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My 10,000 Post! ~~ And a Great New Addition from Staacks Bowers to the Vermonts, the Immune Columbi
ambro51
Posts: 13,941 ✭✭✭✭✭
Oh My My My....It has been a long four years. Ten thousand little bits of wisdom, humor, angst, satire, research, moaning, showing off, commenting, thinking and typing. Ive met many good and interesting people along the way here, including the infamous BongoBongo.... Mentors, who have shown me the way in many aspects of numismatics, hopefully Ive helped a few also. New visions of coin collecting have appeared, ran their course, and then completely different pathways have opened. The coins I have owned, sold, still own, worked toward owning....all of this has been an element of sheer joy in an otherwise reclusive and mysterious existence.
And now the big 10000 comes along, and after a lot of thought, the 'choose your title' doorstep will be crossed. Something simple, something that may go unnoticed, but a phrase that I think pretty well sums up my numismatic adventure.
Esoteric Collector
............................................................Never have I followed 'the crowd'. Always, the road less taken has been my pathway. Few live along that road, but those few are enthused about their collecting as I am about mine. I would rather know a handful of intelligent, skilled collectors who speak a similar language than all the State quarter collectors out there. And the more I examined numismatics with my loupe, the draw of Old Copper was like the inescapable advance of the tide. Now that Old Copper itch has been scratched with a coin I really never thought Id own.
Vermont Coppers. Vermont Coppers. They speak to me in an odd way that no other coin ever has. An obscure little footpath through the Green Mountains, rather than the superhighway of the Modern Coin world. Just, a little bit of a long vanished past that we can hold and understand. The distillation of true numismatics, leaving behind the sweet nectar of the handmade colonial coin.
So, this brings us to my NewP. A true coin to celebrate the 10K post level, though that is not the only reason I purchased it. It is logical to begin at One. One, that very word signifies 'start'. In the World of Vermont Coppers, One...that means the infamous and misunderstood Ryder 1, the Immune Columbia. Though dated 1785, and hence, at the Start of the series in the mind of Hillyer Ryder, it was actually produced more toward the end of the Vermont/Machins Mills coinage adventure, possibly into 1789. It is Ugly. It is an Ugly design, and Ugly attempt at diemaking, and is as Ugly as Ugly can be and still be Loved by those who seek it.
I think about five of these have sold over the last 8 years, or so. This bad boy was up for auction with Stacks at the 2012 Americana Sale in New York. Really 'wanting this one', and not leaving anything to chance, I had a floor Rep working for me. He got the coin, after spirited bidding, for a little under what we had thought. Having a well known dealer at the auction table tends to greatly increase your chances for success!
The Immune Columbia exists only as worn, defective, poorly struck specimens. The finest known just tips into Fine. Most are like my NewP, with any number of colonial era coin defects. Many are mint made, some are the effects of time and nature. One thing we cannot deny though is the extreme importance and rarity of this piece. Exact survivor numbers are always a matter of opinion, and indeed more of these 'can' appear as ebay plucks them from unknowing sellers, and the ground yields further examples to the probe of the metal detector. But, right now, there are probably between 17 and 30 of these known. Most major Vermont collections make do with an example that is much like this one. It IS what it IS, and that is an esoteric rarity that is considered a major key to the Vermonts. There are rarer coins, but these are all in the 30's, ryder numbers that were the result of rapid die breakage and only known by a very few examples...but the differences here between the standard bust right coin are small and obvious only to theI specialist with reference materials. The Immune Columbia....thats just "different".
After realizing the importance of my high grade Ryder 10, and after spending time with Tony Carlotto analyzing this coin...it seems now that it IS the cornerstone of a long enduring passion into the Vermont Coppers. The only way to build on the collection is to add in the rare ones....and with this Ryder 1, that is a major step in that direction.
To those who are not familiar with this issue, perhaps a trip to PCGS coinfacts will be in order.
Proof Franklin Half Dollar Collectors, at this point, should leave the room, or avert their eyes.
Colonial Coin collectors may proceed and feast their eyes on this rustic beauty~~!!!!!
1785 Republic of Vermont Immune Columbia, Ryder 1 (graded by Stacks VG8)
And now the big 10000 comes along, and after a lot of thought, the 'choose your title' doorstep will be crossed. Something simple, something that may go unnoticed, but a phrase that I think pretty well sums up my numismatic adventure.
Esoteric Collector
............................................................Never have I followed 'the crowd'. Always, the road less taken has been my pathway. Few live along that road, but those few are enthused about their collecting as I am about mine. I would rather know a handful of intelligent, skilled collectors who speak a similar language than all the State quarter collectors out there. And the more I examined numismatics with my loupe, the draw of Old Copper was like the inescapable advance of the tide. Now that Old Copper itch has been scratched with a coin I really never thought Id own.
