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Oh Yes...Walter Breen *WOULD* be a prolific PCGS Forum Poster!!

ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭✭
Were He Alive, that is..............

Beside that small point, wouldnt it be interesting, from a numismatic viewpoint, to have Walter Breen as a forum member, alive and well, pecking away at his keyboard twenty, forty times a day.........Hairy Wildman, at that desk, with an imac in front of him....bare feet....

pouring forth numismatic gems from two generations ago, or at least making up a good entertaining story anyway!

Comments

  • IrishMikeyIrishMikey Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭
    Purely from a numismatic viewpoint, we lost quite a bit when Walter went away. From a
    human society viewpoint, we are probably better without him.image
  • TomBTomB Posts: 22,097 ✭✭✭✭✭
    He would not last on the forums with his baggage.
    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    or at least making up a good entertaining story anyway!

    oh brother, where for art thou??!!!!!??image
  • astroratastrorat Posts: 9,221 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ...and perhaps a frequent flier on Dateline...

    Sorry...just couldn't resist. image

    Lane
    Numismatist Ordinaire
    See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
  • kazkaz Posts: 9,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've looked at some of his old columns in Coin World from years ago... I think he'd get bammed in a jiffy... but the guy sure knew a lot.
  • He'd fit right in here.image
  • HyperionHyperion Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭
    holy crap. I heard the allusions of what this guy was about but never looked 'em up.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_H._Breen


    what a scumbag. period.
  • WoodenJeffersonWoodenJefferson Posts: 6,491 ✭✭✭✭
    YN's, turn your PM function off.
    Chat Board Lingo

    "Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
  • if the dirt bag were alive there would be no use for him here or anywhere for that matter, but I'm sure Hell is using him as we speak image
    "If you hit a midget on the head with a stick, he turns into 40 gold coins." - Patty Oswalt
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Human garbage. Cheers, RickO
  • LoveMyLibertyLoveMyLiberty Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Were He Alive, that is..............

    Beside that small point, wouldnt it be interesting, from a numismatic viewpoint, to have Walter Breen as a forum member, alive and well, >>





    How do you know he's not? image


    image


    Can you pick him out of this Lineup?

    image



    image

    image
    My Type Set

    R.I.P. Bear image
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,325 ✭✭✭✭✭
    it is what it is
  • <<Can you pick him out of this Lineup?>>

    I'll play; second row, far right. Did anyone else notice he is the only one looking down?image
  • I'm glad to see these reactions. Twenty years ago, everyone was covering for him, as though his contributions in numismatics outweighed his pedophilia. People wrote letters to the coin magazines calling the kids who he abused liars, etc. It's good to see that things have changed.
  • Is the hippy with the gold medal him too?
    Winner of the "You Suck!" award March 17, 2010 by LanLord, doh, 123cents and Bear.
  • GrumpyEdGrumpyEd Posts: 4,749 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I'll play; second row, far right. Did anyone else notice he is the only one looking down? >>



    image
    Ed
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    What happened to William A. Bowling, Jr. ? Could he tell us about Wally in his carefree student days?
  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623
    And Catholic!
  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭✭
    But yes sweep that all aside for a few minutes and think about what he would be able to contribute to some of these discussions here...really technical stuff. He had sucn an overview and knowledge on so many coins, ...I dont think anyone alive has that vast a knowledge.
  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623


    << <i>But yes sweep that all aside for a few minutes and think about what he would be able to contribute to some of these discussions here...really technical stuff. He had sucn an overview and knowledge on so many coins, ...I dont think anyone alive has that vast a knowledge. >>



    And what he didn't know he would make up a statistic to back up one of his made up facts
  • savoyspecialsavoyspecial Posts: 7,313 ✭✭✭✭
    << But yes sweep that all aside for a few minutes and think about what he would be able to contribute to some of these discussions here...really technical stuff. He had sucn an overview and knowledge on so many coins, ...I dont think anyone alive has that vast a knowledge. >>


    Newman, Bowers and Bresset would be contenders

    www.brunkauctions.com

  • HyperionHyperion Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭


    << <i>And Catholic! >>



    what does that have to do with anything?


