Oh, you guys are going to make me pull some out ... not nearly as funny as some of yours, but here goes
Lovely grey dirt, untouched, unspoiled Deep antique toning with forest and golden hues and flashes of crimson and blues Deep and dusky color with russet orange highlights Pleasing luster and a decidedly well-centered, powerful strike
From Sheridan Downey (who else!) ...
Caky luster bursts through the attractive russet and copper toning Unquestionably original pale auburn toning is infused with gold A gossamer veil of gold toning suggests storage in a kraft envelope
and finally, for a graded AU58 ...
Where's the rub?!
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
I apply the term "Crayola" for color that borders upon being over the top, i.e. the color has around a 50/50 chance of getting "details only", but if it passes, then it'll be a big time win for the owner. A few of other I've used: "dazzle bomb", "detonate", and "lockdown" as in "lockdown gem".
Sorry - meant to say that these are terms I actually use when I am writing coin descriptions.
I like how the coin hustlers use or mangle the language or make the coin sound like a delicious dessert invoking every conceivable color. CH UNC., Super Slider!, PQ+++, "Looks MS**". "Monster".
I had not see this before now. I don't know if it was mentioned, but I like "Sweet" when I look at one that really grabs my attention. This is or has been quite a thread.
"Ain't None of Them play like him (Bix Beiderbecke) Yet." Louis Armstrong
Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
@ChangeInHistory said:
Original skin has been a favorite of mine.
I remember encountering "original skin" the first few times in articles and posts on Barber halves by TomB. It's an excellent colorful descriptor and it conjured images of Daniel Boone, and coins bought and skinned for their hides, and coin 'tanning.' Because I collect low and midgrade 19th century coins, I understood "original skin" to mean AG3s to EF45s with a good original 'leathery' look. I wanted thick but supple hides on my G4s and VG8s. Soon, brightly cleaned coins became regarded as skinned buffalo carcasses on the bourse 'prairie.' They were to be avoided like hoof and mouth disease, destined only to be picked clean by flea market and eBay vendors, and YNs.
Here's one of the descriptions I used to describe one of the coins in my former #1 NGC Roosevelt Set. Mike DeFalco had some of the best descriptions of coins I've ever read.
This from a 1950 NGC MS68*FT:
"Bathed in colors I've found along the reefs of Key-West. The obverse and reverse feature ocean-blue, cornflower-blue, slate-blue, midnight-blue and steel-blue with touches of dark goldenrod, sienna, peru, coral-brown and coral-red splattered throughout the coin. Lighter areas of dim-gray and white-smoke serve to brighten an already luminescent speciman. A very well struck MS68 example and the eye-appeal is off the charts."
Found my old image...
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers
@lablover said:
Here's one of the descriptions I used to describe one of the coins in my former #1 NGC Roosevelt Set. Mike DeFalco had some of the best descriptions of coins I've ever read.
This from a 1950 NGC MS68*FT:
"Bathed in colors I've found along the reefs of Key-West. The obverse and reverse feature ocean-blue, cornflower-blue, slate-blue, midnight-blue and steel-blue with touches of dark goldenrod, sienna, peru, coral-brown and coral-red splattered throughout the coin. Lighter areas of dim-gray and white-smoke serve to brighten an already luminescent speciman. A very well struck MS68 example and the eye-appeal is off the charts."
Oh, and I really loved this one I came up with for a 1954-S NGC MS67*FT:
"If you've ever seen gas, oil and water mixed on a wet road this is what it looks like. The electric colors just seem to float on the surfaces of both obverse and reverse. Sort of reminds me of the colors I saw during a few nights in the 60's. This is one crazy coin."
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers
This is my favorite coin description ever! I bought the coin immediately after reading it!
25C 1892 PCGS MS66+ WOW! This coin is a once in a life time FULL DMPL-with FULL contrast. We have only ever seen one other coin remotely similar. The quality is SUPER HIGH END as well. Full deep mirrors beam boldly from all over. The mirrors are crystal clear, are clean, and have a an intense reflection. You do NOT have to imagine them. When you twirl the coin it looks like a river of ice. There is a faint hint of auburn on the upper obverse rim, other wise this wonder coin is untoned. Miss Liberty and the details are fully struck and are coated by a GEM white frost. The eye appeal is so jaw dropping you’ll need surgery to undo putting you jaw back to regular position! PCGS 112, NGC 86, CAC 60. PCGS has graded 14 in MS66+. There are NO comparable coins to this one value wise. At the price we are offering it, we think its a great deal and has lots of future potential. In our 40 years of being in business, we have only seen one other piece that was remotely similar. Be glad this once in a life time coin is NOT being sold via auction!
