Whoa! 18 years and 4000 posts! My first Giveaway? An 1809 cent! *Rules Clarified*
renomedphys
Posts: 4,027 ✭✭✭✭✭
Joined in 2008 and hit 4K posts the other day. I know it’s not a lot but I’d still like to do a giveaway just for funsies. Let’s do a challenge. And a decision by consensus. To the winner I will give an 1809 “jail cent” with a sharp legible date and flat spots all around the edge, possibly from being tapped on bars of a jail cell. I bought it on eBay at least 10 years ago for $100 because I thought it was cool.
Here’s the challenge: post something, maybe a picture, maybe a story, that is both educational and surprising, stimulating, and even a little bit contentious. The more the better. After it becomes clear which post generates the most authentic “heat” the winner will be announced.
Rules Clarified
The first entry post to receive 50 likes wins
Alternatively, when this topic reaches the top of page two, the entry post with the most likes wins.
I have to see it going to page 2. If I miss it and it gets bumped, oh well. We wait again.
The coin will be sent no sooner than October 15th for scheduling reasons. If I declare you the winner, you’re the winner. You’ll get your coin.
Here’s the baby:
Good luck!
Comments
Awesome !
beautiful coin - congrats on the milestone!
Looks like it’s opened a few beer bottle caps. Very useful coin!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Copperindian II
Indy Eagles
Gold Rush
Bust Caps
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Nickelodeon
Early Walkers
Successful transactions: Eagle Eye, redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector, BruceS
A map that shows the most common terms used for U.S. coins. I found it very interesting! I lived in Texas for 18 years and was shocked when I found out that nobody else called them "Big Tex Tokens."
I collect world proof sets, coins featuring composers, mid-20th century U.S. proof coins, U.S. type coins, and whatever else I want.
See? Learned. Something. New. Excellent!
Empty Nest Collection
Congrats on both those! You’ve been on the forums a little under two years longer than I’ve been alive
Anyway this isn’t necessarily an educational post by any means…unless you (or whoever’s reading this) doesn’t know about the variety, it’s just a fun find at an antique store (and a profitable one at that!)
The images of the coin below are my 1878 7/8TF (strong) Morgan dollar. I got the coin back around May 2025 from a dealer in an antique mall near Atlantic City, NJ. (My parents and I took a trip down there to do a Monopoly-themed fun run.) I saw this coin sitting in the glass case and I had no idea that this variety existed.
It was a tough call between this and a noticeably nicer common date, for around the same price. After a bit of debate I walked out of the antique store with the 7/8TF (and a 1907 IHC too!) with a bit more knowledge. But what I later learned was that the coin was worth quite a bit more than I paid for it.
Now, I bought it raw and later got it graded, but the dealer had it labeled as Extra Fine and priced at a modest $85. I had done a little asking around online and most seemed to estimate the coin at around the AU55/AU58/MS62 range, which came as a bit of a surprise to me because of what the dealer had called it.
Fast-forward to January, I submitted the coin to our hosts, which, come March, returned at a solid MS62! This is now currently my second most valuable Morgan (at $300, according to Coinfacts), and a good lesson in how the nicest coin isn’t necessarily the best buy.
(It also made up for me passing up a nice AU 8TF a few months prior..!)
Photos I recently took of the coin
And for those wondering about the 1907 Indian, here it is too:
(Note the software I used degraded the photo quality a little bit)
"Another day, another Collectors Universe forum scrolling session."
- Someone, probably
Well I don't think this will generate any heat, but it is pretty interesting. Walking the beach today, I saw a fast moving object along the rocky terrain, about the size of a quarter. Turns out it was a crab, an Atlantic Ghost Crab. They live along the Atlantic Coast from Nova Scotia all the way to Southern Brazil. The interesting part? A mirror test conducted just three years ago showed these little guys were able to recognize themselves in a mirror! A conclusion from the study indicated they had "a rudimentary form of self-awareness!" Anyway, my grandson thought it was interesting.
1809 was Abraham Lincoln’s birth year. Here’s the 4 coin 2009 set commemorating his 200th:
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Copperindian II
Indy Eagles
Gold Rush
Bust Caps
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Nickelodeon
Early Walkers
Successful transactions: Eagle Eye, redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector, BruceS
I had the honor of being a crew member on the E-4B (Boeing 747-200) aircraft stationed at Offutt AFB. There are four of these aircraft in the AF inventory, all HQ'd out of Offutt with one on alert 24/7 and shadowing Air Force One no matter where the POTUS is. These aircraft are nuclear hardened (EMP hardened) to survive nuclear warfare and can stay in continuous flight over 72 hours. The aircraft has a trailing wire for communications that can be reeled out 5-miles allowing for communication all around the globe.
