Now for something you don't see every day....
cardinal
Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
eBay can be fraught with exuberant prices or downright fakes, but sometimes a rarity comes through. Some time ago I was running a search, and a peculiar item popped up - something I would have thought would never exist. It lasted on eBay just a day or so, and then disappeared long before the auction was to last. Maybe it was reported as a fake, or the seller sold it off-eBay, or whatever. Then, some days later, it popped up again, but with a buy-it-now price, and I went for it and hit the bulls-eye!
After it arrived, I submitted it to PCGS, and now - 5 weeks later - it's on it's way back, and I have another TrueView:
It turns out to be the die trial for the reverse of the 1976 Paris Mint copy of the Libertas Americana medal, spanning 87mm in diameter!
Comments
Very nice ... congratulations!
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
Awesome
That's wild! great pickup.
@Justacommeman Mark, don't visit this thread. You may not go back the same man you were previously.
Ok now that's pretty cool! Nice pick up
HAPPY COLLECTING
Cardinal, your diligence is very well rewarded. Most would not recognize the significance of this pattern.
OINK
Really awesome.
I’m on my 6th drink. Drowning myself in sorrow
Dayum that’s ridiculously cool. I can’t buy on EBay so I don’t look (not allowed) . I think this puts me ahead over time. However times like this I’m gnashing my teeth
Great get Martin!
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Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Looked it up. Good buy. !
this is nice. items like this usually find their way to where they are meant to be.
@cardinal, You have a lot of things we don't see everyday. Nice grab. Congrats.
That is totally awesome
Congrats! Incredible pick up. I'm glad it found a great home.
I agree things like this have a way of finding their way to the right collections.
An ever impressive piece! Love the design. Thank you for sharing!
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If you twirl the reverse around in the light in the right way, does it hypnotize people?
I’m with everyone else! This piece is amazing. But can you tell me what I’m looking at?
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
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More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
That is cool - is it silver, weigh over 8 oz, and/or have anything written on the edge?
Here's the progression:
Reverse die trial:
Die alignment test piece:
Test piece with proper alignment:
1976 Production piece struck in silver:
1983 Production piece struck in bronze:
Ahhhh, beyond O so Cool
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
.
More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
Wow! Such awesome piece!
That's an incredible collection. I didn't expect to see all these but I'm thoroughly impressed with the dedication and accomplishment.
One of A kind and glad to see it in your possession ........ well deserved owner of the medal
Congrats @cardinal
That is fantastic
Latin American Collection
Amazing find!
And I agree, occasionally something truly special comes up on eBay...and you better be watching!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Fantastic... and the series of TruViews shows what an incredible set you have built. Is there a gold medal to complete the collection? Cheers, RickO
I wish! There were 3 struck in gold, but with the run up in gold bullion during 1980, they likely got melted. But, if one of the purchasers was well off enough to keep it (it would still retain it bullion value), one might just be out there!
@Cardinal....I certainly wish you good fortune in finding one...That would make an outstanding and truly unique set. Cheers, RickO
Great pickup!
I've received some feedback, stating the piece is not a die trial and that if it was put side by side with one of the actual medals it would be obviously not a die trial. I disagree with that conclusion, and I think that person's conclusion was reached because of the scaling of the TrueViews.
The silver 1976 medals were struck in a diameter of 77mm, while the "die trial" spans 87mm. However, the TrueViews make it look like they are both the same size.
Here is the comparison side-by-side with both pieces shown at the same scale:
Now let's overlay the image of an actual 1976 Struck Medal on top of the "die trial" leaving the overlay partially off of the underlying image:
Now, if I center the overlay on top of the "die trial," it looks like this:
In the final image, the lettering and the devices all line up perfectly. The overlay piece was graded by PCGS as MS67 and so essentially perfect. All of the defects in the underlying piece can be seen in the last image, documenting that the image is truly a overlay of a see-through image of the MS67 medal on top of the other piece.
The reverse of the "die trial" shows concentric circles - precisely like what can be seen in PCGSCoinFacts with other uniface die trial pieces that have been certified.
Considering that the "die trial" was created 44 years ago and wasn't kept by a trained numismatist, it suffered some damage in the ensuing years. Still, that doesn't disqualify it from PCGS' conclusion of its die trial status.
^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
I think eBay, and Goodwill Industries do much, as a conduit, to spark that "thrill of the chase." If not for @cardinal post, and other discoveries; there would be no adventure in sifting through the possible venues of discovery...
Beautiful medal design, and rarity. What a find! Thanks for sharing.
Now to find the obverse die trial! Wow great find! I can't wait to see your updated album!
Just in case anyone cared to spend the next 30 minutes drooling on their keyboards: https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/medals-tokens/libertas-americana-medals/alltimeset/146364
Beautiful! But now the picture is obsolete because of the new discovery!!!!
I think I need to have lunch or dinner with you, Martin!!!
Fantastic pieces.
It just shows, not only can I not swim in the deep end, I cannot even be allowed near the pool.
I have to think the obverse die trial is out there somewhere! It just needs to be found!
Because it's in a different Galaxy!
i love ebay stories like this.
knowledge is truly rewarding, in more ways than one.