Lord Marcovan's "Eclectic Box" collection as of November 21, 2018

Lord Marcovan's "Eclectic Box" collection

In 2013, I did a major purge of all my coin collections and decided to simplify to just one small box of "nicer" coins, focusing more on quality than quantity. However, pursuing quality remains an ongoing challenge on my budget. I have tried to develop a discerning eye for nice coins that are still obtainable on a working-class salary.

Aesthetic "eye appeal" is my first goal and historical, artistic, or cultural appeal a very close second. In keeping with the "eclectic" attribute, I'm also trying to add as wide a variety as possible of time periods, cultures, and geographic regions here.

"Eclectic Box" gallery on CollectiveCoin (the current lineup)
"Bygones" from the Eclectic Box (gone, but not forgotten)

Until mid-2016, I stuck to the "box of 20" principle, where the collection was always 20 coins (in other words, if I wanted to add one, I had to sell one). I have since abandoned the 20-coin limit and let the collection grow, and as of November 2018 it had doubled in size to 40 pieces.

Last update: June 16, 2018

Number of coins as of last update: 38
Number of coins as of this update: 40

Individual coin photos are not shown to scale.

As always, thanks for looking.

~Robertson ("Rob") Shinnick (aka "LordM")
St. Simons Island, Georgia, November 21, 2018

 

Greece (Ionia, Phokaia): electrum hekte; Athena and quadripartite punch, ca. 478-387 BC

NGC VF; Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5.

Greece (Thessaly, Pharkadon): silver hemidrachm; Thessalos restraining bull, ca. 440-400 BC

Presently uncertified; ex-Sphinx Numismatics.

Greece (Corinth): silver stater; Pegasus and Athena, ca. 345-307 BC

NGC AU; Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5.

Greece (Mysia, Lampsakos): silver diobol; janiform heads and Athena, ca. 4th-3rd century BC

Presently uncertified; ex-Ken Dorney.

Greece (Spartans in Taras, Calabria, Italy): silver drachm; Athena and owl, ca. 302-281 BC

NGC XF; Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

Greece (Kingdom of Macedon): silver "Mercenaries" drachm of King Perseus, ca. 175-170 BC

NGC Ch MS; Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

Roman Republic: silver denarius of moneyer L. Furius Brocchus; Ceres and curule chair, ca. 63 BC

NGC Ch VF; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5.

Roman Empire: silver denarius of Vespasian; capricorns and globe, struck by Titus ca. 80-81 AD

NGC AU; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5.

Byzantine Empire: gold tremissis of Justinian I; Victory with wreath and cross, ca. 527-565 AD

NGC MS; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5, "wrinkled".

Sasanian Empire: silver drachm of Khusrow II; fire altar; struck 611 AD

Presently uncertified; ex- Marc Breitsprecher.

 

Sicily (Norman Kings): gold tari of Guglielmo I ("William the Bad"), ca. 1154-1166 AD

Presently uncertified; ex-Nomos AG.

England: silver penny of King John, ca. 1213-1215, from the Gisors hoard found in Normandy

PCGS XF45; population 2 with none higher as of 11/21/2018.

France (Duchy of Lorraine): silver "sword" type demi-gros of Antoine the Good, ca. 1508-1544

Presently uncertified; ex- Künker am Dom.

Lithuania: silver half-groschen of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland, 1550

PCGS MS63; population 5 with 8 higher as of 11/21/2018.

 

German States (Teutonic Order): silver 1/4-thaler of Grand Master Maximilian of Austria, ca. 1615

PCGS XF45; population 1 with 1 higher as of 11/21/2018

Belgium (Liège, Chapter of St. Lambert): copper communion token; memento mori, ca. 1680s

Presently uncertified; ex- Heritage Auctions Europe

Bolivia (Spanish Colonial): silver "cob" type 1-real coin of Charles II, 1694 VR, Potosí mint

PCGS VF25; population 1 - the only example graded by PCGS as of 11/21/2018.

Switzerland (Zurich): silver "city view" 1/2-thaler (1 gulden of 36 schillings), 1739

PCGS AU58; population 1- the only example certified by PCGS as of 11/21/2018.

Spain: gold half-escudo of Ferdinand VI, 1759-JB, Madrid mint

PCGS XF40- population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 11/21/2018- also the key date.

Mexico (Spanish Colonial): silver 8 reales ("Pillar Dollar"), 1761-Mo-MM, Mexico City mint

PCGS AU50; population 4 with 13 higher as of 11/21/2018.

India (Mysore): gold fanam of Tipu Sultan, AH 1200 (1786), Patan mint

PCGS MS62; population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 11/21/2018.

Belgium (Austrian Netherlands): copper 2 liards (2 Oorden); Insurrection coinage, 1790

NGC MS63 BN; population 3 with 4 higher as of 11/21/2018.

Great Britain: gilt copper proof halfpenny of George III, 1806, Soho mint

PCGS PR65 DCAM, ex-NGC PR64 CAM; PCGS population 1 with 1 higher as of 11/21/2018.

