Coin Documentary

Hi all

I am producing a Coin Documentary working title
“History of the world through coins”
It will initially be a six part one hour program and hopefully a second series as the Americans want thirteen parts for a season.
Each episode will have various stories based on particular coins in an entertaining manner but will also include numismatic teaching i.e. How coins are made, design,metals,new, old, modern and especially collecting.
I want to re-engage the public with coin collecting and especially the young.
It will be fun and show coins in their place in history and also how they made history.
It's time to get people talking about coins again.

Sir Tony Robinson is the presenter and I've made a teaser and then a 45 minute pilot.
We travelled to Vancouver in Canada to discuss whether Drake made it there or not after a rare EdwardVI shilling was found in a bay.
Gibraltar to discuss the Vigo story below
The USA to tell the story of Martha Washington and her silver service being melted down for some of the fledgling countries first dimes.
Starting in the Fitzwilliam museum in Cambridge.

Click on the link below to a very short teaser


I have forty or so good stories based on particular coins and am looking for more.
The coin itself must have History
The story must be of general interest
The story needs a hook to catch the audience
If it came into your or the owners hands in a interesting/exciting way
To give you an example

1703 Vigo 5 Guinea
Sir Admrial Rook Capture of Gibraltar Failure to capture Cadiz
Battle of Vigo bay
Capture of Spanish and French Men o war
Capture of Gold and Silver from the Americas
Triumphant return to Queen Anne
Sir Isaac Newton and the modernization of the mint
Only 20 5 Guineas struck
Possibly 7 know to exist
Widow finds one in late husbands sock draw
Gets £300,000 at auction

That's a great COIN STORY

Put your thinking caps on and post some ideas please
Jordan Lott
Viceroy Coins

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

The story of the 1894-S Barber dime would be a good one. The daughter of the San Francisco Mint Superintendent received 3 and spent one on a dish of ice cream after being told keep them because they were very rare.

 

That sound somewhat like the lore attached to the 1913 Liberty Nickel...the ice cream bit that is...

Which by the way makes a good story, the coin that never should have existed...there were three minted, by whom we don't know, the mysterious Wanted adds for the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and it staring in a episode of Hawaii Five-0. Recently sold for what....3 Million and change

http://www.libertynickels.org/1913liberty.php

http://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/2013/09/olsen-1913-liberty-5-coin-returns-to-auction.html

 

I pretty sure that guy really didn't have the 5 Guinea in his hand. Because he was rubbing it around like crazy.

 

Hi Rooman
Yes it was just a prop for the pilot and not the real coin

 

Yeah, that didn't actually happen. It makes a nice story, and a great legend, but it is a myth.

I hope that you do sufficient research in this "documentary" and tell actual, verifiable, well researched and technically accurate information rather than engaging is speculation, conspiracy theories, and "numis-myth". Otherwise it will be mindless entertainment repeating those same made-up stories.

I would enjoy watching a fact-based, technically and historically accurate documentary. I would not enjoy watching "reality coin tv" (which is what you describe).

 

How about the early 1900's counterfeit O-mint Morgan's said to be made by the Mob in New Orleans at the time and funneled into circulation through their illegal casinos. The story is pure conjecture at this point but it would be a great way to introduce Morgan VAMming in an episode or as a segway to VAMming in your general Morgan episode as I'm sure you'll do with How popular they are... Contact @messydesk here about it if you think it would make a good episode, which imo it would, even being speculative. It has all the mystery, intrigue and "hook" factors for a great segment!

 

Yeah, this is exactly what I'm talking about. We don't need made up coin stories, because if you make up a story and show it on TV, then people believe it as fact. Then it gets told and repeated, and in a year or two it is established numismatic history. There are enough true stories that you don't need to make them up and put them in a "documentary."

If you want to make up coin stories, sell it as fiction. Make an entertaining movie. Don't make it a "documentary."

 

I wish I could find the blasted article on the 1st US Silver coins. There was an analysis done and published a couple years back showing that Pres. Washington's deposit was a specific number of Spanish dollars - the silver content and resulting coins produced by the mint match out almost exactly. To well within the accuracy of the age (which wasn't as bad as we might think from our 0.001+/- digital scales).

