Can anyone tell me about this Danny Kaye coin?

danglen · February 6, 2006 6:58AM

In a PCGS slab, no less.....

ajaan · February 6, 2006 7:06AM

KM# 21 Commemorative coin. Mintage: 2,000 in Proof. What I find strange is the lack of a country on the slab.

BTW, good year.

satootoko · February 6, 2006 7:14AM

<< What I find strange is the lack of a country on the slab. >>

And the unusual English spelling for the subject, which is universally rendered in English as "menorah" with an "h".

Is that a new style PCGS holder, or an old one I hadn't seen before

(BTW I had never before heard that Danny Kaye was a numismatist.)

danglen · February 6, 2006 7:16AM

Don, I knew what Krause had to say about it. Just had never seen a PCGS slab that looked like this, and I spared you all the presentation case that came with a picture of Danny Kaye

Also, the proof version was issued in such a limited quantity that I wondered if there was some special program for people other than Danny Kaye.

ajaan · February 6, 2006 7:17AM

That's an older 'special' holder that PCGS used to have. I forget what they called it.

danglen · February 6, 2006 7:19AM

<< Is that a new style PCGS holder, or an old one I hadn't seen before >>

Roy, I had never seen a PCGS holder that looked like this one either. I don't know when it was slabbed. A brass plaque in the presentation box says it was from the estate of Danny Kaye who died in 1987, so I imagine it was slabbed before then.

mact · February 6, 2006 7:39AM

or just after his death. The slab said "estate".

Tassa · February 6, 2006 7:44AM

It's a PCGS Regency slab.

Syracusian · February 6, 2006 7:56AM

Probably worth more than the coin inside it.

FilamCoins · February 6, 2006 9:58AM

Who's Danny Kaye???

coinkat · February 6, 2006 10:23AM

Danny Kaye was a movie star and singer that was fairly big in the late 1940's through the late 1950's. He portrayed Red Nichols in a 1959 film called The Five Pennies... Louis Armstrong, among others were in it...

rhound1977 · February 6, 2006 9:18PM

Steve27 · February 6, 2006 9:42PM

Danny Kaye was a large collector of Israeli coins, and after his death his collection was sold off. As has been stated, the Regency holder is worth more than the coin.

danglen · February 6, 2006 9:48PM

<< Danny Kaye was a large collector of Israeli coins, and after his death his collection was sold off. As has been stated, the Regency holder is worth more than the coin. >>

Krause values the proof coin at $450.00. Does this mean the holder is worth $500.00?

ccrdragon · February 6, 2006 10:09PM

if it had a US coin it, yes... there are a number of people who collect slabs instead of coins (I mean they really don't care what the coin in the slab is) and the regency slab is one of the most sought after slabs on the market and adds a great deal of value to the item.

MSD61 · February 6, 2006 11:50PM

I always loved his movies. Interesting slab

Conder101 · February 7, 2006 5:12AM

As mentioned it is a Regency Slab, listed in the book as PCGS 9. It was produced from 1992 - 95. It was a special item that cost either an additional $25 or $50 I don't remember which at the moment. For that extra charge the coin would be put in this holder and you could put two lines of text on the holder with anything you wanted. But you were limited to 22 characters per line. The slabs were shipped back with each slab in its own soft felt drawstring bag. Due to the additional expense, the larger size, and the odd shape these slabs were never very popular and relatively few were ever produced. Most of them were used for special or high value items and most of them have been cracked out over the years. They are to PCGS what the Black insert slab is to NGC, the most difficult slab to acquire.

Danny Kaye was a strong collector of Israeli coins (actually more of a strong supportor of Israel, and a horder of Israeli coins) and when his collection was auctions a great many of the pieces were slabbed in these holders. (I suspect that the Danny Kaye collection may comprise the bulk of the Regency slabs that were produced.) Kaye had MANY duplicates. You notice the #12/59 on the holder. That meant that he had 59 specimens of this coin and this is coin #12. In the Slab book I pictured my own Danny Kaye coin which was this same issue but graded MS-66, and it was coin 267 of 363. (I also suspet that your coin is not a true proof. The Mint State examples of these coins have mirror finish PL fields. The devices on the proofs had strong cameos. The obverse of your coin definitely doesn't look like a proof, and I dont think the reverse has strong enough frosting to qualify either. Of course I'm looking at a picture so I could be mistaken.)