United States: silver half dollar, Draped Bust type, Heraldic Eagle reverse, 1807

PCGS F12, CAC verified; population 161 with 1,527 higher as of 11/21/2018

 

(Continued)

United States: copper large cent, Coronet type, 1818; likely from the Randall Hoard found in 1869

PCGS MS62 BN; population 164 with 320 higher as of 11/21/2018

Iran (Persia): gold toman of Fath Ali Shah, AH 1233 (1817), Yazd mint

PCGS MS62; population 5 with none higher as of 11/21/2018.

Great Britain: silver shilling of George IV, ca. 1826-1829, mint error (struck 20% off-center)

PCGS XF40; no population data since errors are unique, but a rare error for the type.

Liberia: proof copper cent; first coin issued for Liberian independence, 1847

PCGS PR65 BN, ex-NGC PF64 BN; PCGS population 1- finest graded at either service as of 11/21/2018.

United States: silver dime, Seated Liberty type, arrows at date subtype, 1853

PCGS AU53; population 54 with 857 higher as of 11/21/2018.

Japan (Meiji Era): silver and gold Nibu-Kin (2 bu), ca. 1868-1869

PCGS AU55; population 106 with 52 higher as of 11/21/2018.

France: silver jeton (insurance token) engraved by Ernest-Paulin Tasset, 1869

PCGS MS63; population 2 with none higher as of 11/21/2018.

Channel Islands (Guernsey): copper 2-doubles coin, 1889-H; Heaton Mint, Birmingham

PCGS MS65 RB; population 1- the only example certified by PCGS as of 11/21/2018.

Great Britain: gold half-sovereign of Queen Victoria, 1901, from the Terner collection

PCGS MS64; population 12 with 6 higher as of 11/21/2018.

United States: silver dime, Barber type, 1901, ex-Stacks-Bowers Galleries

PCGS MS64, CAC verified; population 102 with 73 higher as of 11/21/2018.

 

(Continued)

United States: copper "Hard Times" token; C.D. Peacock Jeweler, Chicago, "1837" (1902)

PCGS MS63 BN; population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 11/21/2018.

United States: cupronickel 5 cents, Buffalo type, 1913, Type 1 ("raised mound" reverse)

PCGS MS65; population 3,969 with 2,980 higher as of 11/21/2018.

Greenland: copper-nickel 25-øre, 1926 (h) HCN GJ; Danish arms and polar bear

PCGS MS65; population 23 with 26 higher as of 11/21/2018.

Great Britain (Island of Lundy): bronze 1-puffin coin (token) issued by Martin Coles Harman, 1929

PCGS MS65 RD; population 5 with none higher as of 11/21/2018.

China (Republic): silver yuan ("Junk dollar"), Year 23 (1934); Sun-Yat Sen and sailing junk

PCGS MS62; population 11,439 with 24,863 higher as of 11/21/2018.

United States: cupronickel dime, Roosevelt type, 2001-P, mint error (missing obverse clad layer)

Presently uncertified; ex-ToughCOINS.

 

November 21, 2018: Update Summary

We have had 5 arrivals and 3 departures since last time.

What was a "box of twenty" collection for years has now officially doubled to become a "box of forty" since mid-2016, when I decided to drop the 20-coin limit and let it grow. It still remains something of a revolving door- I've let some really nice pieces go- but that is sometimes necessary to acquire other nice pieces, since I don't put very much of my disposable income into this and have to grow the collection by selling and swapping.

(And I've never been terribly good at saving up for bigger purchases, though dealers with layaway options are nice to do business with.)

Number of coins as of last update: 38
Number of coins as of this update: 40

Here's what's came in since last time:

Sicily (Norman Kings): gold tari of Guglielmo I ("William the Bad"), ca. 1154-1166 AD

Presently uncertified; ex-Nomos AG.

Belgium (Liège, Chapter of St. Lambert): communion token; memento mori, ca. 1680s

Presently uncertified; ex- Heritage Auctions Europe

United States: silver half dollar, Draped Bust type, Heraldic Eagle reverse, 1807

PCGS F12, CAC verified; population 161 with 1,527 higher as of 11/21/2018

United States: copper large cent, Coronet type, 1818; likely from the Randall Hoard found in 1869

PCGS MS62 BN; population 164 with 320 higher as of 11/21/2018

Channel Islands (Guernsey): copper 2-doubles coin, 1889-H; Heaton Mint, Birmingham

PCGS MS65 RB; population 1- the only example certified by PCGS as of 11/21/2018.


... and here's what went away.

German States (Nurnberg): silver 1/8-thaler klippe of Ferdinand III; Peace of Westphalia, 1650

PCGS MS62; population 1 with 3 higher as of 6/16/2018.

Ireland: brass "gunmoney" halfcrown, July, 1690; struck during the Williamite-Jacobite War

PCGS AU53; population 1 - the only example graded by PCGS as of 6/16/2018.

France: copper specimen striking of a 10-centime pattern (essai); Marianne and fasces, 1848

PCGS SP65 RB; population 1- the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018.


Thanks for looking!

 

I've had quite a few pop.1 coins. It isn't that hard to achieve once you step off the well-trodden US path and out into the wider world a bit. With some esoteric stuff (medievals, offbeat exonumia, etc ), one is practically assured a pop.1, if only by virtue of being the only person submitting stuff like that.