when and how did the term "moose" originate?

WingedLiberty1957

Anybody know the origin of the word "moose", as it relates to coins. How and when did this start (anybody know)?

I have inferred from a few posts that this term refers to a coin with a lot of visual appeal.
Any clarification of the definition would be great.
Does a coin have to show color to be called a "moose"?

I only started hearing this term on this board for the past few weeks, so I don't know if this is a new term or if it's been in use a long time

Why "moose"? Seems like a strange term to refer to a coin.

When I think of a moose, all I can picture is an drab colored animal with big antlers that lives in Canada/Alaska/Maine.



Although I suppose "monster" is just as strange.



Would you rather own a monster or a moose? (LOL)

It does make me wonder how these slang terms originate, I am sure they can all be traced back to a single person.
If I start calling colorfully toned coins "macaws" every day on this board for a month, would it catch on?



And which of these 3 "animal" pictures above most reminds you of these coins?
mooses? monsters? or macaws? (at least they all start with the letter m!)

By the way, I am kidding around with the "macaw" thing!

ArizonaJack

Excellent question, I have wondered the same. Should be an interesting thread.

lasvegasteddy

moose...one of the largest american wildlife there is...breathe taking to see a full grown bull moose...pure beauty in it's size...wild and large

if a coin is a moose...it's one of the largest coins in eye appeal...pure beauty in it's size of eye appeal

if we had elephants we toss that around too but of course a full grown grizzly is nothing to mess with and the buffalo is largest but name already is coin applied

moose was used...sounded good so it stuck...no need to fix it as it's not broke...a moose is a moose...no mistaking one

i didn't start this nor was here when it did but easily see how it fits and fits nice

to me this is my moose...i need not ask others

PerryHall

Is a godzilla coin better than a moose coin?

WingedLiberty1957

LOL

Godzilla sounds like it should be tops
then Cookie Monster
then Moose
then Macaw

Let's work Jackalope in there somewhere towards the bottom.

messydesk

"Moose" seems to predate the forum. I did a search and I find references back to 2002.

You could probably take a bunch of toner pictures and make a macaw mosaic from them. That would be cool.

blu62vette

Someone wanted to promote toned coins, and now they have an overused word.

ModCrewman

I'd say the term moose was applied to a coin that just stands out from the crowd, that when it's in a case, it is as obvious as a "moose" in the corner; you just can't miss it.

WingedLiberty1957

I suppose that definition makes some sense

Isn't there a similar saying about a "pink elephant" (I don't recall the exact syntax?)

Something so big and wild that you can't miss it

In any case there was just something about the word "moose" that just struck me as strange!

astrorat

The original use of the term "moose" to describe a coin dates to the early 1990s. The first use occurred late one Saturday afternoon at a Long Beach show when a well-known, rotund east coast dealer showed was showing a spectacular Liberty Seated half dollar proof to an advanced collector. The collector's wife, who was accompanying him at the show, moved in to look over her husband's shoulder at the coin and commented that he smelled like a moose. The collector heard ... "wa wa wa wa wa ... moose ... wa wa" and responded, "yeah, it IS a moose!" The dealer subsequently started calling all of his "great" coins moose.

Don't even get me started on how the descriptor "Godzilla" got started!

chumley

if you are fortunate to own two such coins.....you are the proud owner of Meese

WingedLiberty1957

<< <i>The original use of the term "moose" to describe a coin dates to the early 1990s. The first use occurred late one Saturday afternoon at a Long Beach show when a well-known, rotund east coast dealer showed was showing a spectacular Liberty Seated half dollar proof to an advanced collector. The collector's wife, who was accompanying him at the show, moved in to look over her husband's shoulder at the coin and commented that he smelled like a moose. The collector heard ... "wa wa wa wa wa ... moose ... wa wa" and responded, "yeah, it IS a moose!" The dealer subsequently started calling all of his "great" coins moose.

Don't even get me started on how the descriptor "Godzilla" got started! >>



What a great story ... if it's true, that would be cool to be privy to the birth of a popular slang term.
(The fact that someone here knew that story is pretty amazing to me)

Tell me this is completely true and not a joke ...

