LordM BST archive, 3/9/11
lordmarcovan
Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
Welcome to my BST Forum "mini store"!
Terms of Sale & Shipping: Unless you see the words "delivered" or "postpaid" in the description, please add what you consider to be an appropriate amount for shipping, including extra for insurance if desired. Generally I ask no more than a dollar or two for uninsured domestic shipments of one or two coins. Insured shipments require a 20-mile drive to the post office (as I live out in the country), so figure $4-5 or so, (more for valuable Registered Mail shipments). I usually prefer to send shipments under $50 value uninsured so I can mail them straight from my home mailbox instead of going into town, but that is up to you. I will package the coins securely in a bubble mailer either way. PayPal is fine. Customers outside the USA are welcome, but of course I'll need to charge you a bit more for shipping- just shoot me a PM and we'll figure that out.
If you use PayPal, PLEASE add your forum name to the payment so I know who you are and what you are buying!
Full return privilege if you are not 100% satisfied. My return privilege is very flexible, mostly because I've almost never needed one. The main thing I ask is that you notify me as soon as you can if there is a problem or concern of any kind, and I'll do my best to make it good.
Contact Info: Should I ever disappear from the forums and the computer for several days to a week or more, as I sometimes do, and you need to reach me, feel free to call (912) 261-8408 and ask for Rob. I check PMs more than I do email, so emailing me in the event of a forum absence won't help much- usually when I am away, I am away from the computer entirely.
I love to swap! I'll even let you haggle... a little. Reasonable counteroffers or trades? Put your best foot forward... I'm listening! If there's "wiggle room" somewhere, I'm OK with letting you haggle me down a few bucks. The operative phrase there is a few. Generally I've got more flexibility in the world coins than the US coins, but of course that varies. Don't be shy- I've been a swapper for decades and hagglin' don't bother me too much 'cause I got my start as a flea market dealer. (Ain't come up in the world too much since then, either, haha.)
A note about pictures: I totally stink at coin photography. Part of that is substandard equipment, part of it is improper lighting, and part of it is just plain inexperience. (I do some pretty decent landscapes outdoors, but my indoor macro work is horrid.) I've recently reverted to using a scanner since with that at least I know I'll get detailed and well focused images, but the scanner doesn't work well on lustrous coins or some with a thick patina. On a few coins I wavered back and forth between scanner and camera and got wretched results both ways. If the picture you see looks good, odds are that I got it from the previous owner of the coin! But even a blind pig finds a few acorns, so once in a while I get a lucky shot. Please bear this in mind when you see the pictures below, and forgive me if I am constantly apologizing for the poor pictures. In the rare event you might want to reuse one of my pictures, that's fine- go right ahead.
Bullion Info & Misc: I've added some bullion and currency charts from Kitco.com towards the bottom of this thread, should you need to reference the current price of silver or other bullion items. They're gifs, so they should update automatically. I'll probably add some other useful links there over time. Also, if you need info on a coin you bought here, I've started archiving these threads- Just do a search for "BST archives" on the Testing forum.
So what's this "CircCam" term I keep slinging around mean? I've long been fond of circulated coins that have dark fields and lighter design devices. It gives them a sort of contrast, like a cameo proof, except a "CircCam" (Circulation Cameo) gets this look as a result of circulation rather than from its method of manufacture. That particular look on coins needed a short, easily-recognized name, so I coined the phrase, you might say, and I'm proud to report that it's gained fairly widespread acceptance. Of course I'm far from the first person to appreciate circulated coins with this look. Scroll down and you might see some CircCams for sale.
Enough blather, now- on with the COINS!
Below are some leftovers from my old Roman Imperial collection, which I was forced to break up when I got laid off in 2008. Since then, I've resumed collecting Roman coins (I love this stuff!) but now I'm focusing exclusively on the "Twelve Caesars" (Julius Caesar through Domitian). Got a nice coin of Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Vitellius, or Titus to sell or swap? Let me know! Oh- and if you've always thought these kind of coins were interesting but have never collected any, don't be afraid- jump right in! They're not as hard to study as most people think, and the Web is full of free reference material. Also, they're often a lot less expensive than you'd think, considering the rarity of some of them.
Roman Empire: bronze sestertius of LUCIUS VERUS (161-169 AD), struck 164 AD 
LUCIUS VERUS, Augustus 161-169 AD (with Marcus Aurelius). AE sestertius, 164 AD. Obverse- L AVREL VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS, laureate head right. Reverse- TR P IIII IMP II COS II S-C, Victory standing right, placing a shield inscribed VIC/AVG in two lines on palm. RIC-1396, Cohen-249. 33.79 mm, 23 g. Ex-Ancient Imports, 05/2007. Asking $73, which is my cost.
Roman Empire: silver antoninianus of VALERIAN II (ca. 253-257 AD), posthumous issue
VALERIAN II, Caesar under Valerian I, ca. 253-257 AD. AR antoninianus, posthumous issue.
Obverse- DIVO VALERIANO CAES, radiate and draped bust right. Reverse- CONSACRATIO, Valerian riding on eagle flying right.
