Back from Baltimore show (pics included)
sadysta1
Posts: 1,311 ✭✭✭
I was planning to post it yesterday but I was just too tried from all this walking I did in Baltimore. I just scanned the pics of the coins and I went to sleep.
It feels really strange - of all the people going to Baltimore it looks that I am the only one actually buying and posting the pics of the coins.
In Biltmore I was hoping to buy a low-low grade 1859 proof dollar but I couldn't find any.
We all met before opening time (I had to register, for some reason the usual invitation did not arrive to my house)
and we all marched to PCGS to pick up the pins and....... there wasn't any (they did not arrive on time
Merz2 pick up his coin (his 1950 PF65DCAM cent looks just fantastic) and we went own ways to look for coins (several tables were empty already and some of the familiar faces could not be found [ANACONDA], and the fact they run out of table listings did not help much)
My first stop was at Dick Osburn table to pick up a coin he was holding for me 1843 repunched date half (WB-102). This coin was on my list because it has the most over-engraved vertical lines into the horizontal lines on the shield in the entire series.
1843 obverse
1843 reverse
shield detail
From that point I started to around. One dealer had a ton of rainbow Morgans and other coins. DLRC had a Franklin in MS66FBL with a toning to die for. I even seen MS67FBL Franklin!!!!! another dealer had ton of C and D gold and another table I saw 1892-93 Columbian proof set (all three coins but all of them were dark)
Since I couldn't find what I was looking for I started to look at other 1859 proof coins. I found two a quarter and dime (dime looked hairlined 63 would be a gift grade and the dealer wanted 850.00 for it. No thank you. Quarter (at another table looked even worse 60-61 for 525.00 but hairlines were too severe for my taste)
I found one table where a dealer had like 9 cases full of raw coins. I looked at several of them (including 1938 proof quarter which was a one sided cameo coin) and I bought 3 coins there - 1892-P barber quarter for my problem coin reference set, it looks like it is artificially frosted (I have 2 scans of it at two different angles, and this coin is a pretty good job too):
1892 obv1
1892 rev1
1892 obv2
1892 rev2
I also got a very nice, alas cleaned, 1842 half, which has a very strong repunched date. this coin just has fantastic look to it:
1842/1842 obverse
1842/1842 reverse
And finally 1941-S mercury dime proof like (ANACS said 66FBL PL) for $43.00. What was funny I showed to my local dealer who had a table there and he wanted to buy it from me for a $100.00 right away (he collects them and told me that PL dimes are rare). He also told me that one should look for PL coins from S mint because it seems that S mint did a better job preparing and polishing the dies. (good to know)
merc dime 1
merc dime 2
I did a lot more walking and I couldn't find anything and right before the break I sat at a table; my legs were killing me; and I bought AU half dime with nice surfaces
1862 obv
1862 rev
When I came back after lunch there was a great deal of activity..... packing, it looked like half the show is gone. I was not happy at first but then I realized that it would be much easier to look for stuff (unfortunately there was not much to look at to begin with)
I stopped at John Bach table (my local dealer, it's the same dealer that had chain cent goose was talking about AG obv, VG+ reverse micro porosity in PCGS G04 holder) and I bought a nicely toned 1929 merc from him;
merc obv
merc rev
Since there wasn't much left to do or see I went back to Dick Osburn table to look at some more seated halves. I bought one1839 no drapery (I know it has been cleaned but for a little over 1000.00 I could not pass the offer esp. since list time I wanted to buy PCGS AU50 but it was well over $2000.00 (this one also has a monster strike and cool die cracks way better looking coin that PCGS example I saw last year). What I bought is the rarest variety of ND halves (die crack going through entire coin. Also M in AMERICA is gone a nd first A is very weak):
1839-ND obv
1839-ND rev
I went for a final sweep of the floor about 4PM (not seeing the members for a while I figured I was the last one) I stopped at a table and I saw another monster seated half. It was another 1000.00+ coin so I decided to trade my 1832 half dime in MS62 I got $325 for it (I was surprised about the amount I got for it) and picked up my final coin (although the day was far from over). What I bought was 1841 half in ICG MS-61 (very, very proof like).
I went back to Dick Osburn table to show him what I bought and cancel a coin he would put on hold for me otherwise. He and another guy there they almost got fooled thinking I bought a proof, after a little bit of looking they determined it was just a monster strike PL coin (both proofs and business strikes have recut date for that year) . Speaking of the other guy there I chatted with him for a while showed him my coins and he........
....signed his book for me. His name is Randy Wiley; co-author of The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars. IT WAS A GOOD DAY!
Oh I bet you want to see the pics of the coin. Here it is 1841 ICG MS-61 (recut date)
1841 obv
1841 rev
Lat two funny observations
One dealer had two rows on Jefferson nickels (about 30 coins) all of them looked like they came from the oven. Just screaming AT!!!!
There was a call late in the day (when almost everybody was gone asking dealers to bring some more coins for YN because there was a lot of kids getting grab bags of coins
It feels really strange - of all the people going to Baltimore it looks that I am the only one actually buying and posting the pics of the coins.
In Biltmore I was hoping to buy a low-low grade 1859 proof dollar but I couldn't find any.
