Lord Marcovan's "Eclectic Box" collection as of September 7, 2019

September 7, 2019

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.

I also abandoned the idea of structured "sets", and have gone completely "freestyle", liberating myself to collect whatever catches my fancy, though you'll likely still notice some subtle themes which reflect my personal tastes.

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.

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.

In early 2019, I sold off many of my "trophy" coins and decided to stick to a $500/coin price limit (and usually well below that). That puts a lot of things like larger gold pieces out of reach, but there are still a lot of beautiful and historic coins which can be had within this somewhat intermediate budget.

Coin photos in this collection are not shown to scale. The links to the CollectiveCoin site can sometimes take a few seconds to load.

Galleries on the CollectiveCoin site:

Eclectic Box gallery (the current lineup)

Eclectic Box "all-time" gallery (almost everything since 2013, including sold coins)

Last update: May 20, 2019
Number of coins as of last update: 54
Number of coins as of this update: 53

As always, thanks for looking.

~Robertson ("Rob") Shinnick (aka "LordM")
St. Simons Island, Georgia, September 7, 2019

Edit 11/25/19: you will notice that this update has reduced-resolution images with plain black backgrounds. The loss of image quality is noticeable. This is because I was in transition when I posted it. As of November 2019 I have transitioned to a new image format.

 

Greece (Ionia, Phokaia): electrum hekte, ca. 478-387 BC

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

Greece (Thrace, Pantakapaion): bronze Æ21, ca. 310-303 BC

Presently uncertified.

Greece (Spartan colony in Taras, Calabria, Italy): silver drachm, ca. 302-281 BC

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

Roman Republic: silver denarius of moneyer L. Furius Brocchus, ca. 63 BC

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

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

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

Roman Empire: bronze sestertius of Antoninus Pius, struck ca. 159 AD

Presently uncertified.

Byzantine Empire: gold tremissis of Justinian I, ca. 527-565 AD

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




England (Anglo-Saxon): silver sceat, struck in Essex or East Anglia, ca. 685-700 AD

Presently uncertified.

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

PCGS VF35; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS XF45; population 3 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.


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Great Britain (England): silver groat of Henry VI, first reign, Calais mint, ca. 1422-1461, from the Reigate Hoard found in Surrey

PCGS XF45; population 5 with 5 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS63; population 5 with 8 higher as of 9/27/2019.

England: silver sixpence of Elizabeth I, 1575, Tower mint, eglantine mintmark

PCGS VF35; population 1 with 1 higher as of 9/14/2019.



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

PCGS XF45; population 1 with 2 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Great Britain (England): silver crown of Charles II, 1679; mint error

PCGS F12; labeled "broadstruck" (sic) by PCGS, but more likely just slightly off-center.

Mexico: silver 8-reales "cob" of Charles II, ca. 1665-1682, from the 1682 "Johanna" shipwreck off South Africa

PCGS Genuine, Fine Details (environmental damage).

Great Britain: silver South Sea Company sixpence of George I, 1723; double-struck mint error (2nd strike 25% off-center)

PCGS F12; no population data since errors are unique, but a rare error for the type.

Germany (Nuremberg): silver medal by Daniel Dockler the Younger, 1730; bicentennial of the Augsburg Confession

PCGS AU50; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS AU58; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS XF40- population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019 - also the key date for the type.


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

PCGS MS62; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: copper large cent, Draped Bust type, 1803, stemless wreath variety

PCGS F15; population 2 with 31 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS62; population 5 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: Capped Bust quarter, large size, 1818

PCGS F12, CAC verified; population 88 with 739 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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.

United States: silver half dime, Capped Bust type, 1834

PCGS F12; population 14 with 886 higher as of 9/7/2019.

France: gilt bronze Napoleon Bonaparte medal by Antoine Bovy; special specimen striking for Napoleon's 1840 Paris funeral

PCGS SP64; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: copper large cent, Braided Hair type, 1848

Presently uncertified.

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

PCGS VF35; population 45 with 1,569 higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: silver quarter, Seated Liberty, "Arrows & Rays" subtype, 1853

PCGS VF35; population 173 with 1,549 higher as of 9/7/2019.


