How to Absolutely Ruin Cool Pieces of U.S. Mint History

Please do NOT turn this into a thread about Dan Carr's fantasy pieces.

Anyway, pictured below is a 50 Cent "feeder finger" from the Denver Mint's Grabener Press (it was used to push stray planchets along) which was auctioned and bought by Dan Carr. The press came with several coins stuck in it, including some blanks, errors, and a bunch of feeder fingers.



Unfortunately, feeder fingers found with the purchase (except for one) were all struck with Dan Carr's "Moonlight Mint" press. This, of course, has now ruined a cool piece of Mint history.



What a shame. Why did he have to completely ruin them all? Is it too much to ask to preserve them? I understand he bought it and can do what he wants...but, please....

 

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I’m going to the air raid shelter.

 

To make sure no one else would want it, or possibly vanity & ego. Don't know him personally so I'm not really sure. If he reads my post I hope he does not take it personally but might add an explanation.

 

Oh no.... ​

 

I guess this is a touchy subject?

 

Perhaps he could have made rings from them instead...

 

I did cringe when I saw the photo. It all depends on your level of cringe factor I guess. I know people cringe at me for cutting up '80's min sets. I could care less. Could be the same situation here. What is valuable to one person as a piece of history isn't to another, or holds less significance.

 

"What a shame. Why did he have to completely ruin them all? Is it too much to ask to preserve them? I understand he bought it and can do what he wants...but, please...."

Well he's been destroying ,and copying numismatic items for years.... and getting away with it..?..why should this be different...?

 

To play devil's advocate, if it were so important (or even just a neat part of mint history) to the history of the mint, wouldn't you think someone else would have ponied up and bought it to be certain it would be preserved?

 

I would rather someone kill an alligator to eat it and use its leather to make a purse rather than stuffing it and selling it as a stuffed alligator.

 

Unfortunately, yes... and arguably the most touchy on this forum. Sadly, this is an area in which differing opinions are not allowed and all while hypocrisy reigns supreme.

There are quite a few past threads if you wish to form your own opinion on the greater issue.

 

Not everyone can afford it, nor knew about the auction, nor would have space to put it.

 

So what I'm saying again here is that it must not have been high priority to preserve this or someone with the money and the space and willingness to save mint history would have made sure they would make every possible effort to look for an auction like this.

 

Well correct me if I am wrong an auction the hightest bidder wins? So if someone wants something bad enough, and bids moon money pun intented....

 

Well, maybe it was not a priority for the Mint itself, but for collectors and preservationists it is. After all, the government makes a lot dumb decisions.

Anyway, it is dumb. If Stan Lee left a set of 100 autographed comics in his desk, and I bought his desk and found them, why would I then autograph all the covers next to his autograph and go to sell them as part of the "Joe Cronin Hoard?"

They would be ruined.

 

Where is the Smithsonian when you need them?

 

So is there group out there who should have their eyes open for items like this to preserve for future generations or have we come upon an opportunity here? I don't have the time nor the will to set up an organization like that but I would throw a couple of bucks at it every year to make it successful!

 

Thanks for your post. I laughed so much my wife made me explain why.

 

Any time you mention that guys name, its a touchy subject.

 

I just took a look (curiosity killed the cat) and for the low, low price of $100 you can own yourself a piece of this butchered mint history. Only about 210 came with the purchase and approximately 200 have been struck.