    noone said all coin collectors are pedophiles. What are you saying about Catholics? please feel free to PM me.
  • Billet7Billet7 Posts: 4,923 ✭✭✭
    Bammed...many times!
  • renman95renman95 Posts: 7,037 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What would Breen's Avatar look like?
  • WoodenJeffersonWoodenJefferson Posts: 6,491 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>What would Breen's Avatar look like? >>



    image
    Chat Board Lingo

    "Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
  • TavernTreasuresTavernTreasures Posts: 1,262 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>But yes sweep that all aside for a few minutes and think about what he would be able to contribute to some of these discussions here...really technical stuff. He had sucn an overview and knowledge on so many coins, ...I dont think anyone alive has that vast a knowledge. >>



    Funny how people here will avoid a dealer if they get a low ball offer from them or some other nonsense however shell out $ for this pedophiles book with no problem. >>




    Brilliant
    Advanced collector of BREWERIANA. Early beer advertising (beer cans, tap knobs, foam scrapers, trays, tin signs, lithos, paper, etc)....My first love...U.S. COINS!
  • kazkaz Posts: 9,280 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i><<Can you pick him out of this Lineup?>>

    I'll play; second row, far right. Did anyone else notice he is the only one looking down?image >>



    He's checking to see if his PBK key is still on his zipper pull.
  • astroratastrorat Posts: 9,221 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>But yes sweep that all aside for a few minutes and think about what he would be able to contribute to some of these discussions here...really technical stuff. He had sucn an overview and knowledge on so many coins, ...I dont think anyone alive has that vast a knowledge. >>



    Yeah...and some of the information was actually correct. image

    Breen's work in his later years was, well, let's just say not as highly regarded as his earlier work.

    Lane
    Numismatist Ordinaire
    See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623


    << <i>

    << <i>And Catholic! >>



    what does that have to do with anything?


    noone said all coin collectors are pedophiles. What are you saying about Catholics? please feel free to PM me. >>



    PMsent
  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image
  • ldhairldhair Posts: 7,354 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I wish the guy could start all over again and leave a better history of himself.
    It would have been really cool to have him here without all the baggage.

    On a different note. I always wished David Bowers was an active member here.
    I would almost bet he has posted here but few knew it.


    Larry

  • <<<< <<Can you pick him out of this Lineup?>>

    I'll play; second row, far right. Did anyone else notice he is the only one looking down?image >>



    He's checking to see if his PBK key is still on his zipper pull. >>

    image Here I though it was a guilty conscience.image
  • LindeDadLindeDad Posts: 18,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
    One has to wonder if PCGS checks the ISP of members to see if they originate at a prison or not? Because if he were around today that’s where most of us hope he would be.
  • MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭
    Its seems the frat, Scabbard and Blade, would have been more suited to Breen, eh?
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,624 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Religion
    Politcs
    Sex


    I think we've got it all covered. How about them Dodgers ?
  • <,Its seems the frat, Scabbard and Blade, would have been more suited to Breen, eh? >>

    Not funny; the Scabbard and Blade is a military honor society.

    Scabbard and Blade
  • dengadenga Posts: 922 ✭✭✭
    OregonCityGold April 17, 2010

    I'm glad to see these reactions. Twenty years ago, everyone was covering for him, as though his contributions in numismatics outweighed his pedophilia. People wrote letters to the coin magazines calling the kids who he abused liars, etc. It's good to see that things have changed.


    Unlike OregonCityGold I knew Walter Breen. I well remember the matter and do not
    recall a single person defending his other life. The consensus of opinion was that the
    law should take its course but his numismatic work should be judged fairly.

    Denga
  • 500Bay500Bay Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭


    << <i><< And Catholic! >> >>



    If you have a comment, just make it and bammed.
    Finem Respice
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It’s a shame that some people can’t get beyond the obvious problems that Walter Breen had and appreciate, most especially, the early numismatic works that he wrote. He was a very articulate writer who made numismatic learning a pleasure, not work. And yes, I know that there were mistakes in his numismatic encyclopedia, but no writer has yet created a work that had its scope. His half cent book also had a great scope. The worst problems were with the condition census date, which he did not write. There is also a wonderful early large cent book that contains mostly his work which was published after his death.

    As soon as I saw the title I what some people would write. It was totally predicable, and frankly it gets tiresome to read it. I think that the Christian credo, “Let he who is totally innocent cast the first cast the first stone.”
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    -----OregonCityGold April 17, 2010
    I'm glad to see these reactions. Twenty years ago, everyone was covering for him, as though his contributions in numismatics outweighed his pedophilia. People wrote letters to the coin magazines calling the kids who he abused liars, etc. It's good to see that things have changed.