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United States: bronze patriotic Civil War token, undated (ca. 1862-1865); battle implements and Union shield

PCGS MS64 RB; population 2 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: copper-nickel 3-cent piece, Liberty Head type, 1866

PCGS MS62+; population 1 with 666 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS63; population 2 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: silver 20-cent piece, 1875, Philadelphia mint

PCGS F12; population 35 with 978 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS65 RB; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

Japan: silver yen of the Emperor Meiji, Year 27 (1894)

PCGS AU58; population 70 with 228 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Peru: silver half-dinero, 1897-JF

PCGS MS67; population 77 with 7 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS64; population 14 with 6 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS63 BN; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

Philippine Islands (US Insular government): silver 50-centavos, 1921

PCGS MS62; population 25 with 77 higher as of 9/7/2019.


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Russia (Soviet Union): silver rouble, 1924- ПЛ, Leningrad mint

PCGS MS62; population 78 with 278 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Greenland: copper-nickel 25-øre, 1926 (h) HCN GJ; Copenhagen mint

PCGS MS65; population 23 with 29 higher as of 9/7/2019.

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

PCGS MS65 RD; population 5 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

Canada: silver dollar of George V, 1935; "Voyageur" type

PCGS MS64; population 774 with 941 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Egypt: silver 2 piastres of King Farouk, AH 1356 (1937)

PCGS MS62; population 6 with 12 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Ireland: copper-nickel halfcrown (2 shillings 6 pence), 1951

PCGS MS65; population 14 with 3 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Esperanto (Universal League): copper-nickel 10-steloj fantasy, 1959; struck in 1960 at the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht

PCGS MS66; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

Greece: silver 30-drachmai of Paul I; "Five Greek Kings" commemorative, 1963

PCGS MS65; population 197 with 68 higher as of 9/7/2019.

Tanzania: copper-nickel 5-shilingi, F.A.O. issue, 1972

PCGS MS63; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

Austria: silver proof 10-euro, 2008, Klosterneuburg Abbey commemorative

PCGS PR70 DCAM; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.


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Uruguay: steel and brass bimetallic 10-pesos, 2011

PCGS MS66; population 1 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

Australia: silver 1-ounce bullion dollar; Australian Kangaroo, 2016-P, Perth Mint

PCGS MS70; population 4,072 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.

United States: silver proof National Parks quarter; Cumberland Island National Seashore, 2018-S

PCGS PR70 DCAM; population 879 with none higher as of 9/7/2019.


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Summary of the 9/7/19 update:

There were 10 departures and 9 arrivals since last time. We have a net loss of one coin, bringing the collection to 53 coins in total. (But there are a couple of new additions not yet shown as of this update.)

Here's what went away since last time:

Greece (Thessaly, Pharkadon): silver hemidrachm, ca. 440-400 BC


Greece (Mysia, Lampsakos): silver diobol, ca. 4th-3rd century BC


Roman Republic: bronze semis, anonymous issue, 211-207 BC; Hispania mint


Greece (Arcadia, Megalopolis): silver triobol, ca. 182-168 BC


Crusader States (Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus): silver gros petit of Henry II, ca. 1285-1324


Papal States: silver testone of Pope Paul IV, ca. 1555-1559


United States: gold quarter-eagle ($2.50), 1843-O, Small Date variety, New Orleans mint


United States: silver quarter; Seated Liberty type, arrows at date subtype, 1854


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


Hawaii (Kingdom): silver hapalua (half-dollar) of King Kalakaua I, 1883



And here's what came in:

England (Anglo-Saxon): silver sceat, struck in Essex or East Anglia, ca. 685-700 AD


England: silver sixpence of Elizabeth I, 1575, Tower mint


France: gilt bronze Napoleon Bonaparte medal by Antoine Bovy; special specimen striking for Napoleon's 1840 Paris funeral


United States: copper large cent, Braided Hair type, 1848


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


United States: silver quarter, Seated Liberty, "Arrows & Rays" subtype, 1853


Esperanto (Universal League): copper-nickel 10-steloj fantasy, 1959; struck in 1960 at the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht


Tanzania: copper-nickel 5-shilingi, F.A.O. issue, 1972


Uruguay: steel and brass bimetallic 10-pesos, 2011

 

Some precious lambs went to the slaughter since last time, but I had debts to be paid.