Vermont Coppers. Vermont Coppers. They speak to me in an odd way that no other coin ever has. An obscure little footpath through the Green Mountains, rather than the superhighway of the Modern Coin world. Just, a little bit of a long vanished past that we can hold and understand. The distillation of true numismatics, leaving behind the sweet nectar of the handmade colonial coin.
So, this brings us to my NewP. A true coin to celebrate the 10K post level, though that is not the only reason I purchased it. It is logical to begin at One. One, that very word signifies 'start'. In the World of Vermont Coppers, One...that means the infamous and misunderstood Ryder 1, the Immune Columbia. Though dated 1785, and hence, at the Start of the series in the mind of Hillyer Ryder, it was actually produced more toward the end of the Vermont/Machins Mills coinage adventure, possibly into 1789. It is Ugly. It is an Ugly design, and Ugly attempt at diemaking, and is as Ugly as Ugly can be and still be Loved by those who seek it.
I think about five of these have sold over the last 8 years, or so. This bad boy was up for auction with Stacks at the 2012 Americana Sale in New York. Really 'wanting this one', and not leaving anything to chance, I had a floor Rep working for me. He got the coin, after spirited bidding, for a little under what we had thought. Having a well known dealer at the auction table tends to greatly increase your chances for success!
The Immune Columbia exists only as worn, defective, poorly struck specimens. The finest known just tips into Fine. Most are like my NewP, with any number of colonial era coin defects. Many are mint made, some are the effects of time and nature. One thing we cannot deny though is the extreme importance and rarity of this piece. Exact survivor numbers are always a matter of opinion, and indeed more of these 'can' appear as ebay plucks them from unknowing sellers, and the ground yields further examples to the probe of the metal detector. But, right now, there are probably between 17 and 30 of these known. Most major Vermont collections make do with an example that is much like this one. It IS what it IS, and that is an esoteric rarity that is considered a major key to the Vermonts. There are rarer coins, but these are all in the 30's, ryder numbers that were the result of rapid die breakage and only known by a very few examples...but the differences here between the standard bust right coin are small and obvious only to theI specialist with reference materials. The Immune Columbia....thats just "different".
After realizing the importance of my high grade Ryder 10, and after spending time with Tony Carlotto analyzing this coin...it seems now that it IS the cornerstone of a long enduring passion into the Vermont Coppers. The only way to build on the collection is to add in the rare ones....and with this Ryder 1, that is a major step in that direction.
To those who are not familiar with this issue, perhaps a trip to PCGS coinfacts will be in order.
Proof Franklin Half Dollar Collectors, at this point, should leave the room, or avert their eyes.
Colonial Coin collectors may proceed and feast their eyes on this rustic beauty~~!!!!!
1785 Republic of Vermont Immune Columbia, Ryder 1 (graded by Stacks VG8)
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Comments
Always appreciate your input on the board, even though our current collecting pursuits may be at far ends of the spectrum...numismatists are we all.
<< <i>Ooops I just scraped what looks like that off my boots........just kiddin a huge congrats to you and your phenom collection, so what did it run you? And why having a dealer handling it improve your odds? >>
I was actually thinking something similar....of course jokingly
Congrats on 10,000
It's nice to see you having fun with your collection.
That's a very interesting piece.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
I never like to talk prices, but you can look here...
Stacks 2012 Americana Ryder 1 Vermont
PCGS Coinfacts info on the Ryder 1
<< <i>haha, yes he is quite rough. but, thats very par for the course with this issue.
I never like to talk prices, but you can look here...
Stacks 2012 Americana Ryder 1 Vermont >>
Wow and here I was questioning my sanity yesterday bidding $42.00 on this Rarity 8 HT-307B
Mike
Congrat's on your purchase and your milestone. MJ
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
<< <i>Check the auction records of the coinfacts link. BTW as you realize Htts and Colonials are apples and oranges. >>
ambro51, You should know that I'm just giving you a hard time as I'm grinning from ear to ear with each post...
I clicked on the jumbo obverse images at S/B and thought I was looking at the surface conditions of Mars
10K posts? I'll probably have carpal tunnel syndrome before then.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
Tom
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
<< <i>Congrats on the acquisition Ambro - this piece (and all of the Immune Columbia issues) have always been among my favorite pieces in the colonial series. >>
Ditto!
<< <i>as always I seek information and if anyone has any references which may show this coin prior to its listed purchase from Steve Hayden in 2002 I'd very interested. >>
You might want to see if Steve has any of his 2002 Auction catalogs available... They are normally like $5 with the PRL sheet.
<< <i>Congrats on the 10K and your new Skeletor colonial!
It does look like Skeletor!
Congrats!!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in eye of those in the know as well.
Congratulations, Ambro. I always enjoy reading your posts, and this one certainly lives up to your standards.
Keep up the good work, sir!