A confidence game with crowns

laurentyvan · January 13, 2004 9:38AM

I'm in the middle of an autobiography by Francois Eugene Vidocq, a master thief of the early 19th century, later turned master detective. He describes the following confidence game played by gypsies on unsuspecting farmers of the era:

"And that's not all, before they leave the farm, they find out whether the owner hasn't some crowns of such and such a year, or of such and such an imprint, promising to buy them at a premium. The countryman is interested, as are all who only rarely and with great difficulty find a chance to make money. The farmer rushes to display his specie, and they always find a way to pilfer a part. It is unbelieveable, but they have been seen to pull off the same trick in the same house several times and escape punishment."

Nothing changes but the date. Although for such a thing to work coin collecting and coin values had to be well enough known in the very early 19th and therefor certainly in the late 18th century. Do we know when coin collecting became popular in Europe?

MacCrimmon · January 13, 2004 9:41AM

Let me guess.......you hit the enter key too soon!!

Aethelred · January 13, 2004 9:44AM

I have no confidence in this game!

shirohniichan · January 13, 2004 9:45AM

He's thinking of a crown and will give a prize to whoever guesses it first.

MacCrimmon · January 13, 2004 9:46AM

He's already switched the bait!!

laurentyvan · January 13, 2004 9:48AM

An empty post attracts flies like sh!te.

Enter key was the correct answer.

MacCrimmon · January 13, 2004 9:50AM

<< <i> He's thinking of a crown and will give a prize to whoever guesses it first. >>

Hmmmmmm!

1847 Gothic Crown, Septimo edge!!! uber FDC; PF69 with wild rainbow target toning!!

Woooo-hoooooo! I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!!

MacCrimmon · January 13, 2004 9:52AM

<< <i>attracts flies like sh!te. >>

.....SUCH LANGUAGE!!

laurentyvan · January 13, 2004 9:56AM

.SUCH LANGUAGE!!

Sorry, just a memorable line from Rob Roy; 'pologies...

GDJMSP · January 13, 2004 11:27AM

<< <i> Although for such a thing to work coin collecting and coin values had to be well enough known in the very early 19th and therefor certainly in the late 18th century. Do we know when coin collecting became popular in Europe? >>

Well - it was popular enough that they started writing and printing books on it in the very early 1500's. So yeah - I'd say it might have been popular enough by the 18th century. At least among the upper classes.

laurentyvan · January 13, 2004 11:29AM

What happened when I posted nothing. Guys, if I seemed abrupt with you-I'm sorry.

Here's the stupidity- I entered the title of the post at which point the phone rang. The book I was quoting from was jammed between the keyboard and the printer and it's a book with a stiff binding, precariously poised betwixt and between. As I picked up the phone I brushed the book which sprang free under tension and flipped the keyboard over causing me to drop the phone-all in the space of a second. The next sight that greeted me was an empty message board- the dreaded "early enter".
After transferring the call to service

where it belonged I frantically edited the post to add the text, all the while praying no one had responded to the post yet. But no, four or five posts had beaten me to it; I chuckled to myself and replied.

Always humbled by circumstances.

Lloyd · January 13, 2004 3:49PM

When coin collecting began in Europe ???

I believe there are records showing around 100 BC.

L

A confidence game with crowns

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