The airframes for these aircraft were built in, 1973 (x2), 1974 and 1975.
E-4B video tour:
My Challenge coin:
These aircraft are due to retire in the near future to be replaced by the new E-4C model (Boeing 747-8).
The initial cost for the replacement aircraft is estimated greater than $13.0B for up to 8 aircraft.
USAF (Ret.) 1985 - 2005. E-4B Aircraft Maint. Crew Chief and Contracting Officer.
✓ Everyman Mint State Carson City Morgan Dollars (1878 – 1893)
✓ Morgan Dollar GSA Hoard (1878 – 1891)
✓ Everyman Mint State Lincoln Cents (1909 – 1958)
✓ Matte Proof Toned Lincoln Cents (1909 – 1916)
It was 1973 and I was working at a gas station, pumping gas. The price was 35.9 a gallon and we were required to wash both front and back windows with any purchase. A different time, to be sure.
A customer comes in for a fill-up. The total was $3.80. The customer gives me three ones and then reaches into his pocket for change. A handfull comes out and he starts pinching up coins and counting. I notice a 1972 'athiest' cent in the handful, obverse-up. Those were a big deal at the time. A major cud, wiping out the word 'God' in the motto. "Twenty-five, thirty-five, forty-five......", he's counting. "Get to the cents", I'm thinking......and he does. "seventy-six, seventy-seven", and on "seventy-eight" he grabs the coin.....Sure enough, I get it.
Long ago sold, but it sure made my day as a kid !
This post comes with a warning - it’s nothing like what the OP’s looking for, but the memory came alive with my beer bottle post above.
Like many kids of the 60’s & 70’s, I looked for silver coins in change. Some of these went into Whitman folders & others in a jar.
College for me was 1968-1972 when I still lived in “upstate” NY. Back then, the legal drinking age in NYS was 18. College? 18? Beer! Anyone who went to college knew you always seemed to be poor. So, my jar of silver coins that went with me totally disappeared into the party fund. Luckily, my Whitman albums stayed at home.
Like I said, nothing to do with the OP’s 1809 from Lincoln’s birth year, but a fun memory from days gone by!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Copperindian II
Indy Eagles
Gold Rush
Bust Caps
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Nickelodeon
Early Walkers
Successful transactions: Eagle Eye, redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector, BruceS
I learned that Paul Revere’s horse was named Caesar Rodney. The horse, Arabian-blooded, is the progenitor of half the winners of the triple crown races and two triple crown winners. Caesar and Paul hold the record for the trip on horseback between Wilmington and Boston—thirty-nine hours. Some of the coins show a spitting hose, but it’s a piece of wheat straw (see below).
Ironically, Caesar Augustus had a horse named Paulus.
Added:
Incidentally, their path gave us the initial routing for interstate 95, because horses know the shortest way home.
Paul introduced stainless steel cookware after all that—
I have to say, I didn't know this one, but it's a pretty cool fact! Thanks for sharing!!
“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 was in 7th or 8th grade around 1970. My junior high school in NJ had a day school trip to see a Broadway matinee in Manhattan. We stopped for lunch at the Nathan’s in Times Square. We didn’t have much in the way of adult supervision in those days and we had 45 minutes to eat. I noticed a coin store very close to Nathan’s. I snuck out and remember buying a Standing Liberty Quarter with a legible date for 35 cents. Unfortunately I have no idea what happened to my coin.
I recently picked up this Dollar coin that was converted into a lighter, with the extra metal attached. I plan to send it in for error grading/slabbing. I think is is unique because it does not match any Eisenhower dollars that I have seen
.
@Creg: good post! I always though Caesar Rodney was the coin’s designer
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Copperindian II
Indy Eagles
Gold Rush
Bust Caps
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Nickelodeon
Early Walkers
Successful transactions: Eagle Eye, redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector, BruceS
A bit of coin history follows. The piece depicted below is essentially unique. While it has characteristics of the PR2, it has no PR “pickups”. Therefore, it’s a MS coin; not only that, but it’s the only one known of the rare 1871 S-2 “7&1” Touch:
Very cool variety - check out the numbers 7&1 touching each other! By “essentially unique”, there was one other (a XF45), but it’s no longer in the pop. Its whereabouts are unknown, as is the current iteration of the label it’s hiding behind.
