Contest - Win a PCGS MS65 1913 Type I Buffalo Nickel - Coin w/ Great Story Behind It - BONUS! Win 18

poorguy · April 13, 2010 6:26AM

Well, out of the total of 5 votes, Ambro51 is the winner with a massive 2 votes. PM me your address Ambro51 and thanks for participating.

I planned on adding a poll to this thread but realized I cannot "edit" my post and put in a poll. So, I ask that you simply post to this thread which coin story you liked the best. We'll see how that goes and remedy any problems that voting like this may reveal. I'll tally the votes tomorrow evening and post the results on Saturday.

GO!

This contest focuses on the true heart of collecting, the story behind the coin. I personally find coins with an interesting past drives my interest in numismatics more than the coins themselves. While I do love and appreciate the metallic beauty coins exhibit, the history and stories about some coins truly cemented my passion in numismatics. So, please share your coins and the interesting stories behind them for both the enjoyment of the forum members and for a chance to win a PCGS MS65 1913 Type I Buffalo Nickel which the PCGS price guide values at $195. The coin you post about certainly doesn't have to be the nicest you own but every true collector will have at least one coin with a sentimental, touching, or cool story behind it.

Here is the coin you will recieve: 1913 5c PCGS MS65 Type 1 Blazing Lustrous Buffalo Nickel

Ok, here are the rules to the contest:

1. You have to own the coin.
2. The story has to be true (or at least believable).
3. It matters not if the coin is graded.
4. The best story/coin wins as voted on via forum poll.

Timeline: You have until midnight tomorrow 4-14-2010 to submit your entry. Voting will take place starting in the morning on 4-15-2010 and will last until noon on 4-16-2010. I'll do my best to stick to this schedule.

Now, on to the bonus. There are 11 pictures of

hidden on our website www.jhonecash.com.

The first person to email me the list of pages that have this image hidden on it will win this 1880-S $1 NGC MS64 Blazing Original Morgan Silver Dollar that I pulled from an original roll of 1880-S Morgan Dollars and graded at NGC.

ricko · April 13, 2010 7:25AM

I just want to read the stories and see the coins.

Cheers, RickO

Elcontador · April 13, 2010 7:41AM

I don't have the capabilty to take pics of coins. Would a story do? If so, I'll tell the story of the coin that got me into coin collecting. If you need a pic, I'll move on.

poorguy · April 13, 2010 7:42AM

<< I don't have the capabilty to take pics of coins. Would a story do? If so, I'll tell the story of the coin that got me into coin collecting. If you need a pic, I'll move on. >>

The story is fine. Just let us know what the coin is.

doh · April 13, 2010 7:56AM

I'm not sure my story is "sentimental enough," but hopefully a few of you will enjoy reading about a coin I've owned half my life and which has always been the centerpiece of my collection. The coin is a 1795 Draped Bust (Centered) Dollar PCGS VF30:

My grandfather owned a coin shop in suburban Chicago, which is where I acquired the collecting bug. I started with common date unc Morgans, moved up to an 1881-S $5 gold piece and eventually completed a set of Mercury Dimes. This piece, however, was the biggy. I bought it in 1995 and had it on lay-away forever. I believe I paid $1325 which, in the days when lawnmowing was my primary income, might as well have been a million. Of course, with the family connection, my grandpa let me keep it on lay-away much longer than the standard 90 days. As I recall the coin came into the shop raw with some other silver dollars. At first I was a bit turned off by the darkish color, but I decided I wanted it anyway. We sent it off to PCGS and it came back in an OGH, which of course was just the regular holder then

I paid it off and kept it with my other coins, who probably felt very overshadowed by their "great aunt" in the safe deposit box. I've sold many of the coins I bought as a kid, but even though I've never collected Bust Dollars I've hung on to this one. From this one coin I've learned a great deal of things that have helped me as a numismatist:
1. Don't have OGHs reholdered into the new blue holders just to match your other coins.
2. Yeah, it's dark, but a little too dark is better than a little too bright! This philosophy has completely directed my collecting efforts.
3. This coin is impressive to non-collectors. People hear I collect coins and they almost always ask, "what's your oldest coin" and when that date starts with "17," it's pretty special.
4. It's been a great investment. Yeah, I know, sort of takes the romance out of it, but it's important!

Catbert · April 13, 2010 7:58AM

Does it have to be a U.S. coin?

dizzyfoxx · April 13, 2010 8:15AM

Does it have to be a coin? Or can it just be numismatically related, i.e. a cool piece of obsolete/Confederate currency?

gummibear · April 13, 2010 8:36AM

Well. No pic because it was a coin I didn't get. When I was about 14 I had to get a haircut and my mother sent me with the money. I stopped at the coin shop and bought my first CC dollar. I didn't have enough left for the haircut so my mother made me take the dollar back. After that cc dollars always were always a top wish list coin. I did eventually get most of the CCs in better condition but they always reminded me of the one that I had to take back. To top it off most of my hair has gone south anyway.

