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Found a coin of mine in a book for the first time

BarberianBarberian Posts: 3,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 15, 2024 4:43PM in U.S. Coin Forum

I was thumbing through Q. David Bowers' "A Guide Book of Liberty Seated Silver Coins" when I spotted my newly acquired F2 1873 NA Open 3, the most worn 73NAO3 with a CAC sticker. It used to be the example of an AG3 seated Liberty half in QDB's section on grading SLH. It has since been demoted to F2. :o:D

Has anyone else DISCOVERED that one of your coins was photographed in a book? There should be quite a few given the quality of the coins I see on this board.

I have a coin in a registry book, but I was well aware of it. I didn't stumble across it out of the blue like this 73 NA O3.

3 rim nicks away from Good

Comments

  • RobertScotLoverRobertScotLover Posts: 914 ✭✭✭✭✭

    One has to love that when it rarely happens wouldn't you say, what a surprise

  • BarberianBarberian Posts: 3,545 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RobertScotLover said:
    One has to love that when it rarely happens wouldn't you say, what a surprise

    If one collects low and mid-grade coins of relatively low value, yes. Of course, the odds increase with scarce coins like the 73 NA Open 3, or coins engraved by Robert Scot.

    I find it amusing that it was used to illustrate a low grade, and that it has been 'demoted' even further to Fair-2. But it has a sticker!

    More glory for the "Bongo's Bald Retread Tires" Collection! (with apologies to Bongo Bongo)

    3 rim nicks away from Good
  • goodmoney4badmoneygoodmoney4badmoney Posts: 1,226 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don’t have a coin but I do have a US error note featured on the cover of a book. It was the seller who was not aware and “discovered” that fact when I told them after I bought it. They were quite surprised!

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,282 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @goodmoney4badmoney said:
    I don’t have a coin but I do have a US error note featured on the cover of a book. It was the seller who was not aware and “discovered” that fact when I told them after I bought it. They were quite surprised!

    ya never know....

  • BarberianBarberian Posts: 3,545 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful color on a really neat coin.

    I agree, it doesn't resemble Pike's Peak.

    3 rim nicks away from Good
  • pmh1nicpmh1nic Posts: 3,271 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I had done an article for Coin World back in 2000 or so on a 1845-D half eagle variety that Doug Winter mentioned in his book he had read about in the “Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins” but had never seen. After reading the article Coin Facts added a note to their information on the coin that it had been “rediscovered” by a novice collector me. I got a kick out of that.

    The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice is it possible for an empire to rise without His aid? Benjamin Franklin
  • FlyingAlFlyingAl Posts: 3,191 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Barberian said:
    Beautiful color on a really neat coin.

    I agree, it doesn't resemble Pike's Peak.

    As a Colorado native - in no way does it look like Pikes. :lol:

    Coin Photographer.

  • CRHer700CRHer700 Posts: 1,884 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Barberian said:
    Beautiful color on a really neat coin.

    I agree, it doesn't resemble Pike's Peak.

    It looks more like a wizard's hat.

    God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.

  • RobertScotLoverRobertScotLover Posts: 914 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The Pike's Peak piece is gorgeous in all respects but one must admit the rendering of Pike's Peak looks more like a pile of .....

  • CRHer700CRHer700 Posts: 1,884 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RobertScotLover said:
    The Pike's Peak piece is gorgeous in all respects but one must admit the rendering of Pike's Peak looks more like a pile of .....

    I thought about putting that in the post above, but thought better of it. :D

    God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.

  • BarberianBarberian Posts: 3,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 16, 2024 2:57PM

    @RobertScotLover said:
    One has to love that when it rarely happens wouldn't you say, what a surprise

    Revisiting this post, I didn't notice it instantly upon seeing it. After reading up on a few coins, I was skimming through the book and glanced at the page for no more than 2 seconds and flipped the page.

    "Wait! Wasn't that worn coin an 1873 NA? Is it an Open 3? Go back!" I immediately flip back, look at the coin and spot its characteristic "C" scratch in the center. "Bingo!"

    I have also enjoyed acquiring this coin. It's a quality low-grade example for reasonable price. I was going to leave this coin for last, but it popped up on GFRC. It's been interesting reading about the coin. I found this very optimistic description of its rarity on GFRC (author unknown):

    No Arrows Open 3, Natural Coin Grade Patina, Rarity Consistent with 1878-S. ... The 1873 No Arrows Open 3 date and variety is the Rodney Dangerfield of numismatics. It does not secure respect for its rarity since not a unique requirement for a Liberty Seated half dollar date and mintmark set. Nearly all collectors settle for the available Closed 3 example. Few Open 3 specimens appear on the market since current price structure is too low.

    It's required for my set as I define it. With at least twice the known examples as the 78-S, its rarity isn't comparable to the 78-S, As QDB writes, "More than 100 exist, which is enough to fill the demand."

    3 rim nicks away from Good

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