OT. Hopefully, this will become a long running thread about coins and our different occupations.

Insider2

At the moment, there is a discussion about organic chemistry as it relates to chemicals used to clean coins. It is deep for most of us who never had the misfortune to be required to take organic chemistry in our major. Nevertheless, it is interesting and inspired me to do some extra reading off-site on the Internet.

Many times on this forum, knowledgeable folks who are chemists, astronomers, lawyers, mechanics, engineers, etc. get into discussions with each other dealing with the fringes of numismatics while commenting in a thread. One is going on now dealing with chemicals. We have a chance to pick some brains here.

My wish is to hear from some of you who are inspired to write about your professional field as any of it relates to coins. I just read a discussion the other day about the math involved in calculating the amount a coin is off center. I thought you could just look at it and take a guess. Apparently, it is not very accurate that way and was one reason TPGS stopped adding the % O/C on the slab label.

So, this discussion will either die right here or a few brave souls will educate us. I'm going to try to think of some interesting questions. If anyone can think of something - please post it.

Are different types of light used to photograph coins of certain metals?

What causes the large chunky/block crystallization on ancient silver coins?

Coinstartled

Space travel is a hobby of mine but not an occupation.

SiriusBlack

I’m a photographer by trade and work in a camera store as occupation. I started in the early 1990’s with film, did the whole digital thing for a while and have now gone back to shooting only film cameras. I’ve never done coin photography before though so I’m going to borrow some gear from work and give it a go. Hopefully my photography knowledge will lead to some nice photos, but no promises

Edit: to answer your question about lights and coin metals I’m not sure but there are a lot of different modifiers that could be used for effect. I’ll give some a try and see where it gets me.

GaCoinGuy

I teach middle school math (7th grade the past couple of years) and I try to incorporate coins and currency into the classroom. I have a Dansco 7070 that some of my students wear is filled with fake money. I have a small world currency collection (always looking to add more) from different countries that I use when we discuss exchange rates and percents.

ProfLiz

I'm a professor of metallurgy. Almost all coins are made of metals. So seems to be a good fit.

I'm not familiar with ancients, but if someone posts a photo of the "chunky/block crystallization" I might hazard a guess!

Hallco

I work in financial services. I literally work with US coins and currency Monday through Friday. Unfortunately I see very little in the way of collectible or rarity, although there are the occasional wheat cents and 90% silver pieces that sometimes come through.

Crypto

bureaucrat married to a judge. Very DC

Doing what I do I am very used to handling other people’s old money

messydesk

Software engineer in the medical imaging field. My background rears its head around here once in a while. Most recently in the 2D/3D imaging thread and the latest computer grading thread.

jafo50

Retired Systems Field Engineer from a Mainframe Computer Company. PC's weren't invented when I started my career and most people today have no idea what a Mainframe is. I'm a detail oriented individual which crosses over to coin collecting.

ricko

Much of my career in industry related to security. So, when discussions here are about home or business security, I can contribute. Also, a lot of the business had to do with metals and plating of metals, so, while not a 'professor of metallurgy', I have had a lot of practical experience in that area. Cheers, RickO

Goldminers

Probably obvious from the name, but I graduated with a Mine Engineering degree 40 years ago. We first started working in underground silver and copper mines, then mostly in gold mines above and below the ground. Have worked in or visited gold mines in more than a dozen countries. Chances are high if you have any modern gold or silver coins from the US Mint, some of the metal was sourced from places where I have worked.

Nysoto

Technical Fellow within a tool engineering organization of an aerospace company, 32 years.

Coinage dies are tools. At our company, we have over 30 types of dies, from the size of a dime to over 40 feet long.

With coins, I identified all of the reverse master dies and hubs used in Heraldic Eagle half dollars and $10 Eagles, and how they are integrated, then wrote a book about the man who engraved them.

