23 years in and reflecting, WildIdeas box of 20

WildIdea

This was gonna be my year to get back to the FUN show after a 4-5 year break or maybe even hit NYINC of the first time, but it's not working out. Some new hires at work and some old hands leaving has me thinking twice about being gone, so I decided to hunker down and focus on that. I'm not that disappointed really, I’ll have my day when my responsibilities lighten up. I also get homesick for the kids too the second I touch down and hate to leave them or blow them off for coins. Instead, with a few days home for Christmas, I decided to get out some coins and look them over in person for the first time in months, sometimes the last time I saw them was when I bought and integrated them into the collection. That's a shame really and I'm pledging to gaze at them in person more often. Sometimes, I get so hung up on the next piece that I forget about what it is I already actually own. I think its healthy to never get complacent and keep searching, learning and sourcing new and interesting things all the while being happy with what I have and not getting trapped in a strictly buying cycle.

It's more than coins I'm reflecting on, but actually my entire life. At 47 ½ I realized one day on a hike that I've actually lived long enough to actually have something to reflect on, that enough stuff has happened and changed along the way to notice differences. A look at what it was like, what happened and what its like now, with the big part,,,,,what I will be doing with the second half of my life. One thing for sure, live for today with an eye of preparedness on the future, to make more time for relationships that matter, not get permission and not delay joy. One of the things that brings me joy is the coin collecting hobby and more than one way to do it.

I was trying to describe the concept of a Box of 20 to my wife the other day. That a PCGS box has 20 slots and that many folks have adopted a style where they never go over outside that framework but simply high grading their collections value. I always like the idea and think I could do it, but let's be honest, there is no way I'm gonna do it. Frankly I could see having a box of 20 for each type of coin, but never the ultimate dedication and dicipline of a pure box of 20. I have way more than 20 different types of coin interests and can't imagine just one being represented in the collection or none at all. Although I will say, I have one Walker, one Large Cent, and one Fugio that represents the entire end of that collection. Where I pilled all my comfortable capitol into one awesome example instead of spreading that out over several lower condition date and variety examples. One would start to think that maybe that makes me a type collector and maybe so, but I'm way too steeped in foreign issues to get into that type of collecting either. So like all the collectors before me, the hobgoblin of indecision comes around from time to time and taunts my sense of order and I ultimately have to forcefully banish that monster from my mind now and again reasoning that the pieces I hunt are just too scarce or expensive to give into that behavior.

I mark the year 1997 as the year I got seriously into collecting. I walked into a small B&M and dropped $350 on a 1oz Krand. I thought about making a stack, but I'm not a Doomsdayer, I soon followed that up with a 1924 Saint in 64 and took a break (at least 5-10 minutes) while I started learning the ropes. Neither of these are in the group I'm about to share. I've been all over this hobby from one end to the other the best I can from what I have available. Same internet, show circuit, and classes as everyone else, just have to go for it. I've learned so much, but much still ahead. With that said, I call this my first attempt at a box of 20. These would be in my first round and hard to cut. Ultimately I just want to enjoy them, and share them with others. The best is yet to come.

These are presented in no particular order, but this piece harkens from my earliest inclinations to collect. The 50 Peso gold piece is big, yellow and Heavy. Non restrike in PCGS gasket holder. The goddess figure is beautiful, but the eagle on reverse is what does it for me, wrangling a snake while standing on cactus. This depiction looks great in copper, but gold is my favorite.

So whats not to like about a Buffalo Nickel, the design hits it out of the park and can't be beat other than maybe a modern PF striking on a 1oz gold piece. I considered collecting PF only pieces at one point years ago and haven't fully ruled it out. Instead I settled on this crisp PF example which I believe showcases the artistry perfectly and moved on. What really nails me to the wall on these is when they show texture in the fields. Baltimore show, thanks Angel Dees.

Early on I succumbed to the allure of copper and fought hard to get up to speed on surfaces and acceptable originality looks. Believe me when I say I paid the price the hard way for the knowledge but it left me in a place to really enjoy this end of the collecting spectrum. The Large Cents of our federal coinage really channel a connection to those early days and I set out to own one, just one! I couldn't settle on a date. I wanted and nice 65 BN with a die crack connecting the stars and not be the year 1820. Could still happen, but harder yet was this pattern with the Gobrecht eagle. The design that should have been! This piece is my Large Cent collection, basically I put all my coin allowance that year into this piece. An early Legend auction purchase.