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Copperindian II
Indy Eagles
Gold Rush
Bust Caps
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Nickelodeon
Early Walkers
Successful transactions: Eagle Eye, redraider, winesteven, renomedphys, splitaces, oreville, ajaan, Cent1225, onlyroosies, justindan, blitzdude, DesertMoon, johnnyb, Heubschgold, SunshineRareCoins, ParadimeCoins, ndeagles, Southern_Knights, pcgsregistrycollector, BruceS
Hmm, no fresh photos of THE COIN, no tales of more missing 1933DE’s? How about some insider industry stuff, or secrets of the founding fathers? I mean, thanks for the entries so far but I was really hoping for something, I don’t know, juicy?
How bout this? The first post to receive 50 likes wins. Alternatively, the winner will be declared after this topic makes it to the top of page 2, and be declared solely based on the number of likes at the bottom of each legitimate entry. If you have a story to tell about how you and a buddy scored a great coin, or how your great great grandmother smuggled the family gold out of Poland in her shoes, post it here. If you were there when the idea of PCGS was born, or personally know a guy who glued a coin back together and still got it in a problem free slab, I wanna know. If your great great great great grandfather was David Rittenhouse himself and you have the family tree data to back it up, let’s hear it!
Unless nobody else wants this cool cent from Lincoln’s birth year, maybe one of very coins he walked 3 miles to give back to the customer he overcharged, in the snow, uphill, both ways.
Peace out ✌🏻
Empty Nest Collection
****> Peace out ✌🏻
Unreal ! people can't give away coins W/O listening to people like you !!!!!!>
Who and what are you talking about?
He can't give away his own coin without listening to himself?
Does anything about that statement make sense to you?
Someone is trying to do a good thing....... Maybe you should try it yourself .......
Let me put this as simply and clearly as I can, because you seem confused.
The person you were complaining to (and about) is the same person who is running the giveaway. Got it?
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
NO I never complained about anyone besides YOU !!
Get a grip !
Okay can I just also clarify with absolutely no irony implied that I love each and every one of you for the unique qualities that you bring to this forum! That’s the whole point of this giveaway. Now please, carry on! 🥰
Empty Nest Collection
The evidence is right here in this thread. I didn't even comment until I saw your rude comment to @renomedphys .
Why were you even attacking him? It makes no sense.
He hadn't even posted on the thread...the OP was clarifying his giveaway guidelines and asking for more participation.
And you flipped out on the OP and now don't understand it.
I don't say this flippantly or to insult but you are clearly very confused and are not cognizant of what you are posting.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
I'm with you my friend ! Can't believe this is actually happening !
Easy, boys—Mach ain’t up to speed.
ok so i guess i should tell my story.
i got divorced because of a coin.
yes.
a coin.
not drugs.
not gambling.
not another woman.
A COIN.
my ex wife hated my coins.
she would always say “why do you need another coin”
and i would say “because i dont have this one”
which i thought was a very good answer.
she did not.
she also didnt like that i spent money on coins.
which was weird because she spent money on stuff too.
hers just wasnt old american money with a date on it so obviously i think i won that argument.
one time i bought a coin and she asked me how much it cost.
i told her.
she just stared at me.
i said “but its rare”
she said “so is common sense”
which was honestly pretty rude.
i didnt even know common sense had a mintage.
then she started saying things like “you care more about your coins than me”
and i said “thats not true”
then i thought about it for a few seconds.
and maybe it was a little true.
anyway we got divorced.
she got her stuff.
i got my coins.
so i guess the court system works.
the funny thing is she used to say i would end up alone with my stupid coins.
well guess what.
SHE WAS RIGHT.
i am alone.
with my coins.
and honestly they have been very supportive.
they dont complain.
dey dont ask stupid questions.
they dont ask why i bought another one.
they dont tell me i have a problem.
they dont say “we already have one like that.”
they just sit there quietly and appreciate me.
which is more than i can say for my ex.
sometimes i look at my coins and think
“you guys understand me.”
they dont say anything back.
which is perfect.
so now i am a divorced man with a bunch of old coins and an old man mugshot as my profile picture wearing a shirt that says
I AM THE LAW
i think things are going pretty good.
i have learned alot from this experience.
mostly that marriage is temporary.
coins are forever.
and apparently my ex was right about me ending up alone.
which i dont appreciate.
ANYWAY.
i sure hope dis wins cuz i want the jail cent.
i REALLY want the jail cent.
actually i need the jail cent.
at first i just thought it was cool.
then i saw the words “jail cent”
and now i dont know how i lived before knowing this coin existed.
i have thought about this jail cent more than i thought about my wedding.
i have thought about this jail cent more than i thought about my divorce.
i have thought about this jail cent more than i think about most important things.
i dont know if thats healthy.
probably not.
but look at the coin.
ITS A JAIL CENT.
it has been in jail longer than i have been married.
probably.
and it is only like $100.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
i am now publicly begging strangers on the internet for one hundred dollars worth of old copper.
my ex was right.
this is probably a problem.
BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM.
THIS IS A NUMISMATIC PROBLEM.
VERY IMPORTANT.
I AM BEGGING YOU PEOPLE.
PLEASE.
I HAVE NOTHING LEFT.
MY WIFE IS GONE.
MY MONEY IS GONE.
MY HAIR IS GOING.
MY COMMON SENSE LEFT A LONG TIME AGO.
ALL I HAVE LEFT IS COINS.
AND NOW I NEED THIS COIN.
IF I DONT WIN THIS COIN I DONT KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO.
I WILL PROBABLY JUST SIT IN A DARK ROOM AND SORT MY COINS BY DATE AGAIN.
NOBODY WANTS THAT.
NOT EVEN ME.
I HAVE ALREADY DONE IT 6 TIMES.
THE 1914S IS STILL MISSING.
I DONT KNOW WHERE IT WENT.
IT KNOWS WHAT IT DID.
SO PLEASE.
LIKE MY POST.
I AM NOT ABOVE BEGGING.
I WILL LIKE YOUR POST.
I WILL LIKE YOUR DOG.
I WILL LIKE YOUR CAT.
I WILL LIKE YOUR HAMSTER.
I WILL LIKE A PICTURE OF A 1943 STEEL CENT EVEN IF I DONT LIKE STEEL CENTS.
I WILL LIKE A POST ABOUT MODERN PENNIES.
YES.
MODERN.
THATS HOW LOW I HAVE FALLEN.
I WILL LIKE A POST ABOUT NICKELS.
I WILL LIKE A POST ABOUT CANADIAN COINS.
I WILL EVEN LIKE A POST ABOUT COINS THAT ARE NOT FROM AMERICA.
I HAVE LOST MY PRINCIPLES.
I JUST WANT THE JAIL CENT.
PLEASE.
I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
THE COIN AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
WE DESERVE EACH OTHER.
PLEASE SEND HELP.
OR THE COIN.
PREFERABLY THE COIN.
NO.
NOT HELP.
THE COIN.
I DONT NEED THERAPY.
I NEED 1809.
THATS THE YEAR.
I THINK.
I DONT KNOW ANYMORE.
I HAVE STARTED SEEING 1809 EVERYWHERE.
MY CLOCK SAID 18:09 YESTERDAY.
I SCREAMED.
MY NEIGHBOR CALLED THE POLICE.
I TOLD THEM IT WAS ABOUT THE COIN.
THEY LEFT.
THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND.
NOBODY UNDERSTANDS.
EXCEPT THE COIN.
THE COIN UNDERSTANDS.
THE COIN HAS BEEN IN JAIL.
IT KNOWS SUFFERING.
IT KNOWS WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE LOCKED UP.
ME AND THIS COIN ARE BASICALLY FAMILY.
I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.
I WILL PUT IT IN A NICE HOLDER.
I WILL KEEP IT SAFE.
I WILL NEVER SELL IT.
I WILL NEVER TRADE IT.
I WILL SHOW IT TO EVERY PERSON I MEET.
THEY WILL SAY “THATS NICE.”
I WILL SAY “IT WAS IN JAIL.”
THEY WILL WALK AWAY.
I WILL FOLLOW THEM.
I WILL EXPLAIN THE EDGE.
THE FLAT SPOTS.
THE DATE.
THE HISTORY.
THEY WILL REGRET MEETING ME.
BUT I WILL HAVE THE COIN.
THATS WHAT MATTERS.
IF I WIN THIS I PROMISE I WILL BECOME A BETTER MAN.
I WILL BE KINDER.
I WILL BE WISER.
I WILL MAKE BETTER FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
I WILL ORGANIZE MY COLLECTION.
I WILL CALL MY MOTHER.
I WILL STOP BUYING COINS FOR THREE WHOLE DAYS.
THREE.
DAYS.
THAT IS A HUGE PROMISE.
I WILL EVEN ADMIT MY EX WAS RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING.
I HAVE A PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT I DONT HAVE THIS JAIL CENT.
THATS IT.
THATS THE WHOLE PROBLEM.
MY LIFE IS PERFECT OTHERWISE.
COMPLETELY NORMAL.
VERY STABLE.
I AM FINE.
I AM DOING GREAT.
I AM JUST A MAN WHO NEEDS AN 1809 CENT FROM A JAIL.
THATS NORMAL.
VERY NORMAL.
I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR SO LONG THAT I THINK I AM STARTING TO BECOME THE JAIL CENT.
I AM NOW 1809.
MY BLOOD IS COPPER.