Richard

sinin1 · April 13, 2010 8:43AM

I pm'd location of 11

and am starting to think of story

airplanenut · April 13, 2010 8:52AM

The summary is that after my great aunt passed away in January of 2007, two gold coins were found by my grandfather and his brother in her safe deposit box. It was determined that my great-grandfather pulled them from the cash register at his grocery store during the 1933 gold recall, and they've been in the family ever since. To make things more exciting, I've also confirmed that the $2 1/2 Indian is actually a 1911-D Weak D, with the Denver issue being the key date to the series. Both coins are choice, original AUs with light skins. They will NEVER be slabbed, and they will NEVER be sold. These coins will be in the family for the long haul.

It took me a few years to finally make a custom holder, which you can see below, complete with the story. My grandfather helped immensely, providing a long family history from which to gather information for the text I would use. The story alone, though, was fascinating and provided much information I never knew about my family.

Here is the first thread I posted, when I first found out about the coins, but hadn't seen them and didn't know many details.

Enjoy!

Large Obverse
Large Reverse

soty27 · April 13, 2010 8:54AM

Just my opinion here but to be honest your website drives me nuts, i tried to take a look and win the contest for the heck of it but all I saw was pages and pages of sold coins, some sold years ago.. When a coin sells I think its best to remove it from available inventory, its a bit rediculous browsing your site only to see coins that were sold ages ago and have since resold 10 times through other people. Have a highlights page or something if you want to show off what coins you have dealt with but pages and pages of sold coins trying to find what you actually have drives me bonkers.

Steviewah · April 13, 2010 9:27AM

Thank you for the opportunity. I don't have time to write more than a thank you at this time so I'l subscribe to this thread via this note and send a story about a coin later. Steve

tjkillian · April 13, 2010 9:38AM

Back in 1997, my wife and I were touring the Amish countryside in Pennsylvania and stopped at a flea market. We were separately looking around and my wife got my attention on a large cent for sale for $1.00. I jumped on it like white on rice and picked it up. It was a 1795, plain edge large cent in PO-01 condition. I had it for several years when I heard Braddick looking for PO-01 coins for his lowest graded type set. I told him about the coin and he wanted to buy it, but only if I had it graded by PCGS. The lower the grade, the more he would pay. So I sent it to PCGS and it came back just like I though, in a PO-01 holder. He paid for it in misc. U.S. coins, including a heavily tooled Trade dollar. I told my wife about it after the fact and she was disheartened that I sold it. About a year or so later, Braddick was selling it on eBay so I put in a nice strong bid. But alas, I was outbid at the last moment by ColorfulCoins. He is also collecting the lowest graded coins. I contacted him about selling it to me, and he was amiable to the idea. He came over to my house, showed me his lowest graded collection and I was impressed. We traded coins and cash and I got back my 1795 large cent! I have since traded/bought/sold several more coins to him. To this day I host all of his coin pictures for his selling on ebay as a kind of thank you for the coin.

poorguy · April 13, 2010 9:52AM

<< Just my opinion here but to be honest your website drives me nuts, i tried to take a look and win the contest for the heck of it but all I saw was pages and pages of sold coins, some sold years ago.. When a coin sells I think its best to remove it from available inventory, its a bit rediculous browsing your site only to see coins that were sold ages ago and have since resold 10 times through other people. Have a highlights page or something if you want to show off what coins you have dealt with but pages and pages of sold coins trying to find what you actually have drives me bonkers. >>

You were browsing through the archives.

ambro51 · April 13, 2010 9:52AM

On a hot summer evening......before the days of everyone having air conditioners....I sat on my bed night after night, searching through rolls of circulated cents looking for the new Holy Grail of pennies.

1972. I was 17, not your usual 17 year old...I was the kid with the telescope, coin collection, history books, antiques.....and I just HAD TO have one of the hot new doubled dies. There were a few close calls, those wannabe doubled dies with the little shift or something, but they werent what I was hunting.

I still remember the moment. I found one. I FOUND ONE!!! Hopped off that bed, ran out to the living room, Dad was sitting in his chair reading the newspaper. I could tell he doubted it.....had to get his magnifying glass...and then the official pronounciation of fact...YUP, you sure DID!..........and he made note of the fingerprint on it.

So the most valuable coin I ever owned came to me that steamy summer evening for one cent. It went into a plastic container, and it was a treasure which was worth vast riches (to a kid anyway). And many many times, I had no money, and was in need of money. My dear Mom, always seemed to have some money but geez it was tough to get!

She was willing though, to buy the coin from me on several occasions, and go put it into the safe. Once my loan was paid off...I got the coin back.

