Coin Talk

Hobo nickels are coins that have had their designs modified with files, engraving, chasing, and carving tools. The most popular coins to work with are Buffalo or Indian Head nickels, minted from 1913-1938. They were easy enough to work with hand tools and the Indian head provided subject matter that was ripe with possibilities. The most common theme was the transformation of the Indian head into a hobo wearing a derby-like hat. I bought the coin pictured below from a friend who had a coin shop in Leroy, NY about 8 years ago. The coin is skillfully worked and appears to be from the early classic period.


For comparison an unblemished 1913 nickel MS68, courtesy of PCGS


Hobo nickels vary in quality from very fine to crude and amateurish. Many soldiers returning from World War I were unable to find work and lived a hobo's life along with many down-and-outers who hitched rides on railroad trains, going from city to city looking...

About a year ago, I posted my experience in building a high grade type set over on the CU Forum and a comment posted on my ANA show report last month made me realize that some of you folks on Coin Talk may find my experience interesting and informative.

August 2008

When I got back into coin collecting after about 10 years or so, I became fascinated by the 7070 type sets that have been posted by the members of the forum. Just getting back into collecting after some time off, I figured the completion of one of these type sets would be fun and allow me to learn a little bit on each type, the goal of which would be to figure out which ones I like the most and help me direct my future collecting. I also liked the way the album looked when complete and didn’t care for slabs much, having never owned a...

I have a passion for German States coinage. It started with coins that depicted the Wildman and just snowballed from there. The coinage of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel is what I find most appealing but by no means do I limit myself to pieces from this area. A common image is the leaping horse as depicted on the coin below.



I have heard some collectors refer to these as boring but some issues, especially the Thalers are anything but in my opinion. A well-struck high-grade example is particularly nice. I will be the first to admit that well-worn examples quickly loose there appeal. The design was used on denominations of Pfennig all the way up to multiple Thalers.

This piece is well struck but the surfaces are pretty dull.

On April 5, 1815, in modern day Indonesia Mount Tambora began to erupt. The explosions were so loud, they could be heard over 800 miles away. In fact, troops on the island of Java (some 780 miles away) marched out, believing a neighboring post was under attack. For the next week or so, the eruptions intensified up to an estimated Volcanic Explosive Index (VEI) of 7, making it the largest observed eruption in recorded history. Mount Tambora spewed out so much material (an estimated 24 cubic miles) that it lost approximately 1 mile in height. Explosions did not cease until July 17, 1815, though aftershocks and fires were recorded even some four years later.

The smoke...

Augustus Saint-Gaudens was an American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who embodied the ideals of the American Renaissance. Raised in New York City, he traveled to Europe for further training and artistic study.
Born: March 1, 1848, Dublin, Ireland
Died: August 3, 1907, Cornish

Augustus Saint-Gaudens Playground located on East 20th Street and 2nd Avenue was acquired by the Parks Department in 1954 and opened as a jointly operated playground in January 1966 to serve children from adjacent P.S. 40. A $720,000 renovation was funded in 1996 by Councilman Antonio Pagan. The design pays tribute to Saint-Gaudens through bronze and porcelain decorations that harmonize with the new gates, spray shower, garden area, and play equipment.

Here are some pictures I was able to take this morning of the neat features that can be seen.


This is...

I would like to share with you two recent acquisitions. They are both beautiful, rare, anepigraphic, enigmatic, classicizing, and quintessentially Renaissance issues, from the Northern Italian cities of Ferrara and Mantua, and issued by grandfather and grandson. In the following write-up I would like to give some account of their artistic and historical context, imagery, and relation to one another.

The Idra


Ferrara. Ercole I d'Este (1471-1505). Testone or Idra (Doppio Grossone). AG. g. 7.63 mm. 26.00 O: HERCVLES FERRAR DVX II Head facing right. R: Anepigraphic, seven-headed Lernean Hydra over burning embers. CNI 20. MIR 255. Rav. Mor. 4 RR



Ercole I d'Este by Dosso Dossi, Galleria Estense, Modena

I have written about the origin of the Testone before, but it is useful to note that before the...

A friend posted this apparent 1793 chain cent in another forum and asked if it were genuine; was looking to send it out for certification.


The 1st step I always quickly take in authentication is to try and attribute it as to the genuine variety- if I can't that is a 1st clue something is probably wrong. In this case this example is certainly "trying to be a 1793 S-2" but there are differences I couldn't get past.

The obverse resembles the S-2 obverse; the neck truncation is curved, not straight, and there is a lock of hair pointing straight at the 1 in the date like S-2.


The reverse is close too, especially the position of the lettering and chains but I couldn't get past the chain link "thicknesses/ openings" and couldn't explain these just due to the obvious wear.


And then there is of course the "other side", the edge. A genuine chain cent edge should look like the left image of the...

My newest acquisition is this anepigraphic (no legend) coin from Constantinople.



Constantine I
A.D. 327
21mm 3.2g
OBV. Anepigraphic: rosette diademed head, looking up to heavens
REV. CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE; Victory seated l. on cippus, palm branch in left hand and laurel branch in right hand, looking r.; trophy at front, at the foot is a kneeling captive with head turned being spurned by Victory; E in left.
in ex. CONS
Constantinople mint


The obverse is the famous “eyes to heaven” bust, likely inspired by Alexander the Great coins.


"How deeply his soul was impressed by the power of divine faith may be understood from the circumstance that he directed his likeness to be stamped on the golden coin of the empire with eyes uplifted as in the posture of prayer to God: and this money became current throughout the Roman world." (Eusebius IV.15)


The reverse has an interesting legend CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE; which translates as Constantinian Dafne. The...

Hardicanute (ruled 1040 to 1042) was the last Viking king to rule England. As you wiil see from my "bullet book" notes, he was not morned when he died.

There are English made Hardicanute pennies, but all of them are expensive. The Danish made pieces are a little cheaper and even got an entry in the Spink book as S-1170. Here is an example and my notes:



· Hardicanute claimed his English crown upon his arrival from Denmark on June 17, 1040. Since his half-brother, Harold I had died, he faced no opposition.

· Hardicanute arrived in England with a large force of sailors and raised taxes to pay for his expedition. He levied a tax of 32,147 pounds for the payment of his ships’ crews. His handling of the situation was clumsy and dictatorial.

· Two of his house-carles, who were sent to collect the money, were murdered in Worcester. In retribution, the town was burnt to the ground.

· Hardicanute suffered a seizure and died while drinking at a feast on...

Hello all! This will be the first of hopefully many small writeups featuring lovely coins obtained from @tenbobbit.

Constantine I is often considered the "first Christian emperor" although I do not believe that is entirely accurate. He did halt the vicious persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, but I believe he wasn't really a true, card-carrying Christian himself for a two reasons.

1. In these days, it was not necessarily uncommon for emperors to adhere to multiple religions, and worship multiple gods.
2. He was not baptized until death.

1. Legends say that Constantine had a dream in which a deity instructed him to paint the Chi-Rho symbol on the shields of his troops for a guaranteed battle victory. In hoc signo vinces - "by this sign you will conquer."
He did so, and won, and figured that maybe worshipping a Christian deity would be beneficial.
However, he did also patronize and adhere to some beliefs of the Roman religion;...