Insider2

@Goldminers said:
Probably obvious from the name, but I graduated with a Mine Engineering degree 40 years ago. We first started working in underground silver and copper mines, then mostly in gold mines above and below the ground. Have worked in or visited gold mines in more than a dozen countries. Chances are high if you have any modern gold or silver coins from the US Mint, some was sourced from places where I have worked.

This is exactly why I wished to start this discussion. There are members here who can educate us about EVERYTHING!!! Don't be shy. We have plenty of time to answer and will probably produce some spin-off discussions from experts that we cannot fully understand.

@Goldminers

There is some interesting work going on with traces of gold found in the 18th Century 8 Reales coinage from different countries. Apparently, as the plates in the earth shifted over each other, different concentrations of gold became mixed with the silver. Have you seen/read/know about this being the case for mines in Mexico and South American?

When you are done with that question...LOL. Any info on about Charlotte or Dahlonega mining? LOL. Sorry you posted yet? There must be more gold miners out here.

Roger's book has some info in chapter 1.

Toma

Going into the Army in 3 weeks as a water treatment specialist and I'm really eager to find out how/if that mos will affect my everyday life, coins included. Maybe the discipline will help me fill out some folders rather than just buying cull morgans and playing with them.

Insider2

Thanks for your service! After it's over, boot camp will have been a blast, especially the rifle range and night firing session with the tracers if they do that in the Army?

MrEureka

I’m a self-unemployed numismatist, so I’m afraid I won’t be of much help to anyone.

Goldminers

@Insider2 said:

@Goldminers

There is some interesting work going on with traces of gold found in the 18th Century 8 Reales coinage from different countries. Apparently, as the plates in the earth shifted over each other, different concentrations of gold became mixed with the silver. Have you seen/read/know about this being the case for mines in Mexico and South American?

It is quite common to have both gold and silver in the same deposits in Mexico like those Fresnillo owns. I will say as far as plate tectonics goes, the gold in Ghana Africa (formerly called the Gold Coast) is found in the same type deposits as in Suriname on the North part of South America, as they were once actually connected and in the same place.

Goldminers

Insider2,

Here is some history of the Charlotte, South Carolina gold. The first US gold rush.

http://hailegoldmine.com/about/history/

This discusses the source of gold for the Charlotte Mint:

https://www.usacoinbook.com/encyclopedia/coin-mints/charlotte/

Cheers

abcde12345

Door to door Roomba salesman.
I know when a thread sucks. (This isn't one of them.)

Gluggo

I am a Oil Field worker of many years. School of hard knocks since 1982 in the Alaskan Oil Fields of the North Slope home of the future next oil boom in ANWR.

Insider2

@Goldminers said:
Insider2,

Here is some history of the Charlotte, South Carolina gold. The first US gold rush.

http://hailegoldmine.com/about/history/

This discusses the source of gold for the Charlotte Mint:

https://www.usacoinbook.com/encyclopedia/coin-mints/charlotte/

Cheers

Thanks,

I've got two books on Charlotte and have not opened them. This forum is interfering with my life...LOL!

Insider2

@Gluggo said:
I am a Oil Field worker of many years. School of hard knocks since 1982 in the Alaskan Oil Fields of the North Slope home of the future next oil boom in ANWR.

Have you ever put crude oil on a silver coin? Folks say silver can be toned with old used motor oil.

