Do you have any coins which cause you to stop and think about their history?
SanctionII
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A few coins in my collection come to mind:
1. 1794 Pole Cent in PO-2 to AG-3 condition - holding it in my hand takes me back to the early days of the US Mint in Philly and make me wonder if anyone famous [ Ben Franklin, George Washington, etc.] held this coin in their hand;
2. 1798/7 Cent in PO-2 to AG-3 condition - ditto #1;
3. 1890 CC Morgan in VG-10 condition that my aunt from Iowa found laying on the street in Denver in the 1950's that I inherited - wonder how it travelled from CC to Denver over 60+ years and how it ended up on the street; and
4. 1944 Walker in Fine 15 condition that I received from my business bank teller tray a few years ago, it has a hole in it and some engraving (Hawaii) along the leg of liberty - wonder if it was holed and engraved by a serviceman in WWII in Hawaii and then kept over the years back home on the mainland after the war was over; and wonder how it ended up at my business bank.
How about you?
1. 1794 Pole Cent in PO-2 to AG-3 condition - holding it in my hand takes me back to the early days of the US Mint in Philly and make me wonder if anyone famous [ Ben Franklin, George Washington, etc.] held this coin in their hand;
2. 1798/7 Cent in PO-2 to AG-3 condition - ditto #1;
3. 1890 CC Morgan in VG-10 condition that my aunt from Iowa found laying on the street in Denver in the 1950's that I inherited - wonder how it travelled from CC to Denver over 60+ years and how it ended up on the street; and
4. 1944 Walker in Fine 15 condition that I received from my business bank teller tray a few years ago, it has a hole in it and some engraving (Hawaii) along the leg of liberty - wonder if it was holed and engraved by a serviceman in WWII in Hawaii and then kept over the years back home on the mainland after the war was over; and wonder how it ended up at my business bank.
How about you?
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Comments
Love thinking about the history of the Feuchtwanger cent I just got.
Also, found an Indian head cent in my change the other day...couldn't help but think if it has been in circulation for the past 115 years...
<< <i>Do you have any coins which cause you to stop and think about their history? >>
Ha. DOZENS of 'em.
Take this, for example. This emperor ruled for about three months in 69 AD, the tumultuous "Year of Four Emperors" that resulted from the civil war after Nero's death. Not too many of these around, probably. Oh, sure, there are some, but I'll bet this is rarer than your typical 1909-S VDB cent or 1916-D Mercury dime.
<< <i>
<< <i>Do you have any coins which cause you to stop and think about their history? >>
Ha. DOZENS of 'em.
Take this, for example. This emperor ruled for about three months in 69 AD, the tumultuous "Year of Four Emperors" that resulted from the civil war after Nero's death. Not too many of these around, probably. Oh, sure, there are some, but I'll bet this is rarer than your typical 1909-S VDB cent or 1916-D Mercury dime.
Darn you LM, I WANT that! Very historic!
That one and a Titus from 79
When I viewed the Brasher Doubloons at Heritage some years ago, I couldn't help but think what famous person(s) had the doubloon in their pocket in 1787!
I just wonder how they were missed for so long.
Anyways my favorite is a 1883 cc in g4, I received it in change last year after the giants won the world series.
Of all nights and all places.
1814 O.106a
So is this one. I sorta wish it didn't have quite so many stories, though...
1830 O.114
zap
102 capped bust half dollars - 100 die marriages
BHNC #198
<< <i>Darn you LM, I WANT that! Very historic!
That one and a Titus from 79 >>
You'll like my latest newp, then.
But it's a year off from the date you want. I guess you want 79 AD because of Vesuvius, eh? Well, in 80 AD I think Titus dedicated the Colosseum. Historic enough, right?
<< <i>Titus Denarius, 80 AD, Rome.
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right.
Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P, ornamented semicircular diadem(?) on draped seat or table.
16-17 mm, 3.11 g
RIC II, 124 (new), RIC II, 24 b (old)
Fine, toned. >>
Oh, and speaking of scarce, short-lived emperors from 69 AD, this one's comin' in the same package:
<< <i>Vitellius Denarius, 69 AD, Rome.
Obv: A VITELLIVS GERM IMP AVG TR P, laureate head right.
Rev: LIBERTAS RESTITVTA, Libertas, draped, standing facing, head right, holding pileus and long rod.
