What is your area of expertise, or what area in numismatics do you know the most about. Do not be h

ANACONDA

What is your area of expertise, or if you are too humble to imply that you are an expert in that area, then

what area in numismatics do you know the most about?

Please do not be humble. This thread will be absolutely worthless if we all just "Aw shucks" and "gee willicker" around.

And if we all honestly post our areas of expertise, this could be a valuable thread for all of us and for future generations (Please begin the Star Wars background music.)

TomB

I'll just put in a Devil's Advocate type of post and tell you right now that I anticipate that it is possible that a number of folks will list their areas of insight and that their "insight" will be quite shallow or even incorrect entirely.

speety

I'm definately more well read in seated dollars and liberty nickels than others areas.

As well as Jacques Wiener Medals outside of United States coinage...

What are your focus areas Anaconda? High end type is what I've typically associated you with?

RYK

Circulated, pre-Carson City era, dirty, original US gold is the numismatic area in which I am the least incompetent.

Baley

I've got a general familiarity with draped bust quarters and half dollars

djdilliodon

Franklin halves are my thing as well as washington quarters.

Lehigh96

Adrian,

I am of the opinion that expertise is relative. Compared to most people, I am an expert on Jefferson Nickels. Compared to some of the members on this forum, I am simply an advanced collector. IMO, self declarations of one's expertise are meaningless. In order to truly be considered and expert, the recognition of your expertise by others lends much more weight to your credibility. In that regard, the only support I have for my claim to be an expert of Jefferson Nickels are the comments of the judges of the NGC registry sets. I won and award for best presented set last year. Here is a link to my set and the comments of the judges about by set.

The Atlantic City Set of Jefferson Nickels

Judge's Comments:

This long series of Jefferson Nickels 1938-64 is nearing completion, though several issues are awaiting the location of suitable specimens. The owner is clearly determined to have the finest set, if not in terms of numeric grade or points then certainly in terms of overall quality and eye appeal. Several entries are also rare varieties, such as the 1941-S Large S grading MS-65 and the 1946-D over inverted D nickel at MS-66. Other highlights include 1939 Reverse of 40 MS-67, 1939-S Reverse of 38 MS-67, 1943/2-P MS-65 5FS and 1951-S MS-67*. This set’s owner really knows his nickels and shares this information freely with readers.

Paul

melikecoins

Uncirculated Pennies and Nickels

Glen

PinkFloyd

I am not an expert in any field. But I'm least incompetent (to borrow the phrase) in modern US gold and silver. The opportunity to get low mintage items at floor prices--ie, from the USM-- is appealing to me.

jessewvu

It should all be plate here. If not, please update asap!

Collectors forum AoE

ANACONDA

I consider myself good at marketing which certainly is a big part of the coin business.

Also, I think I have one of the best eyes in the business for being able to distinguish betwen coins that are incredible, exceptional, worthy, average, less than average and ugly. I can look at a coin and tell you whether or not you're going to be happy with it in 10 years.

I think I know quite a bit about the coin business and what it takes to turn a nickel into a quarter.

I am a student of human personality, emotions and motivations. Those things are quite intergral in the coin business.

Lastly, I know quite a bit about the law as it relates to coins and contracts.

So, that's marketing, aesthetics, business, psychology and law.

As far as series go.....I'm not one to hover over a stereoscopic microscope and study and memorize ridges in coins caused by cracked dies or people's screwups in engraving. Minutiae doesn't excite me too much.

But, my favorite series are as follows in order, most favored first: Early copper (US and colonials), Draped and Bust material, Seated material, Standing liberty quarters and commems.

I also LOVE antiquarian, used and new books about numismatics and I also love coin photography.

MadMonk

I would say theat my strongest area is Franklin Halves. I have collected them since I was a kid, so well over 35 years.
Have handled thousands of them.
Did have about a 5 or 6 year hiatus recently, after getting married, and having a child.
Just recently been sticking my toe in the water.
Happy to see some of the old time players still involved.
Sorry that Leber has Passed, and Wooten has disappeared.
Only area I really need to brush up in the is varieties that have become accepted by TPG.

dcarr

Modern minting techniques.

ctf_error_coins

Error Coins

PerryHall

Not claiming to be an expert but I've been collecting U.S. gold coins since I bought my first mint state Saint for $47. Also, I have several books on detecting counterfeit coins (especially gold coins) that I've studied and put to practical use over the years---especially during the pre-third party grading era when all coins were raw and counterfeit coins were quite prevalent in the marketplace.

DennisH

I'm the go-to guy for "what does this Morgan VAM tend to sell for?"
I'm pretty good at predicting circ. Morgan grades at PCGS.
I'm getting way better grading circ. Walkers.
I've done a ton of research on 1565-71 Scotland Ryals.

OnTheHunt

I know a bit about Stone Mountain tokens and medals.

Steve

ambro51

No matter who you are and what you know...someone is "bigger" and knows more.


I know that.


But in this little microsphere here....I like to think Im pretty well versed on the Feuchtwanger Tokens and the Gold Dollar series.

Reading, and remembering...is a big part of that.

MidLifeCrisis

Thanks to a couple of true experts, I can hold my own in a discussion about colonial era coins.

timber100

I am not ashamed to say I have no particular expertise. That is why I enjoy these boards so much as a both a place to learn and to ask questions of truly knowledgeable people. Thank you all for sharing and teaching and thanks to PCGS for bringing us the opportunity to get together!

ambro51

Middie? I thought you were a collector of Platinum Proofs?

Hmmm guess I was wrong on that

CoinJunkie

I am an expert at spotting coins that appeal to me!

coinut1799

I know something about colonials and classic commemoratives.