    -----Unlike OregonCityGold I knew Walter Breen. I well remember the matter and do not
    recall a single person defending his other life. The consensus of opinion was that the
    law should take its course but his numismatic work should be judged fairly.

    Denga


    thank you, Denga. what i find especially ironic about your post is that Breen is so maligned for "making things up" and now we see the shoe on someone else's foot. i would like to see OCG's response.
  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    Many of the “big name” folks are in the business end of numismatics. They have multiple, daily commitments that don’t allow for posting comments or answering questions. Some of the best folks also post on PCGS or NGC, but when you’re making a living with coins, free time is usually limited.

    I suspect that if Wally Breen were alive and active now, he would be part of today’s more rigorous research and publication trend. He would likely find much of the internet as useless as bull teats, although he might also have found a patron who could support extensive on-line publishing of accurate material.

    Breen’s genius brought great benefits to American numismatics, up to the point where he succumbed to his emotional and psychological problems in the late 1970s. There are few who would agree with his personal life choices, yet there has been little to suggest he used numismatics to advance his personal defects. The hobby benefited from his mind, and did not have to deal with his pedophilia.

    For me, as a minor researcher of stuff, there is a small thrill when I come across a file marker with “Taxay” or “W Breen” scribbled on it. It’s akin to the effect of handling one of the fine coins from Norweb, or letters personally signed by Theodore Roosevelt or FDR.

    Breen’s early contributions were profound and his insights opened the door for many others. His latter work mostly confuses as he moved toward fictional solutions to his emotional problems.
  • LoveMyLibertyLoveMyLiberty Posts: 1,784 ✭✭✭


    << <i>It’s a shame that some people can’t get beyond the obvious problems that Walter Breen had and appreciate, most especially, the early numismatic works that he wrote. He was a very articulate writer who made numismatic learning a pleasure, not work. And yes, I know that there were mistakes in his numismatic encyclopedia, but no writer has yet created a work that had its scope. His half cent book also had a great scope. The worst problems were with the condition census date, which he did not write. There is also a wonderful early large cent book that contains mostly his work which was published after his death.

    As soon as I saw the title I what some people would write. It was totally predicable, and frankly it gets tiresome to read it. I think that the Christian credo, “Let he who is totally innocent cast the first cast the first stone.” >>




    I agree with the comments by Bill Jones ( except for casting the first stone twice ) and those by Denga. One liners to say what just about everybody knows, should be
    reserved for conversations in the bar, not during a "what if" on a coin forum. Beating a dead horse adds little to a discussion about coins. JMHO.
    My Type Set

    R.I.P. Bear image
  • ldhairldhair Posts: 7,354 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Many of the “big name” folks are in the business end of numismatics. They have multiple, daily commitments that don’t allow for posting comments or answering questions. Some of the best folks also post on PCGS or NGC, but when you’re making a living with coins, free time is usually limited.

    I suspect that if Wally Breen were alive and active now, he would be part of today’s more rigorous research and publication trend. He would likely find much of the internet as useless as bull teats, although he might also have found a patron who could support extensive on-line publishing of accurate material.

    Breen’s genius brought great benefits to American numismatics, up to the point where he succumbed to his emotional and psychological problems in the late 1970s. There are few who would agree with his personal life choices, yet there has been little to suggest he used numismatics to advance his personal defects. The hobby benefited from his mind, and did not have to deal with his pedophilia.

    For me, as a minor researcher of stuff, there is a small thrill when I come across a file marker with “Taxay” or “W Breen” scribbled on it. It’s akin to the effect of handling one of the fine coins from Norweb, or letters personally signed by Theodore Roosevelt or FDR.

    Breen’s early contributions were profound and his insights opened the door for many others. His latter work mostly confuses as he moved toward fictional solutions to his emotional problems. >>


    Well said sir.
    Larry

  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,700 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ...yet there has been little to suggest he used numismatics to advance his personal defects. The hobby benefited from his mind, and did not have to deal with his pedophilia.

    Not true. I know a guy whose job it was about 15-20 years ago at the ANA to make sure Breen didn't diddle the YNs.
    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
    "Sou Mangueira......."
  • GoldbullyGoldbully Posts: 17,987 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Breen didn't diddle the YNs image
  • I think Breen's final court case had a numismatic connection and there were numismatic incidents from many years before that could have gone to court.

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