~*~*~ LordM's OPERATION PAPERCLIP 2012 (Finished! winner of final drawing announced!) ~*~*~
lordmarcovan
Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
Welcome to Operation Paperclip 2012. 
This project is essentially a progressive coin swap.
THIS IS THE MAIN TRADING THREAD.
Read below, scroll down to see the latest item in play, and PM your best trade offer for that item.
(Do please make allowances for delays if I am away from the forums.)
Items offered for trade should be at least marginally numismatic in nature, though I'll be considering a little bit of everything: US coins, world & ancient coins, exonumia, and maybe currency. I'm pretty eclectic in my tastes and try to be open-minded.
I admittedly stole the idea from STONE, who seemingly got it from the late, great IGWT, who in turn had referred to the original "Red Paperclip" story. Basically, the original story involved a guy who started out with nothing but a single red paperclip, traded it for a fish-shaped pen, traded the pen for something else, and so on down the line, until by the end of one year's trading he ended up with a house. Sure, the paperclip guy had plenty of help along the way, and indulgent trading partners (publicity never hurts), but I thought it was a cool idea.
STONE decided to try it with coin trading. He was going to start with $100.
I'm gonna run with the idea, too, and see how far I can get with individual coin trades in 2012.
My starting line is much closer to zero. I'm not beginning with a red paperclip, but with a coin that cost me one dollar.
It was a good one-dollar purchase, though. I'll need to be a savvy swapper to get very far. Do I expect to end up with a house at the end of all this? (Or, numismatically speaking, a Brasher doubloon?) Of course not. But it'll be a fun journey.
And, to give my potential trading partners an incentive to let me "trade up" a tiny bit each time, I'm offering a kickback.
At the end of the year, or perhaps just after New Year of 2013, I will auction off the coin(s) in the final lot. I'll "cash out", to use a casino metaphor.
Then I will split the proceeds with one of the year's trading partners. (Whose name I will draw using a random number generator.)
Furthermore, the random drawing will be done by trade number, so if anyone has done multiple trades with me in the course of the year, they'll be getting multiple chances to win half of my proceeds in the year-end lottery.
You can also view a summary of the trade progression in a Photobucket slideshow.
SUMMARY
Swap #1, my initial investment, was a lucky flea market cherrypick and cost me $1.00.
#1: 1895 British shilling.
Est. value @ trade = $5.00 (considering 4th Edition Krause and spot price).
My initial investment for this project.
Traded to "jayPem" on 12/30/11.
"jayPem" confirmed receipt on 1/2/12.
#2: 1876 USA Seated Liberty half dollar.
Est. value @ trade = $10.06 (spot price).
Offered by "jayPem".
Traded to "noow" 12/31/11.
"noow" confirmed receipt on 1/6/12.
#3: 1962 USA Franklin half dollar, NGC PF65.
Est. value = $25.00 (per Numismedia FMV trends).
Offered by "noow".
Traded to "jesbroken" on 1/23/12.
"jesbroken" confirmed receipt on 1/31/12.
#4: 1956 USA Lincoln cent, PCGS PR67 RD.
Est. value @ trade = $35.00 (by PCGS Priceguide trends).
Offered by "jesbroken".
Traded to "Jimbux61" on 2/2/12.
"Jimbux61" confirmed receipt on 2/7/12.
#5: Seven (7) pieces average circulated 1966-68 USA Kennedy halves.
Est. value @ trade = $35.47 (spot price).
Offered by "Jimbux61".
Traded to "mbbiker" on 2/2/12.
"mbbiker" confirmed receipt on 2/18/12.
#6: Four-piece lot PCGS slabbed USA coins.
Coins are: 1959-D 25c MS65, 2003-P Sac$ MS65, 2003-P Sac$ MS66, and 2003-D Sac$ MS65.)
Est. value @ trade = $44.00 (by PCGS Priceguide).
Offered by "mbbiker".
Traded to "illini420" on 2/12/12.
"illini420" confirmed receipt on 3/11/12.
#7: 1891-CC USA Morgan dollar, G4+ details.
(Coin is cleaned, with some nicks, but a "semi-key" if not a "key" date.)