RIC-9, RCV-10606, Sear-3071. 22 mm, 3.3 g. Ex-Incitatus Coins (Canada), 03/2008. Asking $59, which is my cost.
Roman Empire: bronze antoninianus of QUINTILLUS (270 AD)- scarce emperor- ruled less than a year
QUINTILLUS, Augustus 270 AD. Obverse- radiate and draped bust right. Reverse- Securitas standing left, leaning on column and holding scepter. RIC-31, Cohen-63, Sear-11451 21 mm, 3 g. Ex-Incitatus Coins (Canada), 05/2007. Asking $39, which should be my cost or a little below it, but since online records of that purchase are gone and I don't remember what I paid, just make me an offer.
Roman/Palmyrene Empire: bronze antoninianus of VABALATHUS (266-272 AD), struck ca. 271 AD, desert patina
VABALATHUS was king of the breakaway Palmyrene empire under his mother, Zenobia, ca. 266-272 AD. This was initially with the acquiescence of the Roman emperor Aurelian (who was busy fighting on other fronts), but Aurelian later conquered Palmyra in 273. This bronze antoninianus was struck at Antioch around 271 AD and shows dual portraits of Aurelian and Vabalathus, perhaps in expression of the Palmyrene hope that Aurelian would allow them to coexist. Obverse- VABALATHVS V CRIMDR, Laureate and draped bust right. Reverse- IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, Radiate and draped bust right. (Which side is considered the obverse and which is the reverse is up for debate on a two-headed coin, but more folks probably use this type to represent Vabalathus in collections.) RIC-381. 20.62 mm, 3.3 g. Ex-Ancient Imports, 05/2007. Use this in a coin toss, and you'll always win, provided you pick "heads" every time! Asking $69, which is my cost.
Roman/Gallic Empire: bronze antoninianus of TETRICUS I (ca. 270-274 AD)
TETRICUS I was emperor of the breakaway Gallic Empire from circa 270 (or 271) AD until 273 (or 274) AD. (As is often typical of the Crisis of the Third Century,sources sometimes differ on the exact dates). He ruled with his son Tetricus II, until they were defeated by Aurelian and the Gallic provinces were brought back under the dominion of Rome. AE antoninianus. Obverse- IMP TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right. Reverse- HILARITAS AVGG, Hilaritas standing left, holding palm and cornucopiae. RIC-80, Cohen-57. 19.6 mm, 2.3 g. Ex-Ancient Imports, 05/2007. Asking $34, which is my cost.
Roman Empire: bronze antoninianus of CARUS (282-283 AD), posthumous issue struck ca. 283 AD
CARUS, Augustus 282-283 AD. Posthumous AE antoninianus, Siscia mint, ca. 283 AD. Obverse- DIVO CARO PARTHICO, radiate head right. Reverse- CONSECRATIO AVG, flaming altar, A to right, SMSXXI in exergue. RIC-111 var., Cohen-23, Venera-4341. 21 mm, 3 g. Ex-Ancient Imports, 05/2007, Harmer Rooke 1988. Asking $55, which should be my cost or a little below it, but since online records of that purchase are gone and I don't remember what I paid, just make me an offer.
Australia: large penny of George V, 1927(m), VF+
KM23, bronze. Take this coin for free if you buy the collection below- it is slightly better than the 1927 in that album. $2.
Australia: predecimal large penny collection in Dansco album, Fine to AU+, 72 pieces, lacks only 3 coinsHere's a nearly-complete collection of Australian predecimal large pennies, from George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II, spanning all the dates and mints between 1911 and 1964. They are housed in a like-new Dansco #7331 album. Only three coins are missing: the rare 1925, the nearly-impossible 1930, and the tough-but-obtainable 1946. Everything else is there. I am selling this set exactly as I received it- some of the coins could benefit from a little conservation, like the 1913, which has old adhesive tape on the obverse (that might respond to acetone treatment). A few others have modest circulation scuz (dirt) or light verdigris that should be easily removed with a harmless Vaseline rub or oil soak. A few pieces have old cleaning but that has retoned in most cases. Most of the coins are problem free and brown, with some of the later pieces displaying varying degrees of original mint red. Since Australian coins are dated on the reverse, these are put in the album with the reverses facing forward. Click the links below to see low-res pictures of each page. Asking $99 plus shipping.
Page 1 front (1911-1921 reverses) ~ Page 1 back (1911-1921 obverses)
Page 2 front (1922-1936 reverses) ~ Page 2 back (1922-1936 obverses)
Page 3 front (1938-1946 reverses) ~ Page 3 back (1938-1946 obverses)
Page 4 front (1947-1955 reverses) ~ Page 4 back (1947-1955 obverses)
Page 5 front (1955-1964 reverses) ~ Page 5 back (1955-1964 obverses)
For those of you who might lack a Krause catalog, I've copied and pasted screenshots from the 2009 Krause DVD for your reference and convenience.
