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Gallery Mint Museum by Ron Landis and Joe Rust
Zoins
Posts: 33,924 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm a big fan of the Gallery Mint Museum led by Ron Landis and Joe Rust working Mike Ellis, Timothy Grat, and others. A while back I noticed that people would buy pairs of these with the COPY on either side to enjoy both faces without it.
I picked up this pair of copper dollar patterns this year and they are among my favorite GMM pieces. Love the size, heft, and edge work. Coin 2 below is more proof-like than coin 1 and doesn't have stars on the obverse.
Post any GMM or Ron Landis / Joe Rust pieces you have here.
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Looks nice. Looks like nice details went into the engraving. You can see the flow lines, too. Is that the color in-hand?
The color in hand is a bit more red and the surfaces are much flashier than evident in the photos.
For comparison, I picked this up from @indeetlib a while back who does some of the best photos of GMM pieces I've seen.
There's some info on the GMM Newsletter on this piece in the lower right corner ErRORS article below:
http://gmm.cdbpdx.com/news/
Beautiful coins, indeed! This is the dime from a Gallery Mint Coins of 1794 set that I no longer have...
I used to have many Gallery Mint pieces back in the 1990's. Unfortunately, I sold them at a time when demand for them on the secondary market was very low.
My feelings about them today are mixed. Even though they are clearly marked as copies I probably would not buy any today.
This is a piece of planchet strip that the Gallery Mint used to punch blank planchets from that were used to create the "regular thickness planchet" Concept Dollars. That is, any Concept Dollar except the 1995 and piedfort pieces.
I have never had an interest in these products... Though I have looked at them, they just do not have the attraction of authentic mint products. Cheers, RickO
They are not supposed to have the "attraction of authentic Mint products."
The idea is to get closer than otherwise possible. The pattern in my first post is unique and has resided in the Smithsonian since 1987 so the choices are GMM or bust
The other thing I've noticed is that some of the silver pieces have very nice toning now.
I never bought any of the silver when they were making them, but quite a bit of the bronze and I put them all in capsules and they have stayed brilliant.
Lmao, someone always chimes in to let us know that GM items aren't as good as the real Federal coins that they were made to tribute and honor.
And they don't care for the COPY that was put on the coins to respect and abide by the Hobby Protection Act.
And the designs and striking, which were hand engraved and done by human powered screw press, aren't as close to the original designs as the computer copied fantasy counterfeit pieces being produced in recent years.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Anyway, I'm a fairly avid collector of the Gallery Mint replicas and have an extensive set, with almost all of the 1793 - 1796 silver and copper pieces in pairs, one Copy stamped obverse, one copy reverse, in both satin and proof finishes, so they can be displayed both sides up with no Copy stamps showing. Will try to find pics..
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I don't have any like the op, btw looks awesome.
I do have the 1796 proof & MS set with gold. And this one with all the die polish lines.
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
I have a few of the copper ones-1793 chain cent and 1796 half cent.
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I visited the Gallery Mint with two friends after a St Louis coin show. We made coins like the ancient Romans and used their screwpress. We learned many things and had a great time. Making error coins was interesting and immensely educational. I had Joe make me a group of error coins for each of the issues. Still have most of them.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
Part of my GM collection:
Obviously need to take new pics.
Every single one of these pieces is marked COPY in compliance with the Hobby Protection Act.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
@Zoins , fun thread. As you noted as some collectors did, what pieces I have from the Gallery Mint were bought in pairs, thus could display Obverse / Reverse with no COPY showing.
I have a story and some photos to share. Ron Landis had a relative living in Denver and thus was in the Denver area once in a while. We had met at shows and the ANA Summer Seminar. Ron knew that I collected and studied the U.S. Early Dollars 1794 to 1803, and contacted me to see if I had a 1796 Dollar for him to study as he was working on dies to strike a 1796 dated silver dollar. I told him I had a 1796 B-5 (BB-65) Dollar that I would have for him when he came to my house, and a microscope to help see the details.
It was interesting to watch Ron study the 1796 Dollar. He looked at it much differently as an engraver than I did as a collector. I remember one key item that he discovered - the eagle's feathers were punched into the hub "one by one."
After studying this 1796 Dollar Ron said that he was scrapping the 1796 dated die that he had prepared, and would be redoing it. I knew the U.S. Mint had struck one 1794 Dollar Trial Piece in copper using the regular dies. I asked him if he would strike a pair of 1796 Dollars in Copper as "Trial Pieces" (with one having COPY on the obverse and the other on the reverse) which he did, and sent the pair to me as a gift. I don't know if the Gallery Mint struck any additional 1796 Dollars in Copper, or not. If anyone has an example struck in copper please let me know.
Here are the photos from the two the Copper Trial pieces, the two 1796 Dollars struck in silver from the same pair of dies, and a photo of some of the 2X2 envelopes that I have the copper pieces stored in. The last coin photographed is a fun bonus.... As you will see I like late die states and cuds on early coins!