Broadstruck

<< <i>The original use of the term "moose" to describe a coin dates to the early 1990s. The first use occurred late one Saturday afternoon at a Long Beach show when a well-known, rotund east coast dealer showed was showing a spectacular Liberty Seated half dollar proof to an advanced collector. The collector's wife, who was accompanying him at the show, moved in to look over her husband's shoulder at the coin and commented that he smelled like a moose. The collector heard ... "wa wa wa wa wa ... moose ... wa wa" and responded, "yeah, it IS a moose!" The dealer subsequently started calling all of his "great" coins moose.

Don't even get me started on how the descriptor "Godzilla" got started! >>

astrorat

<< <i>

<< <i>The original use of the term "moose" to describe a coin dates to the early 1990s. The first use occurred late one Saturday afternoon at a Long Beach show when a well-known, rotund east coast dealer showed was showing a spectacular Liberty Seated half dollar proof to an advanced collector. The collector's wife, who was accompanying him at the show, moved in to look over her husband's shoulder at the coin and commented that he smelled like a moose. The collector heard ... "wa wa wa wa wa ... moose ... wa wa" and responded, "yeah, it IS a moose!" The dealer subsequently started calling all of his "great" coins moose.

Don't even get me started on how the descriptor "Godzilla" got started! >>



What a great story ... if it's true, that would be cool to be privy to the birth of a popular slang term.
(The fact that someone here knew that story is pretty amazing to me)

Tell me this is completely true and not a joke ... >>

At least I have showered since then.

astrorat

<< <i>

<< <i>The original use of the term "moose" to describe a coin dates to the early 1990s. The first use occurred late one Saturday afternoon at a Long Beach show when a well-known, rotund east coast dealer showed was showing a spectacular Liberty Seated half dollar proof to an advanced collector. The collector's wife, who was accompanying him at the show, moved in to look over her husband's shoulder at the coin and commented that he smelled like a moose. The collector heard ... "wa wa wa wa wa ... moose ... wa wa" and responded, "yeah, it IS a moose!" The dealer subsequently started calling all of his "great" coins moose.

Don't even get me started on how the descriptor "Godzilla" got started! >>



What a great story ... if it's true, that would be cool to be privy to the birth of a popular slang term.
(The fact that someone here knew that story is pretty amazing to me)

Tell me this is completely true and not a joke ... >>

Okay ... I will tell you that it is completely true and not a joke.

WingedLiberty1957

Shoot ... that's a shame that it's a joke

(I liked the story that much!)

mbogoman

Moose Skowron. He stood out from the crowd.

astrorat

<< <i>Shoot ... that's a shame that it's a joke

(I liked the story that much!) >>

Like many numismatic "facts" ... just repeat it enough and it will become accepted as true.

renomedphys

<<-------- Moose.

WingedLiberty1957

<< <i>Like many numismatic "facts" ... just repeat it enough and it will become accepted as true. >>




Now THAT is funny!

Wolf359

<< <i><<-------- Moose.

>>



Wow

mkman123

I think we should use the term "T-Rex" instead

AuroraBorealis

Easy answer! The ultimate best of the best...

In my opinion the term moose is used way to often when monster would barely if at all describe a particular coin...
Brings back some fond memories for me as a good friend of mine and a dealer that is no longer with us taught me the differences without ever telling me the differences but by showing me...I would purchase "cool" Morgans and monster Morgans from him with many of the "monster" Morgans literally would bring tears to ones eyes at very first view of it...Then somewhere along the way he said Wayno I have a moose for you and I said to him whats that? He simply said "it`s better then a monster"... When I finally had the 81-S Morgan in hand unlike when viewing a "monster" when I am smiling I felt a serious expression come over me and I was totally in awe...Had everything with extras over and above...It had high end technical, gorgeous neon color with booming luster and to put the icing on the cake the actual stitches from the mint bag made a form of textile in an arc right across Liberty`s face that I have till then never seen the likes of or ever since.
Another good friend of mine BigMoose was gracious enough to send me the Superior Auction catalog from 1987 that had pics of a beautiful Morgan that I purchased from him at this past Fun Coin Show...Low and behold on the same page was a pic of the "moose" that I described earlier...
With that said "Stitched Perfection" from the Continental Bank Hoard is what we call it and was my very first Moose... I have a few more true Moose Morgan`s but that one was my first and like I said once in hand I could see the difference...
Here`s a bunch of pics that I took of it and please bare with the scratches on the lower part of the holder...