@ironmanl63 said:
This is my favorite coin description ever! I bought the coin immediately after reading it!
25C 1892 PCGS MS66+ WOW! This coin is a once in a life time FULL DMPL-with FULL contrast. We have only ever seen one other coin remotely similar. The quality is SUPER HIGH END as well. Full deep mirrors beam boldly from all over. The mirrors are crystal clear, are clean, and have a an intense reflection. You do NOT have to imagine them. When you twirl the coin it looks like a river of ice. There is a faint hint of auburn on the upper obverse rim, other wise this wonder coin is untoned. Miss Liberty and the details are fully struck and are coated by a GEM white frost. The eye appeal is so jaw dropping you’ll need surgery to undo putting you jaw back to regular position! PCGS 112, NGC 86, CAC 60. PCGS has graded 14 in MS66+. There are NO comparable coins to this one value wise. At the price we are offering it, we think its a great deal and has lots of future potential. In our 40 years of being in business, we have only seen one other piece that was remotely similar. Be glad this once in a life time coin is NOT being sold via auction!
I find it extremely refreshing to see such an understated description, free of any hyperbole.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Comments
Oh, you guys are going to make me pull some out ... not nearly as funny as some of yours, but here goes
Lovely grey dirt, untouched, unspoiled
Deep antique toning with forest and golden hues and flashes of crimson and blues
Deep and dusky color with russet orange highlights
Pleasing luster and a decidedly well-centered, powerful strike
From Sheridan Downey (who else!) ...
Caky luster bursts through the attractive russet and copper toning
Unquestionably original pale auburn toning is infused with gold
A gossamer veil of gold toning suggests storage in a kraft envelope
and finally, for a graded AU58 ...
Where's the rub?!
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
I apply the term "Crayola" for color that borders upon being over the top, i.e. the color has around a 50/50 chance of getting "details only", but if it passes, then it'll be a big time win for the owner. A few of other I've used: "dazzle bomb", "detonate", and "lockdown" as in "lockdown gem".
Sorry - meant to say that these are terms I actually use when I am writing coin descriptions.
On the web: http://www.earlyus.com
BU =
BUFFED UP
BEANT UP
BEAT UP
Depends who I am talking too.
If it’s the wife “asset diversification” (I been married a long time and she really doesn’t want to know)
If it’s my friends “what a piece of sh&*”
In general “blast white” and “straight grade”
"She"
(with respect)
And after that ?
Original skin has been a favorite of mine.
When describing luster requirements for higher MS grades "...the luster has to reach out slap you!"
I like how the coin hustlers use or mangle the language or make the coin sound like a delicious dessert invoking every conceivable color. CH UNC., Super Slider!, PQ+++, "Looks MS**". "Monster".
I had not see this before now. I don't know if it was mentioned, but I like "Sweet" when I look at one that really grabs my attention. This is or has been quite a thread.
Louis Armstrong
LQQK
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
~Wayne
Two truths one lie; Bobbled, got the mail delivered by worms, wish-washed.
.
Yeah, that was my first thought.
Opportunity knocks loudly
Expertly cleaned long ago.
BEEN USED
Any others?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
"Blayworthy" Coined (pardon the pun) by a friend of mine in So Cal named E. J. Scott when he would pitch coins to Stewart Blay.
"Cointageous" Used by a dealer friend of mine here in Denver.
Doubled die
Re-punched mint mark
Original skin
Attractive toning
Rainbow / album tone
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
Favorite word used by dealer???
SOLD!
"Cleaned and retoned[ing]"... seems like an attempt to acknowledge a problem while putting a positive spin on a coin that isn't 100% original...
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
Coruscating kaleidoscope of color sure to entice the discriminating collector.
I thought it was "NO RETURNS ACCEPTED!"
