How many die varieties can you identify from memory?
KensCoins2287
Posts: 160 ✭✭✭✭
How many die varieties of your favorite series are you able to identify from memory? It seems like some guys are walking encyclopedias of die varieties, and I am courious how many collectors try to commit varieties to memory or do most rely on a reference book or a dealer's attributions? I love the bust half series, and I could probably identify around 50 Overton varieties from memory and I'm always trying to learn more.... it's quite addictive!
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A few hundred, give or take.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Maybe 50 (Liberty Seated Half Dimes).
I can't memorize as well as I used to, so I have a big Excel sheet with notes on each (512 total at present).
I also make PDFs one year at a time, to complete the descriptions, make rosters, etc.
So mostly I am relying on written material.
I am not attempting to memorize the varieties and cherrypick them at shows.
I do look on ebay, though. It's easy to use reference material for ebay.
Some might call it the "google effect" - if you can look things up really fast, you don't need to memorize them.
But for me it's probably more old age....
I would say most of the CPG in the Lincoln series. Found and had attributed several firsts when PCGS started recognizing and slabbing them. Probably the same with the Jefferson series. I will defer to Watersport and BigDowgie as they are the Kings for their respective series.
Zero
I like bust quarters and there is no way I am going to try and memorize them. I have a hard enough time verifying them when I have the book in front of me. If I am at a show trying to find varieties, I look at the coin and then go off to check it in my book and then come back and verify it or I just ask the dealer if I can find the variety in my book. 9 times out of 10 the dealers could care less about bust quarter varieties unless they are dealers in that material. I have only had one dealer tell me no when I asked to look at my bust quarter book and they got angry that I asked. This was a dealer at the Central States show about 8 years ago. I just smiled and moved on to the next table. Not worth the aggravation when I am out doing something I love.
Thousands across many series
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
A few hundred in Lincoln Wheat Cents. They get etched into memory when you're searching for an attribution.
A lot of RPMs are very similar to each other, and are impossible to memorize. I went through a group of BU rolls of 1946-S Cents a while back, and ended up just putting aside the RPMs I found, mostly because there are so many similar-looking RPMs from 1946-S. I ended up having to image examples of each, and then carefully check MM positions and markers to attribute them.
The other end of the spectrum are the unique RPMs that are instantly recognized. A 56-D #1, or 54-S #3 or #4, don't require any thought at all to attribute. A lot of double dies are that way as well.
http://macrocoins.com
ten maybe?
bob
A decent amount on lincoln cents and a few Snow's on the IHC. Do screenshots count?
Of course!
http://macrocoins.com
1
Hoard the keys.
A bunch....don't have any idea about a number.
Out of 453? Maybe 50. I should know more. But I run out of brain.
Lance.
Maybe three or four.... Really weak in this area....But I can spot an AH Kennedy from several feet away...
Cheers, RickO
I agree with you.
It's like when the Judge asked Curley "Do you swear......." and Curly replied "No, but I know all the words".
NYUK
Pete
Most all of the Buffalo nickels. A smattering of a few other series.
Not many from memory.... I have Google.
A couple hundred at least.
Only if there major varieties.So not many.
I'm really good at 1921 Peace Dollar varieties.
I know quite a few major die varieties. The ones you don't need a microscope to detect. I don't dabble in minor varieties, they're contrived rarities as far as I am concerned.
Die varieties are an interesting way to study the minting process, and track die wear and such. Not only am I interested in these so-called "minor" varieties, I am interested in (and collect) the stages from early to late (or very early to very late) die state.
http://macrocoins.com
Memorized with all PUPs - maybe 50
Familiar with, ie know to check some dates or even series for a specific thing - a few hundred
I’m much better at scouring a coin, finding any irregularity, buying it and matching it up later. As long as I buy it at regular coin price, variety is just gravy whether small or large, plus I then learn that variety.
"You Suck Award" - February, 2015
Discoverer of 1919 Mercury Dime DDO - FS-101
Oh no, you're going to get any of the "Fly Speck" numismatists all upset if they read this!
I'm not very good at attribution from memory. That's what books are for (or at least that's how I justify it to spare my ego rather than acknowledge a fault -- lol ).
To answer the OP's question: I probably know 20 or so from memory, even though my area of focus (large cents) is ripe with them, and like you I'm in awe of those who can glance at a coin and attribute it.
One thing I've learned about identifying varieties is to also learn the pick up points as best you can.
All of the double dimes. Is kind of scary how much brain-space this takes up. I haven't looked at any 20c coins in weeks, so I jumped on ebay just now to test myself. 10 for 10.
I never gave it any thought as far as how many varieties that I can identify from memory. I would say a few hundred colonials plus a handful of early federal as well as some seated material.
Don't know many die varieties but I have an extensive database of key dates in my head. Just the other day I received a 72P cent in change, got back to the car, busted out the loupe, no DDO:(
Several hundred.
More when I was younger and had a better recall.