Coin Urban Legends & MythBusters - Are there Any ?

MsMorrisine · May 13, 2014 9:18PM

Are there any Urban Legends in the coin world?

Have any been MythBusted?

Do Any Need to be MythTested ?

s4ny · May 13, 2014 9:33PM

The story of the former SF Mint employee and the recently discovered gold coin hoard may gain that status.

FullStrike · May 13, 2014 10:10PM

A small time urban legend is that Kennedy Halves are worth money. Well yeah if they're a 64 or even a 65-70. But a regular
circulated clad? With the rise of Silver this UL isnt as far off track as it used to be.

DrPete · May 13, 2014 10:13PM

A couple come to mind.

1. Wells Fargo has bags of barber coins and other coins from late 1890's and early 1900's stashed away. I don't believe this one.
2. Kegs full of barber dimes lost in a canyon in Colorado, 1906-D or 1907-D, don't recall off-hand right now. Mentioned in Bower's book. I believe this one.
3. Fort Knox empty of gold bullion. Not coins, but a widely held conspiracy story. I believe gold bars are still there.

I'm sure that others will come up with many others.

braddick · May 13, 2014 10:20PM

Urban Legend

Part 2

Part 3

MGLICKER · May 13, 2014 10:29PM

I recall that when the Sac "golden" dollar was rolled out, folks thought that they had some precious metal content.

Tibor · May 13, 2014 10:38PM

.... that Bi-Centennial coinage (the circulation variety) is worth more than
face value. If in unc. condition yes , but pulled from circulation the last
35+ years, NO.

Yorkshireman · May 13, 2014 10:42PM

<< Urban Legend

Part 2

Part 3 >>

Neat story!
The first 3 parts were posted seven years ago. Where is the conclusion?

Staircoins · May 13, 2014 10:45PM

Did little Hallie Daggett REALLY buy an ice cream with a proof 1894-S dime???

rkp · May 13, 2014 10:59PM

Braddick, is there a part 4? I searched and found nothing.

Walkerguy21D · May 13, 2014 11:02PM

<< Wells Fargo has bags of barber coins and other coins from late 1890's and early 1900's stashed away. I don't believe this one. >>

I think it may be the same bank hoard, that I've seen several references that an original mint bag of 1919S halves was listed in the
inventory.....it would certainly be amazing, but I'm guessing by now the temptation to distribute these into the marketplace would have
happened and the MS pops would be much higher than it is.

illini420 · May 13, 2014 11:03PM

<< Braddick, is there a part 4? I searched and found nothing. >>

You had to send a PM to the OP to get it...

AMRC · May 13, 2014 11:19PM

There are so many "rare" coins.

Walkerguy21D · May 13, 2014 11:25PM

<< Did little Hallie Daggett REALLY buy an ice cream with a proof 1894-S dime??? >>

About 8-9 years ago, I met an elderly dealer set up in a back corner at the Lakeland FL show. He wasn't getting
any traffic, and seemed glad to have me at least look in his case. His inventory was mostly dimes, Barber and Mercs, better dates and grades.
He apparently 'came out of retirement' just to get rid of some things. After he quoted me prices well below Bid on some 09S and 21D dimes,
I went to town and bought a fair number of coins. Anyway after the transaction we were chatting and he said Barber dimes were his favorite, he
had a lot more at home, including a COMPLETE high grade set....I said wow, then said yeah complete except for the 94S ha ha ha....He said no, when he said complete, he meant complete - he had the 94S too. A circulated example he bought somewhere in AL back in the 1950's, and he knows it genuine.....I guess anything is possible, as not all of the original mintage is accounted for, so perhaps it will surface someday.
Certainly more believable is that he also said he hoarded '23S quarters back in the day, and has a roll put away for each of his three kids, every coin VF and better.

MrHalfDime · May 14, 2014 12:17AM

So, Realone, are you saying that you now own that coin? If so, apparently the Bobbes "who vow they "will never sell it" evidently did. With a pedigree including Andy Lustig and Fred Weinberg and Henry Hilgard and Mike Byers, we can assume that it is genuine. Cool.

ricko · May 14, 2014 12:22AM

The 1964 D Peace Dollar..... Yes.... a great myth and maybe some really do exist. Roger Burdette's book 'A guide book of Peace Dollars' has an excellent, detailed story of this coin. I know of a very trustworthy person that claims to have seen one. Never saw one myself. Cheers, RickO

SaorAlba · May 14, 2014 12:30AM

The 1844 "Little Orphan Annie" dimes were lost on the military expedition to Mexico.

