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Going back in time to get a 1933 Saint
JoeLewis
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Suppose you went back in time and actually got a 1933 Saint through an exchange at a bank (mint.) What would you actually do with it when you got back?
As soon as you went public with it the mint would seize it, correct? What would be the best course of action?
As soon as you went public with it the mint would seize it, correct? What would be the best course of action?
US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
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US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
<< <i>Suppose you went back in time and actually got a 1933 Saint through an exchange at a bank (mint.) What would you actually do with it when you got back?
As soon as you went public with it the mint would seize it, correct? What would be the best course of action? >>
The best course of action would have been to go back into time just before FDR put the kibosh on gold ownership, buy a '33 Saint at the Mint and make sure they recorded the transaction (and the date of the transaction) and that they monetized the coin.
Suddenly, '33 Saints likely aren't contraband any more.
Take a Million cash and go back to 1970 and order some Muscle Cars to Bring back !
Would make that Saint look like chump change !
<< <i>You could not get a '33 saint at the mint legally at any time. None were ever available to the public. >>
But you have a time machine, remember? You can change history.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>
<< <i>You could not get a '33 saint at the mint legally at any time. None were ever available to the public. >>
But you have a time machine, remember? You can change history. >>
Now listen here, Sherman...
The depression was in full gear. People were expatriating their gold oversees in massive amounts and this began to undermine and threaten the stability of the US dollar and the entire economy, which was already in a state of severe trauma.
FDR enacted the Gold Confiscation Act (Executive Order 6102) on April 5, 1933. ALL gold, with a few exceptions was "called" by the government, and people actually turned in HUGE amounts of coins, bullion, jewelry and anything with gold content. NO GOLD COINS were to leave the Philadelphia mint, even though coins were being minted beginning in March '33.
446 1933 Saints were sent to the Assay Office to make sure they met technical standards; 9 were destroyed in the process and 437 were returned to the mint. The entire mintage was sealed in Vault F, for permanent storage. They remained there until 1937, (except for ~30 coins which James McCann "issued" to Izzy Switt
History of coins...Mr. Peabody.
<< <i>You could not get a '33 saint at the mint legally at any time. None were ever available to the public. >>
I think that if you were to go to the Philadelphia Mint every day that they were open from March 1, 1933, on with five older date $20's in your pocket and politely ask to exchange them for five 1933 $20's, you would eventually be successful.
There was a time period when the Mint could not legally pay out gold for paper, but could legally pay out gold for gold.
TD
<< <i>
<< <i>You could not get a '33 saint at the mint legally at any time. None were ever available to the public. >>
I think that if you were to go to the Philadelphia Mint every day that they were open from March 1, 1933, on with five older date $20's in your pocket and politely ask to exchange them for five 1933 $20's, you would eventually be successful.
There was a time period when the Mint could not legally pay out gold for paper, but could legally pay out gold for gold.
TD >>
Tom...not true. The 1933's were ONLY accessed as assay pieces when made and never authorized to be issued to or by the cashier at the mint. Documentation is extremely specific as to where every coin went...the only 1933's that ended up in the hands of the public were done so years later with a little help from James McCann, the "sly-fox of the cage".
<< <i>C'mon St goo-goo.......all ya gotta do is shoot Comrade Roosevelt, stop the order then get a St. and make tracks to present day!!!! >>
Eeeeeesh. Inasmuch as I think FDR was an overrated hot air-bag as a President, I ain't shooting anyone. teddy was the only Roosevelt worthy of the name!
<< <i>
<< <i>You could not get a '33 saint at the mint legally at any time. None were ever available to the public. >>
But you have a time machine, remember? You can change history. >>
H-m-m-m
If a line gets added to the pop reports overnight, we'll know you were successful!
The name is LEE!
How many other assay pieces have come to market of other dates and series over the years?
<< <i>How many other assay pieces have come to market of other dates and series over the years?
Quite a few. And if the government's position is upheld wrt the 1933s, they would have a legal claim on all of those pieces as well. But I doubt they would pursue it. For some reason someone in the SS is really persnickety about this particular coin. I've never quite understand that part of it.
The US attorneys aren't stupid. They realize this position is somewhat inconsistent. If you really pinned them to the ground they would just say that "we choose not to prosecute" all the other cases (not just assay pieces but patterns too), but that they have the right do so if they wanted.
Edited to add, TDN - that includes your Gobrechts. Everyone knows they are "patterns"
<< <i>What would you use to pay for the '33 Saint? >>
I think you would have to suck it up and buy an earlier date Saint to bring back with you to exchange.
US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
Members of the Annual Assay Commission could also purchase specimens as souvenirs at the conclusion of the proceedings - except for some commemoratives where their were official distributors, or, as in 1934, when gold coin ownership was prohibited.
for gold and that they hade the '33 saint available. I don't know.
But, who knows how many '33 coins were made in 1932 at the end of the year. It
is hardly uncommon that coins not intended for release get mixed in with older coin
and issued. Indeed, it has happened so many times that the mint should be requir-
ed to prove no '33 saints were released in bags of 1932 coin.
Like the weather most time travel is something most people only talk about. It's high
time someone actually did something about it.
Time don't fly it bounds and leaps.
<< <i>Suppose you went back in time and actually got a 1933 Saint through an exchange at a bank (mint.) What would you actually do with it when you got back?
As soon as you went public with it the mint would seize it, correct? What would be the best course of action? >>
Forget it! It was one of those things that I wanted to do the second I thought about it. After thinking about it, now I've lost interest.
US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
some are, some aren't.
<< <i>On your way back to 1933, please stop off at 1964 and get me a 1964-D Peace dollar.
Those were struck in 1965, I believe.
TD
<< <i>Those were struck in 1965, I believe. >>
As was much of the silver coinage dated 1964. And that's a good thing, since it helps me justify putting silver coins in my birth year set.