"Oh hey, I've got something for you"

Weiss

Visited one of the local B&M's I haven't been to in a while. Behind the counter they were wrapping up some paperwork, so I stood patiently off to the side. They finished up and approached the counter: Oh hey, I've got something for you.

"You're going to LOVE it!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you really like Mexican pieces, right?"

"Yep"

"Well this is an older piece....(Looking over their inventory)

...5 ounces.

...Marked .999 with interesting Mexican characters all over it.

"I can't wait"

"Person brought it in with another piece, too. I've never seen anything like it"

Me, not seeing anything in their case: "Well I'm intrigued for sure!"

"Some nice toning on it, too, from the original box with the COA"

They continued to look over their inventory with a quizzical look on their face. Then said "Oh, wait. I forgot. I sold it about an hour ago. But I still have the other piece. It's this Franklin Mint sterling silver 30th anniversary of the United Nations. It's got some scratches on it, they had it wrapped in newspaper.

Kliao

They get you hyped up for nothing. Should have been there an hour earlier. Did you figure out what it was?

MsMorrisine

"Mexican characters"

I want to see it now too

Weiss

@Kliao said:
They get you hyped up for nothing. Should have been there an hour earlier. Did you figure out what it was?

No. I have no idea. They didn't really know and that's the most info that I got before turning to leave and sit in my car to cry.

But in my imagination it's the most amazing, 1940s or 1950s collaboration between Casa de Moneda de Mexico and the 500-year old Fresnillo mine, with a deeply struck, fierce and handsome Aztec warrior with an inscription in Mayan, Toltec, and Latin indicating the historical nature of this collaborative effort. And on the back the image of early primitive silver mining juxtaposed with mid-century mining techniques, and it might be your imagination, but you think you can make out the initials "DR". Could it have been created by Diego Rivera? Because that's the first thing you thought when you saw these "mineros de plata" sweating to pull the ore from the mountain across the centuries. The words "Cinco Onzas de Plata Pura .999+" proudly proclaimed across the bottom of the reverse in a font that could only be mid-century central American. There is, of course, insane rainbow toning on the front, stretching across the warrior's headdress, right where the tropical feathers are, iridescent jade turning to cobalt blue, fiery orange turning to sublime deep red, almost as if they'd been painted by magic but of course it's all naturally toned with booming luster beneath. And the reverse, since it had been stored unopened in the case, was blast white perfect with just a faint red to blue tone almost all the way around the rim. You were so awe-struck the first time you held the coin in your trembling hands that you didn't even notice the impressed lettering around the edge of the coin, something about integrity and purity of Mexico's native-mined silver, desired the world-over throughout the ages.

And the case? The first thing you notice is the heft of the case, especially when the coin is within. The case is precision assembled hand-cut Mexican cocobolo wood, deeper and redder than aged mahogany, edges smoothed to perfection and only a hint of gloss from years of very careful handling. With a hand-tooled Mexican leather cover, deep, deep blue with the Caseda de Mexico "OM" symbol and a post-world war II stylized Fresnillo symbol, both in oxblood red, intertwined and hand-stitched in white, with just a touch of yellowing so you know it's a legit 70 year old work of art unto itself. A perfectly satisfying crisp but gentle "snap" when the case is opened and closed--you know this was hand-made by a skilled craftsman, a specialist sought out by the mint specifically for their quiet expertise, self-confident that this case, THEIR case that took weeks of work, would never, ever damage the precious cargo inside. Inside is an arched pillow of black velvet, the space for the coin painstakingly snug but never tight, with a ribbon in the same oxblood color as the outside case lettering but this time in imported silk to assist in the removal of the coin without any hint of damage. The intertwined symbols repeated on the inside lid of the case, but this time in gold. The case gives off a wisp of tobacco scent. Not that dank cigarette smell we've all smelled on aged coin cases. No, not this time. This time it's the sweet scent of fine cigars and aged cognac, rich and woody with just a hint of citrus. You'd huff it if you could.

The certificate of authenticity? Hand made rough cut paper stock, maybe even vellum. There is an impressed mark of the mint and the mine, and a seal in wax. The words are all in a beautiful hand-calligraphed script, and all in Spanish. You can't read what it says, but you know enough that "Numero Uno, Uno de Diez" means this is the 1st of only 10 of these pieces created. Several signatures in different hands and in slightly different ink attest to the solemn importance of this presentation medal, and attest to the purity of its content. It's almost as if they knew this medal alone would miraculously survive a near-century of economic and political turmoil in the land of our neighbor to the south.

And the dealer would have sold it to you at melt + $25.

Baley

My God Weiss, what are you on??
I want some. Amazing writing. 👍

MsMorrisine

I too am impressed.

Jimnight

Oh well.

blitzdude

@Baley said:
My God Weiss, what are you on??
I want some. Amazing writing. 👍

My inclination suggests it could be "The Pot" although I've been wrong before. Rgds!

