Group of late 16th, early 17th century thalers walked into my B&M yesterday

Weiss · November 30, 2016 2:30PM

From a 1970s-era collection of one of our local college professors.

What could I do but buy them?

Unfortunately, now I have to decide what to do with them...

TomB · November 30, 2016 3:46PM

That's a nice problem to have to deal with.

lordmarcovan · December 1, 2016 1:26AM

I have a possible answer for the "what to do with them" question.

You sell or swap me the Saxony "Three Brothers" piece or the Salzburg, that's what you do!

(Preferably swap, since I am, as always, strapped for cash at the moment, but I would give up some BU silver world coins and maybe a slab or two and what little cash I have to get into that Saxony. Maybe even one of my present Box of 20 pieces...)

I particularly like that one, except for that darkish spot on the far right brother. Conservable, you think?

PM me if you're amenable to some friendly haggling.

STLNATS · December 1, 2016 7:06AM

Nice looking original coins. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

asheland · December 1, 2016 7:56AM

Cool pick up!

Weiss · December 1, 2016 8:05AM

@lordmarcovan said:
I have a possible answer for the "what to do with them" question.

You sell or swap me the Saxony "Three Brothers" piece or the Salzburg, that's what you do!

(Preferably swap, since I am, as always, strapped for cash at the moment, but I would give up some BU silver world coins and maybe a slab or two and what little cash I have to get into that Saxony. Maybe even one of my present Box of 20 pieces...)

I particularly like that one, except for that darkish spot on the far right brother. Conservable, you think?

PM me if you're amenable to some friendly haggling.

Conserve?
Like intentionally alter the original surfaces on a coin that was an antique when Columbus set sail?
Like remove Cindy Crawford's mole? Fix the Mona Lisa's teeth?

I'd definitely part with them for the right price. But not to someone who would want to shine them up.

Stork · December 1, 2016 10:43AM

I'm just guessing, but I THINK 'conserve' in this case means 'make sure that black dot isn't something that is a contaminant that should be removed'...no shining or dipping...no change in patina/color/dipping or stripping off the honest tone.

edited to add: LordM (and most of us here) aren't that kind of guy/gal.

STLNATS · December 1, 2016 11:46AM

@Stork said:
I'm just guessing, but I THINK 'conserve' in this case means 'make sure that black dot isn't something that is a contaminant that should be removed'...no shining or dipping...no change in patina/color/dipping or stripping off the honest tone.

edited to add: LordM (and most of us here) aren't that kind of guy/gal.

+1. Poor wording, I think, in LM's post and I think Stork expressed his intent properly. The spot was a "yellow flag" (ie not quite a red) when I first saw the pic. Were it my coin I'd want to be sure it isn't an issue and if ok, no harm no foul and nothing needs to be done. Certainly the original surface is a real asset to each of these coins.

Just MHO.

PS early on I had a small collection of talers in about the same nice condition as these. I swapped most of them off to pursue other interests. Coins like these (and especially this time of year for some reason) make me wonder if I made the right decision. Congrats again on some great pieces.

Weiss · December 1, 2016 12:49PM

You guys. Beneath my comments is a

I know what LM said and what he meant.

Stork · December 1, 2016 1:00PM

For the second today... Whoops

I miss the old emoticons. We could have a whole conversation almost. That is too subtle...

STLNATS · December 1, 2016 4:14PM

@Stork said:
For the second today... Whoops

I miss the old emoticons. We could have a whole conversation almost. That is too subtle...

Yup, looked like an insult to me...now time for a group hug - oh no they removed those.

asheland · December 1, 2016 9:06PM

That spot might come off with a simple acetone bath and the surfaces would remain totally intact.
Great coins indeed!

Icollecteverything · December 1, 2016 9:11PM

I don't know if you can call it "work" if you get to play with stuff like that.

worldcoinguy · December 2, 2016 7:39AM

Very cool to have those walk in off the street. I like the three brothers in particular.

brg5658 · December 2, 2016 8:41AM

@Weiss said:
Like intentionally alter the original surfaces on a coin that was an antique when Columbus set sail?

Huh? It's dated 1596 -- Columbus died 90 years earlier in 1506.

Weiss · December 2, 2016 8:55AM

@brg5658 said:

@Weiss said:
Like intentionally alter the original surfaces on a coin that was an antique when Columbus set sail?

Huh? It's dated 1596 -- Columbus died 90 years earlier in 1506.

Again, see the at the end of my post

lordmarcovan · December 3, 2016 7:49AM

Yes, Stork said it better. I wasn't suggesting anyone dip that coin. Nosiree. The toning is otherwise quite nice. (As it is indeed on all three of these.)

The spot on the Three Brothers piece is distracting, though. I was merely referring to spot removal, if it could be done safely. (Hence the use of the word "conserve", with its more careful connotation than merely "clean", which would refer to the whole thing.)

lordmarcovan · December 3, 2016 7:54AM

PS- @Weiss - did you really think that I, "coiner" of the "Circulation Cameo" term, would dip and strip a nice CircCam?

Really?

"Shine them up".

Hmph.

asheland · December 5, 2016 11:18AM

You know, a piece of steel wool would take the spot away.

asheland · December 5, 2016 11:18AM

Stork · December 5, 2016 11:39AM

@asheland said:
You know, a piece of steel wool would take the spot away.

(I know, I know, you're kidding )

asheland · December 5, 2016 11:56AM

pmac · December 5, 2016 12:06PM

Even though he doesn't (I don't believe) collect darkside coins, I wonder if that coin would be rejected by ricko?

Group of late 16th, early 17th century thalers walked into my B&M yesterday

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