a forum idea, for your consideration (Ron, can we try this?)

Doogy

I'm sure i'm not alone, in that i get PMs from collectors that primarily focus on US coins, and want to venture out into the world coin realm. I know this is a daunting area, as there are so many countries to choose from, time spans, ancients vs. current, et cetera.

One thing about this forum is how helpful folks seem to be in regards to questions from seasoned collectors, and newbies alike.

I'm making the suggestion, with PCGSs buy-in of course, that we have a permenant thread that resides on the top of the page that is an informational thread. This can be something where you write a couple paragraphs (or much more, depending on your interest level) about a country's coinage, specific denomination, or interesting facts. Perhaps you could even cite your opinion (or facts) on current market conditions for this coin series, or rarity of said coins. You may also want to provide a couple pictures to illustrate your point(s).

I think this will serve our forum two-fold: it will inform newbies as to what is out there and things to look for. It would also serve as very informative for seasoned collectors wanting to branch out from their speciality. It could also spurn new submissions to PCGS on the world coin side. Okay, i guess that is three benefits..........

What does everyone think about this idea for a permenant informational thread? I think many of you have the wheels turning already as to what you'd like to give a brief teaching lesson about. The one i'd like to hear right off the bat, is how Don incited a worldwide search for a GEM Churchill Crown, across many coin forums and continents, and how it came to be. Sounds like a sequel to 'National Treasure 3, the quest for the Churchill Crown'

OnlyBuffalos

Sounds like a worthwhile endeavour.

PlatinumDuck

Sounds like a good idea to me.

ajaan

In theory, I think it's a great idea. The problem is how to keep it totally on topic. Many times great threads get side tracked, and I admit, I'm at fault sometimes for hijacking threads. This type of permanent ttt, to be efective in my opinion, would have to be strickly controlled for content. Although flame wars are a very rare site here, thankfully, the possibility does exist. Perhaps there has to be a darkside moderator with powers to delete certain off topic comments. This was suggested a long time ago and Mark Schmitt, askari, was nominated, but nothing came to fruition and askari is long gone now. I miss his comments.





<< <i>The one i'd like to hear right off the bat, is how Don incited a worldwide search for a GEM Churchill Crown, across many coin forums and continents, and how it came to be. Sounds like a sequel to 'National Treasure 3, the quest for the Churchill Crown' >>


Let me work on this and I'll post it later.

ajbauman

This is the case with most fourms that I visit... there are usally "sticky's" with forum rules, faqs, very useful content all edited for content. I lookd for something similar when I first started visiting this forum and I was very surprised to not find one!

I think it is a great idea.

1jester

It is an idea of great merit. In that vein I did a series called Jester's Challenge, posting a coin and encouraging others to share information. I don't really have the time to devote to that series anymore, but it was fun for me and hopefully worthwhile for other members. Most of them are archived now.

Doogy

on the subject of the thread getting hijacked, I think our forum is certainly polite enough to not allow rude hijacks to take place. But i can imagine follow up questions to someone's post is cetainly encouraged if one would like more info.

Let's be honest here; even if one were to write a dozen or so paragraphs or more, you are really just scratching the surface of many coins/countries, et cetera. A newbie or seasoned collector may want to post a follow-up to get more info or clarification from the original poster. Or that person may just PM them; i see no problem with either. A follow-up question and answer would probably be beneficial to those reading the thread, or if a person wanted to be discreet, they can simply PM the person.

Personally, if this simple "rule" would be followed, then i think the thread would moderate itself. Maybe we can even talk Ron into chiming in about German coins! I for one would love to hear his input.

percyb

How do you classify different topics on the info thread? Sounds daunting.

Doogy

<< <i>How do you classify different topics on the info thread? Sounds daunting. >>




One thing about our little sub-forum, is that is moves much slower than the US coin forum. The short informative articles that people would write, could maybe have a title in 'bold' font. If a person wasn't interested in reading that particular one, they simply scroll down. This wouldn't be some kind of monster thread like you see on the US forum, where they rack up thousands of responses. It isn't a perfect method, but i think it would work and be fun at the same time.

globalcoin

Some of the other forums I visit have multiple "stickies" at the top of each section. You could have one for each continent or something like that.

You could also make the BST of the week sticky as well

deadmunny

My vocabulary is no where close to yours but did you want this sticky thread to "spurn" or "spur"?

pendragon1998

They have exactly the sort of thing y'all are talking about on the NGC forums. They call them the "What You Need to Know" series (WYNTK).