The last loan, I recall, was for Sixty dollars. ............but, well, college, marriage, moving away.....all led to the loan not getting repaid, and the coin sitting in the safe.

Three years ago, Dad passed on and I was left with the sad task of cleaning out the house. The combination to the safe was burned into my mind...because you see, I didnt "OWN" the coin for quite awhile, but Mom always let me go and take a look at it if I wanted to. 90-10-60 (and back to 0). One day in 2007, I opened the safe. Alone in the house....I looked through the accumulation of the important things in Mom and Dads life.

...and there was my coin. A little scrap of paper said 'owes $60'.

So thats the story I have to offer. The coin is still a very important part of my collection, probably the only Lincoln cent Id never think of selling. I did send it in for grading, and it got an MS63RB....darned fingerprint!

poorguy · April 13, 2010 10:04AM

<< I pm'd location of 11

and am starting to think of story >>

Nope, some you sent me were on the same page.

19Lyds · April 13, 2010 10:04AM

Where do we email you or is a PM good enough?

sinin1 · April 13, 2010 10:14AM

oops

I guess I am not up on website terminology

I was under the impression if you hit a link and go somewhere else, that somewhere else is a separate page
but I guess they were all from one 'chapter'

poorguy · April 13, 2010 10:16AM

<< oops

I guess I am not up on website terminology

I was under the impression if you hit a link and go somewhere else, that somewhere else is a separate page
but I guess they were all from one 'chapter' >>

I'm fix it to where there will not be any confusion. The images have numbers 1-11 on them.

19Lyds · April 13, 2010 10:32AM

<< oops

I guess I am not up on website terminology

I was under the impression if you hit a link and go somewhere else, that somewhere else is a separate page
but I guess they were all from one 'chapter' >>

You shouldn't have to be since it should be straight forward.

SeaEagleCoins · April 13, 2010 10:37AM

Rather than copy/paste...how about a link?...

poorguy · April 13, 2010 10:40AM

<< 

<< oops

I guess I am not up on website terminology

I was under the impression if you hit a link and go somewhere else, that somewhere else is a separate page
but I guess they were all from one 'chapter' >>

You shouldn't have to be.

To have a single image span multiple pages wasn't right IMO. >>

I apologize if it seemed that way. That wasn't the intention as some pages display different information based on the variables sent to them making them seem like different pages but the page address wasn't different. There shouldn't be anymore confusion as the images are now numbered 1 to 11.

-Thanks,
-Brandon Kelley

19Lyds · April 13, 2010 10:59AM

That was tough..

poorguy · April 13, 2010 11:01AM

<< That was tough.. >>

You got them all. Congrats.

dsessom · April 13, 2010 11:35AM

It was one year before I was born, and my father had just joined the Navy to fight in Viet Nam.
In the Summer of 1968, my grandfather was driving home from work in his 1964 Chevy pickup,
and was hit by a drunk driver on the drivers side, just behind the door. For those of you not
familiar with the 1964 Chevy pickup truck, back then, the gas tank was right behind the seat.
The collision ruptured the gas tank and caused an explosion. The fire was so bad that the truck
was nearly unrecognizable and the only way my grandfathers remains could be identified were
from dental records.

My father was home when the police called, and he immediately rushed to the scene. What he witnessed
was unbearable, and he sat down on a curb nearby and broke down crying. He told me that through his tears,
he saw a gleam that caught his eye, and when he picked it up, it was a quarter that had his father's blood on it.
He also found a dime and a couple of nickles, all blood stained. The coins had apparently been thrown clear of the
accident before his father and truck burned. (The drunk driver was uninjured, and walked away from the scene, but
was later arrested and charged with manslaughter)

My father gave me the still blood stained coins that he had found at the scene of his fathers death on my 40th birthday,
because that's how old his father was when he was killed, and I cherish those coins more than all my others combined
because they can never be replaced, and they are the only thing I own that my grandfather owned, and his blood is
still on them. I would post photos (and I will if you want), but they are kinda gruesome.

But, here is a picture of my grandpa, Sonny Sessom. He is on the right hand side. My dad, Roger is on the left, and my
mother is in the middle. This was the last photograph taken of him before he was killed. I never knew him.

Thank you for reading my story. Sadly, it's a true story. I wish I could have known him, but at
least I have a few coins to remember him by.

ClosedLoop · April 13, 2010 11:50AM

short and sweet,

in 2002 my second daughter was born and was given a 2002 ASE from a friend of my wife.
At the time i had no interest in collecting.

