Contest

Rittenhouse

A contest. 3 winners. The prize? ANA video tape of a speech I did last year at the ANA titled "Chips, cracks and cuds: Mechanical Aspects of Coining". Covers the evolution of coining presses, how presses affected strike, what "lapping" is, why the US couldn't hub dies prior to 1836, stress points and how they cause cracks, etc.

The ANA sent me 5 copies. 2 are spoken for. The rest are offered free (yes, postpaid) to forum members. To give all interested a shot I'm gonna do a contest rather than "first come, first served".

Contest rules:

1. 200 words or less on why you should get a copy - i.e., what you'd expect to learn, how this would improve your understanding and appreciation of coins, how you would use this info. Contest ends Thursday.

2. Best 3 responses judged by me (or JK, if he wants to judge) gets a copy.

3. NO DEALERS - you make money on coins, buy your own copy.

4. Lakesammman is NOT ELIGIBLE. He's one of the 2 copies already reserved by dint of his questions on the lathe.

tsacch

Respond in this forum or in private email??? thanks for the contest

aeast236

I would like a copy to use for a program at my local coin club of which I am currently VP The reason that I would like to be included in this contest is to allow myself and, more importantly, about 30 other coin club members to learn about a different aspect of collecting that we don't often learn about. As a club we are always looking for new material to present at each meeting and as long as I have been a member I have never heard anyone do a program on this subject. So if I were a lucky recipient of this video not only would I be a winner but everyone else in our coin club would be winners as well. I would also donate the video to the club after viewing for cataloging in our library.
Thanks for the chance,
Aaron

mgoodm3

I'll use reverse psychology: Don't give one to me. I don't deserve it.

darktone

I think I best deserve a copy of the tape because............. I am probably the only one one this forum that still has a VHS player. I was really mad when they quit making 8-track players. mike

Rittenhouse

Respond here, I'll scan the thread.

aeast236, good reason.

mgoodm3, you're right; you don't get a copy.

Be serious guys, I only have 3 copies and despite the fact that it's my speech duplication would infringe on the ANA copyright. I did this in support of JRCS and the ANA. Please show some taste.

mgoodm3

Dang and I thought that reverse psychology always worked. I don't have a really good reason otherwise. Give it to someone more deserving like aeast236

atarian

Id like to be one who gets a copy cause i like to learn about money and how they are made and different things that happen when a coin is made. i dont know why else but im really into coins. this is a lame reason im sure but thats all i gots

i have a DVD ,VHS and Beta players still adn got the 8 track system hooked up . oh yeah beta all the way

CoinAddict

I would like a copy because I think that it would be a very good way for a YN like myself to expand my knowledge on the minting process throught history. There are probably quite a few interesting things that I do not know about when it comes to the minting process. I think it would be really awesome to see some of the changes in the minting process that has happened over the years at the mint. I am sure that I would be able to get a much better grasp on how coins are produced and what all it takes to get the perfect coin. All in all it sounds like it would be a very interesting video to watch.

Thanks for the chance.

ealandg

I would like a copy because I don't know anything about any of the topics you mentioned in the thread and I am a pig for knowledge. I am mainly interested in early coinage and it sounds as though a large portion of the lecture was about the early minting process.

JrGMan2004

To save some time, I'm gonna ditto on CoinAddict, most of my reasoning, is the exact same as his, to learn more about Numismatics, and get a better grasp on how coins are minted. I also would like this video, because I have had a recent attraction to Capped Bust Half-Dimes, and would like to learn more about minting of coins from this era. I'm interested in finding out why the Mint couldn't hub coins before 1836, which would probally explain all the varieties on the coins prior to that date. Thank you for the oppurtunity Rittenhouse!

nwcs

Wow, even without knowing whether I could win or not the speech sounds fascinating. It's the type of information I enjoy learning regardless of whether I can actually use it in my collecting pursuits. It's like background detail that adds richness and character to the stories of the coins made in that era. And it would probably help me as I occassionally buy coins from that era. I've read some material about that era, so this sounds like it would add a lot to what I've already encountered. It's also a great bridge to talk with non collectors, who are also interested in that era, about coins and technology and connect them to this great hobby.

Myqqy

Unfortunately, I don't have a coin club that I could share the video with- but I'll still put my name in the hat nonetheless. I have a recent, but strong, attraction to bust halves and all of their variations and nuances. I think that it would please my wife greatly if I could learn more about that period of time in minting, so that my knowledge base would help me avoid stupid and costly mistakes in coin buying!

nemesis93457

I wish I received a copy but...I feel someone like "aeast236 and his coin club" would be more deserving. Let him have my copy if I win.........Maybe he can copy it and send me a tape of it. Thanks, Walt

I hope I haven't broken any copyright laws by saying that.

Coinosaurus

I suppose I could just borrow this from the ANA library. It's more fun to have a contest though

I would like a copy of this video in order to understand more about the J156-J159 patterns. For those not familiar with this issue, check out:

http://uspatterns.com/uspatterns/j159p186.html

The coin is a "Liberty Seated" cent pattern. The coin was produced by using a "reducing lathe" and transferring the design from an 1854 seated dollar onto a cent size coin. Unfortunately they did a crappy job and as a result there are a bunch of concentric circles on the obverse of the coin. What I don't completely understand, and what the video probably explains, is how the reducing lathes were used in the mint (and how the heck they work at all), and the history of these machines & their improvement over time. After watching the video I will prepare a short article covering what I have learned

Rittenhouse

TTT for the morning crowd.

Some very good and thoughtful reasons posted. My compliments for your efforts and interest.

EvilMCT

I would love to have a copy because this is a new area of interest that I've just recently begun to seriously study. But, I truly think that this would have been a great gift for me about 20 years ago when I could not afford to buy one. Therefore, while I respect the opportunity, I would ask not to be considered. Instead, I would prefer to see it go to the YN's who frequent the site or clubs that help educate them. jmho.

Ken

Compa

None of you mention the obvious reason to have the tape ... just to actually see Rittenhouse!

Wolf359

I would like a copy because I it's an area I collect. As you can see from my signature line, I love die breaks in the Morgan dollar series. The middle photograph is actually a retained cud (at least it meets the technical definition). I would probably view the videotape and loan it to some coin collecting friends with similiar interests. Thanks for the opportunity.

Rittenhouse

<< <i>None of you mention the obvious reason to have the tape ... just to actually see Rittenhouse! >>



Geez, if that's all you want (and I don't know why ANYONE would want that), here's a link-a-doo

Nysoto

Some questions I have regarding early half dollars: The peripheral die cracks on 1805-1806 halves that deteriorated and formed eventual cuds were caused by the "spray hardening" process which produced variation in hardness, leading to stress points. What is the cause of the split dies? (1806 O.114a, 112) What is the cause of sunken dies? (06 O.119a) What was the hardening process used in 1794-95 that caused the "broken cookie" die cracks on FH halves?

What year did the US mint begin using multiple screw presses on halves? How will this change the generally accepted Leaman/Gunnet emission sequence for halves? What is the variance on striking pressure with the screw press?

What is the difference between spawling and rust pits? What causes spawling? Was the quality of die steel constant, or was the forging/hardening/tempering process the cause of most die failures?

After watching the tape, I will share it with some local BHNC and other friends, and then turn it over to the archives of the BHNC for future reference.

Rittenhouse

OK, it's Thurday and we have the winners. I will post the winners in a "Contest Winners" thread at 1200 EST. Congrats to all who made the effort to post. All of you are winners.....