A great match between two great CT friends and regular contributors comes to a close. Thank you to both players. Results #17 @dougsmit - 83 #32 @zumbly - 94 Winner Doug's fantastic counterstamp earned him the lead in the interest category but Z's edge in the eye appeal and interest categories puts him on top in the overall score. Z will advance to Round 3 where he will take on the winner of the @Bing vs @Pavlos match up.
The coin Curtisimo mentioned was my one and only ex SteveX6 coin, a ~500 BC tetratemorion? (7mm .24g) of Kyzikos with a lot of detail considering its tiny size. I had decided not to use it because I paid too much per .01g and it could never beat cheaper and larger, more glamorous coins. Few people realize that this coin was the prototype of modern guitar picks (2500+ years before the invention of the electric guitar) and was used by the original group Hot Tuna (who knows that name?). It just seemed unfair to use something with such history and the Canadian connection. The coin I decided to use may or may not be eligible for next year so it will remain hidden except to say that I believe both Zumbly and TIF have coins similarly provenanced which would add a lot to the numismatic interest of a really cheap coin. I hope the rules next year will not limit us to new purchases. Congratulations to Z. Woe to whoever has to face him next.
Two great coins indeed. Z winning this match up against one of the most knowledgeable and experienced CT members, says a lot to the poor people who are going to challenge him in the future (yes, I did loose against Z last year, poor me) Congrats my friends, that was a fantastic one Q
Is it finally over? Phew... please don’t do that to me again, @Curtisimo! I may have won this match, but I can say in all honesty I just feel like the neophyte bull-wrestler who somehow, miraculously, managed to get the slight edge over his bigger, faster, and scarier opponent. Thanks to @dougsmit for the exciting match. I regret that we won’t get to see more of your intriguing coins, peerless photographs, and witty and incisive write-ups in the tournament. All hail The Master!!
Should we be concerned that the contest has cut down on regular posts leaving us with inquiries from new people and the occasional report of what one of us just bought? Maybe some of us have been here too long and have run out of new coins worth showing. I really have slowed down on purchases lately but have good reasons. I have a coin show in September. Maybe that will help.
I have a few write ups in the make but will probably not be able to finish and post them until after the tournament. There is only so much coin time in the day. I think more concerning, at least for me, is the silence over the last few months of several contributors whose posts I greatly miss. @Mikey Zee , @LaCointessa and a few others (x6 ). Plus, some of our regular members seem to be posting less this year. We've also had a lot of great new members join which has been great... and on the plus side I've heard more from several members over the course of this year's tournament than I have in months.
Things have seemed a little slower lately, but I think that was the case even before the tournament started, and could be for any number of reasons. I haven't been posting as much this year, mostly for lack of time. I've only bought two coins in the past month, one of which I will not be seeing for a few months at least (on hold at CNG for consolidation with future wins). I'm also currently mostly on the wagon. I do have a few coins not yet shared that I'll get around to posting when time allows, but for now please have a look at my new thread... it's titled "ID Help". Hope the upcoming coin show brings you some cool buys, Doug. I look forward to seeing your posts on them!
I haven't posted near as much lately either. Too much on my plate. And I've purchased much fewer coins this year than I have in years past as well.
@dougsmit As for the Martini reference, this is an article in Nomisma 6 by Rodolfo Martini about the Pangerl collection of countermarked coins of the early Roman empire. It is on Academia.edu (posted by Andreas Pangerl in 2003), maybe behind a paywall, but I found membership of Academia very rewarding for a coin collector. Your coin looks a lot like 32b, but it is in better condition.
No, it is the same artificial rig I always use. Sunlight is great when you have it but hard to adjust. Artificial light is there when you want it and does what you tell it.