My interest over the years was primarily toned Morgans, as well as DMPLs.
Now you're talkin'.
Regarding toned coins, we were called "color freaks" back then. The nice ones always commanded a premium. However, when you are adding a premium of $10 to a $28 coin, it wasn't much dollar-wise as it was percentage-wise. However, sometimes things went crazy for the monster coins. In 1979, I paid 7 times sheet for one. I was immediately offered a significant premium, which I did not accept.
It's great to read this as quite often here these questions are debated: "how come there weren't any great toners in the old days?......or......how long will the toning "fad" last?"
Obviously, I have not as yet mastered the posting process, as evidenced by the previous blank post. Sorry! The Eliasberg exhibit contained, as I remember, all of the US coins that he had. I do remember that the world coins were not displayed in their entirety. And yes, these were the same coins that were auctioned off later on. Actually, Louis Eliasberg made arrangements to have the collection put on display at the mint, but passed away prior to having them put on display. The family followed through with his wishes, and the display became a reality. I drooled over many of the coins, especially the proof Morgans and, yes, the proof trade dollars. Being separated from the 1885 trade dollar by a thin piece of plexiglass, was indeed a thrill (okay, TDN, I know you were actually closer than I was!). Still a thrill! The display "sleeves", if you will, measured approximately 18" by 24", had the center die cut portion to house the coins, and then clear plexiglass on both sides, surrounded by a wood frame. The wood frames had pivot points on two corners, and were connected in the same manner that one would see big posters displayed at a retail store. To see the other side of the framed coins, you would just swing the frame back and forth. I spent endless days looking at, and then re-looking at the collection. My mother said that if I ever turned up missing, she knew where to tell the police to find me. Actually, my whole family thought I was nuts! (They were not in the hobby.) The mint would not permit cameras in the institution. I did have a Coin World picture of the display, but no longer have it. I do remember the lighting around the exhibit left much to be desired. And then there was the issue of security. They did have a guard on a very high chair whose job was to watch over the exhibit. I would watch as kids would run down the exhibit with their hands extended, slamming the coin frames into one another (as the frames were on pivot points) as they ran by. It made a distinctive "fwap, fwap, fwap" sound as the frames made contact with one another. I asked the guard if he could do something about this, and he basically told me "oh well." I don't think it was a matter of not caring. Probably he, and almost everyone else, did not know what they were looking at. Remember, this was the Bicentennial era, and most of the visitors were there to have fun. Numismatists were probably outnumbered 200 to 1. As time went on, there were times when there were virtually no visitors, with less than a half-dozen people looking at the display. As a bit of humor, I heard many of the visitors telling one another that these were the coins you could "buy in the gift shop downstairs." As a final note, the display frames were not made for the exhibit. This is the way the collection was stored, as the frames would slide into the containers made to store them. Somewhere I saw a picture of Eliasberg with the framed coins, and the storage containers. Truly fascinating! More later. Time to start the week. My sincerest thanks for the warm welcome.
Autism Awareness: There is no limit to the good you can do, if you don't care who gets the credit.
For those who might be interested, a photo of Louis Eliasberg with the coin frames mentioned above appears in article 3829 on the PCGS website. Or just search Louis Eliasberg on the PCGS website. (someday I will learn how to link this). Also, PCGS has an excellent interview with the living legend John Love from The Record Coin Shop. It is well worth watching!
Autism Awareness: There is no limit to the good you can do, if you don't care who gets the credit.
Comments
Now you're talkin'.
Regarding toned coins, we were called "color freaks" back then. The nice ones always commanded a premium. However, when you are adding a premium of $10 to a $28 coin, it wasn't much dollar-wise as it was percentage-wise. However, sometimes things went crazy for the monster coins. In 1979, I paid 7 times sheet for one. I was immediately offered a significant premium, which I did not accept.
It's great to read this as quite often here these questions are debated: "how come there weren't any great toners in the old days?......or......how long will the toning "fad" last?"
Hoard the keys.
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
The mint would not permit cameras in the institution. I did have a Coin World picture of the display, but no longer have it. I do remember the lighting around the exhibit left much to be desired. And then there was the issue of security. They did have a guard on a very high chair whose job was to watch over the exhibit. I would watch as kids would run down the exhibit with their hands extended, slamming the coin frames into one another (as the frames were on pivot points) as they ran by. It made a distinctive "fwap, fwap, fwap" sound as the frames made contact with one another. I asked the guard if he could do something about this, and he basically told me "oh well." I don't think it was a matter of not caring. Probably he, and almost everyone else, did not know what they were looking at. Remember, this was the Bicentennial era, and most of the visitors were there to have fun. Numismatists were probably outnumbered 200 to 1. As time went on, there were times when there were virtually no visitors, with less than a half-dozen people looking at the display. As a bit of humor, I heard many of the visitors telling one another that these were the coins you could "buy in the gift shop downstairs."
As a final note, the display frames were not made for the exhibit. This is the way the collection was stored, as the frames would slide into the containers made to store them. Somewhere I saw a picture of Eliasberg with the framed coins, and the storage containers. Truly fascinating!
More later. Time to start the week. My sincerest thanks for the warm welcome.