The J-168 just wet my appetite for the next early copper. I had my sites set on a Fugio. One that showed a full strike on Mind Your Business and exhibit a heavy die clash. I love it when both dies can be seen on each side of these. It really showcases how these were made. The story of these is pretty spectacular basically striking them in a wood shed accept even a shed had to be built first. I like the crudeness of the creation as well as the meaning behind the depiction that "Time Flies". Its a great story, look it up. I appreciate the pedigree here and that this coin still has considerable flash in hand. This was where I learned what it felt like to really spend on a coin, like my whole year of allowance and then baloney sandwiches (not really, but I had to really consider what I was doing and why) I think I'll do fine someday. Aspen Park rare coins

My love of copper eventually brought me to Conder Tokens. One FUN show I saw a whole table for the first time and was like whoa, what are these?!! I was pretty stoked to discover you could get one for fraction of what most MS Federal coinage goes for. I took my time at first, but eventually I started buying these. Of coarse you could spend your hole life on these alone and interestingly enough I never went too deep. Still, I couldn't have just one. If I did I would have to keep this one of a detailed sheep herder and Thomas Spence on the other. Its part of a run of several die parings/mules but this one is just such great preservation.

Moving on to another copper issue was a shot in the dark eBay purchase years ago. A Cent sized 10 Mark piece designed by Karl Goetz for a hundred dollars, why not. Wilhelm II and the crown. Have you ever bought a piece just because and never knew why other than you were curious and interested? I kept hearing Goetz name but never knew much but wanted to know. As the fog lifted, this piece was an early foreshadowing to my collecting evolution. I wouldn't call it a cameo, but there are def some frosting and mirror fields going on and it’s as red as the photos show. I dig that it’s in a no line fatty holder.

Lets keep the theme going and the Bismarck medal that definately shows cameo frost and mirrors. That's what this piece is all about beside being high craftsmanship portraiture and neat sword theme, I keep learning about this character in my German Empire readings and studies. But truly, I love this piece for its color and surfaces. Small blue toning area adds drama. I keep thinking somewhere there is a box this came in! I ditched my photos and add the true view here. Atlas

When I first saw this piece I was certain it would be spoken for. The notification had sat on my email for hours and it was a highlight on the first page. I tried and was overjoyed to buy it. Listen, there are some really neat pieces to be found in the World. Trust me, I have a few silver dollars, but this piece, the size of one US dollar makes my box when none of my Morgans do. The sacred Mother and Child surrounded by pointy sun rays really draws the eye in. Created with love and dedication. The colors are there in hand but the piece is a bear to photograph so I'll defer to the truview every time. Atlas

I have a subset of skeleton and skull pieces. I know I'm not the only one. I love the edgy feeling they conjure no matter how they look. This Masonic piece harkens from France and looks almost occultist or better put, compounding of images that most likely create an eternal binding spell if the holder only utters three secret words. At least that's what I imagine. CRO

Swiss city view Taler. There is a fantastic run of these with the Dragon, a Basilisk on them. At first I was drawn to the Dragon and then learned about the period, the city and states as well and the architecture that still stands today. A close local collecting buddy sold me this piece and got me up to speed on this collecting arena. Nothing beats a mid AU oozing with originality.

A known coin addict has to be carful anytime they're around anything attractive they know nothing about. I get into coins like this being completely open to possibilities while shopping online and at shows. One could get lost reading about the Spanish colonies and their revolutions that mirror our own then start buying pieces to support the interest. Or maybe simply buy a piece because it's big and colorful while knowing nothing else about it. That what I did here and I don't regret it. I saw it on the CRO site and wondered why nobody bought it, maybe the price didn't match the rarity who knows, but I kept noticing it when I would come around and eventually bought it. Guess it was waiting for me the whole time. For now this in my 8R. I'm watching for a Carlos III 8R with the same look and almost hope to not see one,,,,,, that's when they come out of hiding, when your not looking!

Lets get back to the USA and a Walker dripping with mint luster. Common date with great strike. I'll keep this simple. I don't feel the need to date collect these holding this coin. I love colorful toning as much as anyone, but can't say it would improve this piece.

