@Lakesammman said:
If you've ever tried to catch a cricket, it's very doubtful it was slabbed alive!
I catch them in my house all the time. And release them outside, of course. But at these prices, maybe next time I'll just ship them to Newport Beach, PETA be damned!
More than 100 and you can go through bulk, maybe get a special label, too, while you're at it.
@MrEureka said:
BTW, this is not the only PCGS slabbed insect out there. When I was at PCGS in 87-88, one of the graders had some insect slabbed. (I'm thinking it was a rattler cockroach, but I could be wrong.) So Fred's cricket, important as it is, is not completely unique.
For this particular breed of cricket, we believe it is. We've spent a considerable amount of time studying orthopteran insects over the past month, since Fred entrusted it with us.
A few non-numismatic items in nature ( no pun intended) were slabbed by PCGS, mostly in the late 80’s.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
With all due respect, Ian graded the cricket MS 65...
But shouldn’t it be SPECIMEN 65🤔🤔🤔
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
"My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal.
That cricket looks like it's about to disintegrate...
So how will you ship that so the winner doesn't receive a slab with just beige dust in it?
We're being very careful with it here (it's not housed with other coins in double row/single row boxes etc.). I'd prefer someone to pick it up from us, but if we ship it, we will make sure it is packed very well. It did survive going to/from coin shows for Fred - he displayed it at quite a few shows.
CoinWeek has published a detailed article and included a video showcasing Fred Weinberg and his famous Cricket.
In the article, CoinWeek quotes Fred stating that a dealer offered a substantially higher offer for the Cricket.
Fred didn’t want to name the dealer or the amount offered, since he did not want to hype the sale of the Cricket by Great Collections.
Fred was referring to me. I had called Fred immediately when I noticed that GC had listed it in their auction, and offered Fred five thousand dollars to pull the sale and sell me the PCGS Cricket. He thanked me for the offer but said he couldn’t end the auction.
As of now, the bid is $2,600. I still feel that the Cricket will jump higher, and hit 10k before it’s all over.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
An unopened copy of Super Mario Bros has sold for $2 million to an anonymous buyer, a record-breaking price for a single video game.
The PCGS Cricket sounds like a bargain.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
@pcgscacgold said:
Now at $2900 ($3200 with BP). Seems like Irrational Exuberance to me but then I don't collect Crickets in PCGS Slabs. Maybe it is undergraded.
“Fred was referring to me. I had called Fred immediately when I noticed that GC had listed it in their auction, and offered Fred five thousand dollars to pull the sale and sell me the PCGS Cricket. He thanked me for the offer but said he couldn’t end the auction.”
“As of now, the bid is $2,600. I still feel that the Cricket will jump higher, and hit 10k before it’s all over.”
I’m really confused- if someone really wants to own an “item” at the very fair (offer) price of $5,000, why publicly predict it will hit $10,000 before it is over?? What am I missing? Are the proceeds of this auction now going to a charity, which might explain that?
Wondercoin
Please visit my website at www.wondercoins.com and my ebay auctions under my user name www.wondercoin.com.
‘I hope Fred has the decency to donate the proceeds to PETA or some worthy cricket conservation society.’
I have nothing to do with any proceeds going to charity or not.
People were predicting the outcome and were guessing the final price. I guessed 10k.
Fred didn’t want to hype his unique PCGS Cricket 🦗 in the CoinWeek article, so he didn’t name me or the price (5k). Fred’s a classy guy.
To specifically answer your question, I wanted to help the Cricket jump a bit, but I am not inferring that the proceeds are being donated.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
Zions- I actually like your concept rendering of a PCGS TrueView for the Cricket.
Having said that, I think PCGS should offer a TrueView with the option of having the side of the slab on the TrueView.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
@Byers said:
CoinWeek has published a detailed article and included a video showcasing Fred Weinberg and his famous Cricket.
In the article, CoinWeek quotes Fred stating that a dealer offered a substantially higher offer for the Cricket.
Fred didn’t want to name the dealer or the amount offered, since he did not want to hype the sale of the Cricket by Great Collections.
Fred was referring to me. I had called Fred immediately when I noticed that GC had listed it in their auction, and offered Fred five thousand dollars to pull the sale and sell me the PCGS Cricket. He thanked me for the offer but said he couldn’t end the auction.
As of now, the bid is $2,600. I still feel that the Cricket will jump higher, and hit 10k before it’s all over.
Mike, this post reminds me why we typically don't put consignor's names in the listing!
I certainly understand. It’s a double edge sword. GC prominently has ‘From the Fred Weinberg Collection’ in the auction listing title. And Fred was in the video that Coin Week published.
Part of my conversation with Fred was giving GC the commission if Fred pulled it. But as I mentioned in my previous post, Fred said he couldn’t ask you to pull it, and I certainly understood.
Fred and I had discussed the value of his PCGS Cricket and who might purchase it...before it was listed on your website as an auction lot.
