I’m Paul. Born and raised in NYC until Uncle Sam decided he needed my services in 1972 (SP4, U.S. Army 72-74). Got married right after get out of the Army and just celebrated our 50th anniversary. My kids favorite saying is “what is he into now?”. From flying (private pilot, instrument rating, commercial drone pilot) to firearms, knives, numismatics, various musical instruments (none really well), motorcycles to martial arts (little guy in the middle) I’ve always tried to keep learning new stuff. I’ve worked for the same company for 42 years (now part time consulting) and have no plans to retire. Beyond all the hobbies my real joy are my 4 kids, 15 grandkids and 10 great grandkids.
The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice is it possible for an empire to rise without His aid? Benjamin Franklin
Other interests:
I have a track record of success blending domain and systems subject matter expertise with broad experience and common sense in order to identify core issues and consult with clients on results focused solutions.
That is the best line of corporate completely meaningless double speak that I have seen in a while! Congratulations!
I just figured it was written by AI
Who is AI and does she have an available younger sister?
Late 70's here, blind in one eye but that doesn't stop me from looking at coins!
Fortunate enough to grow up in Carson City (family settled there in 1859). Great Grandfater Matt Rinckel (google if you'd like) was given a presentation 1870cc dollar by Mint Director Curry. I have the coin still (check old forum for pics and write ups)..
HS graduate in 1964.
US Army 1966-1972, SP4
College graduate with BS in Acct. Masters in business 1985.
Worked sales most of my life. At age 55 decided to go back to become an Audiologist (hearing). Took three years. Then worked the industry and retired 6 years later.
Don't like to travel except to see kids or grandkids.
FFL with a love of old .22s. Have collected guns and given away dozens and dozens to friends and family.
Was a pocket dealer of coins for about 15 years.
Can't do what I like anymore: desert hiking and exploring. Sold the 4x4 a few years ago.
Have a metal dectector I haven't used that I bought 8 years ago!
Have just a bit of advice for you youngsters: do you bucket list before 60!!
Be well, stay safe, lock and load.
bob
Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
@MWallace said:
My most recent picture. Taken about 6 weeks ago. Me on the left, and Chuck Leavell (Keyboardist for the Allman Brothers Band as well as for The Rolling Stones for the past 42 years).
Great Grandfather Matt Rinckel (google if you'd like) was given a presentation 1870cc dollar by Mint Director Curry. I have the coin still (check old forum for pics and write ups)..
bob
Hey Bob, I went back into the archives searching for photos of your 1870 CC Seated Dollar, and all the photos in the archives seem to have been poofed out of existence! Can you please post a photo in this thread if you don't mind? I REALLY want to see it! Thank you in advance, sir!
Best regards, Dwayne F. Sessom Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
@MWallace said:
My most recent picture. Taken about 6 weeks ago. Me on the left, and Chuck Leavell (Keyboardist for the Allman Brothers Band as well as for The Rolling Stones for the past 42 years).
And Eric Clapton
And David Gilmore, George Harrison, John Mayer, etc. etc. etc.
My wife and I taught so we were able to live in this in other places summers.
I worked on a shrimp boat from N.C. To Texas for a couple of years leaving job applications at county departments of education near ports that we used—I got an offer to teach in New Bern, N.C. Before all that I was raised as a hillbilly in Mitchell Co. NC, but my father moved us to Palm Beach and then to the outskirts of Orlando. I stagnated in that high school job because of an attachment to the water. I sold everything and moved to Chapel Hill to get advanced degrees. I taught in Spain, and at UNC until I decided that I was too mature to pursue tenure any longer so I got a job at a high school down the road, and with all of that experience with the state I retired at sixty.
I’m building a racing simulator, and I do stonework too.
Hey Bob, I went back into the archives searching for photos of your 1870 CC Seated Dollar, and all the photos in the archives seem to have been poofed out of existence! Can you please post a photo in this thread if you don't mind? I REALLY want to see it! Thank you in advance, sir!
Times have changed. Pics on old computer in closet. On a CD that Todd Pollock provided when he photo'd it and of course don't have a CD player on new computer.