I definitely love the whole idea behind Civil War tokens and Store Cards. Anther collecting area like Conders that just shatter the idea of a Box of 20. Maybe a Box of Twenty Civil war tokens to scratch the surface. Since were pretending that’s what I'm doing here I'll show my favorite one. This Monitor token has a flashy red highlight I just kill for. Not a rare token but this color seems to be. I bought it one day during a dealer set up when the dealer next to us set it out. I scarfed it up immediately. Although I didn't buy it from Rick, I love that it's passed eagle eyes desk and would never pick that sticker off. It’s a little tough to shoot so I'm adding a photo but you get the idea.

Since I brought up @EagleEye I'll show you a keeper I bought from him one year at FUN. My first Flying Eagle cent. It's a stretch for me to buy these in MS64, so when I do, I want them to be special. To me that means a subtle russet original skin. Besides the eagle, the agricultural wreath on the reverse is one of my favorite designs and tempted to buy every example with the wreath on a coin out there just for that. This is a neat design that ended too quickly, IMO.

I have a few Lincoln Cents to share. This was a solid 6 year endeavor where I concentrated fully on an early date and mint run to 1933. I put the blinders on for that and although it was fulfilling in that regard, I missed out on a lot while I was doing that. If I had to keep any of them it would be the next 3 coins. The first is my only Matte Proof. It actually came into a local B&M and one of the few I can say came to this list locally. Collect all these? Why not. Blessed are the folks who do. I'm moving on with this one in hand. It's a 64 with a finger print and a few toning dots, but if you can't get over that, you don't like copper. I love the wash of green and pink over chiseled detail housed in my only rattler slab.

Next, I would call this Lincoln the single biggest highlight if the Coppermania Lincoln Cent set. This 1914 D in PCGS 64 RB. To me, this coin could go 65 BN or something in the neighborhood. Still it's an attractive coin I'm honored to caretake. This was the first coin I really stepped up and gutted out price wise to buy and I wanted the keys to the set to be as nice as the common dates. I needed help and enlisted the services of Charmy Harker @ThePennyLady back on 2006. I had an open request for her to try and find me a 14 D in 64 BN and she really delivered. It was the beginning of many great dealings with her. Thanks Charmy. This is still a coin I would hang onto forever.

It was really hard to narrow down the Lincolns for this list. Of coarse there is a 09 S VDB, 24 D, and 26 S but the real magic one, the real elusive stopper for me was the 23 S. One year I traveled to FUN and came home with my pockets inside out for this single coin. Yeah we had fun but it was seriously my only coin purchase for the show! I shot Jack Beymar a "serious offer" of X and he took it! It was solid because I know he doesn't mess around with lowballs. If you know, you know this is a tough date in 65.

So here I was minding my own business just cruising along trying not to get bored and picking off upgrades and deals as I could and I get crushed by this whole new avenue. Cast satiracle medals from WWI. I bought this one medal solely based on that it had a skeleton for my skeleton subset. I eventually put out feelers for answers and a call to information in general. Who would have known I would be cracking the seal on a whole new vast arena of collecting. This is from a set of 12 called Totentanz the dance of death series by Eberbach that depicts a skeleton as death apparently taking glee in the cost of war. Expertly crafted and cast in iron. I though copper was fragile, these can flat out rust and collecting them can be tricky. All of them lead me to books that immerse in WWI and the 40 years before the world went mad. Incredible. A box of 20 of mine would have this one in it as it's the one that slapped me first.

A new to me piece from a fantastic medalist Ludwig Gies brought to my attention through my pursuit of the Eberbach series. 51 mm unifaced. Apparently an anti war piece titled Excitement of War a satiracle piece showcasing war mongering mood of the time. The flags show blank and the severed head intentionally made to look malformed to demonize the enemy. Helmeted head resembles both the British helmet and the German spike. Which country is depicted? I read Both.

The thing about holding a cast medal as you are holding something the artist made himself. Something you can't say about a mint made circulating coin.

The last piece on the list is a cast Karl Goetz medal. I finally got up to speed on this mans work and I'm totally hooked. There are hundreds of works by him and his contemporaries but this artist seems to be the benchmark of the craft. When I first started hunting information for his works, I only dreamed I would own "Pact of Mallace". A multi head hydra representing the nations of the Entente or nations aligned against the central powers during WWI. Italy represented as child suckling as it capitulated and joined the Entente at one point. Something that Germany resented. On the reverse an image of GOD with blade and hand on Earth above quote "Judgement day will not ask your reasons", Hell below. I mean come on! This baby is 80mm wide and takes up your whole hand. A flawless example in classic Goetz finish. Showed up folded in one paper white envelope loose in a box from Germany! I quickly put in a proper flip, cataloged and stashed to protect properly forever. Again, back immersed in the WWI history books.