George V values ~ George VI values ~ Elizabeth II values
Costa Rica: silver 5 centimos, 1905(P), F+
KM145, .900 silver/.0289 oz. Small (16 mm)- about the size of a USA half dime or Canadian 5c silver, I guess. Struck under contract by the US Mint at Philadelphia, with 500,000 minted. OK, so this had only half a million minted, it's silver, it's not bad looking, it's over a hundred years old, and yet the 2009 Krause lists it for a piddling 75 cents in VF, with Fine being worth only bullion value! And even with silver so high, the bullion value is negligible on such a dinky little coin. Fifty to seventy-five cents, by the book? Puh-lease. That's Krause for you. I'll bet if it were some crappy zinc WW2 occupation piece or an aluminum modern coin with a dull design, they'd say it was worth at least five or six bucks! Go figure. Anyway, since I took the trouble of scanning it (and got a rare scan I don't mind so much), I'm throwing the book out the window and asking $2. Bold of me, ain't it? That's really gonna break the bank, haha.
German States (Nassau): 1 kreuzer, 1856, VG
KM/C53, copper. 21 mm. 357,000 minted. There is an old stain on the bottom of the shield but the scanner exaggerated it a bit- in hand, it blends in a bit more with the color of the rest of the coin. The 4th Edition Krause prices this date at only $1.75 in Fine and $3.50 in VF, and this one's only VG. I'm still gonna ask $2 for it, so nyah nyah at you, Krause catalog.
Great Britain: copper farthing of George II, 1754, VG
KM581.2, copper, 24 mm. This coin did not scan very well because it is such a dark brown. I had to tweak the colors and/or brightness in the picture and that ended up making it look a bit strange (and still too dark). In hand, it is a pleasant brown circulated example with nice surfaces. There are some faint old marks but overall the eye appeal is good for a low grade piece. Krause lists a 1754/0 overdate and there appears to be something going on beneath the 4 on this one, but it doesn't look like a 4 over a 0- it looks more like the 4 was repunched. Update- this photo only shows the obverse but it should demonstrate how bad the scans truly are. The coin actually has fairly decent surfaces for a lower-grade example. $7.
Great Britain: copper halfpenny of George III, 1799, G
KM647, copper. 31 mm approx. A one-year type, KM647 has several subvarieties that have something to do with the number of gunports on the ship (five, six, nine, none, etc.), and whether those gunports are raised or incuse. Which is something of a joke, even on coins in better shape than this, as the ship is but a tiny blip on the horizon. Counting gunports on a piece in this grade? Fuhgeddaboutit- who cares? All the varieties are relatively similar in value, anyway. Just call this another nice, cheap oldie. Yes, there is a rim nick but the scanner exaggerated it- it's not inconsistent with the grade level, if you ask me. The coin has pretty nice surfaces overall. "Just honest wear", as they say. $5.
Great Britain: copper halfpenny of George IV, 1827, G+ to VG
KM692, copper, 28.5 mm. The Fourth edition Krause catalog prices start at $10 in Fine. This coin ain't a Fine, and OK, I guess maybe it ain't even VG because of the soft reverse rim, but I'm comfortable calling it a solid Good-plus with no problems. $4.
Great Britain: copper halfpenny of Queen Victoria, 1854, VG
KM726, copper. This Young Head halfpenny is medium brown with darker brown patina/toning. In the scans, there appears to be some greenish verdigris, but in hand those areas are brown like the rest of the toned areas, and the green is invisible to the naked eye. The light from the scanner must have exaggerated it. Despite some typical nicks from circulation, this is an appealing lower grade piece, and these bigger, thicker copper halfpennies are less seldom seen than their more numerous, smaller, bronze counterparts struck after 1860. $3.
Great Britain: bronze halfpenny of Queen Victoria, 1870, F
KM748.2, bronze, 27 mm. See the spots to the left of the trident and on Britannia's knee in the scan of the reverse? Well, you wouldn't, if you had this coin in hand. They were exaggerated by the scanner. In hand, you can barely make out the one by the trident and the one on her knee is all but invisible. The coin is a more even brown than the pictures would indicate, and despite its modest grade, there are actually faint traces of faded mint red remaining in the lettering on the obverse. This is a good looking low- to medium-grade coin with no problems. I have no qualms about calling it Fine by American standards (a British Fine would be more like our American VF). $3.
Great Britain: bronze penny of Queen Victoria, 1862, F+
KM749.2, bronze. These are bad, bad BAD scans, even by my low standards! I shouldn't have even posted them, but I'll leave them here until I have time to reimage this piece with ladymarcovan's camera. These pictures make the coin look spotty and cancerous. In hand, it is an even, medium brown, with touches of faded red on the reverse. The spots are there but in most cases they're practically invisible to the naked eye- the scanner grossly exaggerated them. The only spots I can see (at least in the light of my desk lamp) are the one over the ship, which is visible but not awful, and the one behind Britannia's elbow, which is quite subtle. The rest of the spots or stains really hardly show at all. Well, OK, I can see the one by the trident, too, if I look hard for it. Again, this coin when viewed in hand has a much more even coloration and does NOT look so spotty. All right, then- enough about that. What about the variety? There are several different subtypes/varieties of 1862 penny, and I only know about the ones listed in Krause. I'll just assume this to be a common variety. Take a chance for $5 and I swear you'll be very pleasantly surprised when you have this coin in hand. If not, I'll refund your money AND let you keep the coin.