Est. value @ trade = $45.00 (my estimate as-is, based on $69 Numismedia trend value in G4).
Offered by "illini420".
Traded to "TorinoCobra71" on 2/13/12.
"TorinoCobra71" confirmed receipt on 2/16/12.
#8: Pair of USA silver coins: a circulated Walking Liberty half and a BU Silver Eagle.
(Coins are: 1943 50c, F-VF and 2009 ASE, BU.)
Est. value @ trade = $50.00 (by TC71's estimate, to which I concurred).
Offered by "TorinoCobra71".
Traded to "Musky 1011" on 2/14/12.
"Musky 1011" confirmed receipt on 2/26/12.
#9: 1876 USA Trade dollar, AG.
(Grading, authentication, and discussion thread here.)
Est. value @ trade = $60.00 (based on discussion and Numismedia G4 price of $90.00).
Offered by "Musky 1011".
Traded to "jayPem" on 2/16/12.
"jayPem" confirmed receipt on 2/22/12.
#10: 1814 USA Bust half dollar (O-103), G+, die clash on obverse.
(Looks nice and original to me. Here are bigger obverse and reverse photos.)
Est. value @ trade = $70.00 (based on Red Book G4 value).
Offered by "jayPem".
Traded to "TorinoCobra71" on 2/21/12.
"jayPem" said he shipped this to "TorinoCobra71" on 2/22/12.
#11: 2008-S USA silver proof set plus three silver coins.
(The proof set trends $68 on Numismedia and the silver coins have a combined melt value of $17.46 as of the trade.)
Est. value @ trade = $85.46 (as tallied above).
Offered by "TorinoCobra71".
Traded to "Musky1011" on 2/24/12.
I asked "TorinoCobra71" to ship this to "Musky1011" on 2/24/12.
#12: 1877-S USA Trade dollar, PCGS G4.
Certification # 7046.04/15418917.
Est. value @ trade = $90.00 (by PCGS and Numismedia trends).
Offered by "Musky1011".
Traded to "illini420" on 2/25/12.
"illini420" confimed receipt on 3/11/12.
#13: USA and Canadian lot of three numismatic items, all silver.
(See full posting in Main Paperclip Trading Thread for particulars and additional pictures.)
Est. value @ trade = $105.00 (conservatively, based on discussion- see main post).
Offered by "illini420".
Traded to guitarwes on 7/17/12.
Trade done locally so both parties have their coins.
#14: 1830 USA Capped Bust half dollar, VF+, original grey toning.
(Numismedia trends $94.00 VF, $168.00 XF).
Est. value @ trade = $108.50 (by Wes' price on the original 2x2 holder, which I think is fair).
Offered by "guitarwes".
Traded to JaLP on 9/9/12.
Swap #14 shipped to JaLP on 9/11/12.
#15: "1945" Mexican 2-pesos gold restrike (.0482 oz. gold), and 1922 USA Peace dollar.
Est. value @ trade = $109.55 (based combined bullion value of the coins alone)
Offered by JaLP on 9/9/12.
Traded to ocon4008 on 10/16/12, and shipped sometime around then.
(I was offline for a couple of months)
#16: Two rolls (80 coins) 1942-45 average circulated USA silver war nickels.
Est. value @ trade = approx. $150-ish ($134.94 bullion value as of 12/23/12.)
Offered by ocon4008 in October.
THE END!
We ended with the two rolls of war nickels.
So, since I agreed to split the proceeds at the end with one of the participants, he will get one roll and I will get the other. Each of us ended up with sixty-something dollars worth of silver bullion. Not bad, considering I started with a $1.00 coin, right?
TorinoCobra71 won the drawing and will get one of the rolls of war nickels. Stay tuned for Operation Paperclip 2013- let's do it again!
And finally ... OPERATION PAPERCLIP 2013 has begun, as of 1/3/13!
THANK YOU ALL!
This project is essentially a progressive coin swap.
THIS IS THE MAIN TRADING THREAD.
Read below, scroll down to see the latest item in play, and PM your best trade offer for that item.
(Do please make allowances for delays if I am away from the forums.)