I'll see what I can did up or take myself.
bob
Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
I’m Phil. I first joined the board in 2002 under the handle Darkhorse, then for many years I was PCGSPhoto during my tenure there. Here’s an outtake of me and my boy during my photoshoot for my GreatCollections headshot last year. I love this kid.
Phil Arnold Director of Photography, GreatCollections
greatcollections.com
@PhilArnold said:
I’m Phil. I first joined the board in 2002 under the handle Darkhorse, then for many years I was PCGSPhoto during my tenure there. Here’s an outtake of me and my boy during my photoshoot for my GreatCollections headshot last year. I love this kid.
@Crepidodera said:
My name is Doug Veal, just turned 67, a retired retail manager. I have a passion for liberty seated quarters and longhorned beetles.
And my dog Willie keeps me very busy.
Looking for longhorned beetles in NE Iowa
>
A Cerambycid collector! We usually get a few impressive specimens around the yard every year here in Florida. So, what's your relationship with willow flea beetles (Chrysomelidae)? This dipterologist (Chironomidae) would like to know.
@PhilArnold said:
I’m Phil. I first joined the board in 2002 under the handle Darkhorse, then for many years I was PCGSPhoto during my tenure there. Here’s an outtake of me and my boy during my photoshoot for my GreatCollections headshot last year. I love this kid.
I don't post a whole lot here, but, here I am at the coin show. Someone wasn't very good at taking pictures. I used to work on jets for the USAF. Now I own a life safety and communications integration company. And my favorite 3-legged dog(rescue dog), Princess. I wouldn't trade her for a 3-legged buffalo. Even in PCGS MS-65 And CAC'd.
I really enjoyed that! You are a wonderful guitar player! I have been playing myself since I was 12! I guess that I completely forgot to reveal that part of my life. I do not have a video, but I DO have an audio track of a song that I composed and recorded in a professional studio a year ago. It is more hard rock/heavy metal and just instrumental. I cannot sing to save my file.
Thanks! And, thanks for sharing your music -- that's great!
I was a five-string banjo player but I quit cold turkey three months shy of thirty years to start over as a beginner on guitar. It's been great fun so far. It's an awfully good passtime.
@asheland said:
Great thread!
My name is Terry, and I’ve been on these forums forever and I consider this place home as far as coins go.
I work in a coin shop, so it’s my livelihood as well.
Here I am with my cat Molly.
THAT is one chill cat, Terry!
I know! That’s one of the pictures that I really love because of that. You can see it in her face.
Funny thing, sometimes the way she sits, she has this look in her face like she’s disgusted and it’s totally not the case but just the way her face is it’s quite hilarious:
I'm Alex, and I suppose I'll be the youngest member to post in this thread as a member - I think Phil's son takes the cake for being youngest in the thread.
Got into coins with the gift of an Ike dollar, and I guess that I was stubborn enough to stay. When I'm not busy with life and college, I usually fill that time with coins, which now is usually photography.
@FlyingAl said:
I'm Alex, and I suppose I'll be the youngest member to post in this thread as a member - I think Phil's son takes the cake for being youngest in the thread.
Got into coins with the gift of an Ike dollar, and I guess that I was stubborn enough to stay. When I'm not busy with life and college, I usually fill that time with coins, which now is usually photography.
Great to meet you, Alex! I have always loved the name Alex/Alexander/Alexandria and was trying to get my son to name his child (my grandchild) Alex, but to no avail...
Best regards, Dwayne F. Sessom Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
@FlyingAl said:
I'm Alex, and I suppose I'll be the youngest member to post in this thread as a member - I think Phil's son takes the cake for being youngest in the thread.
Got into coins with the gift of an Ike dollar, and I guess that I was stubborn enough to stay. When I'm not busy with life and college, I usually fill that time with coins, which now is usually photography.
Great to meet you, Alex! I have always loved the name Alex/Alexander/Alexandria and was trying to get my son to name his child (my grandchild) Alex, but to no avail...