pbj

I am currently retired, but had a career as a Research Scientist at a leading edge R & D lab working in the area of development of ultra small low noise amplifiers for millimeter wave frequencies (the range above microwaves) . As part of my job I worked with many chemicals and operated the most advanced optical and scanning electron microscopes to develop and fabricate semiconductor devices. I am very proud to relate that in the mid 90s my colleagues and I developed and fabricated the "fastest transistor in the world". As I entered the hobby I felt that my background would help me in removing organic contamination and environmental damage (oxidation [tarnish] , etc.), to make the coins I collected bright and shiny and pristine without causing any detectable damage to the coin. For an educated person I felt like a real big stupid ignorant idiot when I learned very quickly that altering a coin is taboo in the hobby (for the vast majority of experienced collectors, and except for organic contamination such as adhesive residue, vertigree, etc. using non-volatile chemicals)!! I guess if you take what I have learned is a newbies initial attraction to bright white shiny coins and the background of someone who worked in an arena where a particle of dust (or any contamination) could destroy your project, I could have become a real bane to the coin collecting community.
Luckily I have decided that the best thing for me to do if I wish to pursue my interest in becoming a serious collector is to put the vast majority of my knowledge and work experience aside and learn coin collecting starting from zero. It is a daunting task and has been difficult, but I know that involvement in the hobby is going to play a big part in making my retirement enjoyable.
I hope at some point to be able to inject some of my knowledge and work experience into the mix after I establish a strong coin collecting knowledge foundation and add a scientific/technical slant to my experience of the hobby later on. I have found that I can't completely divorce my background from my entry level education process and find myself examining coins at much higher magnifications than I should, but I do my best to be a humble, open minded novice. (I admit that I wish I still had access to the ultra-high magnification scanning electron microscope to examine contamination and observe how the minting process affects the molecular structure of different metals and perform elemental analyses of different metals and contaminates) That's just the scientist in me...but as a numistmatist, I'm at the bottom of a long flight of stairs.
*interestingly, I now find myself attracted to toned coins.
Much appreciation to all on this forum--Paul

Goldminers

@Insider2 said:
Thanks for your service! After it's over, boot camp will have been a blast, especially the rifle range and night firing session with the tracers if they do that in the Army?

When I was younger at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in the 60's on 4th of July they would put stands up and we would watch F4's drop napalm in front of us for fireworks at night. You could actually feel the heat. I sure wish I would have had a video camera.

Toma, great career choice. I wish you the best.

GRANDAM

@Insider2 said:

@Gluggo said:
I am a Oil Field worker of many years. School of hard knocks since 1982 in the Alaskan Oil Fields of the North Slope home of the future next oil boom in ANWR.

Have you ever put crude oil on a silver coin? Folks say silver can be toned with old used motor oil.

The $50,000 question is: Can the grading services recognize this as artificial toning?

Insider2

@GRANDAM said:

@Insider2 said:

@Gluggo said:
I am a Oil Field worker of many years. School of hard knocks since 1982 in the Alaskan Oil Fields of the North Slope home of the future next oil boom in ANWR.

Have you ever put crude oil on a silver coin? Folks say silver can be toned with old used motor oil.

The $50,000 question is: Can the grading services recognize this as artificial toning?

the $64.000 answer...It does not matter when toning/tarnish is involved. This is where experience and "market acceptability" enters the answer. I'll guarantee that mistakes are made with both AT and NT and anyone working for a TPGS who cannot admit that FACT loses my respect!

Unknown

This content has been removed.

dpoole

My career was as a psychologist.

The relevance of my profession to numismatics goes without saying.

asheland

I work in the coin industry. (I don't want to name where for privacy) but it's a B&M

tommy44

When I took a early retirement buyout from my employer in 1992 I think my title was Sr. Advisory Project Manager, a glorified name for a computer programmer. Since then I've probably forgotten more about programming than I remember.

Anyone remember 1401 Autocoder? (read a card and branch to column 40. "1040")
or..... shift register right in Assembly language
or save register to FWACBAR in CICS

Gee, maybe I remember more than I thought.

As a result of almost 30 years in the industry I am a stickler for details, (much to the dismay of my wife as I correct her conversations), and I have a customized spreadsheet for just about everything. As you can imagine I also love working with numbers and started a second part-time career with H&R Block as a tax preparer during the tax season when it is cold and wet and dark outside. I stayed there for 23 years finally easing into full time retirement in 2005 make that 2015.

Now my wife and I enjoy time with our family, especially our two grandsons, love to travel and spend about eight days a week eating out with our many friends.