Great Britain: silver halfcrown of George VI, 1938, BU
KM856, .500 silver/.2273 oz. Nice white UNC with cartwheel luster not seen in the picture. Gradewise, I personally would estimate it to be either a high-end MS63 or maybe even a more typical MS64. There are a few small marks so it's no MS65, but it's definitely one of the nicer 50% silver halfcrowns I've had. $27.
Greece: silver 20 drachmai of Paul I, 1960, VF
KM85, .835 silver/.2013 oz. The obverse of this piece features a left-facing bust of Paul I and the reverse portrays Selene the moon goddess on horseback, riding over waves and dolphin. This is a typical circulated example and there's nothing really special about it, but it's silver, and the reverse design is kind of nice. I'll ask $7, which is slightly less than the melt value as of this posting.
(British) India: 1/4 anna of Queen Victoria, 1862(c), AU+ (borderline UNC)
KM 467, copper. This is the subtype with a small raised "V" at the bottom center of the bust (not that you can see it in the pictures). That apparently makes it a Calcutta mint product. I knew up front that my scanner would murder this coin and wash out the hints of mint red that show at its peripheries. So I borrowed my wife's camera and shot the pictures. The colors turned out better than they would have on the scanner, but I got the focus all wrong. Even in the blurry pictures you should see that this coin is very nearly Mint State. I'd call it AU58 Brown, with traces of original red luster and nice surfaces. The Fourth edition Krause lists this at $15 in UNC since it's a slightly better variety. I'll ask $10.
Ireland: copper halfpenny of George II, 1746, G
KM130.1, copper. Despite microporosity which gives it somewhat granular surfaces, this coin is an OK lower-grade example with no major distractions. It's an even dark brown and its surfaces actually fall under the pleasing definition of "crusty". Anyway, it's just another cheapo-cool oldie that any modest collector can enjoy. $8.
Ireland: silver halfcrown, 1928, VG
KM 8, .750 silver/.3409 oz. Well worn with an old stain or two, but not displeasing. For once I'll say my scans portray the coin accurately. 1928 was the inaugural year for modern Irish coinage under the post-independence Irish Free State. The obverse features the harp common to all Irish coins, and the reverse an Irish Hunter horse. I'll price this piece somewhere around its March 9th melt value. $13.
Jersey: 1/12 shilling of Queen Victoria, 1877-H, AU+
KM8, bronze. 240,000 minted. This coin is lighter brown than the poorly-focused pictures indicate. There's some faint rim chatter but not enough to call a real problem, I'd say. It's a sharp About Uncirculated piece and I'd frankly be surprised if a third-party grading company didn't assign it a grade somewhere between AU53 and AU58. I'll split the difference and call it AU55, in my opinion. The surfaces are quite nice and it's a very handsome piece in hand. The Fourth edition Krause lists an UNC at $50. I'll ask $30 for this one.
Lebanon: silver 50 piastres, 1952(u), VF+
KM17, .600 silver/.0959 oz., 24 mm. This is a typical circulated example that looks pretty much as it does in the pictures. My scanner seems to do all right with this kind of circulated silver. The obverse portrays the Lebanese cedar tree. This was a one-year type, struck at Utrecht in the Netherlands, as evidenced by the tiny caduceus privy mark above the bottom of the wreath on the reverse. $4.
Mexico: silver 20 centavos, 1919-Mo, VG, better date, one-year transitional type
KM436, .800 silver/.0932 oz. This is not only a better date but a one-year type as well. It was a transitional piece with reduced size and silver content from the larger 1905-1914 KM435 type. They dropped the silver altogether the following year in 1920, when they began striking large bronze 20-centavo pieces which by the 1940s were themselves reduced in size. The mintage of 4,155,000 pieces isn't exactly small, so I suppose the relatively strong prices must be due to the demand for this coin in type sets. The 2009 Krause catalog lists it for $30 in VF. Of course this particular example is VG and not VF, but I figure it ought to be worth at least $10?
Mexico: silver 50 centavos, 1920-Mo, VG
KM447, .720 silver/.1929 oz, 27 mm. Well circulated with a "dirty" look that's actually not unpleasant. Priced around the 3/8 melt value. $7.
Portugal: large, thick copper 40-reis coins, also referred to as "patacos"
These pieces were part of an incredibly huge (10,000+ piece) hoard auctioned by Superior Galleries in early 2007. Andy Lustig ("MrEureka") bought a goodly number of them, and I in turn bought around twenty pieces from him. Apparently the hoard was accumulated by a mysterious collector called "The Americano" who would buy any pataco in any grade. The ones I got from Andy were some of the lower-end, cheap pieces, but they were all dated either 1811 or 1826, both of which happen to be better dates, according to Krause. As of March 2011 I have two of each date remaining. They're low grade and have some issues like porosity in places, but they're hard not to like for their sheer size and weight. I affectionately call these "whopper coppers". They're not quite as big around as those huge 18th century Russian 5-kopeck pieces but they're basically the diameter of a US silver dollar and maybe twice as thick, which makes 'em chunky enough. When I briefly did some eBay consignments for Andy in August of 2008, we listed some of his better patacos and they went for several multiples of the catalog price, if I recall correctly. I think some were scarcer variants not listed in Krause. I have no idea if mine are good varieties or not. My ask prices are slightly higher than the lowball Krause catalog values, but still quite inexpensive. I have a sneaking suspicion I'd possibly get even more than I'm asking if I stuck these on eBay and let them go home to Portugal, but that theory remains untested. I figured I'd let y'all have a crack at 'em here for a day or two before I toss 'em into the Bay of E.