Anyways, good luck with the PCGS Cricket auction! It’s certainly one of the most exciting and unusual PCGS slabs ever. And it’s great publicity for GC.
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
@fiftysevener said:
Of course it's worth more in a PCGS holder. But if I were a shareholder I would like to know what the real priorities were at the time.
It could have been getting rid of the cricket sound so the staff could concentrate on throughput.
Zions- most likely this PCGS Cricket will turn out to be the most famous item that Fred ever handled!
mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
I certainly understand. It’s a double edge sword. GC prominently has ‘From the Fred Weinberg Collection’ in the auction listing title. And Fred was in the video that Coin Week published.
Part of my conversation with Fred was giving GC the commission if Fred pulled it. But as I mentioned in my previous post, Fred said he couldn’t ask you to pull it, and I certainly understood.
Fred and I had discussed the value of his PCGS Cricket and who might purchase it...before it was listed on your website as an auction lot.
Anyways, good luck with the PCGS Cricket auction! It’s certainly one of the most exciting and unusual PCGS slabs ever. And it’s great publicity for GC.
Maybe good publicity for GC but it sure doesn't look good for PCGS. I would want to be assured graders are spending time on my coins to be graded accurately. So do we need a grading set to identify these things ?
I certainly understand. It’s a double edge sword. GC prominently has ‘From the Fred Weinberg Collection’ in the auction listing title. And Fred was in the video that Coin Week published.
Part of my conversation with Fred was giving GC the commission if Fred pulled it. But as I mentioned in my previous post, Fred said he couldn’t ask you to pull it, and I certainly understood.
Fred and I had discussed the value of his PCGS Cricket and who might purchase it...before it was listed on your website as an auction lot.
Anyways, good luck with the PCGS Cricket auction! It’s certainly one of the most exciting and unusual PCGS slabs ever. And it’s great publicity for GC.
Maybe good publicity for GC but it sure doesn't look good for PCGS. I would want to be assured graders are spending time on my coins to be graded accurately. So do we need a grading set to identify these things ?
I think it’s fine for PCGS. It’s from the early days and part of history now.
Comments
More than 100 and you can go through bulk, maybe get a special label, too, while you're at it.
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I wonder if it would cross over at a higher grade
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For this particular breed of cricket, we believe it is. We've spent a considerable amount of time studying orthopteran insects over the past month, since Fred entrusted it with us.
Owner/Founder GreatCollections
GreatCollections Coin Auctions - Certified Coin Auctions Every Week - Rare Coins & Coin Values
Andy- you are correct.
A few non-numismatic items in nature ( no pun intended) were slabbed by PCGS, mostly in the late 80’s.
The PCGS slabbed Cricket is getting alot of activity in such a short time!
•2,360 page views
•50 members tracking
•39 bids
•Current bid $1,550.
$2050 now.......I say hammer close to $5k
Not worth anything to me, how is my Leapord Gecko going to eat that? Plus he's fussy and won't eat dead insects.
I bid 2k.
Now it’s at 2600.
Probably time to bid again😳
I’m guessing it sells for 10k
Stupid cricket is worth more than many of my coins are.
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With all due respect, Ian graded the cricket MS 65...
But shouldn’t it be SPECIMEN 65🤔🤔🤔
I am SO glad it doesn't say SAMPLE on the label!
Are you trying to convince yourself it's not a sample?
You know you want it!
It’s quite the specimen!
Buy the cricket (or the cockroach), not the slab!
Tom
It may be worth more than my entire collection by the time the hammer drops.
Because of the price and publicity of this slabbed insect,
I wonder if there will be some "Midnight Minting" going on at PCGS
Think its been to CAC?
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IG: jb_rarities
@ianrussell
That cricket looks like it's about to disintegrate...
So how will you ship that so the winner doesn't receive a slab with just beige dust in it?
You mean Cricket Acceptance Corporation?
That is a REALLY good question!
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Am I happy that this is getting more attention than the 1893-S $1 we recently auctioned?
Yep, sure, absolutely. :-)
Owner/Founder GreatCollections
GreatCollections Coin Auctions - Certified Coin Auctions Every Week - Rare Coins & Coin Values
We're being very careful with it here (it's not housed with other coins in double row/single row boxes etc.). I'd prefer someone to pick it up from us, but if we ship it, we will make sure it is packed very well. It did survive going to/from coin shows for Fred - he displayed it at quite a few shows.
Owner/Founder GreatCollections
GreatCollections Coin Auctions - Certified Coin Auctions Every Week - Rare Coins & Coin Values
Large box and wrap it in 10 inches thick bubble wrap
Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM
CoinWeek has published a detailed article and included a video showcasing Fred Weinberg and his famous Cricket.
In the article, CoinWeek quotes Fred stating that a dealer offered a substantially higher offer for the Cricket.