I didn't take interest until 2004 after my son was born. I was given another ASE from the same guy
that gave me the first. I put the two coins together and liked the way they looked, the way the shined, Oooo the luster.

so,i did some research on coins and was just amazed how much there was to know about collecting. (hook)
and how many good people there are in numismatics. (line)
then to stumble across these boards and talk to such knowledgable people about this great hobby. (sinker)

this is the coin that started it for me-----thanks

Bochiman · April 13, 2010 12:03PM

<< 

<< Just my opinion here but to be honest your website drives me nuts, i tried to take a look and win the contest for the heck of it but all I saw was pages and pages of sold coins, some sold years ago.. When a coin sells I think its best to remove it from available inventory, its a bit rediculous browsing your site only to see coins that were sold ages ago and have since resold 10 times through other people. Have a highlights page or something if you want to show off what coins you have dealt with but pages and pages of sold coins trying to find what you actually have drives me bonkers. >>

You were browsing through the archives. >>

Sure, the URL has archives in it, but I am with him. I clicked on "Half cents and cents" on the left. Doesn't say "archives" there, and it doesn't say it anywhere else EXCEPT in the URL.

I had written it off until I saw the above. It definitely needs to be reworked to be more easily navigatible.

poorguy · April 13, 2010 12:13PM

<< 

<< 

<< Just my opinion here but to be honest your website drives me nuts, i tried to take a look and win the contest for the heck of it but all I saw was pages and pages of sold coins, some sold years ago.. When a coin sells I think its best to remove it from available inventory, its a bit rediculous browsing your site only to see coins that were sold ages ago and have since resold 10 times through other people. Have a highlights page or something if you want to show off what coins you have dealt with but pages and pages of sold coins trying to find what you actually have drives me bonkers. >>

You were browsing through the archives. >>

Sure, the URL has archives in it, but I am with him. I clicked on "Half cents and cents" on the left. Doesn't say "archives" there, and it doesn't say it anywhere else EXCEPT in the URL.

I had written it off until I saw the above. It definitely needs to be reworked to be more easily navigatible. >>

I'll work on getting something up there on the archives that will make it obvious that you are browsing the archives and I'll add an obvious link to the current inventory. I appreciate the input for making the site better.

soty27 · April 13, 2010 12:24PM

<< 

<< Just my opinion here but to be honest your website drives me nuts, i tried to take a look and win the contest for the heck of it but all I saw was pages and pages of sold coins, some sold years ago.. When a coin sells I think its best to remove it from available inventory, its a bit rediculous browsing your site only to see coins that were sold ages ago and have since resold 10 times through other people. Have a highlights page or something if you want to show off what coins you have dealt with but pages and pages of sold coins trying to find what you actually have drives me bonkers. >>

You were browsing through the archives. >>

Haha, I am an idiot

my apologies

poorguy · April 13, 2010 12:37PM

<< 

<< 

<< Just my opinion here but to be honest your website drives me nuts, i tried to take a look and win the contest for the heck of it but all I saw was pages and pages of sold coins, some sold years ago.. When a coin sells I think its best to remove it from available inventory, its a bit rediculous browsing your site only to see coins that were sold ages ago and have since resold 10 times through other people. Have a highlights page or something if you want to show off what coins you have dealt with but pages and pages of sold coins trying to find what you actually have drives me bonkers. >>

You were browsing through the archives. >>

Haha, I am an idiot

my apologies >>

No, it's my job to make the site easy to navigate. Your statement is completely valid and I'm pretty sure you aren't an idiot.

I'll make it more obvious that you are browsing the archives. If there is any way I can make the site better, please let me know.

Bochiman · April 13, 2010 12:47PM

<< If there is any way I can make the site better, please let me know. >>

One more, then, Brandon....when there are multiple pages (1 2 3), make it easier to see where one is at. IE.....if there are 10 pages of morgans, by the time I am at page 5, I may get distracted/forget....color/shade/etc that number to make it different than the others. As it is, they all look the same to me no matter what page I am on.

fishteeth · April 13, 2010 1:26PM

Here is a picture of my favorite coin. A coin full of history and with a story I know much of. Here is a link to a post I put up in the past with much more
info

most important coin in my collection

TCoins · April 13, 2010 1:48PM

I grew up with two brothers and my mother was always chasing after us. After a long day of playing outside,( I was about seven ) my mother was quickly trying to finish the laundry and get us kids in the showers. In her rush, she accidently slammed the clothes dryer door on a pair of my jeans. Inside the front pocket was a 1969 Lincoln cent. Some forty years later I still have that bent penny. Worthless to others, priceless to me! I keep it in my collection.

Looking back, my mother was a strong woman. She bent that Lincoln about 25 degrees.

PQType · April 13, 2010 3:04PM

This was a great idea...Some great stories

SurfinxHI · April 13, 2010 4:19PM

I've got a pretty lengthy story, so I'll try to shorten it down a bit, perhaps the Cliff Notes version. Maybe if it sparks interest, I'll elaborate more.