Items offered for trade should be at least marginally numismatic in nature, though I'll be considering a little bit of everything: US coins, world & ancient coins, exonumia, and maybe currency. I'm pretty eclectic in my tastes and try to be open-minded.
I admittedly stole the idea from STONE, who seemingly got it from the late, great IGWT, who in turn had referred to the original "Red Paperclip" story. Basically, the original story involved a guy who started out with nothing but a single red paperclip, traded it for a fish-shaped pen, traded the pen for something else, and so on down the line, until by the end of one year's trading he ended up with a house. Sure, the paperclip guy had plenty of help along the way, and indulgent trading partners (publicity never hurts), but I thought it was a cool idea.
STONE decided to try it with coin trading. He was going to start with $100.
I'm gonna run with the idea, too, and see how far I can get with individual coin trades in 2012.
My starting line is much closer to zero. I'm not beginning with a red paperclip, but with a coin that cost me one dollar.
It was a good one-dollar purchase, though. I'll need to be a savvy swapper to get very far. Do I expect to end up with a house at the end of all this? (Or, numismatically speaking, a Brasher doubloon?) Of course not. But it'll be a fun journey.
And, to give my potential trading partners an incentive to let me "trade up" a tiny bit each time, I'm offering a kickback.
At the end of the year, or perhaps just after New Year of 2013, I will auction off the coin(s) in the final lot. I'll "cash out", to use a casino metaphor.
Then I will split the proceeds with one of the year's trading partners. (Whose name I will draw using a random number generator.)
Furthermore, the random drawing will be done by trade number, so if anyone has done multiple trades with me in the course of the year, they'll be getting multiple chances to win half of my proceeds in the year-end lottery.
You can also view a summary of the trade progression in a Photobucket slideshow.
SUMMARY
Swap #1, my initial investment, was a lucky flea market cherrypick and cost me $1.00.
#1: 1895 British shilling.
Est. value @ trade = $5.00 (considering 4th Edition Krause and spot price).
My initial investment for this project.
Traded to "jayPem" on 12/30/11.
"jayPem" confirmed receipt on 1/2/12.
#2: 1876 USA Seated Liberty half dollar.
Est. value @ trade = $10.06 (spot price).
Offered by "jayPem".
Traded to "noow" 12/31/11.
"noow" confirmed receipt on 1/6/12.
#3: 1962 USA Franklin half dollar, NGC PF65.
Est. value = $25.00 (per Numismedia FMV trends).
Offered by "noow".
Traded to "jesbroken" on 1/23/12.
"jesbroken" confirmed receipt on 1/31/12.
#4: 1956 USA Lincoln cent, PCGS PR67 RD.
Est. value @ trade = $35.00 (by PCGS Priceguide trends).
Offered by "jesbroken".
Traded to "Jimbux61" on 2/2/12.
"Jimbux61" confirmed receipt on 2/7/12.
#5: Seven (7) pieces average circulated 1966-68 USA Kennedy halves.
Est. value @ trade = $35.47 (spot price).
Offered by "Jimbux61".
Traded to "mbbiker" on 2/2/12.
"mbbiker" confirmed receipt on 2/18/12.
#6: Four-piece lot PCGS slabbed USA coins.
Coins are: 1959-D 25c MS65, 2003-P Sac$ MS65, 2003-P Sac$ MS66, and 2003-D Sac$ MS65.)
Est. value @ trade = $44.00 (by PCGS Priceguide).
Offered by "mbbiker".
Traded to "illini420" on 2/12/12.
"illini420" confirmed receipt on 3/11/12.
#7: 1891-CC USA Morgan dollar, G4+ details.
(Coin is cleaned, with some nicks, but a "semi-key" if not a "key" date.)
Est. value @ trade = $45.00 (my estimate as-is, based on $69 Numismedia trend value in G4).
Offered by "illini420".
Traded to "TorinoCobra71" on 2/13/12.
"TorinoCobra71" confirmed receipt on 2/16/12.
#8: Pair of USA silver coins: a circulated Walking Liberty half and a BU Silver Eagle.
(Coins are: 1943 50c, F-VF and 2009 ASE, BU.)