I have nephew named Alexander, but his parents call him “Alec”. Naturally, I always call him “Smart Alec”, lol.😂
Steve
A day without fine wine and working on your coin collection is like a day without sunshine!!!
First photo is the Singing Fountain, with the National Theater in the Background, in Kosice, Slovakia. Second one is my King Penguin friend (see below). Third one is the 2008 Palos Verdes Marathon (my last one), at mile 25 (yes, I finished). I was wearing my 1968 Palos Verdes Marathon finisher shirt. It was obscenely hot that day.
I'm Jeff and in my early 70s. I started collecting coins when I found a really old quarter as change from a Saturday matinee. It was a 1932 S in VG 10. Still have it. Been collecting on and off since then.
Discovered I was good at problem solving when the worst kid on the high school cross country team said he was running a local marathon. My comment to him is not printable here, and told him that I'd run it just to beat him. Gradually ramped up my long run to 18 miles. Had to lie down afterwards. Wondered how I was going to finish it. Didn't know anyone who had run one, there was no reading material, and the internet was 25 years plus in the future. I thought that if ran 1 minute slower per mile, that might work. It did (the other kid didn't show up).
Running that marathon was the most transformational event in my life. I knew that if I believed in myself and was willing to work hard, I could accomplish far more than I thought I could. We can all do this; I had to run my first marathon to figure it out.
Have lived in Southern California most of life, with stints in the Sacramento area and Wisconsin. Used my problem solving skills as a CPA forever, most of it working for myself. Can do a stand up comedy routine about things I dealt with over the years. Taught a course for the State Society on Practice Management in July.
Ran for 49 years: marathons and ultramarathons until some body parts gave out. Discovered racewalking after that. Much harder than running, but easier on the musculoskeletal system. Did my first competition in May. Educational and brutal. You can be the only person in your age group and not win due to being disqualified re bad form. A few Olympic gold medal winners have gotten DQ'd after finishing the event.
I'm a big travel buff. Visited 40 states before my first trip overseas. Got my Father's gift of learning languages quickly. Am fluent in Spanish and Brasilian Português. Have been fortunate to visit many places, see many interesting things, and meet a cast of characters along the way I'll never forget: the most recent of which was a mature King Penguin who literally walked up to me and introduced him / her / itself in penguin speak.
Always liked penguins. Saw thousands of them in the Falkland Islands. Will be going to South Georgia Island next year to see more and to pay respect to legendary Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackelton, who is buried there.
Spent a year in Brasil and probably a year and a half in various Spanish speaking countries.
Many people here posted photos of their animals. I have a large pic of that King Penguin in my office. The only animals of sorts we have in the house are a stuffed penguin, and a baby gator head (Buford) sent by some friends in the Bayou. Took awhile for my lovely wife to warm up to the gator head; she put a Christmas ornament on it this year.
Met the wife at my 40th high school reunion. It was a huge class and we didn't know one another then. Took a few years before she decided she liked me. Smartest thing I did was marry her.
Lifelong collector, with a couple of life breaks along the way. Retired utility exec, 35 years with the same company. My lovely bride of 35 years doesn't get coins, but she gets that it's something I enjoy. This coming April, will have been on the Boards 20 years (hard to believe). Played the Registry game for a bit, don't miss it. Love the history and the "wonder where that's been and who's held it" of an old coin. I enjoy golf, fishing, coins, woodworking, and genealogy. Please don't make me rank them. This picture is me fishing off the back porch, wondering why I missed that par putt on 18 and if last night's ebay snipe will look as nice when I get it in hand. : ) I am thankful for these Boards - they are an invaluable resource [that I think we sometimes take for granted].
If we were all the same, the world would be an incredibly boring place.
@JeffersonFrog said:
... I am thankful for these Boards - they are an invaluable resource [that I think we sometimes take for granted].
I could not agree more! I have gotten MOST of my knowledge from these forums in one way or another, through the years and it's one of the many reasons I am a tenaciously loyal PCGS fan! We own our hosts a measure of gratitude for maintaining these boards. I have been coming by on a near daily basis, except for when I got jailed a few times and took a hiatus for a year. No hard feelings though, I own it when I am wrong, and I was in the wrong. I am past it now.
