Just got the elusive 1916 Barber Half....

I expect people to say what they mean and not apply it only when it is convenient or capable of generating revenue. So, per Carr, apparently ANACS blatantly ignores problem coins and encapsulates them with straight grades. Am I the only one who sees this as hypocritical? What if I start carving my name and information into coins and claiming them as "business cards"? Are these entitled to a straight grade as well? And all this time the coin doctors on eBay were concerned about AT, cleaning, whizzing, etc., to get problem coins into straight graded holders when all they had to do was deform the coin enough to market it as a "collectible token."

 

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This was once a very popular practice. I don't think the TPG's presently recognize these pieces, but if they did, I am sure they would have a special designation that was not as a damaged coin.

 

It appears that the few posters who are incessantly dunning Mr. Carr's pieces, are doing a hell of a job selling them for him. If they'd just let the thread die, perhaps there might be a drop off in sales of Mr. Carr's newest production. Count me as yet ANOTHER who bought this FANTASY OVERSTRIKE piece (actually bought one of each). Had this thread not taken off and become a 'jab for jab' slugfest, perhaps some orders wouldn't have been made. I occasionally look to see what is new on his site, but hadn't seen this 1916 Barber half......until this thread kept popping up to the top, so, to those that just HAVE to prove their point, thanks...

 

Take note Dan: We are doing you a favor.

Do I get a commission?

That is pretty much what they did with the creation of the "shipwreck effect" for saltwater damaged coins. That is a different story. I have plenty of criticism for other TPGs too and am not singling out ANACS.

 

Cut it out! I've got mine, and I don't want the mintage to get much higher.

 

If I get a commission for all of my "marketing" and hype I've allegedly created, I might be okay with that.

(just kidding).

 

Great, lets encourage more counterfeiting!. How about made to order counterfeits?..
I need to order a wire edge $20 high relief saint MCMVIII

 

You can order counterfeits from various Chinese manufacturers in bulk. If you want custom made fantasy pieces, there are various domestic options for that, but again need to be ordered in bulk.

 

When Mark Twain learned that the public library in Concord, Mass. had banned 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn', his reply was "That should sell 25,000 copies for us".

 

Maybe a "1964" over-strike "proof" ?

 

The closest thing to any actual litigation was the complaint filed with the ANA. The board of directors reviewed the complaint and my rebuttal, and the board quickly dismissed the case in its entirety.

As for altering genuine US coins to produce novelty items, the US Mint and the US Treasury both indicate the practice is acceptable so long it is not done for fraudulent purposes.

From the US Mint web site:
http://www.usmint.gov/consumer/18USC331.cfm

US Treasury statement:

 

If I produced some and issued them with a color-toned finish, and included my usual certificates indicating the finish, ANACS would certify them.

 

I NEVER claimed my over-strikes retained their legal-tender status !

My statement is that the coins were legal-tender prior to the over-strike. After the over-strike, I claim no legal-tender status and I do not advocate that they be used for that purpose.

Legally, I do not believe that it has ever been established what kinds of defacements and to what degree is necessary to nullify the legal-tender status of a coin.

As far as ANACS labeling my over-strikes "token", I would certainly exchange them for merchandise or cash at the original face value.

 

Several of my pieces are listed in the Krause "Unusual World Coins" catalog. The editor of that publication determined that they were of sufficient general interest to be included in the catalog. It seems logical that any such pieces of interest would also be accepted for certification and grading.

A home-made business card (counter-stamp) on a US coin is not quite the same level of production sophistication as a product from an established (private) mint.

PS:
Your hypothetical stamping of business advertising on US coins would be illegal if you intentionally placed the counter-stamped pieces back into circulation for the purpose of advertising your business.

 

I have been asked to produce some real doozys over the years. One person practically insisted that I produce "copies" of a recent Chinese "medal" that he sent me for evaluation, unsolicited. It turned out the medal was actually a rare and very valuable Chinese pattern dollar minted in Philadelphia circa 1910. When I declined, this person got in a big huff complaining that I was discriminating against him

Literally dozens of people have asked me to produce an 1895 Philadelphia "business strike" (non-proof) Morgan dollar. "1895" is not a fantasy date for Morgan Dollars, so that one is out.

 

Sales have tapered off considerably. This is the usual pattern. I come out with something new and it sells pretty fast at first, then tapers off. I get bored fairly easily, so I usually discontinue items fairy quickly and then move on to the next thing.

The reverse die is cracked and probably won't last much longer anyway. I've got a new die pair in the works and I may use if for "proof-like" over-strikes.

 

If the pieces are NOT legal tender, then there is nothing factually that distinguishes them from planchets made from junk 90% silver that a skilled person could make in his or her basement. It seemed to me that your entire argument hinged upon the fact that the item was still legal tender and that this made them distinguishable from the latest Alibaba creations (i.e. monetization of the no longer existing/now destroyed host coin made your pieces okay).

Edited for clarity.

 

Well, mine are not over-struck on re-melted 90% silver planchets - they are over-struck directly on original coins that are not melted or heated. There is a direct relationship of one genuine coin per one over-strike.

Another difference is the re-sale value. "Alibaba" 1964-D Peace Dollars sell on eBay for $5 or maybe $10. My "1964-D" over-strike Peace Dollars typically sell for about $300 to $500 (actual recent sales).

 

These controversial threads have been going on for years in all the forums I know of. I didn't even know about these darn things until I read about them in the PCGS forums. That must have been at least five years ago. He initials them, that takes much of the controversy away. Ah, you got a point.

 

If they don't retain legal tender status, then the pieces are no different than any other unauthorized coins which resemble the design or inscriptions of a Peace Dollar. That's my point. It lost what I thought you were arguing all along that made it distinguishable (the supposed monetization of the now destroyed host coin and legal tender status presumably of the planchet).