Est. value @ trade = $50.00 (by TC71's estimate, to which I concurred).
Offered by "TorinoCobra71".
Traded to "Musky 1011" on 2/14/12.
"Musky 1011" confirmed receipt on 2/26/12.
#9: 1876 USA Trade dollar, AG.
(Grading, authentication, and discussion thread here.)
Est. value @ trade = $60.00 (based on discussion and Numismedia G4 price of $90.00).
Offered by "Musky 1011".
Traded to "jayPem" on 2/16/12.
"jayPem" confirmed receipt on 2/22/12.
#10: 1814 USA Bust half dollar (O-103), G+, die clash on obverse.
(Looks nice and original to me. Here are bigger obverse and reverse photos.)
Est. value @ trade = $70.00 (based on Red Book G4 value).
Offered by "jayPem".
Traded to "TorinoCobra71" on 2/21/12.
"jayPem" said he shipped this to "TorinoCobra71" on 2/22/12.
#11: 2008-S USA silver proof set plus three silver coins.
(The proof set trends $68 on Numismedia and the silver coins have a combined melt value of $17.46 as of the trade.)
Est. value @ trade = $85.46 (as tallied above).
Offered by "TorinoCobra71".
Traded to "Musky1011" on 2/24/12.
I asked "TorinoCobra71" to ship this to "Musky1011" on 2/24/12.
#12: 1877-S USA Trade dollar, PCGS G4.
Certification # 7046.04/15418917.
Est. value @ trade = $90.00 (by PCGS and Numismedia trends).
Offered by "Musky1011".
Traded to "illini420" on 2/25/12.
"illini420" confimed receipt on 3/11/12.
#13: USA and Canadian lot of three numismatic items, all silver.
(See full posting in Main Paperclip Trading Thread for particulars and additional pictures.)
Est. value @ trade = $105.00 (conservatively, based on discussion- see main post).
Offered by "illini420".
Traded to guitarwes on 7/17/12.
Trade done locally so both parties have their coins.
#14: 1830 USA Capped Bust half dollar, VF+, original grey toning.
(Numismedia trends $94.00 VF, $168.00 XF).
Est. value @ trade = $108.50 (by Wes' price on the original 2x2 holder, which I think is fair).
Offered by "guitarwes".
Traded to JaLP on 9/9/12.
Swap #14 shipped to JaLP on 9/11/12.
#15: "1945" Mexican 2-pesos gold restrike (.0482 oz. gold), and 1922 USA Peace dollar.
Est. value @ trade = $109.55 (based combined bullion value of the coins alone)
Offered by JaLP on 9/9/12.
Traded to ocon4008 on 10/16/12, and shipped sometime around then.
(I was offline for a couple of months)
#16: Two rolls (80 coins) 1942-45 average circulated USA silver war nickels.
Est. value @ trade = approx. $150-ish ($134.94 bullion value as of 12/23/12.)
Offered by ocon4008 in October.
THE END!
We ended with the two rolls of war nickels.
So, since I agreed to split the proceeds at the end with one of the participants, he will get one roll and I will get the other. Each of us ended up with sixty-something dollars worth of silver bullion. Not bad, considering I started with a $1.00 coin, right?
TorinoCobra71 won the drawing and will get one of the rolls of war nickels. Stay tuned for Operation Paperclip 2013- let's do it again!
And finally ... OPERATION PAPERCLIP 2013 has begun, as of 1/3/13!
THANK YOU ALL!
0
Comments
My cost: $1.00 approx.
Here's an 1895 British shilling, modest in grade but with nice original toning, struck in .925 fine silver with a bullion weight of .1682 oz.
I got it about three years ago in a small $2.00 "grab bag" at a flea market in Florida. (Since there were other coins in the bag, I'm figuring I got this for about a buck.) I was rather surprised to get not only a silver coin, but a 19th century silver coin, and one with a decent look to it.
I'd grade this VG+ to borderline F12. The 4th Edition Krause catalog (2004) lists it for $5.00 in Fine. The melt value of the silver in it is about $4.68 as I type this.
(Standard notice: coin looks a little bit better in hand than in my scans.)
