Yes it is. I recall in the days of my youth that US proof 3cent nickels were going for something outrageous like $15K. Recently I saw some nice ones sell for $400 or $500. Hardly as old as 16th century talers but I did pick up a new Latin American crown. This is a Republic of Colombia 1848 10 reales in NGC-63. Supposedly there is one better one of these as an ms-64 and two specimens tied at ms-63. Not super rare but I couldn't let it slide past too cheaply... I already had the type previously: an 1847 in NGC-61: the Whitier sale (June, 2006) piece. While not an expert on these some background into the history of the times. This era was the time of the "moneda feble" episode in Latin America. Many countries debased their silver coins from .900 or .875 to "technically .666" fine silver. I say .666 but in actuality all good silver disappeared from circulation and pure copper counterfeits circulated. The Republic of Colombia did not apparently do so at this time as they had their episode of debased coinage earlier, in the 1819-1820's. Normally the "crowns" or 8 reales of the era stayed good silver but these did not circulate domestically but were used for foreign payments to Europe for stuff like steam engines and whatever needed to be imported. Again I don't know if Colombia was an exception as they may have intended for these to circulate domestically also? Here is a case where you can see the beginning of inflation and the "8 reales" was changed to "10 reales". Incidentally this 1848 specimen is rather well struck. My 1847 was only "61 -ed" because of the weak strike of "10 reales" as you can see below.
That's Saint Michael slaying the dragon and the beast has hairy leggs indeed!Lovely ecu, i need this type, also the 'a la cravate' one and the 1716 Vertugadin!
1620 HI , Mansfeld-Vorderort-Arten taler, the usual theme of Saint George slaying the dragon. A rare variety according to H.Hoehn. Note: Apparently on the 1643 piastra of Gaspare Mola , Saint Michael was actually casting Lucifer into Hell!
I already own an Ecu of Louis XVI with a young portrait but never the fat head. So I caved and bought a fat head. It may not be 1793 but it's OK, I like the circ cameo look too. Louis XVI (1774-1792 A.D.) AR Ecu Livre tournois (6 Livres) France, 1st Republic O: LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANÇOIS : Head left. Privy mark (leopard) and date below. R: REGNE DE LA LOI. L'AN 4 DE LA LIBERTE, Winged and wreathed Genius (personification of the French People) inscribing table (the French Constitution) on column. Fasces, topped by liberty cap in left field, cock in right field. Rouen Mint 29.4g 39mm Dy# 1718, KM#615.3
My Saxony "3 Brothers" thaler finally cleared all the transatlantic COVID customs delays and has arrived from Germany. The next leg of its journey, from US East coast to West, begins soon when it goes off to PCGS.
1695 albertustaler (bancotaler), Berlin , Brandenburg, Frederick I , the first king of Prussia , grandfather of Frederick the Great
That's a very nice taler. I'm curious why are you sending it to PCGS and not NGC: which seems to have the lion's share of world & ancients slabbing? Also why have it slabbed at all? I've never sent in a coin for slabbing: I keep hearing all these tales of how things get stolen in postage. Maybe I'm just lazy but I'm guessing that my talers bought 30 years ago would be taken in the mail and all I'd get back is a buck apiece from the Post Office. In fact when I mailed my Netflix DVD directly from the Post Office "in a rough part of town" sure enough it was stolen in the mail. This happened late in 2019.
I should get one of these bvt alas have too little money to buy everything. I already collect Ancients: Pre-Roman {Greek} Civs & Roman, Polish, high grade silver crowns & 8 escudos of Latin America, + the occasional taler (incl the 1486) & very occasional USA coin (incl bust/seated dollars). I should point out that Urban 8th is most famous for ordering Galileo Galilei to recant his false teachings of a heliocentric universe in 1633. "He was sentenced to formal imprisonment at the pleasure of the Inquisition. On the following day, this was commuted to house arrest, which he remained under for the rest of his life." -wikipaedia
I exclusively use PCGS for all of my medieval and later coins. (NGC does get my ancients.) It is mostly a matter of personal preference, though there are several reasons; some practical but most personal. It is also a matter of consistency. Also, I like the PCGS TrueView images that are included. And I vehemently dislike the white prongs of the NGC holders, which intrude in photographs by overlapping the edges of the coins. I do realize NGC has a wider share of the market in World coins. As to why slab at all, well, that's also a matter of personal choice. It has its longterm benefits, but also can be expensive and a hassle if you're submitting yourself, which I do about once a year. But I come from the PCGS forums, so slab culture has just been my modus operandi for over twenty years. You might say I quaff the proverbial Kool-Aid in that regard. As to fears of coins going missing in the mail, well, that's what Registered Mail is for. Harry Winston shipped the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian via Registered Mail. Registered Mail is the safest way to go. It is pricier and sometimes slow, but secure. It gets accounted for at every stop along the way.
That 1794 Lima/BoE dollar is awesome. "The head of a fool on the neck of an ass". I'd like one someday. Never had one.
Private pattern crown in aluminium by J R Thomas after J Bonomi. Dated 1837 but struck in either 1887 or 1893. The designs are incuse and the edges numbered, this being T1. Remarkably, the reverse die was struck when in rusted condition. One might have expected the dies to be in top condition considering these coins were for sale and not circulation.
And something a little more unusual. A lead splash of a pattern crown obverse. This was the first design struck following the Jubilee portrait introduced in 1887. A single example from this unsigned die paired with a currency reverse die was struck in 1888 along with 3 or 4 with LCW initials on the truncation. This splash will have been made before the dies were hardened and before the engraver's initials were added to the truncation.