I work for a relatively small, but fairly important government institution -- the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, Central Identification Laboratory. We are charged with finding and identifying all individuals that have placed themselves in Harm's way for the United States. In other words, we search for (through archaeological investigative techniques and excavation) missing individuals, repatriate them to the US, identify them through forensic anthropolgoy, odontology, and mtDNA analysis, and send them home to their loved ones with full military honors. Often, burial takes place in Arlington, or at the cemetry of the family's choosing. We bring closure to families that are missing their loved ones and reunite families, often over the course of decades. Our "jurisdiction" is world-wide, and spans from WWII through the current conflict, though on occassion, we have identified soldiers from WWI and even have worked on cases from the civil war. We are a humanitarian organization, and have responded to a variety of disasters, such as the Tsunami in Asia, 911, etc. If you are feeling frisky, here's our the main website http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/. The lab website is here: http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/index.php?page=cil&size=100&ind=3.

I have traveled and dug extensively in many countries around the world...germany, france, papua new guinea, wake island (US), palau, vietnam, cambodia, laos, south korea, and north korea. Most missions are between 35-45 days out of country, living in a jungle, in a tent or some other structure (we've been known to have to sleep in hammocks for weeks at a time), digging on the side of a mountain, looking for a lost aviator. Conditions are between primitive and nice; the environment is between blistering hot and humid to freezing cold and wet. The critters are never friendly -- two step cobras and foot long centipedes are everywhere it seems! We've even run across elephants and in several instances, tigers. I wonder why it never seems like I get the site on the beach overlooking a placid bay full of fish and lobster...

Anyway, I hold a passport that has an "entry" stamp into south korea from Panmunjom...entering the south from the north...this story concerns my last to the DPRK or for you all out there, North Korea, before Pres. Bush shut down all ties to that country.

We, as a country, are missing approximately 8,100 individuals from the Korean War. The majority of those still missing are from locations north of the 38th parallel. One of the major battles up north was the battle for the Chosin reservoir. There are tons of good books on the subject (see Appleman), and it is a dramatic fight. A very famous quote came from that battle (a Marine General), which, if memory serves is something like this "We aren't retreating, we are fighting in the opposite direction." From 1999 to 2002, the CIL was allowed to conduct operations near Chosin and several other location in north korea. I did 2.5 of those missions. The last one was to the east side of the Chosin, near the inlet (see pic 1 where the river comes in). It was here that Col. Faith's task force was destroyed. We suffered approximately 3000 casualties over the course of 10 days or so in the winter of 1950. Guys froze to death in their sleeping bags, or froze when they were wounded. It was pretty terrible. The individuals who survived this campaign are known as the "Chosin Few".

Map of the Chosin. I was on the right side (east) near the inlet.

Wartime image of the road around the Chosin, though I think this is on the west side.

Wasn't kidding. Guys froze to death.

We set up our base camp about 1 mile south of the inlet, in an area that I figured didn't see much action, since it was slightly off the road (the road around the reservoir, a dirt road, is still the same one that was used in 1950...I kid you not). Our base camp was pretty sophisticated. We moved several hundred ton of supplies in, to include 2 stand-up fiberglass showers, 4 toilets, lumber, lighting, tents, tv's, exercise equipment, etc. Its pretty nice, except you have to build everything when you get there. You see, the North Koreans won't let us out of our "camp" unless it is time to work; we can't go for a walk, take pictures, anything!! So even to exercise, we have to bring in equipment. Oh yeah, and all of our food for 45 days...no shopping there. The camp is surrounded by razor wire with tin cans attached to it. And they have guard posts around the perimeter...to "keep us safe"...except the guards face in, not out. Whatever...(I'll post some pics when I can edit this tomorrow. the good ones are on my work computer).

So anyway, about half way through the mission, one of the guys said he lost his wedding ring either 1) in the shower, or 2) on the way to/from it. Crazy. He was mighty upset. So I whipped out the handy-dandy metal detector and set off on his route to the shower/bath complex. It was quite the hunt. I spent about 3 hours covering the ground and unfortunately, did not find his wedding ring. Instead, I found 3x40 mm shell casings, a fairly large pile of C-ration cans and lids, several spent rounds, old razor wire, and my coin...a 192?? something wheatback. This coin was in some GIs pocket as he tromped through the hills of North Korea for his country...and somehow, he lost his penny. I often wonder who's coin it was...did he survive? Is he one of the Chosin Few? It's likely that he did not. So I keep with me this coin to remind me, every now and again, about the folks who went into Harm's way for our country. He must have been one helluva guy.

