Cheating dealers! Leave those kids alone!
astrorat
Posts: 9,221 ✭✭✭✭✭
In doing some background work on an upcoming project, I ran across a charming letter from 1877 that was the foundation of an article in the December 1982 issue of The Numismatist.
The article was about this letter from 14 year old Charles Y. Audenried to his dad:
Rosedale, Sep. 17th, 1877
Dear Papa.
I am now going to write you a letter on collecting coins. In order to obtain a good collection of coins one should be possessed of a great deal of patience, this quality being essential because it is impossible to make a good collection of coins in a short time.
Another quality necessary to a collection is caution for unless he proceeds cautiously in buying his coins he will be cheated unmercifully by the dealer in coins.
Some of the coin dealers are honest but some are "frauds". One of the ways in which they cheat is changing the date on a coin; for instance in one of the years during or soon after the war of 1812 no one cent pieces were coins by the government, now the dealer in coins sometimes takes a coin made in one of the years between 1840 and 1850 and, having first rubbed out the first part of the four, sell it to some person, who does not understand coin collecting, as something very rare.
I have this trick on the authority of a school friend of mine on whom is was practiced. Coin dealers also sell counterfeits of rare coins as genuine ones. A very good way of getting coins cheap, is to purchase of the boys at school because they generally have duplicates of what they sell, and therefore do not set so high a value on them. Some boys make a business of selling & trading coins & stamps at school, at which business they make a good deal.
Your affectionate son,
Chas. Y. Audrenried
By the way ... the young Mr. Audrenried eventually became a lawyer.
The article was about this letter from 14 year old Charles Y. Audenried to his dad:
Rosedale, Sep. 17th, 1877
Dear Papa.
I am now going to write you a letter on collecting coins. In order to obtain a good collection of coins one should be possessed of a great deal of patience, this quality being essential because it is impossible to make a good collection of coins in a short time.
Another quality necessary to a collection is caution for unless he proceeds cautiously in buying his coins he will be cheated unmercifully by the dealer in coins.
Some of the coin dealers are honest but some are "frauds". One of the ways in which they cheat is changing the date on a coin; for instance in one of the years during or soon after the war of 1812 no one cent pieces were coins by the government, now the dealer in coins sometimes takes a coin made in one of the years between 1840 and 1850 and, having first rubbed out the first part of the four, sell it to some person, who does not understand coin collecting, as something very rare.
I have this trick on the authority of a school friend of mine on whom is was practiced. Coin dealers also sell counterfeits of rare coins as genuine ones. A very good way of getting coins cheap, is to purchase of the boys at school because they generally have duplicates of what they sell, and therefore do not set so high a value on them. Some boys make a business of selling & trading coins & stamps at school, at which business they make a good deal.
Your affectionate son,
Chas. Y. Audrenried
By the way ... the young Mr. Audrenried eventually became a lawyer.
Numismatist Ordinaire
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
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Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
<< <i>Thanks so much as I enjoyed reading this!
Me too, very cool!
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 448
Rob
Successful Trades with: Coincast, MICHAELDIXON
Successful Purchases from: Manorcourtman, Meltdown
<< <i>Thanks for an interesting read... >>
I guess he means that 1815 large cents were made out of later date large cents. Interesting, I have never seen such a thing.
Ironic that letter was written in 1877...the year a certain scarce indian cent was struck that is often counterfeited by altering dates...
My Early Large Cents
<< <i>Nice story....
Bullsitter, turn on your PMs!
My Early Large Cents
<< <i>You're going to trust a 14 year old over an adult businessman?? Maybe the businessmen were unaware of the alterations?? Where is mrpotatohead when you need him? >>
He's out looking for CaptHenway for backup.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Such a respectful young man. Now they blow things to bits on video games.
<< <i>
<< <i>Such a respectful young man. Now they blow things to bits on video games. >>
I'm a 27 year old who blows things to bits in video games, what's wrong with that?
Cool read, OP! >>
I rest my case!
<< <i>
<< <i>I rest my case!
I'll try my best to not take that personally. >>
I knew you could handle a joke. Many here can't!