By the way I would like to have the pictures of the presentation case. Do you actually own this coin and case? (There is a very strong collector base of Israel collectors in this country. There is even a national organization of collectors of Israel coins.)

Does anyone know who auctioned his collection?

danglen · February 18, 2006 12:32AM

Can't believe this thing is up to $696.00. WOW......

1960NYGiants · February 18, 2006 12:46AM

<< Danny Kaye was a strong collector of Israeli coins (actually more of a strong supportor of Israel, and a horder of Israeli coins) and when his collection was auctions a great many of the pieces were slabbed in these holders. (I suspect that the Danny Kaye collection may comprise the bulk of the Regency slabs that were produced.) Kaye had MANY duplicates. You notice the #12/59 on the holder. That meant that he had 59 specimens of this coin and this is coin #12. In the Slab book I pictured my own Danny Kaye coin which was this same issue but graded MS-66, and it was coin 267 of 363. (I also suspet that your coin is not a true proof. The Mint State examples of these coins have mirror finish PL fields. The devices on the proofs had strong cameos. The obverse of your coin definitely doesn't look like a proof, and I dont think the reverse has strong enough frosting to qualify either. Of course I'm looking at a picture so I could be mistaken.) >>

If memory serves me right, Isreal used a symbol to distinguish between proof and BU strikes. My Krause is not at hand to verify. I do not believe the Isreali mint used frosted dies for proofs.

Gene

danglen · February 18, 2006 1:01AM

<< The devices on the proofs had strong cameos. The obverse of your coin definitely doesn't look like a proof, and I dont think the reverse has strong enough frosting to qualify either. Of course I'm looking at a picture so I could be mistaken.) >>

From the number and content of emails I'm getting, I have a feeling people are bidding on the plastic and not the coin.....but whether PCGS goofed on calling it a proof or not, I'm glad it's in a PCGS slab.

STLNATS · February 18, 2006 1:09AM

Isreal used a symbol to distinguish between proof and BU strikes. My Krause is not at hand to verify. I do not believe the Isreali mint used frosted dies for proofs.

The "mem" marking on proofs started in 1959. The 1958 is not marked and, combined with the design, is much more difficult to distinguish proofs from business strikes. According to the Israel Coins & Medals Corp catelogue, "the letters and numbers on the oroof coin are matte on a shiny background. It is difficult to discern on the proof coin that its natureal lustre was dulled."

Business strikes I've seen tend to have a more muted luster in the background. The one pictured looks proof to me.

BTW, this is a great series that is woefully undercollected today. Historic, well designed coins at what I think are bargain prices. PVC in the original holders are a big problem so caveat emptor.

danglen · February 19, 2006 1:49AM

Strip my gears and call me shiftless........it's at $950.00 with 10+ hours to go!!!!!

danglen · February 19, 2006 3:48AM

This is getting pretty exciting

Danny Kaye - Regency Holder auction

farthing · February 19, 2006 4:11AM

Between the Danny Kaye name and the Regency holder with the presentation box I guess I'm not surprised.

danglen · February 19, 2006 4:35AM

<< Between the Danny Kaye name and the Regency holder with the presentation box I guess I'm not surprised. >>

That makes one of us

. I'm blown away by the bidding on this.

Conder101 · February 20, 2006 4:33AM

<< According to the Israel Coins & Medals Corp catelogue, "the letters and numbers on the proof coin are matte on a shiny background. >>

The problem is that my MS-66 Danny Kaye Regency slab piece ALSO has mirror finish fields and matte devices. It is vey difficult to tell them apart, and I o believe that sometime the designation is assigned arbitrarily.

$1136.11

A $450 coin with $600 plastic. Congratulations. (Of course the catalog price for the coin may be too low as well.)

Can anyone tell me about this Danny Kaye coin?

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