Portugal: 40 reis of Joao (Joannes) as Prince Regent, 1811 (COIN A), VG+, better date 
Boy, old Joannes was one ugly fella, if his portrait is to be believed. Nevertheless, his coins are cool. KM345.1, copper. 35.5 mm, 4 mm thick. Better date- 163,000 minted. This particular coin has some minor issues with porosity but is the better of the two 1811s. $14.
Portugal: 40 reis of Joao (Joannes) as Prince Regent, 1811 (COIN 
, G+, better dateKM345.1, copper. 35.5 mm, 4 mm thick. Better date- 163,000 minted. This coin has some reddish patina which shows a bit more in the sunlit photographs than it does under artificial lighting. It is the lower grade of the two 1811 pieces, but doesn't have as much porosity as the previous piece. The reverse inscription of this and the other pieces reads, UTILITATI PUBLICAE, which I understand to mean, "For The Public Use", or something similar. $10.
Portugal: 40 reis of Pedro IV (Petrus IV), 1826 (COIN A), VG, better date
KM373, copper. 34.5 mm, 3.5 mm thick. A better date and the "key" for this three-year type. This coin has a cut on the obverse behind the portrait but is otherwise decent, with no major porosity or other problems. $14.
Portugal: 40 reis of Pedro IV (Petrus IV), 1826 (COIN 
, G, better date, "CircCam" contrastKM373, copper. 34.5 mm, 3.5 mm thick. A better date and the "key" for this three-year type, as mentioned above. This coin is lower grade than the previous 1826, but it has a pleasing "CircCam" appearance which is seen more often on silver than on copper. There's a little light-colored scuz in the lettering and along the top rim on the obverse, but that should come off with an oil soak or Vaseline rub. It's pretty much a problem-free coin with just a good deal of "honest wear". $12.
USA: "holey" Flying Eagle cent, 1857
This one is a castoff from my famous "Holey Coin Vest" because I upgraded to one with UNC details. I reckon it's probably got Good (G4) details. Whoever holed it was paying attention to the reverse, since the hole's at the top of that side. He spared the date by drilling inwards from the rim a bit, though. An undamaged G4 lists for $28 in the 2011 Red Book, so for this one I guess I'll ask $10.
USA: Indian Head cent, 1867, better date w/VF details but two holes
As a longtime collector of holed coins, I subscribe wholeheartedly to the maxim that "one man's trash is another man's treasure". I love holey coins that are "heartbreakers" for other collectors, but even I have to say "ouch" over this one. Of course when somebody murdered this coin, no doubt for a bracelet or watch fob, he didn't know that future collectors would lament this. It was just a penny to him. The coin has full LIBERTY and some veins in the feathers. If it were unholed, this would be a $135 piece by the current Red Book. As-is, well, who knows. What's it worth to you? The bottom hole goes through the 6 in the date but does not completely obliterate it. Even if it were gone you could tell this is a Type 1 Indian (the last feather in the headband points between I and C in AMERICA), which would narrow it down to either 1867 or 1877. Boy howdy, if it were an 1877 that would be a real heartbreaker! Here's a cool semi-key Indian for someone who's not too picky- maybe even another one of you Holeyheads. (I'm not the only nut out there who collects this stuff, haha.) Price? I dunno. Let me pull a number out of thin air. If you don't like that number, pull one of your own out of thin air and PM it to me. Let's say... umm... $32?
USA: Indian Head cent, 1905, G+ to VG
Nothing but your everyday humble, common Indian cent here. There's some old circulation scuz in places but the scans exaggerate the differences in color. In hand, it's an even brown with decent surfaces; just about what you'd expect for an inexpensive collection in a folder or album. The top half of the motto LIBERTY is visible, so it's not one of those flat G4 coins with just a silhouette for a portrait. $2
USA: Indian Head cents, pair of 1907 VG+ coins
These are fairly typical common-date circulated Indian cents, but each has a nearly full LIBERTY on the headband. I'd call them VG10, I reckon. One does have a spot in the field but I can assure you that my scanner exaggerated the color differences and slight circulation dirt present on these coins. In hand, they're more evenly colored and about what you'd expect for decent circ Indians. Here are the reverses. I'll price the pair at Redbook VG8 price, so you're basically getting the spotted one for free (and it ain't that awful in hand). $3.
BU Lincoln/Wheat cents- I've got a few I'll be posting below, but let me go ahead and say it now- these images are scans, and SCANS WILL NOT SHOW LUSTER. There, I've said it. Again. No doubt I'll repeat myself a few times before all is said and done, haha.
