Are Americans not entitled to speak of "old coins"?
Dentuck
Posts: 3,824 ✭✭✭
Laurence Oliphant, in Minnesota and the Far West, wrote the following in 1855:
The impressions of a traveller visiting the United States of America for the first time
are so totally unlike those which he has experienced in the course of his rambles
in the Old World, that he at once perceives that, in order to the due appreciation
of the country he is about to explore, an entire revolution must be effected in
those habits of thought and observation in which he has hitherto indulged.
Instead of moralising over magnificence in a process of decay, he must here
watch resources in a process of development—he must substitute the pleasures
of anticipation for those of retrospection—must be more familiar with pecuniary
speculations than with historical associations—delight himself rather in statistics
than in poetry—visit docks instead of ruins—converse of dollars, and not of antique coins.
[emphasis added]
--- as quoted by Kenneth W. Rendell in The Great American West: Pursuing the American Dream
The impressions of a traveller visiting the United States of America for the first time
are so totally unlike those which he has experienced in the course of his rambles
in the Old World, that he at once perceives that, in order to the due appreciation
of the country he is about to explore, an entire revolution must be effected in
those habits of thought and observation in which he has hitherto indulged.
Instead of moralising over magnificence in a process of decay, he must here
watch resources in a process of development—he must substitute the pleasures
of anticipation for those of retrospection—must be more familiar with pecuniary
speculations than with historical associations—delight himself rather in statistics
than in poetry—visit docks instead of ruins—converse of dollars, and not of antique coins.
[emphasis added]
--- as quoted by Kenneth W. Rendell in The Great American West: Pursuing the American Dream
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To be honest I prefer to live in a country that keeps an eye on the future than one whose populace keeps grasping on to the past.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
<< <i>I can't argue about the merits or right to speak about old coins and thing but one fact is true: America is one of the youngest countries in the world. To Americans anything over 100 years old is considered old while Europeans and the folks in Asia and Midde East probably have food in their pantries older than that.
To be honest I prefer to live in a country that keeps an eye on the future than one whose populace keeps grasping on to the past. >>
Yes, i used to live in a city where the local historical society would award a plac to anyone that
had a house that was 100 years old or older. they would come over and have a little "photo-opp"
and present the homeowner with it to bolt onto the side of a wall.
Can you quess which city (in the Bay Area of CA) ?
<< <i>To be honest I prefer to live in a country that keeps an eye on the future than one whose populace keeps grasping on to the past. >>
And with the current debt over 15 trillion, what a future it is!
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Instagram: 8 Reales Numis
<< <i>And with the current debt over 15 trillion, what a future it is! >>
Unless you have access to a time machine (and I know you don't)...
The biggest city in your country is young enough to make Philadelphia feel like Rome.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
This is very true. We are a very young country, and remember that when Lawrence Oliphant wrote the above cited paragraph, in 1855, the United States was less than 80 years old - hardly old by any standard.
<< <i>
<< <i>And with the current debt over 15 trillion, what a future it is! >>
Unless you have access to a time machine (and I know you don't)...
The biggest city in your country is young enough to make Philadelphia feel like Rome. >>
Russia was founded around the 9th Century. I'm missing your analogy, sorry.
8 Reales Madness Collection
Instagram: 8 Reales Numis
getting those interesting questions rolled out?
Back in the day the practical was more necessary to the common man then the academic.
having a dollar to buy necessities was more important than holding and discussing the nature of an ancient coin.
Although I'm sure there were 1855 aristocratic americans with money and thus time for lofty pursuits.