At the conclusion of that mission, I had located a mass grave near the bridge across from the inlet that contained 7 guys. We are in the process of identifying them now. I also recovered a series of foxholes that have the remains of over 12 people in them...some US, some Chinese, some Korean. We are still working on that one as well. Anyway, that's my story. If you, or your friends have missing loved ones from our nations wars, please contact us. We need to find mtDNA Family Reference Samples for our missing soldiers. The website has all the good details. Its free, easy to do, and may help identify a missing individual. (and don't worry, if you are a big conspiracy theorist, we don't let any of the data out in the world!!!).

Enough for now.

Cheers,
Greg

Boom · April 13, 2010 10:28PM

I still posess THE VERY COIN given to me by my paternal Grandfather, responsible for my becoming interested in coins.

He and my Grandmother had lots of really cool coins, especially so to a very youngboy - a Cub Scout!

They gave me plenty of old coins that sparked my imagination & kindled my love of History. To this day I still have almost all of them

however THIS VERY PIECE has the distinction of having been the very first & I don't intend to ever part with it for as long as I live, for

reasons most of us can relate to. It's special for many reasons but most of all because it makes me remember my Grandfather.

I've been caretaker of this coin for 50 years & everytime I look at it I go back in time to that special day. To me, it's priceless for all

these reasons & more. I never even dreamed about cleaning or doing anything to it. I want to always remember everything about that

day & this coin; it takes me back to a time when the world was so full of wonder, back to a simpler time filled with so many happy memories.

At any rate, this is THE coin, my special coin - my first, just as my Grandfather handed it to me so many years ago.

*Edited* - spelling corrections ~

jesbroken · April 14, 2010 12:22AM

In 1958, my favorite uncle, Schley, gave me an uncirculated 1880 O Morgan Silver Dollar. Because I shared a room with my brother(we fought all the time), he decided to keep it in a small leather coin purse(I loved the small purse because he always had a couple of cellophaned wrapped chicklets(chewing gum) that we would share) that he carried all the time. It was in a small paper envelope and from time to time I would ask him to see it and sure enough there it was, shiny and beautiful--he would explain to me the various details of the coin and I was delighted. This was my intro into numismatics. Unfortunately, in 1964, Schley died on my birtday. His wife, my aunt, and I were not on great terms. She thought little boys were basement dwellers and should not be seen nor heard in the house. I had lost that wonderful coin. They had a daughter who lived away in Ohio(I lived in Tennessee at this time). Upon her mother's death, she inherited everything. We hardly ever saw her again until she was diagnosed as being bipolar and was in and out of institutions. A good friend of hers called my mother-her cousin and informed her that a lawyer was stealing her blind and was in full control of her small fortune(close to a million dollars). My mother and father went to see her and she seemed fine as long as she was on her medecine as did her doctor agree. My mother filed for guardianship and got it away from the lawyer. Years later she passed and in the year 2000(42 years later) a small box was found in her dresser that said "Jimmy's things". My mom brought it to me and sure enough there was the small leather coin purse. I eagerly opened it and most certainly here was the small(now deteriorated) envelope with the 1880 O Morgan Silver Dollar in it. Unfortunately, the sulfur in the paper had ruined the once beautiful finish and now it was a black and tan colored coin that had no lustre at all. BUT it was the coin Schley had given me. There were several other items such as a small case knife, wedding band and surely a pack of chicklets in cellophane. I still have these items but the most important to me was the silver dollar. I have attached a couple of photos with different lighting so you can better see the coin. The first photo is how the coin actually looks inhand.
Thanks for allowing me to share this with you.
Jim

19Lyds · April 14, 2010 7:47AM

I've spent some time on your Web site and saw the links to the "How Money is Made" Video which often appears on the Discovery Channel's Modern Marvels.

I can't say how much I appreciate having these links readily available since I never really tire of watching this particular video!

The Fine Print on a $20 Bill video was pretty cool as well.

Post more if you get a chance!

Steviewah · April 14, 2010 8:07AM

My father got me started as a kid collecting lincoln cents. I spanned out into mercury dimes and few other circulated items. I put them away and saved them for some 30 years. During a divorce my former spouse took them as hers. But as karma would have it my father, in his later years began to slip coins to me when I went to visit. One was a 1929 $2.50 gold piece that I had certified and came back PCGS MS61. He later gave me an 1807-Mo TH 8 Reale. It came back PCGS XF 40. But the story behind the last coin he gave me is outstanding. Dad loved metal detecting. One day he set out for Lebanon, Missouri to detect in a park, just for the heck of it. He did get one significant reading and dug it up. Still in its mint pouch was a 1983 Canadian $5 gold coin! Just before he passed and I had dropped by he handed it to me told me the story and I was officially back into my childhood love of coin collecting. I sent it into PCGS and it came back MS 68. Now what are the chances of finding a gold Canadian coin still in its mint pouch in a park in Missouri? If anyone wishes to verify these coins I would gladly give you there certification numbers for verification. With each coin Dad always said..."now don't ever sell these coins as I want you to remember me by them." These coins may not be worth much for resale but how he ignited my love of coins again....I'll never sell them and will probably give them to a grandchild that shows interest in them and tell them the same story. Thank you for the opportunity to share some special moments. Win or not, I just love that memory.