USA: Lincoln/Wheat cent, 1936, Red BU
Great coin with golden orange color and swirling luster not seen here. There is a tiny tickmark above the date which shows up only at certain angles. Aside from that, I don't see a mark on it- most of the rest of the apparent "chatter" you see in the images is probably just dust on my scanner bed. I wouldn't be surprised if this coin graded MS65 RD or better. Let's call it MS64 RD to be conservative. $12.
USA: Lincoln/Wheat cent, 1937, Red BU
Nice orange coin with great luster. MS63 to MS64 RD, in my opinion. $7.
USA: Lincoln/Wheat cent, 1939, Red BU
Another nice Red Wheatie. This one has begun mellowing just a bit to the right of the portrait, but only the tiniest bit- it is by no means a RB coin- and is still a full Red by just about anyone's standards. I'd say it's still probably 98% Red. The luster is fine. I personally called this one MS 64 RD when I had it out at my antique mall booth, but let's just call it MS63 RD to be safe. $5.
USA: Lincoln/Wheat cent, 1939-D, Red BU
Nice full Red coin with great color and luster. In hand, I see no reason this shouldn't go MS65 RD but let's just say MS64 RD to be safe. $8.
USA: Lincoln/Wheat cent, 1940, Red BU
Some very slight mellowing but still full Red. A few micro specks in the fields, which aren't quite so noticeable with the coin in hand- the scans exaggerated them a little. This is a fairly typical MS63 RD coin, I'd say. $3.
USA: Lincoln/Wheat cent, 1940-S, Red BU
Nice orange-red coin with full luster. I'd call it MS63 to MS64 RD. There are some marks near the top of the reverse which I think are die cracks. I marked them with tiny red arrows in the picture, but the arrows got kind of "melted" when the jpeg quality of the image was reduced. $5.
USA: Red BU Lincoln/Wheat cents, lot of eight different from the 1940s
Your typical lot of Red BU 1940s Wheaties, I guess. Dates are 1942, 1944-D, 1944-S, 1945-D, 1945-S, 1946, 1947-D, and 1948-S. All probably MS63 RD quality, give or take. The '45-S has a few small streaks that are hardly worth mentioning, but all of the coins are full Red with average to great luster. The '47-D is the pick of the litter, in my opinion, but I didn't take a loupe to each and every one. $12.
Here are some slightly larger scans: (Obverses) ~ (Reverses)
USA: silver Jefferson "War" nickel, 1945-S, BU in AirTite holder
This coin has nice luster I'd call "chatoyance". There's a sixty-four-dollar word for you. It comes from a French word describing the shifting, lustrous properties of a cat's eye, and is often used by jewelers when describing the "star" in cabochon gems. But I digress, as usual. It has a satiny sort of luster, in other words. I see no reason I wouldn't personally call this coin MS65 or maybe better, but let's just say MS64. It's not a Full Steps coin, as it has the typical mushy strike there. When I scanned it there was some weird green on the portrait. Either this was a strange artifact of the digital image, or there is a trace of PVC on the coin that the scanner saw when I couldn't. In hand, it looks just fine- the green stuff either doesn't exist or is invisible to the naked eye. You might wanna take the coin out of the holder and give it a quick acetone bath, just in case there is PVC there. In the end, I reimaged it with photos to try and catch some of the luster (they didn't, entirely), and I abandoned the awful scans. This is a handsome BU warnick and I think you'll like it. If not, I'll take it back. $16.
USA: Jefferson nickels, eight different including circulated 1939-D key date
This lot consists of the following: 1939 AU58, 1939-D F15 (sm. obverse scratch), 1939-S AU50, 1942 Type 1 AU50, 1944-P silver VF20, 1953 BU (MS63+), 1954 AU55, and a 1957 proof (PR65+). Though low grade, the 1939-D is a key date, of course. That coin does have a shallow, curved scratch that runs parallel to the bottom of the words GOD and WE in the motto, probably from old counting machine damage. It's fairly subtle, though, since it kind of underlines the lettering and is not immediately apparent to the eye. The 1939-S is a semi-key date and though very lightly circulated, it is a nice looking coin. The 1942 is a nonsilver Type 1 with some light brownish toning. The 1944-P is pretty typical but at least it gives you one silver coin in the lot. The 1953 is a pretty BU coin with light gold toning, and the 1957 is a proof which doesn't have super-deep mirrors but rather a more "liquid luster" look to it and some very subtle purplish toning. All in all this lot would possibly be a nice way of filling or upgrading a few holes in somebody's "everyman" nickel album. $24.
Here are some slightly larger scans: (Obverses) ~ (Reverses)
USA: No Drapery Seated Liberty dime, 1839, G+
Light "CircCam" contrast. I'd call it VG if the reverse rim weren't a tiny bit soft. Still, it's a decent looking example. Update- I just discovered this coin has a faint staple scratch on the reverse. It is so faint it only shows up at certain angles to the light, but I thought I should mention it and have reduced the price accordingly. $16.