MY BONES ARE FLAT SPOTS.
MY HAIR IS A DIE CRACK.
MY DIVORCE WAS PROBABLY A MINT ERROR.
I DONT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
BUT IT SOUNDS NUMISMATIC.
PLEASE GIVE ME THE COIN.
I AM ON MY KNEES.
I HAVE NO SHAME LEFT.
I USED IT ALL UP IN THE DIVORCE.
I USED TO HAVE A WIFE.
NOW I HAVE A WANTED AD FOR AN 1809 CENT.
THIS IS WHAT AMERICA HAS DONE TO ME.
THIS IS WHAT COIN COLLECTING HAS DONE TO ME.
THIS IS WHAT MY EX WIFE HAS DONE TO ME.
THIS IS WHAT THE JAIL CENT HAS DONE TO ME.
AND I HAVE NOT EVEN WON IT YET.
IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS IF I WIN.
I WILL BECOME UNSTOPPABLE.
I WILL BUY ANOTHER COIN.
MY EX WILL PROBABLY FEEL IT FROM WHEREVER SHE IS.
SHE WILL WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SAY
“HE BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE.”
YES.
YES I DID.
AND IT WAS FREE.
KIND OF.
I HAD TO WRITE THIS.
WHICH COST ME MY LAST PIECE OF DIGNITY.
BUT THAT IS OK.
DIGNITY IS TEMPORARY.
COINS ARE FOREVER.
JAIL CENTS ARE FOREVERER.
I THINK.
I DONT KNOW.
I AM TIRED.
PLEASE.
I SURE HOPE DIS WINS CUZ I WANT THE JAIL CENT.
I REALLY REALLY WANT THE JAIL CENT.
I NEED THE JAIL CENT.
I HAVE ALREADY LOST A WIFE.
I HAVE ALREADY LOST MONEY.
I HAVE ALREADY LOST MY HAIR.
I HAVE ALREADY LOST MY MIND.
I CANNOT LOSE AN 1809 JAIL CENT TOO.
THAT WOULD JUST BE RUDE.
I WILL BE GOOD.
I PROMISE.
I WILL STOP.
I WILL BE NORMAL.
I WILL GO OUTSIDE.
I WILL TALK TO PEOPLE.
I WILL GET A HOBBY.
THE COIN WILL BE MY HOBBY.
THE COIN WILL BE MY FRIEND.
THE COIN WILL BE MY FAMILY.
THE COIN WILL BE MY NEW WIFE.
WAIT.
THAT SOUNDS BAD.
FORGET THAT.
THE COIN IS JUST MY COIN.
PLEASE GIVE ME THE COIN.
I AM BEGGING.
JAIL CENT.
JAIL CENT.
JAIL CENT.
JAIL CENT.
JAIL CENT.
JAIL CENT.
JAIL CENT.
jail cent
jail cent
jail
cent
please
ok thank you.
i am done now.
unless i dont win.
then i will be back.
I wish I could LOL that twice! Oh wait, just did 🤪
Empty Nest Collection
this thread is a mess.
(like this post if you agree.)
Superb collections are built more by omission than by addition.
This story is what helped propel me into carefully examining and collecting variety Indian cents. Back in my early days of becoming acquainted with Indian cents when I was a complete novice and unaware of most Indian cent varieties, I was scrolling through raw uncirculated Indian cents on eBay one day and came across a coin that was advertised as a “BU” 1873 Indian cent. I clicked on the auction listing for more details and could see from the photo that the coin was indeed uncirculated and looked to have original toning, but there was no designation as to the exact grade and whether it was an open or closed 3. I decided to keep my bid closer to the low-end mint state open 3 price range. I ended up winning the coin for a mere $110 which is less than AU money for an 1873 open 3, so I thought I got a pretty good deal. However, within minutes of the auction closing I received an e-mail from a gentleman offering me $100 more than the closing price, because he said he especially liked the woodgrain toning of this particular 1873 Indian cent. I advised him I would have to evaluate the coin when I received it and get back to him. Now, this peaked my curiosity as to why he would offer double for this particular coin. I thought, “Maybe he knows something I don’t?”