Fred didn’t want to name the dealer or the amount offered, since he did not want to hype the sale of the Cricket by Great Collections.
Fred was referring to me. I had called Fred immediately when I noticed that GC had listed it in their auction, and offered Fred five thousand dollars to pull the sale and sell me the PCGS Cricket. He thanked me for the offer but said he couldn’t end the auction.
As of now, the bid is $2,600. I still feel that the Cricket will jump higher, and hit 10k before it’s all over.
I hope so. It’s fun to see a cricket jump!
I hope it can make it back to PCGS for a TrueView!
Here's a concept rendering
Here's one with the slab!
Unbelievable what people spend their money on.
That's what many spouses think about coins
An unopened copy of Super Mario Bros has sold for $2 million to an anonymous buyer, a record-breaking price for a single video game.
The PCGS Cricket sounds like a bargain.
Will this be on display for the next Long Beach show? Maybe in a jar with small holes poked in the lid?
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
Now at $2900 ($3200 with BP). Seems like Irrational Exuberance to me but then I don't collect Crickets in PCGS Slabs. Maybe it is undergraded.
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$5 Type Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/type-sets/half-eagle-type-set-circulation-strikes-1795-1929/album/344192
CBH Set https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/everyman-collections/everyman-half-dollars/everyman-capped-bust-half-dollars-1807-1839/album/345572
Someone is hoping it CACs!
“Fred was referring to me. I had called Fred immediately when I noticed that GC had listed it in their auction, and offered Fred five thousand dollars to pull the sale and sell me the PCGS Cricket. He thanked me for the offer but said he couldn’t end the auction.”
“As of now, the bid is $2,600. I still feel that the Cricket will jump higher, and hit 10k before it’s all over.”
I’m really confused- if someone really wants to own an “item” at the very fair (offer) price of $5,000, why publicly predict it will hit $10,000 before it is over?? What am I missing? Are the proceeds of this auction now going to a charity, which might explain that?
Wondercoin
No cac. Not enough luster...
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
Andy Lustig said:
‘I hope Fred has the decency to donate the proceeds to PETA or some worthy cricket conservation society.’
I have nothing to do with any proceeds going to charity or not.
People were predicting the outcome and were guessing the final price. I guessed 10k.
Fred didn’t want to hype his unique PCGS Cricket 🦗 in the CoinWeek article, so he didn’t name me or the price (5k). Fred’s a classy guy.
To specifically answer your question, I wanted to help the Cricket jump a bit, but I am not inferring that the proceeds are being donated.
Zions- I actually like your concept rendering of a PCGS TrueView for the Cricket.
Having said that, I think PCGS should offer a TrueView with the option of having the side of the slab on the TrueView.
Mike, this post reminds me why we typically don't put consignor's names in the listing!
Owner/Founder GreatCollections
GreatCollections Coin Auctions - Certified Coin Auctions Every Week - Rare Coins & Coin Values
Ian-
I certainly understand. It’s a double edge sword. GC prominently has ‘From the Fred Weinberg Collection’ in the auction listing title. And Fred was in the video that Coin Week published.
Part of my conversation with Fred was giving GC the commission if Fred pulled it. But as I mentioned in my previous post, Fred said he couldn’t ask you to pull it, and I certainly understood.
Fred and I had discussed the value of his PCGS Cricket and who might purchase it...before it was listed on your website as an auction lot.
Anyways, good luck with the PCGS Cricket auction! It’s certainly one of the most exciting and unusual PCGS slabs ever. And it’s great publicity for GC.
20 years Fred? Try 30 years. Oh, that ought to help out the retirement fund a bunch!
bob
A LOT of deep pockets, in this hobby/industry, to be able to throw money at and purchase something like this.
No interest from me....I'll stick to coins. But, I'm guessing that it sells WELL into the 5 figures, at least.
Probably purchased by someone who is closely related to the history of this story and/or it's players.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
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Cricket is on 🔥
GC says so!
It's up to $3,500 before BP with over 42 days to go!
And it's worth more than its weight in gold!
@ianrussell I noticed that the cricket is the #3 highlighted item on the GC homepage.
Any way to get it to the #1 slot?
Of course it's worth more in a PCGS holder. But if I were a shareholder I would like to know what the real priorities were at the time.
Is this a Top 5 slab from the @FredWeinberg Collection?
It could have been getting rid of the cricket sound so the staff could concentrate on throughput.
Zions- most likely this PCGS Cricket will turn out to be the most famous item that Fred ever handled!
I'm a catch-and-release kind of guy with bugs so I don't like this
Maybe good publicity for GC but it sure doesn't look good for PCGS. I would want to be assured graders are spending time on my coins to be graded accurately. So do we need a grading set to identify these things ?
I think it’s fine for PCGS. It’s from the early days and part of history now.
Could be???
I know about the off center Morgan which is used for his store card.
Will these two end up being the most famous?