1796 $1 Gallery Mint Copper Trial Pieces
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1796 $1 Gallery Mint - Struck in Silver
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1796 $1 Gallery Mint - Very Late Die State with Massive Obverse Cud
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Photos courtesy of W. David Perkins
W. David Perkins Numismatics - http://www.davidperkinsrarecoins.com/ - 25+ Years ANA, ANS, NLG, NBS, LM JRCS, LSCC, EAC, TAMS, LM CWTS, CSNS, FUN
Too bad we don't have a
LOVE 
button! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the kind words @Insider2! It took me a while to find, photograph, and post all this. Your post made it all worthwhile!
I noted these had toned a little over time....
W. David Perkins Numismatics - http://www.davidperkinsrarecoins.com/ - 25+ Years ANA, ANS, NLG, NBS, LM JRCS, LSCC, EAC, TAMS, LM CWTS, CSNS, FUN
This one may even get a few LOLs. I found this coin board today with two early silver dollars inserted. I'd forgotten putting these two Dollars in the Waite Raymond holder over a decade ago.
When is the last time you saw holes in a coin board filled with the wrong date, but a much, much, much rarer one???
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W. David Perkins Numismatics - http://www.davidperkinsrarecoins.com/ - 25+ Years ANA, ANS, NLG, NBS, LM JRCS, LSCC, EAC, TAMS, LM CWTS, CSNS, FUN
I am also a fan of Gallery Mint. I've collected a few different items direct from them when they were still in business and also via the aftermarket. Most of my purchases were "special orders" consisting of specifically made to order errors.
My first special order was couple off centered struck Chain Cents, one regular off center and the other a double dated double strike. That first order was inspired by two similar Chain Cent errors featured in the one page article about Ron & Joe from the August 14th 1995 Coin World, page 126.
That is a great story @WDP!
It's pretty incredible that Ron noticed the feathers were punched in "one by one" and did the same on his own dies. Great research both in examining the original piece and seeing how it would be today.
Here's my 1796 dollar with cud. After seeing all the coins with circular die cracks around the stars, it's great to see what happens when pieces of the die actually fall off. There is a progression set of several specimens where this goes from something like ours to having the cud go from 12 o'clock to 5 o'clock. It's very impressive.
These are all great examples. Thanks for sharing. My addiction nerve is twitching.
What an interesting thread... prompted me to purchase the 2 pieces currently listed on the BST.
@WDP that's a very cool, personal experience... Much like the Dcarr visit recently shared.
I bought this piece a couple years ago on a whim. The price was right, the toning is incredible and I found it amusing that someone would scratch the word COPY off.
Click on this link to see my ebay listings.
As a former antique toy dealer regularly advertising worldwide, all I can say is that every repro decreased demand for genuine items.
In the case of the old toys, they destroyed the market completely.
Absolutely! I'd be buying all kinds of Brasher Doubloons, if only it weren't for these blasted replicas!
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I don't think anything will happen with coins as the market is VASTLY larger.
However, I won't pretend that future collectors won't be just as happy with copies.
Just sayin'
I can add something to this thread.
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
The 1794 Pattern dollar with no stars and in copper.
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
Those are Pretty Coinsarefun!
I'm a big fan too. I purchased nearly all of the copper and silver pieces when they were issued
I received these a few days ago, talk about hefty coins......lol they
are 2 ounces each. The designs are cool. Below is what Ron wrote me and explains the pictures below.
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Here is a closeup of the steam punk
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The edges, you cannot separate the silver rounds.
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
I have a few random GM reproductions:
peacockcoins
I met the president of the replica coin club.
Coinsarefun that Steampunk Anglerfish is something else! Coin learner nice ones. Thank you for sharing.
This is a great piece. Love seeing the die cracks on these. It would be great to build a full collection showing the die crack / cud progression.
I just found this one came in a special presentation box with a brief history booklet. Now its goes into the Dark Abiss!
Thanks for bringing this thread back. I recall driving by the site of the Gallery Mint Museum even though it was not open at the time. Additionally I have some of the their products.
They are not supposed to have the "attraction of authentic Mint products".
I would disagree and say that is EXACTLY what they are supposed to have. some of the Gold issues are made at least partially for collectors to own instead of the real coins which would be cost prohibitive for almost everyone. also, if they weren't made for that reason they wouldn't need to have "COPY" on them somewhere. to my way of thinking they are a predecessor to the Carr issues which also rely heavily on the mimicking of "authentic Mint products" to interest collectors.
Terrible pics (my specialty
). 1796 and 1794 dollar on top and 2 EAC COINS on the bottom. I bought nearly all of the silver and copper pieces when issued (No gold, ancients or "errors")
Awesome Post !
Here is Ron’s personal pocket piece!
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
T wanted to show everyone what Ron Landis and Timothy Grat has been up to. Besides striking some fabulous pieces for me., Timothy has been doing some hot struck strikings.......check this out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ac18RJtGdY
Ron can be followed on Facebook here
and Landis Studios
As well as his website
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
Very nice! And no less nice for having the "COPY" stamp.
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. Hmmmm, maybe some DNA too.........
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
Got these two on Ebay for $45. Don't know if that's good or bad. These are my first two RL tokens and I always liked the Wizard. Looked for about a year before I found one. They both have the red printed COA but the second piece has a number written on the COA, 6013. Any known mintages on these?
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC