Went to my local flea market today, not expecting much. I should learn that those are the days when TONS of good coins show up. Looked through a bag of half dollars my boss brought. Found a nice circulated 1946 Walking Liberty Half DDR (don't have photos, sorry!) It's always a GREAT day when I can be useful and find a nice variety to help out. Also got to see one of my co-workers buy 4 fake silver dollars. I always think it's funny when I'm sitting right next to them and I watch them never even look at the coins in detail before buying them. After the customer he bought them from left, I grabbed them to take a closer look. Immediately, I notice that all four are VERY thick compared to a normal silver dollar. Then I see the dates...1921 Peace Dollar and three CC Morgans. Yeah....so I got my loupe out. POROUS and MUSHY. Non-magnetic, weighs about right, but nothing about any details said these were real coins. Took them to a couple coin dealers for second opinions, because my friend didn't believe me. Found out the guy had already taken them to the coin dealers and been told they were fake. So I went back to my friend and told him what I thought. He hadn't even looked at the dates...once he took a closer look, I could tell he was fuming inside. The guy who sold them had said, "I only have these four with me today, but I have some more at home." So my friend had given him his business card (to buy the rest.) He said something to the effect of, "Well, at least it was a cheap lesson to learn." (He'd paid $15 each for them.) I said, "No, that guy is going to come right back here with more." Sure enough, half hour later, guy shows up with three more. Honestly acts surprised...hands back the money. Said he thought the other dealers just weren't interested in buying them, but they'd not said anything about them being fakes. Yeah...lie. Both dealers were very clear about saying they told him they didn't want to buy them because they were fakes. In the end, apparently someone else at the flea market was selling them for $10/each, so the guy had tried to make a quick $5/coin. I'm just happy my boss didn't buy them and ask me to send them in to be graded (he's done that before, even after I told him coins were fakes.) ANYWAY...back to my coins. One of the coin dealers I've been shopping from since I was about 8 (so, 30 years) has a local coin shop that's a bit out of the way for me, so I don't go there that often. Last time I was there (about 3 weeks ago) he had a nicer Dansco album of Jeffersons. I had a few in there that I was interested in, but he didn't seem to want to break up the set. Well, apparently, no one had even looked at them since...so he put them all in 2x2 and said he KNEW I'd be by to look at them. Sure enough...I was. Here are two of my favorites from the bunch (I bought about 10 similar coins to the 1944 D, although not quite as nice, maybe a grade lower): 1944 D Jefferson NickelBooming luster, full steps, only minor marks that the lighting of my camera setup really seemed to accentuate (in hand, they're invisible.) 1945 S Jefferson NickelTerrible reverse steps...but the color on this really pops in hand. Especially for the price. After I left this dealer's table, I went to another dealer who usually brings some album pages of Jeffersons (probably because I am the only person who buys coins from it, but I ALWAYS come by to check it.) Sure enough, I found some great coins in there. Here are two of my favorites from this bunch: 1946 D Jefferson NickelVery, very clean coin, borderline FS. Maybe a slight mushiness in the center between columns 2 and 3. Still a really nice coin. 1956 Jefferson NickelLovely "Wayte Raymond Toning" on both sides. Don't think it's a FS, especially with that huge hit between column 1 and 2, but overall very clean and great color. Last (but not least) - picked up two toned Peace Dollars and a really interesting Panama 1907 1/2 Centesimo. According to Krause, lots of these come with doubled obverses that used to be classified as overdates. I saw plenty of photos of them on eBay and Google...HOWEVER...not only does this coin have slight doubling on the obverse, but a strongly doubled reverse. Check it out: Panama 1907 1/2 Centesimo DDR In case you wanted to see the Peace Dollars, here ya go: 1923 Peace Dollar Might not look like much in the photo - because I was kind of rushing to get these posted here for you to enjoy - but there is a nice ring of rainbow toning around the edges of the obverse. You can just barely see it in my images (they'll have to be redone.) 1926 Peace Dollar I actually highly doubt this is Artificial Toning - the edges are super dark, as it was sitting in an old PVC flip. You can also see the dark spot on the reverse above DOLLAR where the flip was pressed into the coin. I'm curious if you guys think this is an MS grade coin or a nice AU. Last coin I'll share with you in this post is a super, super high grade 1945 S Washington Quarter I picked up. Once I took a look at it out of the 2x2, I noticed that IN GOD WE TRUST is obviously doubled. I was curious if the MM was inverted at first, but after doing some reading, I don't think it is. Curious to know what you think the grade on this beauty would be: 1945 S Washington Quarter DDO All in all, a great day at the flea market. Other purchases I made that aren't photographed yet: A total of 14 high-quality Jefferson Nickels (and you guys know how picky I can be with my Jeffs!) It's just a shame that I didn't pick these up before I sent the rest of my collection to NGC under a bulk submission...because now they'll have to wait until I amass a second worthy hoard... Canada 1907 H 1 Cent (mintage of 800,000) Canada 1938 Half Dollar (mintage of less than 200,000) Peru 1918/7 2 Centavos Mexico 1904 and 1906 1 Centavos, both at least high AU France 1918 5 Centimes, maybe UNC and toned but a bit damaged on the interior opening. Probably a waste of money. Switzerland 1919 2 Rappen with great obv/rev die clashes, at least a high AU If you made it to the end of this post, I congratulate you!
Oh...I forgot to mention two of the perks of flea markets... 1 - Amish Fudge. 2 - Only walking behind ONE person today who smelled like they soiled their pants.
Some excellent score at the market today! Are you gonna' keep that one? Why thank you, couldn't help but keep goin'.
The Jefferson nickels, absolutely. The Washington - probably until I can amass a bulk-rate worthy group.
Beautiful coins, but "Amish fudge" and "soiled pants" should never be used in the same post. It just ain't right. I like the '45 quarter, kind of a soft strike reverse?