Best regards, Dwayne F. Sessom Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
I took the time to read the entire article and have to say that you've had a pretty exciting life. How were you schooled as a young boy while living on sailboats? You've also found some pretty remarkable things while wielding a metal detector! I owned one 20 years ago and never found anything of interest, unless you are a collector of drinking can pull tabs. LOL! By the way, I was also a big participant in D&D in the 80's too!
Greg
50 y/o
Have always lived in Western NC
Work as the Coin/Currency Specialist at an auction company (also help with autographs, sports memorabilia, historic documents)
Enjoy collecting large cents and other early copper
@MWallace said:
My most recent picture. Taken about 6 weeks ago. Me on the left, and Chuck Leavell (Keyboardist for the Allman Brothers Band as well as for The Rolling Stones for the past 42 years).
Chuck was keyboardist for Eric Clapton on his Unplugged album IIRC.
I’m Mark Feld, @MFeld and previously @Coinguy1, here on the forum.
I got into the dealer side of rare coins, only because someone unexpectedly put the idea into my head - more about that, shortly. I started collecting at an early age (about 8). And growing up in Manhatten, I went to Stack’s on many Saturday mornings with my younger brother. It was such a thrill to look into their cases, examine coins that were sitting in display trays, and even bid in their auctions, on occasion.
My enthusiasm for collecting ebbed and flowed over the years, and for reasons unknown to me, took off again when I was in my 20’s. One day, while in my third year of law school and still not sure whether I wanted to take up law as a career, I had a phone conversation that paved the way to my career in rare coins. I was talking to a salesperson at New England Rare Coin Galleries (owned by a some guy named Jim Halperin 😉) and out of the blue, he said something along the lines of “You should think about going into the coin business. You’d like it and you’d be good at it.”
Until I heard those words, I’d never once considered rare coins as a profession. But once I heard them, that was it. I interviewed with New England Rare Coin Galleries and Steve Ivy Rare Coins and received offers from both companies. After a tough time making a decision, I chose Steve Ivy Rare coins. Since graduation from law school was just a few months away, I went ahead and finished, got my degree and passed my bar exam. It sure was hard to make myself study for the “bar”, knowing I wasn’t going to practice! Roughly two weeks later, in the summer of 1979, I was off to Dallas to begin my career in numismatics.
During the past 45 years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had some wonderful jobs and experiences, including handling more than my fair share of amazing coins. I’ve worked for Steve Ivy Rare Coins, Heritage, David Hall, Mark Salzberg, Pinnacle Rarities, as a grader at NGC and had my own coin business. And I didn’t plan any of it!
In the past, other than coins, I’ve collected tin windup Popeye toys from the 30’s and 40’s (with their original cardboard boxes, when possible) and Martin Brothers pottery.
It’s been far too long, but I love to snorkel. I also love to go to concerts to see my favorite artists from the 60’s and 70’s who are still performing. Sadly, their numbers are dwindling. But that makes each concert experience even more special to me.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
@tcollects said:
I feel like I'm with my flock of middle age white guys with cats
Besides our four cats, we've got three dogs, including a 3-legged chihuahua x Jack Russel mix that is the most wonderful dog I've ever known. He's missing his right hind leg after it was badly broken from being kicked off a bed as a tiny puppy by a small child. My gf, a Vet tech, was tasked with putting the dog down but refused to do so. We rescued it, removed the badly broken leg, and now Teddy bounces around and polices the other six animals in our house. He and Ernie the polydactyl cat became best friends, play-fighting with each other for several years. I've even seen Ernie riding Teddy bareback as Teddy bounced his way through the living room and kitchen. Ernie had some good wrestling moves as well, including getting Teddy in a headlock on his back with his three legs flailing away. We could have made some Youtube cash with dog-cat playfighting videos featuring the two.
Nowadays, Teddy is dealing with a Silky terrier puppy that rolls around on her back in front of Teddy, causing Teddy to growl and nip her at times. He has to because this puppy is crazy. She keeps doing this over and over and it drives Teddy nuts! I call the behavior "aggressive submissiveness."