USA: love tokens, mostly on Seated Liberty dimesI collect Seated Liberty dime love tokens by date. I just sent off a large accumulation of 45 love tokens to somebody who has photographed them all for me. When they come back, any day now, I'm going to go through and pick out the pieces I want for my set, then list the rest here under the "Miscellaneous" category. My date set of the dimes is pretty far along so I don't expect I'll end up keeping more than five or six pieces, which leaves lots of duplicates! If you like love tokens, please stay tuned, and/or let me know what you might be after. The lot I sent off was mostly Seated dimes but there were some Canadian Victoria dimes, too, as well as a Barber dime or two, a Liberty nickel and a 1909 Lincoln cent love token. Most of the castoffs should be cheap and under $10 each, while those with somewhat better engraving will likely be priced in the $12-15 range. COMING SOON
USA: four-piece lot of BU silver Roosevelt dimes, 1959-63
These are nice white coins with gemmy luster. They are: 1959, 1961, 1962, and 1963-D. I'd call the 1959 MS63 and the others MS64. $12
USA: eight-piece mixed lot, cents through dime, 1907-1956
This lot consists of the following coins: 1907 Indian cent (VG+), 1928 Lincoln/Wheat cent (VF+), 1945-S Lincoln/Wheat cent (Red BU), 1948-S Lincoln/Wheat cent (Red BU), 1956 Lincoln/Wheat cent (Red BU), 1907 Liberty nickel (G), 1934-D Buffalo nickel (G), and a 1912-D Barber dime (G). All are problem free and pretty much what you'd expect, I reckon. The 1907 cent looks almost Fine. I'd call the 1945-S cent MS63 RD. The 1948-S cent has some nice gold color and looks particularly nice, in my opinion- it's the prize of the lot, probably. I'd call both it and the 1956 cent MS65+ RD. The 1907 nickel is a pretty typical low grade piece but at least it has a full rim on the reverse. The Buffalo nickel and Barber dime are both typical low grade pieces. $16.
Here are some slightly larger scans: (Obverses) ~ (Reverses)
USA: Capped Bust quarter, 1818, Browning-7 variety, R4+, VG with "CircCam" contrast
Ex-Elizabeth Reed (aka "coin22lover"), who helpfully provided a chart of the diagnostics for this R4 variety. I'm a wide-spectrum generalist as a numismatist, and not a specialist in any particular series, so I'll defer to her for the attribution. I chose this piece simply because it looks like a great circulated type coin with that black and white CircCam contrast I like so much. She was asking $190 for it, and since I acquired it through a complex trade, I suppose I can afford to tack on a mere eight bucks for myself and ask $198. Even if you're not a specialist and the B-7 variety means as little to you as it does to me, you can appreciate the coin on its other merits. (Deal concluded 3/4/11, so as of this posting the coin is not yet in hand- will take a few days.) COMING SOON
USA: Statehood quarters, five pieces 2008-P clad coins cut from mint set
These coins feature the designs from Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii. They are all dated 2008-P and are copper-nickel clad. Cut from a mint set, they remain in the original plastic. Despite the weirdly-colored scans, all are white and of MS65+ quality. $3.
USA: Capped Bust half dollar, 1826, ICG VF30
Nice medium-grey original-looking coin with moderate "CircCam" contrast. Slightly rotated dies. In an ICG VF30 holder. I do not know the Overton variety. What appears to be a small rim bump or cud at ten o'clock on the obverse is neither- I've examined that area under a loupe and it appears to be merely an odd little break in the toning. There is no apparent disturbance of the metal there and the nearby denticles are well defined. Asking $125. (Current Redbook on this coin is $130 in VF20, and this is a slabbed VF30, obviously.)
Obverse ~ Reverse (With the standard apologies for poor image quality.)
Raw VG Barber half wantlistI just swapped away all my duplicate Barber halves, but if I get any more I'll stick 'em here. Let me know if you have any I could use for my Dansco set!
USA: Kennedy halves, 1972-D and 1977-D, lot of two clad coins cut from mint sets
Here are two BU halves cut from old mint sets. I probably should have cut them out of the original plastic, since that looks rather hazy in the scans, but they remain in what is left of the original mint cellophane. Both should be MS65+ and have nice luster. The 1977-D has a light goldish tone. $4.
USA: Morgan dollar, 1881-S, PCGS MS61 (OGH)
This coin is in an old green label holder. It has nice rolling cartwheel luster and subtle gold-orange peripheral toning on the obverse, while the reverse is mostly white. MS61? Hm. I've seen worse-looking stuff in MS63 holders. This piece ranks modestly on the technical plastic grade but high on eye appeal, in my opinion. You won't hear me say this very often, but the scans actually turned out a little better than I expected them to. Nevertheless, a scanner has its limitations when it comes to luster on coins, and so I'll treat you to another round of my subpar photos, as well. $46.
