The credit crunch was depressing me, so I bought a coin

SYRACUSIAN · March 27, 2009 9:38PM

From a dealer member of this forum, it graded PCGS SP67. Forge a good relationship with a good and honest dealer,and he'll soon know what you want better than yourself.

I already got a super compliment for it, from my mentor in Swiss coins and other numismatic topics,Mr Mac Crimmon (though not the seller of this):

That is the most stunning silver SP of any denomination I believe I've ever seen. Glad to see it got a very high grade. What keeps it from a 68? Not much if anything, it would appear. That reverse center looks to be a retinal burn device.....it must be really bright in hand.

Thanks Doug.

ajaan · March 27, 2009 10:22PM

I've seen this coin in person, absolutely stunning and Phil captured it exactly.

bidask · March 27, 2009 11:30PM

Beautiful coin....

JCMhouston · March 27, 2009 11:59PM

That's a very pretty coin, congrats.

Silvereagle82 · March 28, 2009 12:34AM

wow incredible coin

Doogy · March 28, 2009 1:34AM

whoa! much prettier than about any other SP i've seen, and the toning seems to be the key! congrats, thats a beauty!

MacCrimmon · March 29, 2009 5:48AM

While business strikes can come with wonderful toning it seems there are very few specimen-strikes (SP) which are found with attractive rainbow toning. The usual SPs range from brilliant B/W cameos to coins with light champagne toning, but seldom any other colors. I sold a beautiful 1948 (or was it 1949 ?? ) 5 franc specimen (PCGS SP67) a few years ago which had some tiny slivers of red-blue-green on the rims, but it was nothing like Syracusian's little jewel.

SYRACUSIAN · March 29, 2009 8:10AM

That has been my experience too. Colour is generally lacking from EAs (specimens),despite the higher numerical grades that they usually get compared with business strikes.

Anyway, it feels good to overpay for a coin in the middle of a serious recession.

It comes from the recent very successful UBS sale of the Albert Beck collection of Swiss Confederation coins.