AB

mkman123

geeezzzzzz.....ms68* with cac, thats a beast!

TwoSides2aCoin

If there were no whales, the moose might be extinct.

A numismatic riddle.

WingedLiberty1957

Hey, I think I found the origin of the slang "Moose" ...



"Moose" (c.1976-1980) = A phenomenal quality coin. Evidently penned by "Boy Wonder" Kevin Lipton.

I have no idea who "Boy Wonder" Kevin Lipton is, but it's interesting that this term goes all the way back to the late 1970's

Here is the source ...
http://malakoff.com/cms.htm



By the way "Boy Wonder" is a slang term for a young coin dealer who bursts upon the numismatic scene and quickly becomes a top flight dealer.

This is what Kevin Lipton looks like today (no longer a "boy") ...






It's interesting that this reference lists that "Monster" is (or was) a synonym for "Blazer", where

"Blazer" = An Uncirculated or Proof coin having above-average luster and visual appeal. Veteran coin collector Fred Yee used to ask to see any "braziers" I had in stock. [Also, Dazzler, Flash, Godzilla, Hard White, Killer, Monster, Moose, Mother, Stone White, Wonder Coin, and a host of others]

Although I think Monster has now been adopted by the toned coin collectors to refer to a coin with unusually beautiful or striking color.

oreville

Yes, the 1976-1980 era was when the term "moose" was born. I remember it starting then.

Originally, I thought it meant a HUGE (fantastic for the price) buy, as in a moose of a coin OR a moose of a deal.

Anyone remember that too?

MacCrimmon

<< <i>Hey, I think I found the origin of the slang "Moose" ...



"Moose" (c.1976-1980) = A phenomenal quality coin. Evidently penned by "Boy Wonder" Kevin Lipton.

I have no idea who Boy Wonder Kevin Lipton is, but it's interesting that this term goes all the way back to the late 1970's



Here is the source ...
http://malakoff.com/cms.htm



"Monster" is (or was) a synonym for "Blazer"

"Blazer" = An Uncirculated or Proof coin having above-average luster and visual appeal. Veteran coin collector Fred Yee used to ask to see any "braziers" I had in stock. [Also, Dazzler, Flash, Godzilla, Hard White, Killer, Monster, Moose, Mother, Stone White, Wonder Coin, and a host of others]

Although I think Monster has now been adopted by the toned coin collectors to refer to a coin unusually beautiful or striking color. >>




I don't know if "moose" was coined by Lipton, but the term was definitely used by Ed Hipps back in the early '80s when he would pull his latest newp from a box and exclaim, "You should buy this moose". Oh, that I could have afforded them all back in those days, but I was yet a poor church mouse in college.

WingedLiberty1957

Here is my moose ...

1914 Matte Proof Lincoln Cent (PCGS Secure Plus PR66 BN)

philographer

It takes a whale to buy a moose!

Edward

AuroraBorealis

Some very nice Moose coins posted guys!
Earlier I posted a pic of a toned Moose for an example and here`s a few more pics with a candid shot of a couple of real Moose just the other day... A mama and her baby... Followed by another Moose coin... Actually an American Bison but still a Moose...

AB

WingedLiberty1957

I am loving that Buffalo

Nice moose shots too!

copperhunter

Attached is my moose:

FredWeinberg

Please don't ask about some of Kevin's
OTHER terms that he made famous !!

Twobitcollector

Her's my MOOSE coin

bestclser1

I had heard Mikey use the term Moose back in the eighties,and he could find them every once in a while too!RIP Mikey