Ernie as a kitten sleeping on Teddy in my lap. Best friends forever.
@Morgan13 said:
You might want to pull that shirt down a bit.
I think I know which shirt you’re speaking of😉 However, a number of different shirts were included in pictures after that one, so providing some context or including the quote and/or picture of the shirt would have been helpful.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Comments
I’m Paul. Born and raised in NYC until Uncle Sam decided he needed my services in 1972 (SP4, U.S. Army 72-74). Got married right after get out of the Army and just celebrated our 50th anniversary. My kids favorite saying is “what is he into now?”. From flying (private pilot, instrument rating, commercial drone pilot) to firearms, knives, numismatics, various musical instruments (none really well), motorcycles to martial arts (little guy in the middle) I’ve always tried to keep learning new stuff. I’ve worked for the same company for 42 years (now part time consulting) and have no plans to retire. Beyond all the hobbies my real joy are my 4 kids, 15 grandkids and 10 great grandkids.
My son and my bike, that about sums it up. ☮️⭐️
Who is AI and does she have an available younger sister?
Rebirth. Renewal. Transformation.
Late 70's here, blind in one eye but that doesn't stop me from looking at coins!
Fortunate enough to grow up in Carson City (family settled there in 1859). Great Grandfater Matt Rinckel (google if you'd like) was given a presentation 1870cc dollar by Mint Director Curry. I have the coin still (check old forum for pics and write ups)..
HS graduate in 1964.
US Army 1966-1972, SP4
College graduate with BS in Acct. Masters in business 1985.
Worked sales most of my life. At age 55 decided to go back to become an Audiologist (hearing). Took three years. Then worked the industry and retired 6 years later.
Don't like to travel except to see kids or grandkids.
FFL with a love of old .22s. Have collected guns and given away dozens and dozens to friends and family.
Was a pocket dealer of coins for about 15 years.
Can't do what I like anymore: desert hiking and exploring. Sold the 4x4 a few years ago.
Have a metal dectector I haven't used that I bought 8 years ago!
Have just a bit of advice for you youngsters: do you bucket list before 60!!
Be well, stay safe, lock and load.
bob
And Eric Clapton
Great Grandfather Matt Rinckel (google if you'd like) was given a presentation 1870cc dollar by Mint Director Curry. I have the coin still (check old forum for pics and write ups)..
Hey Bob, I went back into the archives searching for photos of your 1870 CC Seated Dollar, and all the photos in the archives seem to have been poofed out of existence! Can you please post a photo in this thread if you don't mind? I REALLY want to see it! Thank you in advance, sir!
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
I'm super envious!!! My next purchase (God willing) is going to be an 1870-CC dollar, but it sure won't be as nice as yours! XF45 is my target.
My Carson City Morgan Registry Set
And David Gilmore, George Harrison, John Mayer, etc. etc. etc.
My wife and I taught so we were able to live in this in other places summers.
I worked on a shrimp boat from N.C. To Texas for a couple of years leaving job applications at county departments of education near ports that we used—I got an offer to teach in New Bern, N.C. Before all that I was raised as a hillbilly in Mitchell Co. NC, but my father moved us to Palm Beach and then to the outskirts of Orlando. I stagnated in that high school job because of an attachment to the water. I sold everything and moved to Chapel Hill to get advanced degrees. I taught in Spain, and at UNC until I decided that I was too mature to pursue tenure any longer so I got a job at a high school down the road, and with all of that experience with the state I retired at sixty.
I’m building a racing simulator, and I do stonework too.
Semi retired, Uber Driver, Cat daddy to Claude Bawls, Fatty, and Romeo... UberBob to my friends
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
Hey guys, I'll be wearing this same tie dye shirt at the FUN show. If you see me, stop me and say hello!
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
That waffle your son is having looks great ...
OMG ... My Mother was Right about Everything!
I wake up with a Good Attitude Every Day. Then … Idiots Happen!
