WTC Recovered - PCGS blood money

relayer

When PCGS graded those recovered eagles they made a big deal about how 20% was donated to victims families, as did people who were selling them on eBay.

PCGS even created limited numbered sets just to create a rarity.

I never bought one and never will. Why would anybody try to make a buck off this I can't understand?

Is there some patriotic feeling about these coins that I am missing, or was it just an opportunity for $$$$.

IndianHeadMan

What would you pay for a merc that was in a soldiers pocket who was at Perl Harbor. What about that gold peice in they guys pocket on the monitor. Thats a piece of history and some people will pay a premium for history.

Russ

This should be an interesting thread, since it's the first time this topic has been covered.

Russ, NCNE

BlueCole

I don't think it's right. But the power of money will drive it; i'm not sure how succesful it's been. Why can't the coins go back to the proper owner, heir, or business?

B.

psxchelly

AND if PCGs was so hip on donating money... Why was there no message on the PCGS.com board praising themselfs on how much was donated? Why was the subject just dropped?

I would LOVE to know how much was actually donated from VERIFIABLE sources.

chelle

supercoin

As far as I know, PCGS didn't donate any money, just Mike Fuljenz's company that was marketing them. And it was 12%, not 20%.

shirohniichan

What would you pay for a merc that was in a soldiers pocket who was at Perl Harbor. What about that gold peice in they guys pocket on the monitor. Thats a piece of history and some people will pay a premium for history.

To be more accurate, it should be, "What would you pay for a dime that was stored in a hangar at Wheeler Field during the attack on Pearl harbor. What about a gold piece that was stored in a vault near where the Monitor sank?"

BTW, I wouldn't pay any premium for something stored in a vault near where lots of people died. How about coins stored in the Kamiya branch of the Bank of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945?

TomB

I believe supercoin has the details correct.

Pushkin

I'm not aware of anyone deliberately trying to profit from coin sales that had to do with those killed in WWII, the Civil War, etc. although I'm sure there were probably profiteers then as now (I suppose coins/treasure from old sunken ships is a gray area). Isn't there is a difference between the "probability" that a coin may have once been in the possession of a dead or injured person, and the certainty that companies and individuals are deliberately attempting to profit (not preserve history or be charitable) from Sept 11 while wrapping their wares up in flags and patriotic themes - amazing how the flag has become wrapping paper for so many companies?

For me, these profiteers are nothing but loathsome, disgusting, shameful, amoral, greedy slime - not historians, not preservationsits, and not givers of charity, who are welcome to burn in Hades until the universe expands and then contracts back to nothingness, plus a few billion years longer. Others, are of course, are entitled to their opinion.

Thank you for your attention.

darktone

I think the real blood money is the gold coins that the Swiss made during and after WWII with Nazi gold confiscated from the Jewish people. The Swiss were having a hard time passing off this blood money so they dated it pre WWII so people thought it was not from the death of the Jewish people. I see these coins at shows and they sell for bullion value. mike

shirohniichan

The Swiss were having a hard time passing off this blood money so they dated it pre WWII so people thought it was not from the death of the Jewish people.

Hmm... The Swiss hid the fact that their coins were made from murder victim's gold, and some coin sellers are hyping the fact that lots of people were murdered near SAE's and other coins... very interesting to see how times have changed.

relayer

I see these coins at shows and they sell for bullion value.

PCGS probably figured the "Holocaust" series would be pushing the envelope a bit too much.

BTW, Russ I've learned some things reading your posts, but also you're a funny guy.

Beatlemen

This issue has been discussed before. I think it is disgusting that PCGS graded these coins. I lost all respect for them. Living in NY and surviving this horrific event it makes me sick. I will never buy from PCGS again. What will PCGS grade next, human bones?

Bikingnut

I personally would not buy one as I don't think it's right to profit from death, destruction or misfortune. Then I also have to ask the question, Is it really any different than profitting from the death of say someone like Ted Williams or Joe DeMaggio? Another question is why should a coin that was recovered at teh WTC site be worth any more than one that came from somewhere else? I guess as long as there is greed in the world we will continue to see stuff like this.