Who wants this coin? What will you trade me for it?
I do both world and US coins- a little bit of everything. Help me take a small step forward with this trade progression thing.
How about an 1876 half dollar, graded....slick ?
Or if you prefer, a BUish 1964 half ?
Moving on, now...
A low grade 1876 half dollar acquired from "jayPem" in Swap Number One.
Estimated value (figured at the current silver spot price as of this post) = $10.06.
I'll borrow his picture and mount it into an 800x400 image for the slideshow.
Jordy, if you don't mind- instead of shipping the half to me, just hold onto it and ship it directly to the next person in the chain. I'll "own" it briefly, but I guess there is no need for me to actually have it in hand, only to then ship it somewhere else. This way it saves me the cost of shipping it again, but won't cost you extra since you were gonna ship it to me anyway. Naturally I'll be shipping you the shilling from Swap #1.
Who wants this 1876 half dollar "jayPem" is holding for me? What will you trade me for it?
Let's review, shall we?
This is basically a large coin swap. But for only one coin at a time.
So far, I started out with the 1895 shilling, traded it for the 1876 half, and now I wanna trade the 1876 half for something a little bit nicer.
I will keep doing this throughout the year, so hopefully, if I trade smartly enough, the coin in play will get progressively nicer and nicer (more valuable).
Then, at the end of the year, I'll sell whatever coin is in play and reap the profits.
Then I do a random drawing and split those profits with one of the people who traded with me here during the year (regardless of which trade they did with me).
I went from a $1.00 investment to having a coin worth over $10.00 just in the first trade, so that's encouraging. I'll probably make a couple of dud trades and end up going backwards in value a few times, but that is how the game is played. The smarter I trade, the more my coin will be worth at the end of the year (whatever that coin ends up being). Which means that whoever ends up sharing half the profits will also benefit.
Moving on, now...
An NGC PF65 1962 Franklin Half Dollar. Sorry there is no picture of it at present, but "noow" said it is "white with some toning spots".
The Numismedia trend value is $25. Until it arrives I have no idea of its eye appeal or lack thereof, so if you're making trade offers before I update this with pictures, think accordingly. But we've stepped up into slab territory for the moment, so there is that, at least.
Update: here it is, and here's some quickie scans. Nice coin- thanks to "noow" for letting me trade up. Despite what you see in the scans below, it is an all white coin. As to the "toning spots", there's just one or two small milk spots on the bell, which are exaggerated by the scanner, and a darkish but tiny spot around the N in "IN" on the obverse. None of these are particularly distracting. In hand, it's really a better looking coin than I expected. It's no CAM, of course, but a decent brilliant proof with nice mirrors (which, again, will not show up too well in the scan I've added).
(Edit- I later got a new monitor and can now see, wow, these scans were AWFUL. Sorry. Hey, it was a decent coin, though.)
Who wants this NGC PF65 1962 Franklin Half Dollar I am getting from "noow"? What will you trade me for it?
- - Dave
You're right about one thing, though. It does need a summary thread. This can be the "working" thread. I think I'll edit my US Coin Forum thread (which is no doubt where you linked in from), and make that the summary. I didn't want to post the main trading thread over there lest I be accused of spam. It would've been nuked eventually. So the trading discussions can happen here and the raw summary can be over there.
Since I'm doing both Darkside AND Liteside coins, the summary probably should go on the World Coin forum, but since I've already announced this on the US Forum, I'll leave it there. Besides, that forum gets the most traffic. I can bump the summary thread each time there's been a new trade.
How's this going? I'm trying to sell a bank note right now. If I do it, I'll be at $136 from my $50 start a month ago. It's starting to get easier in this price range.
Steve
<< <i>THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!! Donating the proceeds to charity. >>
It is. And quite admirable. But for the record, I am NOT doing that in this particular case. I'll be keeping half the proceeds and one randomly drawn trade partner will be getting the other half, come the end of the year.
(I did do a separate raffle for charity recently, though.)
The Franklin half has been received for swap #3. Thank you to "noow" for the trade. He also informs me that he received the 1876 half (swap #2) from "jayPem". So we're all up to date now, since I've added some scans of the Franklin half above.