I even have a little time left over to piddle around with coins although I am nowhere near as active as I once was.

RogerB

I'll chime in when the subject comes around to emu and aardvark farming in Wyoming. Interesting that Tommy44's Assembly Language shares the term "shift register right" with hybridizing emus and aardvarks.....But I digress and will go back to collecting wood grain ants for dinner.

thefinn

I started a small mint in 2000 doing tokens and medals, then got into encased coins in 2005. I think I am one of the last people on the planet that make encased coins, and had to figure out how it was done because no one was around for me to ask questions. I design, engrave, harden, polish and use coining dies. I built my own press with no moving parts (which saves a lot of weight and repairs).

Walkerguy21D

Degree in Chem Eng (and for those who dread the thought of taking organic chemistry, it was a breeze compared to P-Chem...think Sheldon Cooper talking about Schrodinger's cat), but never really used it. Was hired into the microelectronics field out of college (anyone remember RCA?) and spent many years in that field, mostly in management and operations. I'm now a project manager in the aerospace industry. So I don't have much to contribute here from the business side of things. Have done some part time dealing, appraisals, helped dealer friends behind tables at shows, etc.

jmski52

I started out as an analytical chemist in ag chemicals, then as an analytical chemist in the industrial chemical distribution industry. I then gravitated into the formulation of paint & coatings, then into corrosion engineering and for the past 25 years I've been selling industrial equipment in the oil industry.

bidask

@Crypto said:
bureaucrat married to a judge. Very DC

Doing what I do I am very used to handling other people’s old money

I have been in financial services for 37 years and work for Morgan Stanley . My title is SVP
Portfolio Management Director.

I handle other people's money .

Insider2

@thefinn said:
I started a small mint in 2000 doing tokens and medals, then got into encased coins in 2005. I think I am one of the last people on the planet that make encased coins, and had to figure out how it was done because no one was around for me to ask questions. I design, engrave, harden, polish and use coining dies. I built my own press with no moving parts (which saves a lot of weight and repairs).

Encased as in CW Encased stamps?

DIMEMAN

@tommy44 said:
When I took a early retirement buyout from my employer in 1992 I think my title was Sr. Advisory Project Manager, a glorified name for a computer programmer. Since then I've probably forgotten more about programming than I remember.

Anyone remember 1401 Autocoder? (read a card and branch to column 40. "1040")
or..... shift register right in Assembly language
or save register to FWACBAR in CICS

Gee, maybe I remember more than I thought.

As a result of almost 30 years in the industry I am a stickler for details, (much to the dismay of my wife as I correct her conversations), and I have a customized spreadsheet for just about everything. As you can imagine I also love working with numbers and started a second part-time career with H&R Block as a tax preparer during the tax season when it is cold and wet and dark outside. I stayed there for 23 years finally easing into full time retirement in 2005 make that 2015.

Now my wife and I enjoy time with our family, especially our two grandsons, love to travel and spend about eight days a week eating out with our many friends.

I even have a little time left over to piddle around with coins although I am nowhere near as active as I once was.

Computer Programmer Analyist was my profession also. But COBOL not Assembly.

tommy44

@DIMEMAN said:

Computer Programmer Analyist was my profession also. But COBOL not Assembly.

COBOL also and a little System 32 RPG, BASIC, and even 7070 Autocoder. Those were the days when we actually know what the computer was doing. Now, who knows.

messydesk

@tommy44 said:
When I took a early retirement buyout from my employer in 1992 I think my title was Sr. Advisory Project Manager, a glorified name for a computer programmer. Since then I've probably forgotten more about programming than I remember.

Anyone remember 1401 Autocoder? (read a card and branch to column 40. "1040")

or..... shift register right in Assembly language
or save register to FWACBAR in CICS

I still use assembly language today. Whether it's for debugging strange happenings (and occasionally finding compiler issues) or making algorithms run really fast, it comes in quite handy.