Essentially, there are one or two forum members who act as proctors; their job is to keep things organized so that not just any random article gets called a WYNTK, diluting the quality. If a member wants to write an article, they ask a proctor and they are assigned a date slot (usually weekly, although the participation has declined over the last year). Once the date is assigned, the member prepares the article and posts it with a standardized title format (e.g., "What you need to know: Ancient Roman Coins"). The article is posted to the main US coins forum, or in our case, the world and ancient coins forum. Fellow members post their comments, and after things finally die down a bit (or perhaps after a standard period of time, e.g., 1 week), a moderator moves the thread to the official WYNTK forum, which - I think - has posting disabled, although replies are permitted. I suggest a subforum for us, if possible.

Something similar would work well here, I think. I just have one final request: Can the title of the series be "What you need to know" in latin?

theboz11

I have seen several of these and one that struck my eye was a top post site that had links to articles from various forums that had been written in the manner spoken of here. When links are supplied, the expert is on the other end with responses that may easily answer a question without needing a reply section. Alot of info is already out there and just needs to be rounded up as a reference post. Please start it off with BOOKS on counterfiets to top the list of things to KNOW about any collecting choice.

CoinKing

<< <i>I'm sure i'm not alone, in that i get PMs from collectors that primarily focus on US coins, and want to venture out into the world coin realm. I know this is a daunting area, as there are so many countries to choose from, time spans, ancients vs. current, et cetera.

One thing about this forum is how helpful folks seem to be in regards to questions from seasoned collectors, and newbies alike.

I'm making the suggestion, with PCGSs buy-in of course, that we have a permenant thread that resides on the top of the page that is an informational thread. This can be something where you write a couple paragraphs (or much more, depending on your interest level) about a country's coinage, specific denomination, or interesting facts. Perhaps you could even cite your opinion (or facts) on current market conditions for this coin series, or rarity of said coins. You may also want to provide a couple pictures to illustrate your point(s).

I think this will serve our forum two-fold: it will inform newbies as to what is out there and things to look for. It would also serve as very informative for seasoned collectors wanting to branch out from their speciality. It could also spurn new submissions to PCGS on the world coin side. Okay, i guess that is three benefits..........

What does everyone think about this idea for a permenant informational thread? I think many of you have the wheels turning already as to what you'd like to give a brief teaching lesson about. The one i'd like to hear right off the bat, is how Don incited a worldwide search for a GEM Churchill Crown, across many coin forums and continents, and how it came to be. Sounds like a sequel to 'National Treasure 3, the quest for the Churchill Crown' >>



Doogy,

This is a really good idea. I know from my own experience that there are many world coins that require explanation or expansion beyond the information that is generally available. We run across it every day in the grading room. For instance, I'd like to know the truth about the 1902 South African Veld Pond. Were they made from one pair of dies or two? I've seen several different die varieties offered as genuine - which one(s) is/are real? And, that's just one example.

How to structure this is another issue. Certainly, anyone can post whatever they want here. However, something along the lines of an edited or peer-reviewed article would probably be the best. Under that scenario, people would submit articles on their favorite coin/subject for review and publication. I'd be happy to be that editor on my free time.

Again, GREAT IDEA!

Doogy

<< <i>My vocabulary is no where close to yours but did you want this sticky thread to "spurn" or "spur"? >>



whoops! you're correct; I mean 'spur' more submissions, not 'spurn'. I letter difference, but two different meanings to the word. thanks!

Doogy

<< <i>

<< <i>I'm sure i'm not alone, in that i get PMs from collectors that primarily focus on US coins, and want to venture out into the world coin realm. I know this is a daunting area, as there are so many countries to choose from, time spans, ancients vs. current, et cetera.

One thing about this forum is how helpful folks seem to be in regards to questions from seasoned collectors, and newbies alike.

I'm making the suggestion, with PCGSs buy-in of course, that we have a permenant thread that resides on the top of the page that is an informational thread. This can be something where you write a couple paragraphs (or much more, depending on your interest level) about a country's coinage, specific denomination, or interesting facts. Perhaps you could even cite your opinion (or facts) on current market conditions for this coin series, or rarity of said coins. You may also want to provide a couple pictures to illustrate your point(s).

I think this will serve our forum two-fold: it will inform newbies as to what is out there and things to look for. It would also serve as very informative for seasoned collectors wanting to branch out from their speciality. It could also spurn new submissions to PCGS on the world coin side. Okay, i guess that is three benefits..........