We all met before opening time (I had to register, for some reason the usual invitation did not arrive to my house)
and we all marched to PCGS to pick up the pins and....... there wasn't any (they did not arrive on time Merz2 pick up his coin (his 1950 PF65DCAM cent looks just fantastic) and we went own ways to look for coins (several tables were empty already and some of the familiar faces could not be found [ANACONDA], and the fact they run out of table listings did not help much)
My first stop was at Dick Osburn table to pick up a coin he was holding for me 1843 repunched date half (WB-102). This coin was on my list because it has the most over-engraved vertical lines into the horizontal lines on the shield in the entire series.
1843 obverse
1843 reverse
shield detail
From that point I started to around. One dealer had a ton of rainbow Morgans and other coins. DLRC had a Franklin in MS66FBL with a toning to die for. I even seen MS67FBL Franklin!!!!! another dealer had ton of C and D gold and another table I saw 1892-93 Columbian proof set (all three coins but all of them were dark)
Since I couldn't find what I was looking for I started to look at other 1859 proof coins. I found two a quarter and dime (dime looked hairlined 63 would be a gift grade and the dealer wanted 850.00 for it. No thank you. Quarter (at another table looked even worse 60-61 for 525.00 but hairlines were too severe for my taste)
I found one table where a dealer had like 9 cases full of raw coins. I looked at several of them (including 1938 proof quarter which was a one sided cameo coin) and I bought 3 coins there - 1892-P barber quarter for my problem coin reference set, it looks like it is artificially frosted (I have 2 scans of it at two different angles, and this coin is a pretty good job too):
1892 obv1
1892 rev1
1892 obv2
1892 rev2
I also got a very nice, alas cleaned, 1842 half, which has a very strong repunched date. this coin just has fantastic look to it:
1842/1842 obverse
1842/1842 reverse
And finally 1941-S mercury dime proof like (ANACS said 66FBL PL) for $43.00. What was funny I showed to my local dealer who had a table there and he wanted to buy it from me for a $100.00 right away (he collects them and told me that PL dimes are rare). He also told me that one should look for PL coins from S mint because it seems that S mint did a better job preparing and polishing the dies. (good to know)
merc dime 1
merc dime 2
I did a lot more walking and I couldn't find anything and right before the break I sat at a table; my legs were killing me; and I bought AU half dime with nice surfaces
1862 obv
1862 rev
When I came back after lunch there was a great deal of activity..... packing, it looked like half the show is gone. I was not happy at first but then I realized that it would be much easier to look for stuff (unfortunately there was not much to look at to begin with)
I stopped at John Bach table (my local dealer, it's the same dealer that had chain cent goose was talking about AG obv, VG+ reverse micro porosity in PCGS G04 holder) and I bought a nicely toned 1929 merc from him;
merc obv
merc rev
Since there wasn't much left to do or see I went back to Dick Osburn table to look at some more seated halves. I bought one1839 no drapery (I know it has been cleaned but for a little over 1000.00 I could not pass the offer esp. since list time I wanted to buy PCGS AU50 but it was well over $2000.00 (this one also has a monster strike and cool die cracks way better looking coin that PCGS example I saw last year). What I bought is the rarest variety of ND halves (die crack going through entire coin. Also M in AMERICA is gone a nd first A is very weak):
1839-ND obv
1839-ND rev
I went for a final sweep of the floor about 4PM (not seeing the members for a while I figured I was the last one) I stopped at a table and I saw another monster seated half. It was another 1000.00+ coin so I decided to trade my 1832 half dime in MS62 I got $325 for it (I was surprised about the amount I got for it) and picked up my final coin (although the day was far from over). What I bought was 1841 half in ICG MS-61 (very, very proof like).
I went back to Dick Osburn table to show him what I bought and cancel a coin he would put on hold for me otherwise. He and another guy there they almost got fooled thinking I bought a proof, after a little bit of looking they determined it was just a monster strike PL coin (both proofs and business strikes have recut date for that year) . Speaking of the other guy there I chatted with him for a while showed him my coins and he........
....signed his book for me. His name is Randy Wiley; co-author of The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half Dollars. IT WAS A GOOD DAY!
Oh I bet you want to see the pics of the coin. Here it is 1841 ICG MS-61 (recut date)
1841 obv
1841 rev
Lat two funny observations
One dealer had two rows on Jefferson nickels (about 30 coins) all of them looked like they came from the oven. Just screaming AT!!!!
There was a call late in the day (when almost everybody was gone asking dealers to bring some more coins for YN because there was a lot of kids getting grab bags of coins
0
Comments
That was impressive.Your show analysis was much better.The pics were great.I still say you should send the 1937 PR65 back to PCGS attention David Hall.It is a CAM and should have the designation.IMHO
Registry 1909-1958 Proof Lincolns
I have to say you guys split very quietly. What time did you leave?
The Ludlow Brilliant Collection (1938-64)
Oh and I have no problem sending coins to SEGS, they have been very good for me. They designate all my halves with WB-XXX variety. I'll let you know how it goes.
Merz2 I will ship it for presidential review later. (maybe this weeked - very, very busy at work)
Currently I have coins with:
PCGS - received 2/7/03
NGC - will ship tomorrow
SEGS - will ship tomorrow
NCS/NGC shipped 2/21/03
Camelot