Sonorandesertrat

Ph.D. in physical inorganic chemistry 32 years ago. Currently a co-owner of a biomedical engineering company. I have extensive experience with physical methods (electrochemistry, different spectroscopic methods) and with attaching various types of molecules to thin metal films (silver, gold) or nanoparticles.

I started collecting when I was very young--tutored in the hobby by my paternal grandmother in the 1960's. Went to my first major ANA show in 1967. Drifted in and out of active collecting (foreign & U.S.) over the years; currently, I spend more time and money buying and studying numismatic literature than coins.

thefinn

@Insider2 said:

@thefinn said:
I started a small mint in 2000 doing tokens and medals, then got into encased coins in 2005. I think I am one of the last people on the planet that make encased coins, and had to figure out how it was done because no one was around for me to ask questions. I design, engrave, harden, polish and use coining dies. I built my own press with no moving parts (which saves a lot of weight and repairs).

Encased as in CW Encased stamps?

Encased as in "Keep Me & Good Luck Will Follow". Think Earl Fankhauser.

ECHOES

I work the building trades, I am a Union Carpenter. Finish Carpenter, meaning I would install the finishes to any given project, ie. cabinets, millwork, trim, doors and hardware...
I don't know how numismatics and carpentry correlate, but I can say without a doubt that I love them both. I use simple math every day, numbers constantly running around in my thoughts.
One thing I have noticed, at least with me, if I have music in the background, it makes the "figuring out" process much easier.
Again I don't know how these fit together, they just do...

Sonorandesertrat

I am waiting for someone to fess up to being a professional coin thief.

hchcoin

@Sonorandesertrat said:
I am waiting for someone to fess up to being a professional coin thief.

I thought you were going to say "professional coin doctor"

I have worked in accounting, finance, management and sales. Now I teach at a college.

pbj

@Insider2 you started this thread but haven't told about your background... Please let us know!

JRocco

Fun thread.

I am a Pharmacist and remember organic chemistry well.
Now I'm not saying it was a good memory....but it did make an impression

But I always loved US History, even as a kid and back then it was even taught in school....
I remember the first time seeing a coin dated 1812 and thinking Holy crap that is the same
year as the War of 1812. So learning, appreciating and eventually collecting US coins just kind of happened.

Insider2

Since 1972 I've worked at ANACS (first authentication service), INSAB (first grading service), PCI (first to slab problem coins), NGC (then started NCS), and now ICG.(first TPGS to slab C?F's for teaching purposes).

While this thread is serving a purpose to introduce ourselves (we already have a forum for that here), I had hoped it would turn into discussions in particular fields (some completely over our heads) that touched on coins. It was inspired by a discussion on organic chemistry by two chemists - the chemical symbol and bonds of a coin cleaner.

It's all good. I'm nosey. Anyone know why many ancient coins develop blocky crystals? Some 8 Reales have "as struck" diagonal cuts into their edges. What made them? I'm putting this one on the foreign section.

Namvet69

My profession was in law enforcement for over 43 years, beginning in the US Army with 2 tours in Vietnam, cop in Marin Co Calif, detective for 33 years in Pa. I have also been a metal detectorists for 30 years, a lifeguard, photoengraver and an electrician. I am a runner for 18 years, 50+ miles per week, every day outdoors all year long and I find beat up coins while running and great old coins in the ground. I love CU. Peace Roy

Coinscratch

I'm in the copier industry and every time one breaks down or needs to be installed the treasure hunt begins. If I get lost for a couple hours the boss doesn't complain much at all unless, I just get mad at myself. So I should know a lot about toners. Last weeks hunt had this one thrown in. Can you tell me if this w






ould catch a Cameo? Several pics trying to figure out lighting but the cell pic shows the truest color. Thanks!

Coinscratch

Whoops the 85 obviously a mistake.

Justacommeman

Designer and opportunist by trade. I've always gravitated to aesthetically pleasing coins. I have a background in world religion/history so it all kind of ties together.

mark