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The cent-sized bezels are gold-colored while all of the others are silver colored. I would not recommend these for valuable coins, obviously, but they make nice inexpensive mounts for cheap keepsake coins. A few years back I took some of those gold-plated Statehood quarters from my home state and put some in these bezels, and they sold very nicely at my antique mall booth. I gave my lady boss a Peace dollar in one of these as a Christmas gift, and she was happy. Put some common Indian cents, Buffalo nickels, or Merc dimes in these and I'll bet you'll find them popular. Use needle nose pliers to gently open the crown screw, put the coin in, and screw the crown back on. Be careful not to overtighten or you could snap the stem off. $2 each
CENT size (gold color): 9 available
NICKEL size (silver color): 10 available
DIME size (silver color): 10 available
QUARTER size (silver color): 23 available
HALF DOLLAR size (silver color): 8 available
LARGE DOLLAR (Morgan/Peace/Ike, not ASE) size (silver color): 8 available
Keychain attachment (the typical inexpensive kind you see on most novelty key rings): 5 available (just ask for one free if you buy a bezel).
The watch is modern, brand new in the original box, with a base metal "skeleton" case revealing the 7(?)-jewel analog movement. It's a very classy-looking watch with an antique-style design. Asking only $75, which is basically my cost.
(Picture 1) - (Picture 2) - (Picture 3)
I originally added this "Bid Board" section to my BST store in case I wanted to run small auctions here, but I think I'll also use it for stuff where I don't really have a firm price in mind- the my "make me an offer" stuff. So if you don't see any specific auction terms listed, just make me an offer!
BID BOARD AUCTION #1, ENDING 3/17/11
All proceeds to benefit DBSTrader2, who's had a couple bad turns of luck. He doesn't know I'm doing this yet.
Bid by PM, no reserve, highest bid by midnight Eastern at the end of St. Paddy's Day, 3/17/11, gets the coin(s).
Bronze with greenish patina, 20.5 x 21.5 mm. I can't quite make out the obverse legends, though a good bit of them are visible. This coin has the stylized "stock portrait" of an emperor (most likely of the Constantinian dynasty) facing right on the obverse, and the well-known reverse design with a soldier spearing a fallen horseman. No doubt the reverse legend once read "FEL TEMP REPARATIO", which was the Romans' way of saying "Happy Days Are Here Again". (They weren't- the empire was in decline.) There is a fairly clear mint name in the exergue at the bottom of the reverse, but I'm not quite up to speed on those. (Siscia, perhaps?) Update here's a photo (of the obverse, anyway).
Current highest bid: $0 (no bidders yet).
Nice slightly-larger bronze with dark patina and fairly sharp details. The obverse legend pretty clearly says "VALENTINIAN", but which Valentinian? There were three. Valentinian I ruled from 364-375 AD, Valentinian II from 375-392 AD, and Valentinian III from 425 to 455 AD. I suspect the coin is from one of the earlier two Valentinians, because by the fifth century the bronze coins were usually much smaller and cruder than this. In fact, I think Valentinian II is our best candidate here because Wildwinds lists a few of his coins with this "GLORIA ROMANORVM" reverse, which features the emperor standing in a galley (ship). I believe the mint name in the exergue at the bottom of the reverse refers to Antioch. Update- here are some mediocre photos to supplement the bad scans.
Current highest bid: $0 (no bidders yet)
Small 15 mm bronze. Pretty clearly says "THEODOSIVS" on the obverse, so it should be either Theodosius I ("Theodosius the Great"), circa 379-395 AD, or Theodosius II, circa 408-450 AD. I lean towards the former of the two in my assessment. This coin looks truly wretched in the scans but has nice semi-gloss patina and sharp detail in hand. It's just one of those pieces that doesn't scan well. (Yes, I have resumed using my scanner since getting proper coin photography focus with my wife's camera has been driving me crazy lately). Looks MUCH better in hand. Update: those scans are so rotten that I took some photos of the coin, too.
Current highest bid: $0 (no bidders yet)
Standard notice: my photography is wretched and this picture does these coins no justice at all (it's a bad photo even by MY standards). Coin 1: 1941-P Mercury dime, BU (eh, whoops- looking at it under a loupe, I think maybe it's just a nice slider. Let's call it AU58, but it looks BU. Has some faint gold toning, mostly on the obverse, which was strangely exaggerated in the photo. In hand, it's got great luster (which doesn't show at all in the weird picture) and the toning is more subtle (and NOT all spotty looking like it appears in the picture). Coin 2: 1999-S GA Statehood quarter, nice DCAM clad proof (say, did you know it's good luck to buy GA quarters from somebody in GA?) Coin 3: 1962 Franklin half, brilliant proof. Not a Cameo, but a nice white proof with no haze or spots- I would call it PR65 at least. Coin 4: 1970-S silver proof Kennedy half, likewise a brilliant proof I'd call PR65 at least.
Current highest bid: $0 (no bidders yet)
The coin below is not a part of the auction, but feel free to make an offer on it.
The hole goes through the right-hand side of the mintmark, but the consensus of this forum discussion (which included some specialists) is that it is indeed an 1851-C. I'm open for offers, be they cash or trade, but I should warn you that I probably overpaid for this coin. I have $300 in it, but don't let that deter you from making an offer- at worst, I'll just say "no", and keep it to hang back on my trademark "Holey Gold Hat".
Just for your reference and mine, here are some live Kitco charts, just in case they should ever be helpful.