Times have changed. Pics on old computer in closet. On a CD that Todd Pollock provided when he photo'd it and of course don't have a CD player on new computer.
I'll see what I can did up or take myself.
bob
@dsessom
Here's a link, need to scroll down a bit. It's the MMR initialed dollar:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/8859562#Comment_8859562
I'll bring quarters.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
AUandAG, beautiful toning and the coin of a lifetime! Being the very first dollar minted at Carson City, it's the ultimate heirloom.
My Carson City Morgan Registry Set
Bob,
Is it just me? The pics are all missing but have little place holders. I cannot see the pics. Here, I will take a screenshot...
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
Yes, Dwayne, it must just be you.
I can see the photos.
My Carson City Morgan Registry Set
Great thread!
and I consider this place home as far as coins go.
My name is Terry, and I’ve been on these forums forever
I work in a coin shop, so it’s my livelihood as well.
Here I am with my cat Molly.
My YouTube Channel
I’m Phil. I first joined the board in 2002 under the handle Darkhorse, then for many years I was PCGSPhoto during my tenure there. Here’s an outtake of me and my boy during my photoshoot for my GreatCollections headshot last year. I love this kid.
Phil Arnold
Director of Photography, GreatCollections
greatcollections.com
Now that's a GreatPhoto™
😊
>
A Cerambycid collector! We usually get a few impressive specimens around the yard every year here in Florida. So, what's your relationship with willow flea beetles (Chrysomelidae)? This dipterologist (Chironomidae) would like to know.
Great picture! And I greatly miss your TrueViews!
My YouTube Channel
That's a great pic, David.
When did your son start drinking coffee?
☺️
I don't post a whole lot here, but, here I am at the coin show. Someone wasn't very good at taking pictures. I used to work on jets for the USAF. Now I own a life safety and communications integration company. And my favorite 3-legged dog(rescue dog), Princess. I wouldn't trade her for a 3-legged buffalo. Even in PCGS MS-65 And CAC'd.
Thanks! And, thanks for sharing your music -- that's great!
I was a five-string banjo player but I quit cold turkey three months shy of thirty years to start over as a beginner on guitar. It's been great fun so far. It's an awfully good passtime.
THAT is one chill cat, Terry!
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
I know! That’s one of the pictures that I really love because of that. You can see it in her face.
Funny thing, sometimes the way she sits, she has this look in her face like she’s disgusted and it’s totally not the case but just the way her face is it’s quite hilarious:
My YouTube Channel
I sent the link to my cell phone and I can see them. What the heck???
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
I'm Alex, and I suppose I'll be the youngest member to post in this thread as a member - I think Phil's son takes the cake for being youngest in the thread.
Got into coins with the gift of an Ike dollar, and I guess that I was stubborn enough to stay. When I'm not busy with life and college, I usually fill that time with coins, which now is usually photography.
Coin Photographer.
Great to meet you, Alex! I have always loved the name Alex/Alexander/Alexandria and was trying to get my son to name his child (my grandchild) Alex, but to no avail...
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
I have nephew named Alexander, but his parents call him “Alec”. Naturally, I always call him “Smart Alec”, lol.😂
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
First photo is the Singing Fountain, with the National Theater in the Background, in Kosice, Slovakia. Second one is my King Penguin friend (see below). Third one is the 2008 Palos Verdes Marathon (my last one), at mile 25 (yes, I finished). I was wearing my 1968 Palos Verdes Marathon finisher shirt. It was obscenely hot that day.
I'm Jeff and in my early 70s. I started collecting coins when I found a really old quarter as change from a Saturday matinee. It was a 1932 S in VG 10. Still have it. Been collecting on and off since then.
Discovered I was good at problem solving when the worst kid on the high school cross country team said he was running a local marathon. My comment to him is not printable here, and told him that I'd run it just to beat him. Gradually ramped up my long run to 18 miles. Had to lie down afterwards. Wondered how I was going to finish it. Didn't know anyone who had run one, there was no reading material, and the internet was 25 years plus in the future. I thought that if ran 1 minute slower per mile, that might work. It did (the other kid didn't show up).
