty @Lem E bust halves so come with some very nice color to them, congrats on the new addition.

[Lem E]

1 minute ago, Coinbuf said:

Very pretty @Lem E bust halves so come with some very nice color to them, congrats on the new addition.

Thanks. I have strayed away from my nickel collection for a while now, but I am enjoying picking up different things and learning about them. This one looks to be a challenge, but I enjoy doing the research. So many things I like. Good thing I work a lot.