I have two potential trade offers on the table for the Franklin, and I'm ready to accept one of them, but first let's give it a day or so to see if anybody else comes out of the woodwork with something else more tempting, now that I've posted pix of the Franklin.
David
Moving on, now...
A PCGS PR67 RD 1956 Lincoln cent. Acquired from "jesbroken", who will ship it to the next trader.
Who wants this PCGS PR67 RD 1956 Lincoln cent I got from "jesbroken"? What will you trade me for it?
$3.50 face value in 40% silver half dollars.
Thank You.
<< <i>PM sent.
$3.50 face value in 40% silver half dollars.
Well, no reply. So my offer is revoked.
Thank You. >>
Sorry for the lack of a reply. I was offline these past few days. I just replied to your PM.
I would consider that offer, if nothing more tempting comes up in the next little while. However, I'm still in "just thinking about it" mode.
Fair warning to potential swap partners: I do periodically drop off of the forums and the Internet for several days at a time, so if you PM me and don't hear back, it's not 'cause I'm ignoring you- it's just 'cause I've gone offline for a while. Sorry if I've inadvertently come off as rude sometimes.
Anybody else have something interesting to offer for the proof Wheatie shown above?
">link
According to the Numismedia FMV trends, the 2005-S 11-coin proof sets are worth nine bucks apiece, making a pair of them worth $18. By that reckoning, the offer's a tad light, since the coin in play right now has a $35 value (at least nominally, on paper... or the web, using the PCGS Priceguide).
Outside of this game, that might be a fair offer. But I'm trying to climb upwards, y'see. So I respectfully decline, but thank you for offering.
And I'm open for anything else you (or anyone else) would like to offer.
Y'all be sure and PM me too, if you're posting an offer here, so I remember to come back and check this thread.
Anyone else? Let's keep it rolling. Remember, there's at least a tiny chance of gain for you in letting me "trade up", since one of you who does swap with me will be randomly selected to split the proceeds at the end of the year. Who knows where we will be then!
Again- who wants the PCGS PR67 RD 1956 Lincoln cent posted above? What will you trade me for it?
We're just waiting to see who wants Coin #4 (the proof Wheatie).
Moving on, now...
A small lot containing seven (7) pieces of 40% silver Kennedy halves. Dates appear to be between 1966 and 1968.
Silver bullion value at the time of trade is $35.47.
Acquired from "Jimbux61". I have requested he hold 'em for the moment and then ship 'em to the next trader down the line.
Who wants these seven 40% silver Kennedy halves I got from "Jimbux61"? What will you trade me for them?
Moving on, now...
A lot containing four (4) United States coins, all PCGS certified MS65-66.
These coins, and their current PCGS Priceguide values, are:
1959-D silver Washington quarter, PCGS MS65 @ $28.00
2003-P Sacagawea dollar, PCGS MS65 = $5.00
2003-P Sacagawea dollar, PCGS MS66 = $6.00
2003-P Sacagawea dollar, PCGS MS65 = $5.00
Total value of lot by PCGS trends= $44.00.
Acquired from "mbbiker". I have requested he hold 'em for the moment and then ship 'em to the next trader down the line.
Who wants these four PCGS slabbed coins I got from "mbbiker"? What will you trade me for them?
Not happy with your last trade though.....$35 in actual silver bullion trumps $44 in "priceguide value" worth of common coins any day. Im waiting in the wings for something that catches my eye. Cant wait to participate in the festivities!
I guess I was dazzled by all that nice, shiny PCGS plastic, LOL.
Still, that quarter is silver, and the coins are pretty nice looking.
Whereas ave circ 40% Kennedies (and Kennedies in general) bore me more than just a little, personally. Don't get me wrong- I love bullion, and I agree that you have a point about its fallback value. Shifting from the $35 PCGS Lincoln to $35.47 in bullion was definitely a good move.
I suppose I just remember the old days of low spot prices and haven't changed my thinking enough.