Running that marathon was the most transformational event in my life. I knew that if I believed in myself and was willing to work hard, I could accomplish far more than I thought I could. We can all do this; I had to run my first marathon to figure it out.
Have lived in Southern California most of life, with stints in the Sacramento area and Wisconsin. Used my problem solving skills as a CPA forever, most of it working for myself. Can do a stand up comedy routine about things I dealt with over the years. Taught a course for the State Society on Practice Management in July.
Ran for 49 years: marathons and ultramarathons until some body parts gave out. Discovered racewalking after that. Much harder than running, but easier on the musculoskeletal system. Did my first competition in May. Educational and brutal. You can be the only person in your age group and not win due to being disqualified re bad form. A few Olympic gold medal winners have gotten DQ'd after finishing the event.
I'm a big travel buff. Visited 40 states before my first trip overseas. Got my Father's gift of learning languages quickly. Am fluent in Spanish and Brasilian Português. Have been fortunate to visit many places, see many interesting things, and meet a cast of characters along the way I'll never forget: the most recent of which was a mature King Penguin who literally walked up to me and introduced him / her / itself in penguin speak.
Always liked penguins. Saw thousands of them in the Falkland Islands. Will be going to South Georgia Island next year to see more and to pay respect to legendary Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackelton, who is buried there.
Spent a year in Brasil and probably a year and a half in various Spanish speaking countries.
Many people here posted photos of their animals. I have a large pic of that King Penguin in my office. The only animals of sorts we have in the house are a stuffed penguin, and a baby gator head (Buford) sent by some friends in the Bayou. Took awhile for my lovely wife to warm up to the gator head; she put a Christmas ornament on it this year.
Met the wife at my 40th high school reunion. It was a huge class and we didn't know one another then. Took a few years before she decided she liked me. Smartest thing I did was marry her.
A vida é boa (life is good).
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
Lifelong collector, with a couple of life breaks along the way. Retired utility exec, 35 years with the same company. My lovely bride of 35 years doesn't get coins, but she gets that it's something I enjoy. This coming April, will have been on the Boards 20 years (hard to believe). Played the Registry game for a bit, don't miss it. Love the history and the "wonder where that's been and who's held it" of an old coin. I enjoy golf, fishing, coins, woodworking, and genealogy. Please don't make me rank them. This picture is me fishing off the back porch, wondering why I missed that par putt on 18 and if last night's ebay snipe will look as nice when I get it in hand. : ) I am thankful for these Boards - they are an invaluable resource [that I think we sometimes take for granted].
If we were all the same, the world would be an incredibly boring place.
Tommy
This interview on NumisForums from last December lays out much of my life in the hobby and a little bit of my personal life.
https://www.numisforums.com/topic/5625-interview-with-a-member-lordmarcovan/
I feel like I'm with my flock of middle age white guys with cats
I could not agree more! I have gotten MOST of my knowledge from these forums in one way or another, through the years and it's one of the many reasons I am a tenaciously loyal PCGS fan! We own our hosts a measure of gratitude for maintaining these boards. I have been coming by on a near daily basis, except for when I got jailed a few times and took a hiatus for a year. No hard feelings though, I own it when I am wrong, and I was in the wrong. I am past it now.
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
GUILTY...
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
Same
Yes, that’s a surprising theme among this sample of numismatitioners.
Old white guys with guns, sure.
But, cats?
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
Who are you?? is a question asked by many, it has forced me to go "incognito" to maintain some peace and quiet around the house.
Sometimes I take road trips to visit special people, but not real often.
I tend to be a HomeBody now that I'm older.
You may have met me at a long ago CrabFest in Baltimore, a Pittsburgh Pub or dinner in Orlando.
I took the time to read the entire article and have to say that you've had a pretty exciting life. How were you schooled as a young boy while living on sailboats? You've also found some pretty remarkable things while wielding a metal detector! I owned one 20 years ago and never found anything of interest, unless you are a collector of drinking can pull tabs. LOL! By the way, I was also a big participant in D&D in the 80's too!