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Broadstruck
punctilious ineluctable effen amazing
I remember encountering "original skin" the first few times in articles and posts on Barber halves by TomB. It's an excellent colorful descriptor and it conjured images of Daniel Boone, and coins bought and skinned for their hides, and coin 'tanning.' Because I collect low and midgrade 19th century coins, I understood "original skin" to mean AG3s to EF45s with a good original 'leathery' look. I wanted thick but supple hides on my G4s and VG8s. Soon, brightly cleaned coins became regarded as skinned buffalo carcasses on the bourse 'prairie.' They were to be avoided like hoof and mouth disease, destined only to be picked clean by flea market and eBay vendors, and YNs.
From an old collection.
"Gunbarrel gray"
I’ll counter with “Battleship gray”.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I'll match you with "dove gray."
I’ll offer “Shade(s) of gray”.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Straight from the 200 year old safe.
I always enjoy the use of the word "plethora" in lot descriptions.
Someone posted this in the past but I don't recall whom. I saved it and somehow managed to find it again in all the old files.
.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=hYCRaWPlTIE Sophie Lloyd, guitar shred cover of Panama (Van Halen)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=dOV1VrDuUm4 Ted Nugent, Hibernation, Live 1976
RLJ 1958 - 2023
...> @MFeld said:
Is that a plethora of gray? Or a rainbow of gray, like watching NBC on a B&W TV?
Kaleidoscope of color. L
K!
Dave
I want A7, B1, C5.
Superb, lustrous, color.
Thank you!
My 1866 Philly Mint Set
Dovetail Gray for me
Lafayette Grading Set
I would also take holed at 12 o’clock 👍
Lafayette Grading Set
"Say hello to my little friends." (sarcasm)
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
Legend Num. seems to do a good job of exhausting the language in their descriptions of rarities.
Here's one of the descriptions I used to describe one of the coins in my former #1 NGC Roosevelt Set. Mike DeFalco had some of the best descriptions of coins I've ever read.
This from a 1950 NGC MS68*FT:
"Bathed in colors I've found along the reefs of Key-West. The obverse and reverse feature ocean-blue, cornflower-blue, slate-blue, midnight-blue and steel-blue with touches of dark goldenrod, sienna, peru, coral-brown and coral-red splattered throughout the coin. Lighter areas of dim-gray and white-smoke serve to brighten an already luminescent speciman. A very well struck MS68 example and the eye-appeal is off the charts."
Found my old image...
Sounds expensive.
Oh, and I really loved this one I came up with for a 1954-S NGC MS67*FT:
"If you've ever seen gas, oil and water mixed on a wet road this is what it looks like. The electric colors just seem to float on the surfaces of both obverse and reverse. Sort of reminds me of the colors I saw during a few nights in the 60's. This is one crazy coin."
.
This is my favorite coin description ever! I bought the coin immediately after reading it!
25C 1892 PCGS MS66+ WOW! This coin is a once in a life time FULL DMPL-with FULL contrast. We have only ever seen one other coin remotely similar. The quality is SUPER HIGH END as well. Full deep mirrors beam boldly from all over. The mirrors are crystal clear, are clean, and have a an intense reflection. You do NOT have to imagine them. When you twirl the coin it looks like a river of ice. There is a faint hint of auburn on the upper obverse rim, other wise this wonder coin is untoned. Miss Liberty and the details are fully struck and are coated by a GEM white frost. The eye appeal is so jaw dropping you’ll need surgery to undo putting you jaw back to regular position! PCGS 112, NGC 86, CAC 60. PCGS has graded 14 in MS66+. There are NO comparable coins to this one value wise. At the price we are offering it, we think its a great deal and has lots of future potential. In our 40 years of being in business, we have only seen one other piece that was remotely similar. Be glad this once in a life time coin is NOT being sold via auction!
All are a few colorful phrases I’ve stolen from Laura at various times 🤣
I find it extremely refreshing to see such an understated description, free of any hyperbole.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I am not sure which I am more proud of. The coin itself or the description!
Dripping with luster!
... this is pretty good (from the Barber Quarter above)...
"The eye appeal is so jaw dropping you’ll need surgery to undo putting you jaw back to regular position! "...
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
brilliant headlight white and deep prooflike fields, with a strong enough reflection to see the racoon behind you
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242