We'll probably see several shifts back and forth from bullion items to slabbed items, and maybe from US to World, too. To my eclectic way of thinking, that just makes it more interesting. I might also get stuck a time or two and be forced to trade down to keep things moving, but I'll cross my fingers and hope that doesn't happen too much, or if it does, that it won't be too big a step backwards.
<< <i>Those damn Sacs messed this whole thing up bigtime!!! Nobody wants modern MS65 coinage. There is nothing even remotely interesting about them.
Well then, LordM has a challenge with this one, but if anyone can pull off a trade, he can.
<< <i>Those damn Sacs messed this whole thing up bigtime!!! Nobody wants modern MS65 coinage. There is nothing even remotely interesting about them.
Well, I knew PCGS Priceguide values were a wee bit inflated, and that generic modern stuff is a tough sell, but what the heck. I'm sure I'll make a few missteps along the way. This could have been one, but no harm, no foul. It looks like it's all gonna come out OK in the end, because I've just been offered something different now, if not more valuable. Something with a bit of history, and a little bullion value to fall back on.
Y'see, Mike (aka "illini420") has stepped up to the plate with an interesting trade.
I'll bet a better-date Carson City Morgan dollar might fire up a little interest, eh?
OK, so it won't be the loveliest example, but hey, whaddya expect for a $40-somethin' swap value, right?
Moving on, now...
An 1891-CC Morgan dollar with G4+ details.
True, this was rather harshly cleaned, and has a nick or two, but it's still a better-date Carson City Morgan dollar.
Come to think of it, it's the first CC-mintmarked Morgan I've ever owned. (Even if I never end up seeing it in hand.)
I'm going to declare the value of this swap to be $45, based on the current Numismedia trend price of $69.00 in G4.
(I'd say this one has almost enough "meat" for that grade, but I'm mentally deducting a bit for the cleaning and the nicks.)
Acquired from "illini420". I have requested he hold it for the moment and then ship 'em to the next trader down the line.
Who wants this 1891-CC Morgan dollar I got from "illini420"? What will you trade me for it?
<< <i>SWAP NUMBER SEVEN.
An 1891-CC Morgan dollar with G4+ details.
True, this was rather harshly cleaned, and has a nick or two, but it's still a better-date Carson City Morgan dollar.
Come to think of it, it's the first CC-mintmarked Morgan I've ever owned. (Even if I never end up seeing it in hand.)
I'm going to declare the value of this swap to be $45, based on the current Numismedia trend price of $69.00 in G4.
(I'd say this one has plenty enough "meat" for that grade, but I'm mentally deducting a bit for the cleaning and the nicks.)
Acquired from "illini420". I have requested he hold it for the moment and then ship 'em to the next trader down the line.
Who wants this 1891-CC Morgan dollar I got from "illini420"? What will you trade me for it? >>
PM Sent!
<< <i>I'd kinda like to see the offers you turned down for each trade. >>
Not too many so far, actually. There were one or two here in the open on this thread, and one I can remember in a PM. (Somebody offered me an NGC PR70 Statehood quarter for the four PCGS slabs in Swap #6, I think it was, but I went with the low-grade CC Morgan instead, to get out of the moderns.)
Swap #7 is a done deal, now. I've accepted a trade for that Morgan. I'll be posting Swap #8 shortly.
A pair of USA silver coins.
The first is a circulated Walking Liberty half dollar, say about Fine-plus to VF in grade.
The second is a 2009 American Silver Eagle 1-ounce bullion coin, BU.
Acquired from "TorinoCobra71". I have requested he hold them for the moment and then ship 'em to the next trader down the line.
He estimated the Walker at $16, which seems about right to me (as I happen to be collecting a circulated set in this grade), and of course the ASE is worth at least spot price for an ounce of silver. So I think a $50 value estimate on the pair is not too far off, do you?
I suspect the difference in color between obverses and reverses of these two is more a result of TC71's photographic lighting than any toning.
Who wants this pair of coins I got from "TorinoCobra71"? What will you trade me for them?
Menomonee Falls Wisconsin USA
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistr...dset.aspx?s=68269&ac=1">Musky 1861 Mint Set
I've told him I'm 99% inclined to say "yes" and make that Paperclip #9. It looks good from where I sit. But there's always at least a tiny element of doubt with raw Trade dollars.