When the coin arrived, I was quite pleased with its appearance and quickly determined it was the closed 3 variety and graded it as MS63RB with a good shot at MS64RB. But, as a result of that gentleman’s curious e-mail, I made sure to examine the coin very carefully. To my surprise, I noticed that the letters in “Liberty” were doubled. Not knowing much yet about Indian varieties, I decided to peruse my variety books to see if the doubling on this particular coin was mentioned for that year. When I compared it to the pictures of 1873 cents in Flynn’s Indian cent die variety book, I determined that, although it was not the Snow 1 variety which exhibits strong doubling in all of the letters of Liberty, it was definitely the Snow 2 variety which had clear doubling in all of the letters of “Liberty” except the "L." When I discovered the value of this variety was about $2,500 in MS63 and $3,500 in MS64, I couldn’t contain myself! I was so excited to share this great find with someone that I showed the coin to my usually skeptical husband and teenaged kids and told them what it was potentially worth. They stared at me like I had just landed from another planet. They couldn’t believe anyone would pay that kind of money for a PENNY! I showed them the article and photo of the 1873 in the book and had each of them look at the coin through a loupe so they could see the doubling for themselves. I think that was the first time my family showed true respect for me as a coin entrepreneur and not as just a collector of more “junk.”
I took the coin to the next Long Beach show and showed it to Alan Kreuzer (my mentor at the time), as well as the ANACS grader, and several other dealers. They all agreed that it was indeed the Snow 2 variety and said it would grade at least MS63RB. I decided to shop it around the show to see what someone would actually pay for it and received offers from $1,000 to $2,000. I ended up selling it for $2,000 to a variety dealer who was very pleased with it. From a $110 investment, this was quite a nice little profit for me, and the experience also made me not only a believer in the value of varieties, but an excited new collector of Indian cent varieties!
The Penny Lady®
Kansas is not as flat as a pancake. Its as flat as a pancake with chocolate chips.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
Coming up in the 70s Houston was probably a laid back place but at 5 years and limited to how far I could walk I couldn’t have known.
Turbulent times, stayed at grandmas house a lot and she collected coins and stored a Folgers can full of silver half’s in the freezer. I think was to keep them safe in case of a burglary. She smoked about a half carton of non filter camels per day, pst, pst, pst the flakes of tobacco hit the dashboard as she drove.
Anyway back to the story (she was a very sweet lady and I have very fond memories of her and her house growing up).
So at the time my family including two brothers lived in an apt complex and there was a playground where I spent most of my time that summer. At least when I wasn’t terrified to go outside.
Terrified because one of our neighbors had a huge black dog that always went crazy when he spotted me, I think it was a Great Dane. It was taller than me on all fours, his head as big as my torso and just had an evil demeanor at least whenever he saw me. And then I would hide.
If I saw him typically on a leash with his master he would snarl and just stare right through me. He wanted me badly.
One afternoon at the playground he got loose I don’t know how but he charged me and I didn’t even see him coming.
He grabbed me by my left shoulder picked me up and carried me for about 20 feet then all of sudden just dropped me and started licking me. I don’t know if the master called him off or what I was still in shock and in shock that he wasn’t eating me.
My dad took me to the ER and other than 4 puncture wounds I was bandaged up and went home. That night the neighbor and my dad were adamant that I confront this demon and make friends with this dog from hell.
So we walked up to their door and knocked, the door opened and all of sudden I am face to face with this menacing looking, gnashing teeth of a beast absolutely going ape shit trying to eat me again. Thankfully two people were holding him back as they were telling me to just pet him it’s okay he’s friendly. Reluctantly, I moved forward and slightly lifted the one arm that still worked and the beast went crazy and almost broke free. I’ll never forget that vicious set of teeth snapping and growling at me.
We went back home and I didn’t go back outside for 3 months.
Never saw them or that dog again but I still have 4 small scars in a square but they moved down to the bottom of my back as I grew up.
URGENT UPDATE
2 likes.
7 LOLs.
this is bad.
very bad.
i was hoping for the jail cent.
instead i have become entertainment.
i did not write 400 paragraphs about my failed marriage and questionable coin collecting so people could LAUGH AT ME.
actually i did.
but thats not the point.
I NEED THE JAIL CENT.
i woke up this morning and immediately checked the post.
2 likes.
still 2.
i refreshed.
2.
i refreshed again.
2.
i started refreshing faster.
2.
I THINK THE WEBSITE IS BROKEN.
OR EVERYBODY HAS DECIDED TO HATE ME.
my ex wife probably saw the post.
she probably laughed.
she probably said
“see? this is what i was talking about.”
I HATE THAT SHE MIGHT BE RIGHT.
THIS IS THE WORST PART.
she told me i was obsessed with coins.
now i am publicly begging strangers for an 1809 penny.
SHE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE RIGHT IN HER LIFE.
but listen.
she doesnt understand.
THIS IS A JAIL CENT.
it has HISTORY.
it has FLAT SPOTS.
it has been through things.
I have been through things.
WE HAVE A CONNECTION.
i am pretty sure the coin can feel it.
probably.
maybe.
i havent asked it yet.
i am currently staring at one of my other pennies waiting for it to give me advice.
it has said nothing.
very disappointing.
