I immediately had the same thought. It looks definitely 64 or better IMHO, with nice original colour and perhaps a weak strike on the reverse, that is the cause of the final grade.
Otherwise, these coins did not circukate, right? More than half of the $1 Panama Pacific mintage has been certified by the two grading services, in near gem to superb gem unc grades. I wonder if the old commemorative gokd dollars (Louisiana, McKinley etc) were sold at face value or at a slight premium to explain to the public that these were legal tender but not meant to circulate .
In fact I've read somewhere that the classic commemorative silver half dollars of the 50 type set , were sold at $1 a piece, so that the public would not use them for circulation. I believe that the surviving numbers in top condition are proof that they got the nessage.
I immediately had the same thought. It looks definitely 64 or better IMHO, with nice original colour and perhaps a weak strike on the reverse, that is the cause of the final grade.
I would resumit I think your right about a cleaning long ago. I think the high spots being white got you the cleaning designation. Great coin though. I'm amazed that a coin 462 years old can look that good!
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.
@MEJ7070 said:
A few months ago I wrote a show report lamenting the lack of quality Spanish colonial or world material for n general at our biggest local show here in Northern VA……
Well, today was our smaller local show, and boy was I fired up to see these in a case.
As always, apologies for the terrible pics. I’ll post trueviews when I get them, and these will be headed to our hosts in short order.
1791 So DA Chile 2R
1838 South Peru (Cuzco) MS 8R. I absolutely love this coin.
@pruebas I know very little about coal medals….but I find that piece to be fantastic. I also find the entire concept of “coal medals” extremely interesting.
@MEJ7070 said: @pruebas I know very little about coal medals….but I find that piece to be fantastic. I also find the entire concept of “coal medals” extremely interesting.
Really cool medal!
I started collecting graphite medals (and they are extremely rare for obvious reasons) when a friend exhibited two at a local club a long time ago. When he passed, I bought his two from his estate. There were only 3 types that I knew of, all from the USA and all from the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company in Jersey City, NJ (makers of the famous Dixon Ticonderoga pencils of my youth). They were a local company, which is what originally sparked my interest. And of course, I LOVE rarities, even if no one else cares.
This medal above (graphite, not coal) is a new exciting find for me and I'm happy to have obtained it.
A few years ago, I heard about coal medals, which seem mostly to come from Germany and Eastern Europe, probably because coal is cheap and available and can be compressed. I consider them similar, but decidedly not as rare as the graphite medals. And there are many more types of coal medals vs graphite.
In the last Rio de la Plata auction, I purchased a lead medal made by a lead miner in the UK with its original case. This kind of thing is interesting for me to collect.
@SimonW said: @pruebas the Ticonderoga medal sounds interesting. Do you have a pic?
@SimonW the medals were company advertising medals, not specifically for Ticonderoga pencils. I only mentioned the pencils as being made by Dixon in my school days.
This one is from a second pair that came up recently at Stacks. Prior to these, I thought each of mine was unique. So this image isn't that of my medal, but an identical one. (All are unslabbed due to fragility.)
Comments
@lordmarcovan resubmit
I immediately had the same thought. It looks definitely 64 or better IMHO, with nice original colour and perhaps a weak strike on the reverse, that is the cause of the final grade.
Otherwise, these coins did not circukate, right? More than half of the $1 Panama Pacific mintage has been certified by the two grading services, in near gem to superb gem unc grades. I wonder if the old commemorative gokd dollars (Louisiana, McKinley etc) were sold at face value or at a slight premium to explain to the public that these were legal tender but not meant to circulate .
In fact I've read somewhere that the classic commemorative silver half dollars of the 50 type set , were sold at $1 a piece, so that the public would not use them for circulation. I believe that the surviving numbers in top condition are proof that they got the nessage.
myEbay
DPOTD 3
What could be better than a wildman? TWO wildmen!
My current "Box of 20"
And this early Saxony Taler arrived at the same time. Not rare, but a really nice mint state example. From Schulman, graded PCGS 62.
My current "Box of 20"
I think @simonw was referring to my unfortunate Saxony thaler, not my US Pan-Pac dollar.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Still the same to me.
Perhaps other members can weigh in on your Pan Pac grade. I thought that the risk/ price ratio is worth it, but all I saw is an image.
myEbay
DPOTD 3
Long drought, then a few newps all at once. This is pretty, and looks just like this in hand. It is also big! 56mm.
My current "Box of 20"
1800-So AJ “CROLUS” 8R
Latin American Collection
I would resumit I think your right about a cleaning long ago. I think the high spots being white got you the cleaning designation. Great coin though. I'm amazed that a coin 462 years old can look that good!
@Bob13 - I see we both posted Saxony thalers recently. Wanna swap?
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
I'm good! Give me some time to enjoy.
My current "Box of 20"
Haven’t been on here for awhile purchased for my German collection at end of the year 2025 and beginning of 2026 new purchases
CRO EB pickup….should work very nicely as my pillar 4R in the colonial America set
VF 30
Well done, I almost bought that one.
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
Me too...!
I really hope I’m right in predicting what this will look like in hand
MS 62
VF 30
XF 45
A new medal for my graphite/coal medals collection. From the Richard Jewell Collection.
@pruebas I know very little about coal medals….but I find that piece to be fantastic. I also find the entire concept of “coal medals” extremely interesting.
Really cool medal!
I started collecting graphite medals (and they are extremely rare for obvious reasons) when a friend exhibited two at a local club a long time ago. When he passed, I bought his two from his estate. There were only 3 types that I knew of, all from the USA and all from the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company in Jersey City, NJ (makers of the famous Dixon Ticonderoga pencils of my youth). They were a local company, which is what originally sparked my interest. And of course, I LOVE rarities, even if no one else cares.
This medal above (graphite, not coal) is a new exciting find for me and I'm happy to have obtained it.
A few years ago, I heard about coal medals, which seem mostly to come from Germany and Eastern Europe, probably because coal is cheap and available and can be compressed. I consider them similar, but decidedly not as rare as the graphite medals. And there are many more types of coal medals vs graphite.
In the last Rio de la Plata auction, I purchased a lead medal made by a lead miner in the UK with its original case. This kind of thing is interesting for me to collect.
@pruebas the Ticonderoga medal sounds interesting. Do you have a pic?
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
How’s this for variety?
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.
@SimonW the medals were company advertising medals, not specifically for Ticonderoga pencils. I only mentioned the pencils as being made by Dixon in my school days.
This one is from a second pair that came up recently at Stacks. Prior to these, I thought each of mine was unique. So this image isn't that of my medal, but an identical one. (All are unslabbed due to fragility.)
So…..like, if you touch a graphite or coal medal your hand gets a little dirty, right?
Or is it compressed so much that it somehow would no longer have that effect?
(I didn’t know a coal medal existe until today.)
Great information Pruebas.
Can you write with the coin?! That sounds fun
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.