My Carson City Morgan Registry Set
Greg
50 y/o
Have always lived in Western NC
Work as the Coin/Currency Specialist at an auction company (also help with autographs, sports memorabilia, historic documents)
Enjoy collecting large cents and other early copper
www.brunkauctions.com
You might want to pull that shirt down a bit.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
Dantheman984 Toyz4geo SurfinxHI greencopper RWW bigjpst bretsan MWallace logger7
Chuck was keyboardist for Eric Clapton on his Unplugged album IIRC.
I’m Mark Feld, @MFeld and previously @Coinguy1, here on the forum.
I got into the dealer side of rare coins, only because someone unexpectedly put the idea into my head - more about that, shortly. I started collecting at an early age (about 8). And growing up in Manhatten, I went to Stack’s on many Saturday mornings with my younger brother. It was such a thrill to look into their cases, examine coins that were sitting in display trays, and even bid in their auctions, on occasion.
My enthusiasm for collecting ebbed and flowed over the years, and for reasons unknown to me, took off again when I was in my 20’s. One day, while in my third year of law school and still not sure whether I wanted to take up law as a career, I had a phone conversation that paved the way to my career in rare coins. I was talking to a salesperson at New England Rare Coin Galleries (owned by a some guy named Jim Halperin 😉) and out of the blue, he said something along the lines of “You should think about going into the coin business. You’d like it and you’d be good at it.”
Until I heard those words, I’d never once considered rare coins as a profession. But once I heard them, that was it. I interviewed with New England Rare Coin Galleries and Steve Ivy Rare Coins and received offers from both companies. After a tough time making a decision, I chose Steve Ivy Rare coins. Since graduation from law school was just a few months away, I went ahead and finished, got my degree and passed my bar exam. It sure was hard to make myself study for the “bar”, knowing I wasn’t going to practice! Roughly two weeks later, in the summer of 1979, I was off to Dallas to begin my career in numismatics.
During the past 45 years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had some wonderful jobs and experiences, including handling more than my fair share of amazing coins. I’ve worked for Steve Ivy Rare Coins, Heritage, David Hall, Mark Salzberg, Pinnacle Rarities, as a grader at NGC and had my own coin business. And I didn’t plan any of it!
In the past, other than coins, I’ve collected tin windup Popeye toys from the 30’s and 40’s (with their original cardboard boxes, when possible) and Martin Brothers pottery.
It’s been far too long, but I love to snorkel. I also love to go to concerts to see my favorite artists from the 60’s and 70’s who are still performing. Sadly, their numbers are dwindling. But that makes each concert experience even more special to me.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Very impressive Mark.
It's great to have you on the forum with the rest of us.
Did you go to college in Boston?
If I'm being to personal let me know.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
Dantheman984 Toyz4geo SurfinxHI greencopper RWW bigjpst bretsan MWallace logger7
Besides our four cats, we've got three dogs, including a 3-legged chihuahua x Jack Russel mix that is the most wonderful dog I've ever known. He's missing his right hind leg after it was badly broken from being kicked off a bed as a tiny puppy by a small child. My gf, a Vet tech, was tasked with putting the dog down but refused to do so. We rescued it, removed the badly broken leg, and now Teddy bounces around and polices the other six animals in our house. He and Ernie the polydactyl cat became best friends, play-fighting with each other for several years. I've even seen Ernie riding Teddy bareback as Teddy bounced his way through the living room and kitchen. Ernie had some good wrestling moves as well, including getting Teddy in a headlock on his back with his three legs flailing away. We could have made some Youtube cash with dog-cat playfighting videos featuring the two.
Nowadays, Teddy is dealing with a Silky terrier puppy that rolls around on her back in front of Teddy, causing Teddy to growl and nip her at times. He has to because this puppy is crazy. She keeps doing this over and over and it drives Teddy nuts! I call the behavior "aggressive submissiveness."
Ernie as a kitten sleeping on Teddy in my lap. Best friends forever.
I think I know which shirt you’re speaking of😉 However, a number of different shirts were included in pictures after that one, so providing some context or including the quote and/or picture of the shirt would have been helpful.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.