So I've posted a poll thread on the USCF.
This is getting interesting, now. First a Carson City Morgan and now this. Granted, both have been low grade examples, but we're still in a modest budgetary range, so that's to be expected. And I think we've solidly crossed the $50 threshold, now.
Where will the end of the year carry us? I am not gonna make any predictions, but I'll share a small dream with you. Wouldn't it be cool if we saw a gold coin by around the Fourth of July or so? Even a small one? That would be supercool and awesome, I think. But who knows what the future holds, or where bullion prices will go, let alone this swap series. So I'm not gonna count my golden eggs before they're hatched, or even laid, if you knowhutimean.
Menomonee Falls Wisconsin USA
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistr...dset.aspx?s=68269&ac=1">Musky 1861 Mint Set
<< <i>I have other coins I might trade ya later in the "operation" >>
Excellent. Thanks.
Becoming a multiple trade partner will only increase your odds in the year-end lottery drawing to split my proceeds.
As a matter of fact, I think jayPem, who provided Swap #2 and was the first to step up to the plate in this game, is about to step up again for your Trade dollar.
This will make him the first two-time swapper on Operation Paperclip.
Swap #9 will be posted momentarily.
An 1876 US Trade dollar.
See the discussion thread about this coin here.
Forum consensus says it is genuine, and grades AG3.
I am assigning it a $60 swap value, based on that discussion. Numismedia says $90 for an 1876 in G4.
Larger obverse photo
Larger reverse photo
Acquired from "Musky 1011". I have requested he hold it for the moment and then ship it to the next trader down the line.
Who wants this coin I got from "Musky 1011"? What will you trade me for it?
The second offer made it a difficult decision, as that was a lovely white 1885-O Morgan dollar in a PCGS MS63 OGH holder.
I'm not sure which I would have chosen had I been forced to make that decision, as the Bust half offered history and "coolness" factor. It has some die clashing goin' on and looks like a nice original coin, albeit in modest grade. But the Morgan offered Mint State beauty and PCGS plastic, plus I tend to like white Morgans if I'm going for MS, and I like O-mints, too. In the end, the person who offered the Morgan decided to withdraw the offer and keep it, and suggested I go with the Bust half, so in the end I wasn't forced to choose.
The third offer I refused was "a plain edge washington dollar (graded) or a double edge lettering dollar (graded)". I respectfully declined that simply because those are totally outside of my realm of experience and a bit modern for my current comfort zone. I did recently have a very good trade with that person outside of this project, though, and I hope he'll become a participant eventually as Operation Paperclip moves along.
Speaking of participation, the people who offered the Bust half and the Morgan dollar each stood to become the first two-time Paperclip participant, and in fact that title will be going to Jordy, aka "jayPem", with whom I did the very first swap in this project. Now that he's become a two-time swapper he's just doubled his odds in the year-end drawing.
So, let's move on now, shall we?
It's time for...
An 1814 US Capped Bust half dollar, Overton-103, I'm told, with a nice original look and some dramatic die crack action as well as a visible die clash above the date. It's in modest technical grade- Jordy called it "G/VG". I got down the ANA standards book and it looks to me like it splits the difference. It's a strong Good but not quite a VG, in my opinion. So I'm calling it G6.
As to the declared trade value, I'm going with $70. That is the Redbook G4 price. The 2012 Redbook says $70 in G4 and then skips VG altogether. Numismedia says $62 in G4 and $72 in VG8, so I suppose a nice round seventy bucks is close enough for a declared value based on a G6 grade. With the Redbook G4 price in mind I was even tempted to stretch a tiny bit more and say $75, but no, let's not push too far. Seventy bucks declared value is not only a nice round figure but it also advances us exactly ten bucks forward from the declared value of the last coin.
Larger obverse photo
Larger reverse photo
As previously mentioned, this was acquired from "jayPem", who has now become our first two-time Operation Paperclip swapper. Bravo, Jordy, and thanks!
I will request that he hold it for the moment and then ship it to the next trader down the line.
Who wants this coin I got from "jayPem"? What will you trade me for it?
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 448