mbogoman · April 14, 2010 8:54AM

In the summer of 1964 or 1965, a couple of my uncles and aunts from Nebraska came out to visit us in California. On the way out, they of course stopped in Vegas for a few days. One afternoon, we were all out by the pool at our house. My sisters and I were in the pool while the adults were consuming copious amounts of suds. I can't remember exactly what prompted it, but one of my uncles didn't believe that I could see under water. He flipped a silver dollar into the pool and said: "If you can tell me the date, you can have it". I gulped down a big breath and dove to the bottom. It was actually pretty easy (wish I had those eyes now!). I came back up and excitedly blurted out "1886 - O !!!" He said, "you're almost right - it's just 1886, there is no "O". I said, "yes there is, it's on the back". I showed him the "O" and told him what it signified, and well, that old piece of silver has been with me since then. It became my pocket piece about 10 years ago and is quite smooth now...

Elcontador · April 14, 2010 11:53AM

It was 1963. I was twelve years old and gave the clerk a dollar to buy a ticket to the Saturday matinee for my brother and I . I got a really old quarter in change. Something told me to keep it, so I didn't buy a bag of popcorn or get candy at the show.

The quarter was strange. In the several years before, I received several pennies in change that had an Indian on them rather than President Lincoln, but this quarter looked a lot worse for wear than those pennies did. A man at the candy store told me they hadn't made pennies with an Indian on them in a long time. But this quarter had George Washington on it, just like the new quarters did. Why did this one look so beat up?

I told Dad about the really old quarter. I guess he thought it was better that I was interested in this old quarter than riding my bike in the street or getting into fights, so he encouraged my inquisitiveness about it. He also suggested we take it to a local coin dealer (there were lots of them around in those days) to get some more information.

The dealer looked at the coin, smiled, and explained to me that even though it was really old, it was best to handle the coin on its rims. He also said that since it was so old, it was best to keep it in a 2 x 2 flip, to prevent things from banging into and scratching it (because although the coin was quite old, it didn't have any scratches). He also suggested we look at a Red Book, so I could get more information about the coin.

He told me to look below the portrait of George Washington to get the date.
"It's a 1932."
He smiled. "Why don't you flip it over. Do you see anything below the eagle?"
"Yes, I see the letter S."
"Good, now look in the Red Book and you can find out about the coin. You can see how many were made, and how much it is worth depending on its condition."

I nearly freaked out when he told me the coin was worth $20. At his suggestion, I bought the Red Book, and started looking at coins that I (and my parents) had in change.

The 1932 S Quarter is in the F12 - F15 range, and yes, I still have it, though it is now in a PVC free flip.

thezookrew · April 14, 2010 2:51PM

OK, this may not be the best story, but I thought it kind of cool. My wife's grandfather collected coins and was president of the his local coin club. Well, in his retirement he sold most of his high dollar coins, but my wife, who was the only grandchild to show any interest, got the rest of the coins before he passed away. When we got married, we went through the three albums of coins that were left to her and one of the coins is a REALLY nice holed 1846 seated dollar. On the 2x2 it has written "not for sale - family heirloom". I asked what the significance of the coin was and she had no idea, and none of her living relatives have any idea. But because it is a cool coin and the fact that we know that her grandfather did write the note (compared to other letters he has written), we have kept that coin in a safe place and plan on passing it down to our kids - we just may have to make up a story to go with it!!!

Perry

poorguy · April 15, 2010 8:35AM

I planned on adding a poll to this thread but realized I cannot "edit" my post and put in a poll. So, I ask that you simply post to this thread which coin story you liked the best. We'll see how that goes and remedy any problems that voting like this may reveal. I'll tally the votes tomorrow evening and post the results on Saturday.

GO!

doh · April 15, 2010 8:45AM

I vote for Ambro51's. I love how his mom would use the coin as collateral. Great story!

mbogoman · April 15, 2010 9:24AM

PM sent with suggestion to put voting instructions in first post by OP

ambro51 · April 15, 2010 9:55AM

Well Adrian I think youre the only one who can really "judge" a thing like this...so get out your reading glasses and enjoy!

AUandAG · April 15, 2010 10:25AM

MATHIAS AND MARCELL RINCKEL

February, 1870
Carson City, Nevada

“Mr. Curry, the superintendent of the Carson City Mint, was a close friend of my parents. One day on his way back to the mint
he stopped at our home during the noon hour. When Mama answered the front door he shook hands with her and left a dollar
in her hand saying, "Marcella here's a dollar for you. I give it to you so you will never be broke."