Meltdown

@blitzdude said:

@Baley said:
My God Weiss, what are you on??
I want some. Amazing writing. 👍

My inclination suggests it could be "The Pot" although I've been wrong before. Rgds!

He's taking the doobie alright!

Weiss

LOL. I haven't smoked weed in 30 years.

That was just how I saw it in my mind. It's easy to describe something that's right in front of you.

topstuf

@MsMorrisine said:
"Mexican characters"

I want to see it now too

i got jailed for posting a Mexican character.

LukeMarshall

Love the description, you should get a side job elaborating on coins for heritage

ricko

Wow... with that amazing prose, you should get a job writing wine descriptions... Cheers, RickO

Azurescens

@Weiss said:

@Kliao said:
They get you hyped up for nothing. Should have been there an hour earlier. Did you figure out what it was?

No. I have no idea. They didn't really know and that's the most info that I got before turning to leave and sit in my car to cry.

But in my imagination it's the most amazing, 1940s or 1950s collaboration between Casa de Moneda de Mexico and the 500-year old Fresnillo mine, with a deeply struck, fierce and handsome Aztec warrior with an inscription in Mayan, Toltec, and Latin indicating the historical nature of this collaborative effort. And on the back the image of early primitive silver mining juxtaposed with mid-century mining techniques, and it might be your imagination, but you think you can make out the initials "DR". Could it have been created by Diego Rivera? Because that's the first thing you thought when you saw these "mineros de plata" sweating to pull the ore from the mountain across the centuries. The words "Cinco Onzas de Plata Pura .999+" proudly proclaimed across the bottom of the reverse in a font that could only be mid-century central American. There is, of course, insane rainbow toning on the front, stretching across the warrior's headdress, right where the tropical feathers are, iridescent jade turning to cobalt blue, fiery orange turning to sublime deep red, almost as if they'd been painted by magic but of course it's all naturally toned with booming luster beneath. And the reverse, since it had been stored unopened in the case, was blast white perfect with just a faint red to blue tone almost all the way around the rim. You were so awe-struck the first time you held the coin in your trembling hands that you didn't even notice the impressed lettering around the edge of the coin, something about integrity and purity of Mexico's native-mined silver, desired the world-over throughout the ages.

And the case? The first thing you notice is the heft of the case, especially when the coin is within. The case is precision assembled hand-cut Mexican cocobolo wood, deeper and redder than aged mahogany, edges smoothed to perfection and only a hint of gloss from years of very careful handling. With a hand-tooled Mexican leather cover, deep, deep blue with the Caseda de Mexico "OM" symbol and a post-world war II stylized Fresnillo symbol, both in oxblood red, intertwined and hand-stitched in white, with just a touch of yellowing so you know it's a legit 70 year old work of art unto itself. A perfectly satisfying crisp but gentle "snap" when the case is opened and closed--you know this was hand-made by a skilled craftsman, a specialist sought out by the mint specifically for their quiet expertise, self-confident that this case, THEIR case that took weeks of work, would never, ever damage the precious cargo inside. Inside is an arched pillow of black velvet, the space for the coin painstakingly snug but never tight, with a ribbon in the same oxblood color as the outside case lettering but this time in imported silk to assist in the removal of the coin without any hint of damage. The intertwined symbols repeated on the inside lid of the case, but this time in gold. The case gives off a wisp of tobacco scent. Not that dank cigarette smell we've all smelled on aged coin cases. No, not this time. This time it's the sweet scent of fine cigars and aged cognac, rich and woody with just a hint of citrus. You'd huff it if you could.

The certificate of authenticity? Hand made rough cut paper stock, maybe even vellum. There is an impressed mark of the mint and the mine, and a seal in wax. The words are all in a beautiful hand-calligraphed script, and all in Spanish. You can't read what it says, but you know enough that "Numero Uno, Uno de Diez" means this is the 1st of only 10 of these pieces created. Several signatures in different hands and in slightly different ink attest to the solemn importance of this presentation medal, and attest to the purity of its content. It's almost as if they knew this medal alone would miraculously survive a near-century of economic and political turmoil in the land of our neighbor to the south.

And the dealer would have sold it to you at melt + $25.

>

I think this is the best post I've ever read on this forum.

Weiss

I grew up in an artistic family and my mom in particular was fond of the Mexican Modern Art movement (was even an art student of Emilio Amero). Which is why Rivera popped into my head in the story above, I'm sure. But I literally just now googled Diego Rivera + Miners and found that Rivera painted several murals of miners. Not surprising, workers were a common subject for him. But I don't think I'd ever seen or noticed miners in particular. And this is pretty close to what I was thinking of. The horizontal piece below (El Agitator, or Miners vs. Shepherds, 1926) was really close to what I'd imagined. Similar composition, if primitive miners had been where the shepherds were. Crazy, huh?

ricko

@Weiss.... That is a very interesting painting.... I will google some more of his work. I like the details and juxtaposition of cultural issues... Cheers, RickO

coinkat

amazing.