 

Not really. You talk about vamming and lead into the O-mint contemporary counterfeits and make it clear that their true origins are yet unknown but one theory goes as so. And maybe, just maybe it will spur interest for those with access to old arrest records or old New Orleans history or the great grandaugter of the guy that created them etc to come forward and maybe, just maybe the exposure can help to nail down their true origins.

 

I think that the story of the very beginnings of the United States Mint would be great.

In 1793, the Mint wanted to coin gold and silver, but was unable to because the bond was too high. The Congress had to change the law, and President Washington needed to help put up the money, but because of this bond law, it wasn't until 1794 that the Mint was able to make silver or gold coinage.

Only copper coins were made by the US Mint in 1793.

 

A very interesting story that most of the general public doesn't know about, but know of is the story of the Morgan Dollar. From it's introduction, to the couple of Acts passed by Congress mandating the minting of millions of Morgan Dollars that sat around in bags for years, to the act that required the melting of millions of them to be turned back into bullion just to then be re-minted into 1921 Morgan Dollars. Then up to the mid '60's when the public went on a buying spree redeeming soon to be expired silver certificates in exchange for the Morgan silver dollars at the local banks, to the GSA mail in bid auctions in the '70's and early '80's to finally get rid of the last of the Morgan dollars stored by the U.S. Mint. That would make a good hour of TV.

 

Ah yes, the Crime of '73 to the Pitman Act. That would probably be covered as the alpha and omega archs in the Morgan episode though

 

More generally, it might make an interesting narrative interlude/anecdote to briefly outline how America's friendship/alliance with Great Britain during the Great War was both the direct progenitor of the current immense popularity amongst American collectors of the Morgan Dollar, and the cause of the design & mintage of the Peace Dollar. Had not fully one-half of the Morgan Dollar mintage been melted to sell the British as a result of the Pittman Act, Morgans would be common as grains of sand in Mint State today. Instead, they are both available in numbers sufficient to support their enormous demand with collectors, while counting among them major Condition Rarities of value well into six digits, offering attraction to every possible strata of numismatist.

Further, the Pittman Act's specification that all melted coins must be eventually replaced was the impetus to produce the Peace Dollar, an idea and design which would probably not otherwise have gained sufficient political traction to come to fruition. At least, not in the enormous numbers minted; it would likely have otherwise been a limited-mintage Commemorative at best.

All of this has resulted in the single broadest collaborative effort ever to identify and enumerate varieties of any US coinage - VAMming - encompassing both issues.

And if your intent is to cause re-engagement, you should take the time to describe how the Internet has completely revolutionized numismatics. In addition to making huge outlets like Ebay possible, and providing an accessible sales presence to firms which would otherwise be limited to dry trade-specific publications, it has engendered places like the forum upon which you've posted your question which provide instant access to an enormous cross-section of issue-specific knowledge and experience. It's easier to "learn" numismatics than has ever been possible before.

That said, you would be remiss in not mentioning the downside as well....

 

Is there evidence, numismatic or otherwise, that Martha Washington donated her silver service for coinage, I suspect this is a bit of patriotic coin lore, legend if you will. Evidence?

 

@Jordan Lott

In my opinion, one of the most knowledgeable researchers of numismatic history in the US is Roger W. Burdette. His book "From Mine to Mint" is outstanding. You might want to contact him. I believe his username on the NGC forums is RWB.

Chris

 

No, there is no evidence regarding Martha's silver. In fact the article that I can't find explicitly shows George's deposit was "Spanish Dollars".

 

http://www.colosseocollection.com/home

 

Hi
Yes the reaserchers will all come from the production house and the stories will be mostly true to verified facts like the Vigo story.as you've posted there are lots of good stories that we numismatics know but the general population don't.
On the other hand some good controversy between coin experts arguing their point of view will also be good.
My research also shows people really want to know how coins are made,who conceives the designs etc
How were coins made in the past?
The main stories we have are carefully researched and factual.
However it will also be entertaining like and good documentary should to keep the audiences attention

 

Thank you
I will do
Jordan