ManxMan

This is my first posting on this site but felt I should tell it from this side of the Atlantic as regards these coins.The reason I choose this thread was that I can feel for the people who lost there lives on Sept 11th as I have family who still live in Sherwood Cresent, The street where the Pam-Am came down in Lockerbie and although I now live in the Isle Of Man, I used to live just outside Lockerbie and was there when the dreaded event happened.For these coins to have been melted down would have been a crying shame as these coins serve a purpose of allowing people to bring them out in a hundred years time to show our children's children them and help tell the story of what happened that sad day.Yes,These coins are making money (how else are they supposed to be handed on....Given Away...!) but this will become unimportant in a hundred years time.The memory of the coin and Lady Liberty standing on it will help tell the story.I am proud to be an owner of one of these coins and I applud PCGS for sealing these coins for the future.So many peoples lives where lost,Let's not melt and waste these coins and waste part of their memory.

Lambast me if you wish.

Kind Regards , ManxMan

wallstreetman

Hurray ManxMan, you are now in the IN CROWD! I wonder how many of these people own a coin tied to death in our history, I bet the % is really high! LIBERTY LIVES, GO PCGS!

ara

Let it go! To each his own. Everyone who owns it has their own reason for having it, be it for profit or history.

Russ

ManxMan,

Welcome aboard! Got proof JFKs?

Russ, NCNE

CLASSICS

they rolled dice, for the robe of christ, man has sold his fellow man into slavery, and today some people are making profits off the death of others , what do these items have in common ? its all blood money.........gee.......i guess some things and some people never change.

Tootawl

<< <i> What about that gold peice in they guys pocket on the monitor. Thats a piece of history and some people will pay a premium for history. >>



I believe you are thinking of the CSS Hunley - the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel.

JLW

Can anyone deny the historical significance of this infamous day? Should we stick our heads in the sand and pretend it never happened? NO, we must never forget, and future generations should be told and reminded that freedom is not free. I don't personally consider these items "death coins", instead I liken them to that of a Phoenix, rising from the fire and ashes majestically, in all their beauty. They came from the bowels of "the Pit" the very center of ground zero from this cowardly, evil attack, to continue to shine for future generations to admire and marvel at. Very much like the citizens of our great country all came together in a unified cause we had not seen in our homeland for quite a long, long while. These cowards honestly believed that taking out our primary financial center would bring this country crumbling down on our knees and ruin us forever. They could not have been more wrong. I personally would like to see the WTC rebuilt to all her former glory, just as tall, and just as proud, as she was before. What a "in your face" statement that would be. But, I realize emotionally, that would have negative repercussions for a lot of our citizenry. Sure, there are always those out to make a quick buck at ANY expense, but it is not my job to judge who they might be or what their motives are, I'll leave that up to God. Just my opinion....
Joe

Tootawl

It was a 1860 $20 Gold coin that belonged to Lt. George Dixon. Here's a photo of the coin.

Slopshat

Hats off to the people who are smart enough to see the "Death Coin" term is a bunch of BS! I own one and it has a special meaning to me. Enough said. I would never sell it, AND I don't feel I have blood on my hands. Maybe someone who lives in Kansas, or Topeka, or Scranton, or North Dakota has no idea what these mean to some.

braddick

That's the beauty of this hobby- it attracts a variety of opinions and ideas regarding coins and politics.
I own one too but absolutely respect the thoughts of those who would suggest against it.

There are valid arguments on both sides of the issue.

mercury1

I personally agree with ManxMan. Although I don't think they should have graded the coins, but rather just encapsulated them and give them proper designation as a 9/11 coin from Ground Zero.

dorkkarl

there's a huge difference between the wtc coins & a merc found in someone's pockect at pearl harbor. in the case of the merc, you & i (collectors) have decided for ourselves that it was an historic item. in the case of wtc, it was necessary for a corporation to tell us that they are collectibles. if pcgs was so desparate to find a way to donate $ to the cause - then why not just donate $ to the cause? again, as in a previous thread, i have a difficult time believing pcgs did the deed out of selfless generosity & patriotic duty.

why not slab rocks from ground zero? or encapsulate shards of metal? or pouches of dust from the rubble? or a fireman's cap?

i simply don't like being told by a corporation: "THIS is an historic item" & then paying them for the privilege of telling me what is historic. i'll decide for myself, thank you very much.

K S

RegistryCoin

Welcome to the boards, ManxMan.