What does everyone think about this idea for a permenant informational thread? I think many of you have the wheels turning already as to what you'd like to give a brief teaching lesson about. The one i'd like to hear right off the bat, is how Don incited a worldwide search for a GEM Churchill Crown, across many coin forums and continents, and how it came to be. Sounds like a sequel to 'National Treasure 3, the quest for the Churchill Crown' >>



Doogy,

This is a really good idea. I know from my own experience that there are many world coins that require explanation or expansion beyond the information that is generally available. We run across it every day in the grading room. For instance, I'd like to know the truth about the 1902 South African Veld Pond. Were they made from one pair of dies or two? I've seen several different die varieties offered as genuine - which one(s) is/are real? And, that's just one example.

How to structure this is another issue. Certainly, anyone can post whatever they want here. However, something along the lines of an edited or peer-reviewed article would probably be the best. Under that scenario, people would submit articles on their favorite coin/subject for review and publication. I'd be happy to be that editor on my free time.

Again, GREAT IDEA! >>



Ron,

Thanks! I think it would be fun and a great way for the forum to share what they know with others. We have a lot of knowledge and expertise here, and it would be great to get it out in the open.

As far as the 1902 SA Veld Pond is concerened; they were actually made using three die pairs, which were made of titanium and the design of the coin was thought up by Elf Monks living high in the Swiss Alps. The only authentic ones that I know of are in Bulgarian museums, and in the collections of French gypsies. I hope this helps, as it is a little known fact

Preussen

<< <i> Doogy,

This is a really good idea......Certainly, anyone can post whatever they want here... >>

Everyone, remember where you read this -Preussen

CoinKing

<< <i>

<< <i> Doogy,

This is a really good idea......Certainly, anyone can post whatever they want here... >>

Everyone, remember where you read this -Preussen >>



POT-STIRRER!

zeebob

Sounds like a better medium than a forum would simple be a wiki. That way entries could be formated and maintained in good order. Threads would just grow and grow.

For example if you wanted to know about Chile, you could have a wiki page similar to this one..

Put a front page on the wiki that lists all the countries for easy linking and poof - bob's your uncle.

Preussen

<< <i> Doogy,

This is a really good idea......Certainly, anyone can post whatever they want here... >>



<< <i>Everyone, remember where you read this -Preussen >>





<< <i>POT-STIRRER! >>

Always -Preussen

percyb

<< <i>

<< <i> 1 letter difference, but two different meanings to the word. thanks! >>


This reminded me of a poem by William Carlos Williams that goes like this:

So much depends
upon a red wheel barrow
Glazed with rain water
Beside the white
Chicken.

ticoviejo

I am thrilled of the idea, really. If a US collector wants to venture out in the world arena it is a daunting challenge. Not all US collectors own at least three of the volumes needed from Krause to cover from 1800 to date. The fourth would be just the Latin American volume that Krause sells as well. One way that may make things seem a little bit easier would be to do Internet searches. Here is a good example of a Internet search. At Wikipedia.com there is a list of all the Costa Rica Commemorative coins from 1970 to date. Perhaps PCGS can link to sites where information like that is stored. And possibly not offend Krause. What do you think?

CollectorBob

Doug, great idea! Would be even better if we could have a "wiki" (like wikipedia) instead of a thread, where members could contribute by directly editing content or adding pics, etc.

worldcoinguy

<< <i>As far as the 1902 SA Veld Pond is concerened; they were actually made using three die pairs, which were made of titanium and the design of the coin was thought up by Elf Monks living high in the Swiss Alps. The only authentic ones that I know of are in Bulgarian museums, and in the collections of French gypsies. I hope this helps, as it is a little known fact >>



The French gypsies have a coin collection?

DesertRat

CU already has a great site for U.S. Coins at www.coinfacts.com . You could not only add a peer reviewed forum to each coin in that site for the US Coin folks but why not create a peer reviewed (Wikipedia type) site for world coins at www.worldcoinfacts.com which CU also owns and as of right now is simply a redirect?

1jester

<< <i>

<< <i>As far as the 1902 SA Veld Pond is concerened; they were actually made using three die pairs, which were made of titanium and the design of the coin was thought up by Elf Monks living high in the Swiss Alps. The only authentic ones that I know of are in Bulgarian museums, and in the collections of French gypsies. I hope this helps, as it is a little known fact >>



The French gypsies have a coin collection? >>



It's hard to imagine a gypsy who doesn't collect every coin he can get his hands on.....that reminds me, once I was in Cracow and was approached by a small group of normally aggressive gypsies asking for money, and I offered the equivalent of a couple dollars (tourists are easy bait) in coins, and after accepting them, one lady said, "no, paper...paper!". I did not consent.

IloiloKano

<< <i>...and after accepting them, one lady said, "no, paper...paper!". >>


That's when you should have pulled and and offered her your (paper) business card.