I am an expert on wanting coins I cannot afford

adamlaneus

i like how gold looks

BigE

Early commemoratives, the dogs of the coin community for the last half decadeThe BigE Collection Anyone have a 36-D San Diego that is MS67 with nice color, maybe we can trade!!-------BigE

MidLifeCrisis

<< <i>Middie? I thought you were a collector of Platinum Proofs?

Hmmm guess I was wrong on that >>


Damn...you got me! The whole colonial thing is just a ruse to keep my competitive edge in the Platinum Proof market!

blu62vette

Mine would be DMPL morgans. One thing I enjoy is that I routinely get calls from other "DMPL dorks" and we talk DMPL's. One called last night and one called this morning. I am not an expert but really enjoy what I collect and where my set has gone in the past couple years.

allegri

Gold dollars. As I do not buy slabbed coins (unless no raw pieces are available) in many cases I have learned the hard (read expensive) way.

Fortunately there are some "real experts" about who are willing to share their considerable knowledge via books, monographs, web, email or telephone (QDB, David Akers and Doug Winter come to mind).

United States Gold Coins
An Analysis of Auction Records
Volume 1 for US Gold Dollars 1840 to 1889 all mintmarks
Type One
Type Two
Type Three
- David Akers

PCGS Gold Dollar Date Set Composition Circ. Strike

PCGS Gold Dollar Set Composition Circ. Strike

Doug Winter's Website

The Connoisseur's Guide to United States Gold Coins
DWN Publishing, 1995. 41 pages, - Doug Winter

Whitman Red Book Gold Dollars - Q. David Bowers

PCGS CoinFacts

BillJones

The early, regular issue, (not the pattern) U.S. coins from 1792 to 1807 have been my prime area of interest for many years. Generally I know something about most anything in the Red Book except privately issued gold.

BigE

<< <i>I'll just put in a Devil's Advocate type of post and tell you right now that I anticipate that it is possible that a number of folks will list their areas of insight and that their "insight" will be quite shallow or even incorrect entirely. >>




Not sure what to make of this post------------------BigE

ocon4008

Land Surveying. Coins: buying dreck

jmski52

I like Platinum Proofs.

and Large Cents

cladking

I know a little about circulating world moderns and US clads particularly eagle reverse
clad quarters. Illinois telephone tokens have mostly lost their ability to surprise me but
I'm sure it will happen again. I'm reasonably well acquainted with varieties of trans-
portation tokens.

I enjoy studying and learning about distribution, use, and wear of all coins through ages
but this is an enormous field populated with virtually no expertise whatsoever. A little
is known about brief eras of US coinage but beyond this the information probably doesn't
survive and has to be surmised by the surviving coins and their location.

rare1

flying eagle cents, indian cents (red) and proof bust coinage (half dimes thru halves)

Studio60

Pre 1850 silver. The larger the coin, the better.

coindeuce

I like to think that Leroy Van Allen edumucated me well on Morgan Dollar die varieties.

liefgold

I have studied gold dollars quite a lot.

Raufus

Moderns, but by no means an expert.

DRUNNER

The Doily Holder . . . ??? :-)

Drunner

DNADave

I'm the world authority on Campbells Creek, WV Exonumia.



I've got a pretty good handle on:

Peace Dollars.
Coal Scrip

goodmoney4badmoney

I specialize in collecting error coins. I especially like off metal, off center, or multiple strike errors combined with planchet errors such as clips or other errors. For example...

BigMoose

I have studied Early Copper fairly extensively, in particular, the US Large Cent series from 1793 to 1857. I have also been told I have a decent eye for original colorful Proof Indian Cents and silver type.

GrumpyEd

Drawn to Lincolns and Lincoln die varieties.

ColonelJessup

Former world-class crack-out artist and down-grader now working for free at ANA Summer Seminars with a focus on "Intro to Grading".

DieClash

There are "generalists" and then there are "specialists".

A generalist is an individual who learns a little bit about a lot of things. As they progress they learn a little bit less about a lot more! Until finally they know nothing about everything.

A specialist is someone who learns a lot about a little bit of things. As they progress they learn a lot more about a lot less! Until finally they know everything about nothing.

I like to think that I, among most other fellow numismatists fall somewhere in between.

Cheers!

Kirk

Justacommeman

1) spending money

2) I've been told by those I respect that I have a good eye. I'm not sure which eye is the good one and I'm hoping I'm using the correct eye to select my coins. It does have me a little concerned.

3) I've been blessed with strong mentors. I think I have a good group of dealers and collectors that I call a support staff to help me along the way when I'm not quite sure. I believe they have kept me out of some tough spots. I'm still on the upslope of the learning curve so this helps. Living out of the country over half the year has it's challenges so this is one of my weapons to level the playing field. Being first on a couple of dealer totem poles helps.

4) I have holes in my game on grading some circulated coins. I just haven't spent enough time looking at enough of them.

I have a good working knowledge on Walkers and a little better grasp on classic commems. Certainly there are others that could spin a web around me. I'm working hard on turning that around.

MJ

crypto79

I am at least in the top 10 at Trade dollars and as a party trick I know how grade Peace dollars

STONE

Capped Bust Dimes appear to be my forte'.

Aegis3

Errors and assay commission medals. And half cents. Of course, with RW Julian and Mike Diamond here, for example, I don't claim to be _the_ expert among forum members here.

cladking

There is a lot of expertise that hasn't chimed in yet.



<< <i>I'm the world authority on Campbells Creek, WV Exonumia.



I've got a pretty good handle on:

Peace Dollars.
Coal Scrip >>



I'm jealous.

PinkFloyd

<< <i>
>>



I love that triple struck jefferson. Where'd you find it? Doesn't look like it would fit in a roll.