In conclusion, I'm flooded with adrenaline at the thought of hitting the post button. This is what Numismatics has done for me and means to me. As a member of the group here and overall community, I trust in your feedback and criticism. I know I'm not the worlds best photographer or collector for that matter. I appreciate all the help that I have been offered along the way. My motto for the New Year is "The Best Is Yet To Come". I believe it to be true and hope it for you and yours. For more blessings all around and for continued peace on Earth. A blessing to those traveling to FUN, safe travels and share those reports!

Thank you , WildIdea

Weiss

Outstanding!

Justacommeman

If I ever get sent upstate I know what reading material I’m bringing

m

hchcoin

@Weiss said:
Outstanding!

I'll second that!

Hydrant

Magnificent collection!

ThePennyLady

What a wonderful collection of all kinds of fun pieces - you have a great eye too! And thank you for all the information on each of your piece, you should be very proud of what you've put together. And it's been a pleasure working with you.

Walkerfan

Thank you so much for that enjoyable read.

I truly enjoyed viewing those and learning about them.

You should definitely be proud of that box of 20.

Your patience and passion is quite evident.

It has something there for everyone.

OldIndianNutKase

Your box of twenty is spectacular and your description of each coin was sharing your journey with all of us. All of you coins reflect your taste in greatly struck coins with great detail and relief. Perfect for a Box of 20.

I like your idea of other boxes of 20 and avoiding all of the compromises in putting together a really great date set. There are always coins in a date set that need improvement. A box or two of twenty seems to make collecting much more pleasant.

OINK

coinhack

That is a splendid box of 20. I like the variety. I have a few of the same coins you do and others that I like. Everyone's set of 20 will be different and customized to their own tastes. That is what makes this type of collecting so personal and fun. Thank you for sharing.

SkyMan

Fun, nice going!!!

divecchia

This is an absolutely amazing set that has been assembled and each piece with it's own story.

Thanks for sharing your incredible set and your passion for this hobby.

Donato

Bob13

Man, when you post you don’t mess around! I really enjoyed your medal saga as well.

Nice coins, medals, tokens, etc. you have a good eye.

291fifth

When I look at a box of twenty like this I am in awe of the medals and early foreign material. The US coins just can't compete even though some of them may have high valuations.

ShadyDave

That 1894 Bavaria medal is awesome! Congrats on an awesome collection...and Happy New Year!

TurtleCat

At 46 and a half I identify with you very closely regarding your perspective on things. Your collection, though, far outstrips mine. You have some excellent pieces. I tried the box of 20 but I couldn’t do it, either. I always ended up buying a proof or mint set to have some fun. I inherited hundreds of bulk silver coins that I won’t part with. I got a number of GSAs in original boxes and packaging, half unopened at the time. I think the lesson I’ve learned it so not worry about stuff like is it modern or classic, foreign or domestic, 20 or thousands. Pursue the coins that make you happy and not the ones that fill a slot.

Catbert

Fascinating and informative! Love your selections and the associated stories. Great post and thank you for sharing your collecting experience.

jonruns

Amazing collection and tremendous write-up...thanks for taking the time to share with us!!

ElmerFusterpuck

And that's what the coin collecting hokey pokey is all about! Awesome!

ricko

@WildIdea....Thank you for an incredible journey through your collection (at least some of it)....I had no idea my visit to the forum this morning would be so delightful.... I truly enjoyed the pictures, the stories and descriptions. I will revisit this thread often. Cheers, RickO

WildIdea

Thanks for the kind words and comments people. It was great to wake up and see the positive reactions. The post was fun to build and I enjoyed the valuable time I have with my coins and any time I get to hang around here.

@Bob13 and @Justacommeman I don't get a comment in very often around here when I'm on the run and all I have is my phone and fat thumbs, but you get me in front of my desktop, a strong coffee, and day to kill and I go off!

Bullsitter

Very nice collection.

Yorkshireman

Really nice set