Coin Talk

Here are some impressions of the Harzhorn Battlefield for those of you who do not have a chance to visit it. Beware - the site is impossible to reach via public transportation, even the taxi shuttle has been discontinued.

The futuristic info building is only open on Sundays. Note the Autobahn in the background - it passes through what is the only pathway between two mountain ridges that would have been impossible to cross for the supply carriages of of an ancient army train.



Here is what a Legionary wore in 235 a.D.:



... and this is what he carried with him (25 kilos in total) for more than 700 kilometers from Mainz on the Rhine to the Elbe and back (the easternmost roman military camp found so far is at Hachelbich in the former GDR):



Scientific research makes it possible to reconstruct single fights in the area. This is the spot where a Roman cavalryman died in battle after fighting his...

I was quite surprised when this fell into my lap. I saw the die chip above the date, and I immediately knew what this was. This Die pair was significantly misaligned at some point in its use and struck these coins very weakly. Bill Fivaz has verified my find and thought it would grade AU-50. I was in the EF range, but this is the first of this variety I have handled.

The planchet has a lot of “woodgrain” streaking.

Obviously, Huey Lewis' epic album not withstanding, sports has been one of, if not, the main driving forces propelling humanity forward, love and war aside, since the dawn of time.
I've been trying for sooooo long and will continue to hold out hope for one of the true ancient commemorative Olympic coins (no luck yet) but finally landed a beautiful Pamphylia Aspendos stater and received it earlier this week



Pamphylia Aspendos
370-330 BCE
Stater AR
22mm., 10,17g.
Two wrestlers grappling; AΦ
between / EΣTFEΔIIVΣ,
slinger to right, triskeles in
right field.
very fine
SNG France 83

Not stopping there, for my birthday last year my dad got me a coin celebrating the manly art, boxing! When people ask of my past, I often say, I used to be somebody (an allusion to my time with the science of self defense...pugilism) That hand on the reverse is wrapped and ready to strike!



Ionia, Smyrna. Civic issue. 2nd-1st century...

After the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (more commonly known as Elagabalus) was assassinated by the praetorian guard, worship of the sun god was suppressed in Rome for half a century. Why would that be? To understand, we need a little background on the nature of the cult of the sun god under Elagabalus.

Elagabalus is not just the nickname of the Roman Emperor, but was first and foremost a Syro-Roman sun god. Other variations of the name include Aelagabalus and Heliogabalus. However, I shall use Elagabalus, because the god was consistently referred to by this name on Roman coin inscriptions during the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (AD 218-222), such as SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB. Elagabalus is the Latinized form of the Semitic Ilāh hag-Gabal, which derives from Ilāh "god" and gabal "mountain" (compare Arabic: جبل‎ jabal). The word means "the God of the Mountain."

The god Elagabalus was highly venerated in Emesa (modern Homs), Syria,...

A new type of U.S. Mint® collecting that I have been pursuing specimens with a primary emphasis on ownership/gifted by a President of the United States.

President Johnson -to- Congressman Stephens -to- DrDarryl (the number of -to- indicates I achieved two degrees of separation from President Johnson).

Bonus point 1 for the original White House letter signed by President Johnson.

Bonus point 2 for the specimen identified as "...among the first Kennedy half dollars...".

Bonus point 3 for the March 24, 1964 date (it's the first day of issue of the John F. Kennedy half dollar).



Bonus point 4 for original White House envelop.



Bonus point 5 for obtaining a letter of provenance from the estate of the original recipient (redacted for privacy).


Bonus point 6 for finding another example gifted to Senator Medcalf....

Since this came up in another discusson, I thought I'd repost it here. Maybe put it on the FAQ board, if it meets approval.

OK, here you go- several paragraphs and some extra commentary about a simple technique that can be performed in far less time than it will take you to read this post:

The LordM "No Tools" Slab-Cracking Technique

Essentially my technique consists of inserting the top portion of the slab (the part where the label is) between two fixed, immovable, and sturdy surfaces like a gap between the boards on a porch or deck, and then pushing the slab with one's foot to "bend" it, exerting pressure in one direction. The placement of the slab between the boards means that while you're exerting pressure on it, you're "bending" it until it snaps in two, breaking off that top portion where the label is....

Went to my first show today - the Central States show. Figured I'd give my experience as a first timer. Wanted to go Thursday or Friday as everyone says those are the best days but just couldn't get out of work so went today. Most of the dealers were still there this morning but almost all said they were packing up around 2:00. Everyone but one said they were having a good show but said it was pretty dead today (again I have no experience to compare to so will have to take their word that it was dead today seemed fine to me!).

First thing I did was go to the Heritage table because a friend said the Sunday online auction had lot viewing until noon. They told me there was no lot viewing only pickups so I wasn't thrilled about that since I spent hours putting together a list to check out in hand. Mentioned that at the first table I stopped by and he said "they're still doing lot viewing this morning go upstairs and look" and sure enough I went upstairs and was able to view the...

Richard The Lionheart

AD 1189-1199


Born in 1157 in Oxford, Richard was the fourth child of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard was said to be tall, skilled in combat, and politically cunning. He also possessed a violent temper, not an uncommon trait in his family. A betrothal was arranged between Richard and Alice of the Vexin (daughter of Louis VII of France), but the marriage never took place. At one point the Pope himself intervened and ordered that the marriage take place, but to no avail. Various reasons have been put forward to explain Richard’s apparent unwillingness to marry Alice, amongst them it has been suggested that Richard was homosexual. In addition to never being married to Alice, Richard maintained a close friendship with Philip II of France during his early years. Arguing against his homosexuality is the fact that Richard had mistresses and sired at least one illegitimate son, he also eventually married Berengaria of Navarre, although...

This is something Mark posted years ago. It helped me at a time that I had more money than brains. It made me think more and make better decisions. It also pointed out many mistakes I made at a younger age.
Thank you Mark for letting me share this here.

After collecting coins off and on for years as a child, I have been involved in numismatics on a full time basis, since 1979. During that time, I have run my own coin dealership, worked for Heritage on three different occasions, been a buyer for David Hall, worked for Pinnacle Rarities and was a grader at NGC for seven years.
And, as I like to tell people, numismatics runs in my blood, literally – numismatic pioneer B. Max Mehl was my grandmother’s uncle. I am proud to have that numismatic connection and always do my best to honor it.

I created the list of collecting tips below, in order to help collectors enjoy and benefit more from our wonderful hobby.

1.Buy/collect what YOU like. But keep in mind that when it comes time to sell,...