She thanked him for it but did not quite understand what he meant.

They were still talking when Matt Rinckel left his lunch and joined him at the door. "What's going on here? What are you two
talking about?" So, Mama recounted the above conversation and handed her husband the silver dollar.

Matt Rinckel took the coin and looked at it carefully. As he turned it over in his hand he saw the initials M.M.R. (for Mathias and
Marcella Rinckel) on the upper right hand curve of the dollar, and on the reverse under the eagle, CC for the mint. The date is
1870.

"This is the very first dollar to be minted in our Carson Mint, Matt" he explained. "The second one is for Governor Blasdel and
the third for President Grant.

Louise Rinckel Blakeslee, daughter
NEVADA STATE JOURNAL: July, 1958

Now for the rest of the story: My Great Grandfather left Iowa as a teenager with 6 other buddies in 1849 and headed for the
goldfields of California. Matt, as he was called, and the others worked hard for 10 years in the Shasta County area of California.
They, through their strong backs, got rich. Filthy rich! Then their claim ran out. After saying goodbye to his friends he headed
to the Comstock Lode that had just been discovered in Nevada Territory in 1859. Still young, single and strong he thought he'
could do the same in the Virginia District as he did in California. Not to be! When he got to Virginia City via Genoa he realized
that it was not placer mining but hardrock mining. Not for him!

Back to Genoa and he met Abe Curry, then touting his Eagle Valley propery and trying to get his "Carson City" on the map. Well,
Abe and Matt hit it off and became best of friends. Together with Matt's capital and Abe's land they began to build, brick by brick,
stone by stone, a new city.

After several years of this commercial partnership Matt decided he wanted something else. Abe suggested, since he was an Iowa
farm boy, to open up a butcher shop. That he did and named it The Eagle Market. Another fortune to be had by feeding the miners
and the timber men!

Matt and Marcella had 6 children, 5 girls and a boy (my Grandfather). He and Marcella built the Rinckel Mansion at the corner of
King and Curry Streets in 1874-76. The Mansion had 5 bedrooms and the first indoor toilet in Nevada! None too good for his girls!

Abe died in 1875 and Matt in 1879.

Marcella carried that dollar in her change purse from Feburary of 1870 until her death in 1933. At that time my Great Aunt Louise
inherited the Mansion and the dollar. Aunt Louise did the same and just carried it in her purse. Her husband, George Blakeslee,
saw that the coin was being ruined. He was a jeweler and to preserve and protect the dollar he put it in the bracelet that it resides
today. Aunt Louise died in 1960 when I was a freshman in high school. I remember her wearing the dollar on her wrist and she
had a habit of just rubbing it (not good, heh?). Of course it continued to wear, but now more so on the obverse and less on the
reverse.

My mother inherited the dollar and the mansion in 1960. I inherited the dollar (not the mansion) in 1997 when my mother passed.

I was collecting long before I received this from Mom and in fact had forgotten all about it until us kids divided up the estate. I
guess that technically speaking it is uncirculated with wear! After all, "it was to be carried so that you'll never be broke".

So, I can truly say that this was from Great Granpa and out of an Estate!
bob
photos by BluCCPhotos (Todd Pollock or blu62vette).

littlebear · April 15, 2010 10:40AM

I vote for the fishteeth documentary. However, all were very good. Thanks everyone for sharing!

Larry L.

Billet7 · April 15, 2010 11:54AM

Too bad I saw this thread late. I would like to have participated. I have shared the story before, and I'm sure I will again sometime.

BTW...awesome idea for a giveaway. Well Done Brandon!

Rollerman · April 15, 2010 12:31PM

I collect a variety of U. S. coins, but the Mercury Dime will always have a special place, and their sheer beauty is only part of the equation.
When I was very young, I would see my Mother rolling dimes, as this was her way of saving from her household money. I can remember well a card that held dimes that she filled in for the "March of Dimes" charity.
I was around 4 years old when I was playing with a piggy bank, when I was supposed to be napping, and swallowed a Mercury Dime. It hurt going down and I ran crying to my Mother about it. She called the Doctor and he suggested my eating several pieces of bread and that my Mother should check my "droppings" to make sure it had passed. I tell people today, that maybe Mercury Dimes are in my blood, and they've also passed through my digestive tract!
I completed a set of Mercury Dimes in 1977, less overdates' I also have a Capitol Plastics short set in MS64-65 plus several slabbed pieces in high grade today. But the digested VF 1938 Mercury and my full rims Good '16-D will always have a special place in my heart and in my collection.

slothman2000 · April 15, 2010 12:45PM

The story by ambro 51 was my favorite....

Contest - Win a PCGS MS65 1913 Type I Buffalo Nickel - Coin w/ Great Story Behind It - BONUS! Win 18

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