ANYWAY.
to the 2 people who liked my post:
thank you.
you are now my support group.
we meet every tuesday.
there is no meeting place because i dont have friends anymore.
bring coins.
to the 7 people who LOL'd:
i forgive you.
mostly.
but remember.
you are laughing at a man who has lost his wife, his money, his hair, his dignity and possibly his mind.
SHOW SOME RESPECT.
also if you have a coin collection you should probably understand.
this is serious.
I NEED THIS JAIL CENT.
I NEED IT SO BAD.
i have started making plans.
if i win, i will put the coin in the nicest holder i own.
i will put it somewhere safe.
i will protect it.
i will defend it.
if someone tries to touch it i will calmly explain that it is MY JAIL CENT.
i will show it to people.
people who dont care.
especially those people.
i will walk into the grocery store and say
“look what i got.”
they will say
“sir please leave.”
and i will leave.
BUT WITH MY JAIL CENT.
THATS WHAT MATTERS.
i have also made a promise.
if i win this coin, i will not complain about my divorce for one entire day.
24 HOURS.
NO DIVORCE TALK.
NO EX TALK.
NO COIN TALK.
well maybe some coin talk.
ok 24 hours was unrealistic.
I WILL TRY 6 HOURS.
THATS A LOT.
PLEASE.
I AM BEGGING.
I WILL DO ANYTHING.
not illegal stuff.
probably.
I WILL LIKE YOUR POSTS.
I WILL COMMENT NICE THINGS.
I WILL SAY “VERY NICE COIN” ON A COIN I DO NOT LIKE.
I WILL EVEN PRETEND TO LIKE MODERN PENNIES.
I HAVE HIT ROCK BOTTOM.
I WILL ACCEPT CANADIAN MONEY.
THATS HOW DESPERATE I AM.
PLEASE.
I WANT THE JAIL CENT.
I DONT WANT A NEW WIFE.
I DONT WANT MONEY.
I DONT WANT HAPPINESS.
I WANT ONE SPECIFIC PIECE OF COPPER FROM 1809.
THAT IS ALL.
MY EX GOT EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE HOUSE.
THE NORMAL LIFE.
THE EMOTIONAL STABILITY.
PROBABLY MY GOOD TOWELS.
I WANT THE JAIL CENT.
THATS FAIR.
THATS A FAIR DIVORCE SETTLEMENT.
2 LIKES FOR THE MAN.
1 JAIL CENT FOR THE MAN.
PLEASE.
I AM BEGGING YOU.
THE SITUATION IS GETTING WORSE.
I HAVE STARTED CALLING RANDOM PENNIES “MY PRECIOUS.”
YESTERDAY I FOUND A 1982 CENT UNDER MY COUCH.
I HELD IT IN MY HAND.
I WHISPERED
“YOU ARE NOT HIM.”
THEN I PUT IT BACK.
IT WASNT THE SAME.
NOTHING IS THE SAME.
ONLY 1809 CAN FIX THIS.
I DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF I DONT WIN.
I MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY OLD COINS.
I MAY HAVE TO ORGANIZE THEM.
I MAY HAVE TO CLEAN THEM.
I MAY HAVE TO GET A REAL HOBBY.
I CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN.
SO PLEASE.
FOR THE LOVE OF AMERICAN COPPER.
LIKE THE POST.
I NEED 50 LIKES.
FIFTY.
I HAVE 2.
THAT MEANS I ONLY NEED 48 MORE.
WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LOT WHEN I SAY IT OUT LOUD.
BUT I BELIEVE IN US.
ME.
YOU.
THE COIN.
THE 2 LIKERS.
THE 7 LOL PEOPLE.
WE CAN DO THIS.
WE WILL GET THAT JAIL CENT.
AND WHEN I FINALLY HOLD IT IN MY HAND I WILL LOOK INTO ITS LITTLE 1809 COPPER FACE AND SAY:
“WE MADE IT.”
then i will probably cry.
then laugh.
then divorce myself from my own common sense.
ANYWAY.
PLEASE LIKE.
I AM SURE THIS IS MY LAST UPDATE.
probably.
unless i get another like.
then i will make another update.
and if i get the jail cent...
i may never shut up again.
thank you.
please.
i need the jail cent.
ok i read dis.
first of all.
YOU GOT CARRIED AWAY BY THE DOG.
like a purse.
then it dropped you and started licking you.
this dog had no idea what it wanted.
“im gonna eat you.”
“actually nevermind. you seem nice.”
and then your dad said go pet it.
SIR.
THE DOG JUST TRIED TO EAT THE CHILD.
