Well, here it is April '09. My cointalk 1 year anniversary month and I'm 5 posts away from 1000! I've really enjoyed it here and appreciate all of you who have helped educate me. Thank you.
Now lets get down to business.
I've had a lot of ideas for this contest but I've decided to drop them....for now...., and just do an easy (albeit short) one for you guys and for my first one.
But I will test people's reading comprehension. 
Here are the simple rules:
1. You need to have a minimum of 50 posts and/or have been a member of cointalk BEFORE 4/01/09 to qualify.
2. Make a single post to this thread. You can say what you want. Make it as short or as long as you want. You can even edit it. But you are only allowed your one, single post. If you post again, you will be disqualified from the contest.
3. The number at the top right corner of your post will be your number.
4. This is my 995th post.
This contest closes the moment I left click the mouse button to make my 1000th post. It's 10:20 p.m. CDT here. This will be my last post for the evening. I may hit 1000 tomorrow. Or it may be the end of this week. Maybe Thursday. I really don't know and can't make any guarantees. But if a topic interests me, I'm posting and I won't be waiting around for anyone!
So I hope you guys are checking the contest forum! Otherwise this one's gonna have pretty good odds! How the contest will be run
There will be no advantage to who gets what number. All numbers will be thrown into a hat and my lovely wife will draw first, second, and third place winners out of the hat. We will not know who is which number until we compare them back with the thread after the drawing.
First place winner gets first pick out of the prize basket. Then second and then third gets the booby prize.
The next stipulation.......ok, ok, enough already. On with the prizes already!!
The prize basket 
Prize #1.
1935-P Peace dollar, possibly cleaned but nice coin in air-tite and a fresh, new in package NWT Pan American 1 oz silver bar. 
Prize #2. PCGS MS64 1963 Franklin half dollar- As some of you may remember, I'm working on a MS set. I originally purchased this to go in the IS album but when I received it, I decided it was just too nice to break out of the slab. Great luster. Not quite FBL but no bag marks either.
Prize #3. I wasn't quite sure what to do with this spot so I'm going to try something out and see how it works. Maybe it's a bad idea and I may never do it again but, we'll see how it goes.
Please be sure to read the end.
Prize 3,
Pick out what you need! 
Basically, if you are working on an average condition set with any of the coins pictured or any combination, I may be able to help you fill some holes for free!
I have many duplicates of Buffalo nickels, I don't officially collect Wheat cents (but this is my box), steel cents, Kennedy halves, 59, 61 and 63 Franklin halves, Mercs, silver roosevelt dimes, etc.....
Just tell me a range of dates and mint marks you are looking for, in what series and I will try to find them for you and I'll decide what I'm willing to part with. It will be a good package. Possibly worthy of the first pick!
NOTE: Prize 3 may not be for everybody! If you would like to defer prize 3 to a YN (young numismatist) under 20, you are welcome to defer.
I would not be offended and would probably do that option myself because I don't need anything pictured.
Mainly, I hope prize 3 can help someone out or get a set or two going for someone!
So, if you are a YN on the board, aged 20 and under and you would love to win prize 3, copy and paste the following line somewhere visible in your post: I am a YN and could really use prize #3 if someone chooses to defer!
This way, if someone wishes to defer, I will have a new group of candidates to quickly draw a winner from.
That's it.
Good luck to all!!!
Edit: For prize 3, I also have A LOT of modern change on hand right now that I can sort through and look for dates & MM's for Washington quarters, Jefferson Nickels, dimes and Lincoln pennies, if interested/needed.
Threaded Mode