SmEagle1795 · May 14, 2014 12:32AM

<< 
The Barber Half book was written in 1991, and yes I am the latest caretaker of the piece and a cool piece it is......thanks!

and I might add that you can tell it was stored in leather because it has that leather crude in between the edifices of the lettering etc, it is original and naturally toned that is if you call stored in leather natural, simply a beautiful specimen with luster remaining and undergraded by pcgs at au58 imho

>>

This ranks among my favorite of your coins! Awesome piece!

CaptHenway · May 14, 2014 8:34AM

"64 Kennedy half dollars are worth $32"

braddick · May 14, 2014 10:58AM

<< Braddick, is there a part 4? I searched and found nothing. >>

I never did PM, yet I could "guess" at the conclusion.

BarberFanatic · May 14, 2014 10:52PM

One myth going around some circles of the numismatic community is that any coin collector with a very large coin budget somehow automatically qualifies as (and can be titled) an "advanced" collector. You don't need to have any personal involvement or genuine passion whatsoever in what you are assembling so long as you are writing large checks to a dealer or agent who goes around and buys what you want from the various auctions and other rare coin dealers. Apparently in these circles, "advanced" means to let somebody else do all the work for you while you sit back and take the credit for their accomplishments... simply because you were funding their scavenger hunt.

Contrary to that myth, the reality is that to most coin enthusiasts the word "advanced" can only legitimately be applied to those collectors who are fanatical experts who live, eat, sleep, and breathe their particular areas of interest in the hobby and who may have done so for quite a long time regardless of the size of their coin budget.

FullStrike · May 14, 2014 11:17PM

Bingo !

This might also explain why so many spectacular collections go on sale when completed.

OK Mr Money Bags. You just put together the finest set I could find for you. Now as I told you, we never really possess
coins, we merely enjoy buying them and then allow your Dealer to resell them so he/she can afford to find your next
set.Yes it's time to sell and start over again. Just relax and keep on writing those Checks.

Dentuck · May 15, 2014 1:39AM

There are some in the hobby community who believe that
Lincoln Vanderblatt is not a real person.

FredWeinberg · May 15, 2014 4:39AM

I was the one who purchased it from
Harlan White - I paid $1,000 for it
at the time, which was a pretty darn
hefty price for any error coin.....

(the First Strike Brockage Barber Half)

BarberFanatic · May 15, 2014 4:53AM

<< I was the one who purchased it from
Harlan White - I paid $1,000 for it
at the time, which was a pretty darn
hefty price for any error coin.....

(the First Strike Brockage Barber Half) >>

Quite a good investment for sure!

DrPete · May 15, 2014 5:27AM

RealOne,

I really do think that brockage barber half is a really neat piece. I remember seeing it in Lawrence's text when I first bought my copy of the book and thinking how uber cool it is. I see very few error Barber coins, particularly the halves. I am glad it is held by a real enthusiast.

That brings up another Barber-related myth to bust: Is there really a micro O 1898-O Barber half?

CoinZip · May 15, 2014 6:56AM

I didn't read through all the posts...... but did anyone mention "Jack the Flipper?"

Has anyone ever heard of him?

mustangmanbob · May 15, 2014 9:12AM

Fort Riley Kansas, Legend is that in the early 1900's, the soldiers were paid in $5 gold coins to demonstrate to the local economy the impact of the soldiers spending. The problem was that $5 was a lot of money and there was not enough hard currency change readily available, so some of the $5 coins were stashed and lost. When the "old" pre WW1 section of the Fort was cleared, at least 7 $5 coins were found.

JJSingleton · May 15, 2014 10:09AM

Lost Confederate Treasure - estimates of a half to one million dollars in gold, silver, and jewelry left Richmond shortly before it fell and was taken south to Georgia where it was last seen. Never was recovered by the Union. Many people believe it remains buried somewhere in GA.

Coin Urban Legends & MythBusters - Are there Any ?

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Coin Urban Legends &amp; MythBusters - Are there Any ?

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Coin Urban Legends & MythBusters - Are there Any ?