WHY ARE WE NEGOTIATING WITH THE DOG.
i would have moved into the freezer with grandma's silver.
at least the silver was safe.
grandma had the right idea.
Folgers can full of silver halves in the freezer.
modern security system:
alarm.
camera.
safe.
grandma security system:
PUT IT NEXT TO THE FROZEN PEAS.
nobody stealing that.
also four scars in a square is pretty cool.
basically your back has a permanent mint mark.
DOG ATTACK.
MS-70S.
probably worth $100.
which is exactly what i need for my jail cent.
SEE.
EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE JAIL CENT.
i dont know why.
it just does.
maybe the jail cent was also attacked by a dog.
maybe it was stored in a Folgers can.
maybe it was frozen.
WE NEED TO KNOW.
anyway great story.
i am glad you survived.
please keep posting stories like this.
i need entertainment while i wait for my jail cent.
2 likes.
7 lols.
still no jail cent.
this is becoming a crisis.
ok i looked at this picture for 4 minutes
still dont know where Kansas is
i thought Kansas was the flat part
but apparently there is a wall now
THIS IS NOT FLAT
this is a rock pancake
maybe Kansas is actually sideways
nobody ever checked
also where is the 1809 jail cent
i dont see it in the picture
maybe it escaped Kansas
honestly i would too
KANSAS: NOT FLAT
JAIL CENT: BEEN IN JAIL
one of these has more life experience
and it is the coin.
i need that coin badly
please stop posting geography until someone gives me the jail cent.
Okay so far 14 likes for @Tramp, followed by 13 for @Onastone and 10 for @thebeav and @Goob
Empty Nest Collection
Okay so the forum page changed and now it seems that a lot fewer threads fit onto page one. I feel like I should remove the page two stipulation for now and keep the 50 likes thing as the sole requirement. At least until this horrible format issue is resolved
Empty Nest Collection
Sorry, I can't like a post that uses all caps.
WHY?
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
Counting LOLS? Humor in my opinion is the far greater judge of character?
BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARY
COMBINED WITH THE LARGE LINE SPACING
IT MAKES HIS VERY LONG POST EXTREMELY LONG.
Yes, you're right. This format is very weird and "unliked". At least by me and you. The thread...
Totally different story! Very interesting and profound.
RickO, would of been all over this thread. Loved to know what he would post!
Many, I know, would agree.
We ALL Miss our dear friend,
RickO.
Thanks 😊
Oh... This one thing,
PCGS, can you please bring back the old format?
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.I was scrolling and saw this coin close-up and knew it was you immediately! I scrolled back and then saw your name for verification...I knew because I remembered when you found this one and I have always kept an eye out for a smoking engine like this!!!
Lol
Well, thanks for the recognition of my great discovery!
Yeah, I kinda figured that my find, would turnout to be a 1 of 1. Very good for the gentleman that bought it from me!
Also, back to RickO. He would of loved my "Burning Airplane" Quarter.
All WHITE, NO Tarnishing.
Like he would put it!
😆 thanks
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.Thomas Jefferson and the 1804 Dollar: The Untold Story
Many may think they know the story of the 1804 silver dollar. Those individuals may find the details that follow disturbing, or even shocking. They may wish to turn away now and look no further. But for those brave souls who are still here, I will tell the tale of Thomas Jefferson, and how a sticky passion spelled disaster for the 1804 dollar and nearly cost him his life!
It was the autumn of 1804 and President Thomas Jefferson had just entered a historically-accurate general store in order to make a very special purchase, a giant order of packing tape. For that prize, he was prepared to spend the entire original mintage of 1804 silver dollars (which, contrary to current conventional wisdom, were actually minted in 1804). However, in the excitement, the mountain of packing tape caught fire, and fueled by the highly flammable adhesive, quickly raged out of control. Jefferson himself was barely able to escape with his life. The entire original mintage of 1804 dollars was melted in the conflagration, leaving only the 1834 and later restrikes that we know today. Jefferson swore after the ordeal that he would never touch another roll of tape, but little did he know that his predilection could not be discarded so easily. Jefferson never realized it in his lifetime and generations of historians have turned a blind eye, but modern science has confirmed what Americans have long whispered about in lonely taverns and dark alleys; our beloved Founding Father was a raging tape freak!
The genetic basis for this condition was passed down through generations of descendants; sometimes it was carried silently, appearing to skip a generation, but upon reemerging again, the manifestation was all the freakier! Today, they surround us, they come and go unnoticed...until the first sight of tape, and then they freak out! Quietly, unassumingly, one of Jefferson's freakiest descendants has made his way to this very Forum, and perhaps even this very thread...in fact, he's behind you!!!