OK, enough with the "skull" hobo carvings, already.
lordmarcovan
Posts: 43,872 ✭✭✭✭✭
The first few were pretty cool, especially the well-executed ones. Then everybody and his grandpa (talented or not) got out his tools and started carving skulls on Buffalo nickels and everything else.
I hereby pronounce that trend as having "jumped the shark".
And when you start carving skulls on 225-year-old Conder tokens, you're risking your immortal soul.
You could (or should) roast in Numismatic Hell for that. Especially if your auction lists the condition as
<< <i>"Freshly SKULLpted" >>
(But yeah, OK, on the other hand, the hooded druid on that host coin does make for an interesting piece when skull-ified. Doesn't mean I approve, though.)
PS- dear skull-happy engraving artist: if you join up here and post a "before" picture of that host coin showing it to have had a huge dent on the druid's face, you shall be forgiven. Otherwise I'll be sticking some pins in a voodoo doll that looks like you.
I hereby pronounce that trend as having "jumped the shark".
And when you start carving skulls on 225-year-old Conder tokens, you're risking your immortal soul.
You could (or should) roast in Numismatic Hell for that. Especially if your auction lists the condition as
<< <i>"Freshly SKULLpted" >>
(But yeah, OK, on the other hand, the hooded druid on that host coin does make for an interesting piece when skull-ified. Doesn't mean I approve, though.)
PS- dear skull-happy engraving artist: if you join up here and post a "before" picture of that host coin showing it to have had a huge dent on the druid's face, you shall be forgiven. Otherwise I'll be sticking some pins in a voodoo doll that looks like you.
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JMHO, of course, continue with the rant.
<< <i>I sort of like the look of the linked coin, what bugs me is holes in coins/medals. I have seen some valuable coins ruined as a matter of chance when they were selected for defacement and suspension. now I know that's a type of damage you approve of and support but if we are to be outraged by intentional damage to coins/medals that type probably tops the list. additionally, I figure most of the Hobo carvers are smart enough to know not to carve a coin with Numismatic value. there are far too many Buffalo's out there which have worn to a point where all they are really good for is jewelry, buttons and belt buckles.
JMHO, of course, continue with the rant. >>
I don't "approve" of holing coins. A holed coin is what it is. It was almost always holed in its own contemporary period, when it was just worth face value.
I'd be equally aghast and indignant if somebody drilled a hole in a 200+ year old coin today.
And yes, the OP coin I linked to is not without some artistic merit. I just wish he'd chosen a different host, is all.
<< <i>Is that a chop mark on the buffalo's hind quarter (the locomotive coin)?? Cheers, RickO >>
Artist's monogram, no doubt.
<< <i>
<< <i>Is that a chop mark on the buffalo's hind quarter (the locomotive coin)?? Cheers, RickO >>
Artist's monogram, no doubt. >>
The artist put his 'brand' on the buffalo...looks like the name "Falling Cactus"
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
<< <i>I don't like any of em!! In fact I hate em! >>
Well, you would, wouldn't you?
Our true Buffalo nickel lover hates to see a Buffalo nickel "vandalized". Make sense, I guess.
Now... just imagine some chucklehead took one of your toned beauties and carved a big ol' grinnin' skull over the Indian, and skeletonized the buffalo, too, for good measure!
I have some nice old PRR lanterns.
<< <i>
<< <i>I don't like any of em!! In fact I hate em! >>
Well, you would, wouldn't you?
Our true Buffalo nickel lover hates to see a Buffalo nickel "vandalized". Make sense, I guess.
Now... just imagine some chucklehead took one of your toned beauties and carved a big ol' grinnin' skull over the Indian, and skeletonized the buffalo, too, for good measure!
I wouldn't like that at all. Just suggesting something like that gives me the creeps. Why skulls? Why Buffalo Nickel's??
I'm not trying to be argumentative, but your "shrine" in the form of the Vest is certainly tacit approval of holed coins by my way of thinking. look at it from my perspective(which I 'm not trying to say is right) when it comes to So-Called Dollars----though many issues come "holed" I avoid them no matter how nice they are, how rare they are or how badly I think I need a particular issue. I currently own two holed medals which I purchased early on and can't bring myself to place back on the open market. I know that may come across as a little self-righteous but it is how I feel about what I perceive as intentional damage despite how the medals are portrayed in the catalogue.
take a stand, man, dump the Vest or at least retire it and stop encouraging the next generation of "Holers" from drilling!!
<< <i>I only collect HOBOs with train/locomotives themes. My latest
You should put a diamond where the headlight is.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
<< <i>I don't "approve" of holing coins.
I'm not trying to be argumentative, but your "shrine" in the form of the Vest is certainly tacit approval of holed coins by my way of thinking. look at it from my perspective(which I 'm not trying to say is right) when it comes to So-Called Dollars----though many issues come "holed" I avoid them no matter how nice they are, how rare they are or how badly I think I need a particular issue. I currently own two holed medals which I purchased early on and can't bring myself to place back on the open market. I know that may come across as a little self-righteous but it is how I feel about what I perceive as intentional damage despite how the medals are portrayed in the catalogue.
take a stand, man, dump the Vest or at least retire it and stop encouraging the next generation of "Holers" from drilling!!
Keets-
1- You obviously are trying to be argumentative.
2- You're behind the times- I sold off the Holey Coin Vest some time ago.
3- I think you are overlooking the distinction I am making between contemporary engraving, damage, etc. and modern.
But different people make different distinctions. My outcry here has been mostly tongue-in-cheek but I do find the idea of a modern artist using a 225-year old copper as his canvas to follow a fad to be slightly abhorrent. Even if the work was well executed. I can't really explain why I would object to that but not to a 19th century love token on a 19th century Seated dime. Or to a modern hobo nickel artist using an 80 year old Buffalo nickel.
My distinction isn't entirely consistent or explainable, but it's there.
A 16th century woodcut or engraving that's been colored with Magic Marker would be wrong somehow, no matter how proficient the colorist was at his job.
have a nice day.
Then again, time lends perspective. A friend of mine dug up a Victorian love token while detecting, once. Though it had clearly been engraved at the height of the 19th century love token "fad", the host coin was a 1773 Spanish colonial half-real piece. So that engraver did practically the same thing as the guy in my OP link, by choosing a 100+ year old coin to work with. Rather than finding that objectionable, I thought it was pretty neat.
So there- I can post a valid counterpoint to my own reasoning.
Who's to say these "skull hobo" carvings won't have a following decades or centuries from now? Maybe that carved Conder token will be a prized piece to some future (or present-day) collector, despite my feeling it is an abomination?
I'll be the first to admit that my reaction may have been of the knee-jerk variety. I still think it's rather a faddish thing, though.
Time will tell.
So sue me. Thanks for sincerely wishing me to have a nice day, though. I did.