I'm excited about some of the new acquisitions, however; particularly the Elizabeth I sixpence and the Napoleon medal.



I have an Anglo-Saxon coin again with that little sceat. It doesn't hold a candle to the Aethelred II penny I sold, but it's a really neat coin from the Dark Ages. I like that it has tail-biting ouroboros serpents on both sides.


I had been wanting a decent coin of England's famous Queen Elizabeth I for a while, but wanted one with the right look (i.e., contrasting grey toning), and a dated example. It took a while to find one that met my criteria which I could also afford. That piece has been at PCGS a while and news of its grade should come any day now. I suspect it will go VF-something. Really, I'm fine with any straight-grade, as long as it doesn't come back with a "details" grade. I think it'll do OK.


The Napoleonic medal is absolutely stunning in hand with its gilt surfaces and high relief. None of the pictures (even the PCGS TrueView) do it any justice.

The last three moderns were coins that are arguably worth less than the money I spent slabbing them, but they're all at the top of the PCGS population simply by virtue of being the only ones anyone has submitted.


The Esperanto piece was a cool item I just liked a lot. It was a private pattern for a proposed universal world coinage, as Esperanto was created to be a universal language. Of course the single world currency idea never materialized, but who knows, perhaps it will, someday, and maybe the Universal League of Esperantists were just well ahead of their time. I got two of these coins from @Mark Metzger. This one, at MS66, is now the finest graded. The other, which I sold, went MS65.


The Tanzanian coin was a cheap bulk bag find (cost me 10 cents or less). I wanted to add it to this collection for sentimental reasons. You see, I lived in Tanzania in 1972, when that coin was struck. I was a little kid, and used to get one of those coins on Fridays for my allowance if I had been a good lad (which I always was). If I remember correctly, you could buy a plastic model airplane kit with one. So what if it's a two-dollar coin in nearly fifty dollars' worth of plastic slab- I just like it.


Side note: speaking of inexpensive moderns: the Austrian 10-euro Klosterneuberg commemorative is not a new addition, but did get graded by PCGS since last time. And it received the highest possible grade: PR70 DCAM! That is the first time I have "made" a 70-grade. I loved the design of the coin and though it only cost me $27 or so originally (and was thus worth less than the cost of the slab fees), I sent it in anyway. No regrets on that now!

 

That was one of my top three, and yes, it will be very much missed. @kazuma78 has it now.

Alas, debt often rears its ugly head, so... well, you know.

That coin (which was tied with the gilt halfpenny for my favorite piece) went away in my big Spring purge, back in March. I paid off both my credit cards as a result. They have since run back up again due to circumstances partly beyond my control, which is why there have been other sacrifices. But I'm hoping to get them paid down again and let things settle somewhat.

Now I will collect more within my means.

I now no longer own any coins over the $500 threshold, since most of my "trophy" pieces went away in the Spring purge. (Well, I do still have a few that are worth slightly over 500 bucks, but I paid less than that for them.)

It's kind of sad to note that most of the coins seen in that "treasure box" montage banner at the top of the page are now gone. Maybe I should get @Deacon Ray to make me a new version. Then again, I like looking at where the collection has been in the past.

If you forced me to say what my current remaining favorite is, it would probably be the little Taras owl.



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Yes, thank you for that. You now have contributed to the Eclectic Box. The Belgian Congo elephant will also be added once it is crossed over to PCGS and I have decent pictures of it.

The Uruguayan coin is one of a few in here that essentially cost me nothing- my only investment is in the PCGS plastic.

 

Yes, me too. One day I'll get one of the hexagonal ones, but in nice BU like this, they've gotten crazily expensive, as you know. So I'll go with this round one for now. It will go off to PCGS in my next submission.



(I decided to stick with exclusively PCGS plastic for the medieval and later stuff. Was going to crack out all my ancients and keep them raw, but I have since backtracked on that decision and will continue using NGC for those.)

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