Mine is an 1897-P Barber Half that came out of a box surrounded by P, AG, and G barbers, an anomaly that went into my type set.
He didn't do the one I'm using but I remember him. I think I talked with him at Fun. Do you remember his user or company name?
My avatar is representative of my total net worth. okay, okay, It's probably the first coin that I dug up as a kid. I dug it up probably around 1976 and have kept it ever since.
When I created my avatar image I was going for something that would illustrate my collecting interest. How'd I do?
My avatar is a 52 D Lincoln, it is the beginning of a die chip, on the mm. As the die chip got larger it was called a winged D, and looked a lot like the wing on a mercury dime.
I'm not Chris (thankfully for him) but you're thinking about James Garcia now of Olde Town Coin Shope (http://www.earlyus.com/) from St Louis--well, Fenton, MO. Edit to add: People have in the past accused me of being slightly obsessed with 1827 bust halves. I don't know why (doesn't EVERYONE have a couple of hundred of them?)
The last time I corresponded with James, he mentioned that he started a coin dealer partnership with someone, and he is no longer working full-time at Scotsman Auctions. IIRC, Jim's username on NGC was Early_US. Chris
What makes you think I'm the fortunate one? I've already got a few years on you. Does James still like Doritos? Chris
Mine is me personally with my AMAZING new patent: The PICK SLINGER. The world's Newest and FASTEST guitar pick. http://www.pickslinger.com
How long has Garcia been online? One of the times I restarted collecting was back when the internet was young and I recall buying some stuff from what I can recall was in Fenton, MO. You had to call back then and give a CC. I think it was before WSCoins.com online came along. FYI, I know what you mean about bust halves. I normally have several hundred modern pennies around.
He and Dennis Tarrant formed Ja(mes)de(nnis) Rare Coins back in the late 1990s. IIRC, he worked out of Fenton and Dennis out of Michigan. They had grown up together and reunited after seeing each others Ebay offerings. One of my favorite coins that I got from James is also one of the few coins that I have ever sold when he talked me into letting him have it back a couple of years ago. And yes, to the best of my knowledge he is still addicted to Nacho Cheese Doritos.
Mine is the male sign because I don't know how to add a photo I like. No need to post info how to do it because I'm too lazy to learn.
Updating your avatar is very similar to the process of how to clean a coin .. acid, wire brushes, and machine buffers .. and pain, especially pain and some blood.
My avatar is the only coin in US history that was minted under three different authorities, the United States of America, the State of New Orleans and finally the Confederate States of America. The 1861-O half dollar. I like the coin design and the history.