16-19 mm, 3.05
RIC I, 105 (R)
Good fine, rare. >>
<< <i>One of my favorite coins/tokens in my collection.
That looks like a proof to me and I would check here if I was you
Et tu, Brute?
Yeah, OK, so it ain't the prettiest example, but it's a lifetime issue, with Caesar's own portrait, not a generic deity. All the more desirable for that.
And here's the "Tribute Penny" mentioned in the Bible.
Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's... (but not until LordM hath rendered it unto NGC for encapsulation.)
Sorry. Y'all got me on a roll.
LM, to go back in time to your coins... it's fun to let the mind drift. I don't own one from that time, but bought my grandson a coin from the early 1600's - when he gets older, he and I shall dream together! I hope it gives him a boost with history and he likes it better than I did as a kid!
<< <i>Quite a few. That's what makes the hobby fun. >>
Agree, and that is why I tend to collect coins from pre-1870.
The first is a medal, not a coin. The Libertas Americana medal was Benjamin Franklin’s pet project after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 that ended the American Revolutionary War. Franklin conceived of the design, had it sketched by French artist, Esprit-Antoine Gibelin, commissioned his good friend, Augustin Dupre to cut the dies and paid have the medals struck in copper, silver and gold. Franklin personally distributed all or most them. This was as close as you will ever get to a medal that commemorates American independence.
The second piece is the 1792 half disme. This piece has a significant claim to the title, “first U.S. coin.” It was stuck under the standards provided by the Coinage Act of 1792, but it was not made at the first U.S. mint, which was not open at the time of its coinage. The entire mintage of 1,500 pieces was executed in the cellar of artisan, John Harper. Secretary of state, Thomas Jefferson, who had the cabinet level responsibility for coinage, noted that he received these coins on July 13, 1792. They were probably stuck under his supervision because no mint officials with the proper bonding authority were available.
There are disputes as to weather or not George Washington supplied the silver. Washington did refer to them as, “a small beginning in the coinage of half dismes,” in his annual address to Congress on November 6, 1793. There are also stories that Jefferson and Washington may have handed out some these coins personally.
Yes. All of my early Large Cents, and Colonial Coppers.
I fantasize about who might have used these in the day of the birth of our nation! Could these have been used by George Washington? Jefferson, Franklin.....?
The only 2 items that I own, that I know was from someone famous, is my early Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper, that was printed by Ben Franklin and has his name as the printer on the back page.
The other is a precription and signature of Benjamin Rush, a Colonial doctor, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
......I collect old stuff......
Also a really nice 1812 cent in AU that reminds me of America's "Second War for Independence"
I like my 1841 proof cent. Not so much for its historical significance, but the fact that a mere 25 pieces were coined makes me feel close to numismatists of the day.
Finally, my finest known CAM 1860 and and DCAM 1864 proof cents which draw a neat bracket around the Civil War, and always surprise me when I contemplate their incredible state of preservation over the past century and a half.
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
This thread is turning out to be very enjoyable. Hopefully is will have some legs.
- Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC
It had a lot of value in those days, and there weren't millions of people in the US then.....so, did it get used by our 1st President at some point? Dan'l Boone?
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
<< <i>Who had this one? It was well worn/used, but not to the point of being worn smooth.
It had a lot of value in those days, and there weren't millions of people in the US then.....so, did it get used by our 1st President at some point? Dan'l Boone?
Actually from a sharpness perspective that coin is quite nice. The surfaces are little porous which keeps the piece from hitting a home run.
As for the value of a half cent, even back then, the half cent had a certain stigma about it because many people viewed it as a “poor man’s coin.” Alexander Hamilton saw it as a way for those of meager means to stretch their limited resources. Shopkeepers didn’t like them because they felt that the coin cut into their profits.
All of these factors kept these lovely little coins from enjoying regular production. Those holes in the series have discouraged more than few collectors from getting involved with these coins.
<< <i>I find this piece very interesting. HOW did this get so worn?
It was someone's LONG TIME pocket piece. It takes a lot of rubbing to get a copper-nickel piece down to that grade.
<< <i>my pet theory is that they were confused with old bust dimes after awhile and circulated well into the late 1800s as dimes. >>
Maybe so, but even if that theory is correct, there's no way it could have gotten worn to that level in normal circulation. That piece was proably in somebody's pocket in the 1950s or later.