Interesting article on the human failings of prominent numismatists.

How about the human failings of non-prominent numismatists? In the end the only thing we all have in common is being human. As a society we seem to put put famous people on a pedestal and forget they are human like the rest of us. Me, I was told that I was dropped off by aliens.

 

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I invite you to read any of the editions of my textbook, Connections in the History and Systems of Psychology, to see why psychology "pretends" to be a science.

 

NewStyleKing, posted: "Please put my bachelor's, masters and PhD in the post!"



I can tell you are a very learned person BECAUSE...YOU DIDN"T ANSWER MY QUESTION!!!

I'll ask again:

While not EXACT and still evolving, what would you call the study of each (Psychology, Sociology) of them? AFAIK, much of "science" is not exact and still evolving. My dictionary defines science as the study of the physical world. Aren't people part of the physical world?


NewStyleKing, posted: "Who would not say that tall thinner young people with good accents are more likely to be offered a job over small, lumpy, working-class,balding oldies like me. We all know the truth of various matters we don't need to pretend that framing a theory is clever stuff! [I Agree, however; I'm sure there are lots of exceptions that we all could come up with so perhaps the subject is worth study and given a place in the Science Dept. of a university.] Generally Sheldon was right but so were 1000's of others but couldn't be bothered to write the GENERAL bleedin' obvious. [NUTS! The "thousands" you mention did not have the knowledge in addition to time. We could probably count the Large cent specialists on less than ten fingers way back then. For example, numismatists are STILL WAITING for a reference on U.S. Trade dollars. The knowledge to write one is lacking"] The famous Sexologists were only trying to sort themselves out and to prey on the vulnerable under the guise of "research"-criminal conmen always instinctively know Psychology, Sociology without going to formal school and writing rubbish and the bleedin' obvious. [Probably 90% true, most humans run at least one con sometime in their lives!]

 

Interesting read, both the article and some of the follow up comments in this thread.

 

Most intro psych textbooks define psychology as the scientific study (using the scientific method, in other words) of behavior, behavior being anything and everything that an organism does.

 

While none of us are perfect there is a huge difference between a bad decision, getting greedy, being dumb, and being a multiple times convicted child molester like Walter Breen which happened over multiple decades. I'm against cancel culture but I can make an exception for him

Child molesters are a special kind of evil and it's time for numismatics to stop giving any respect to him or his work especially given all the fairy tales in it. The hobby protected him long enough and it does disgust me that to this day he's still considered an asset to the hobby by many

 

But that doesn't say anything about the people applying for the job, it says more about the person offering the job.

I haven't seen Bill's numismatist article, but the planchet material, even of the better quality 1814's, seems to be more similar to the planchets of the rest of the Classic head series than the planchets of the 1816's.

No they're not, they're just evil like many other despicable persons. I do not consider a crime against a child to be any more henious than that crime perpitrated against an adult.

 

baseball21, posted "While none of us are perfect there is a huge difference [So you agree! There are different degrees of despicable behavior.] between a bad decision, getting greedy, being dumb, and being a multiple times convicted child molester like Walter Breen which happened over multiple decades. I'm against cancel culture [??] but I can make an exception for him.

Child molesters are a special kind of evil and it's time for numismatics to stop giving any respect to him or his work especially given all the fairy tales in it. The hobby protected him long enough and it does disgust me that to this day he's still considered an asset to the hobby by many. [You are free to be disgusted but that changes nothing. Hopefully, one day you'll produce something that future numismatists can use or build on to. BTW, Breen was around long before I became a professional numismatist. He, and Ford for that matter, were venerated as two of the top numismatists of the time. As for the majority of others, it seemed to me to be so pathetic that I'm positive you (Baseball21) are far more numismatically educated than most of the guys BACK IN THOSE DAYS! That's how bad it was! ]

 

Given that his first conviction was back in the 1950s simple math would say you aren't old enough to have been around at the start but the ricochet shot at me at the end is fine.

If he had cured a disease sure don't ignore it, but to prop up a child molesting monster because they wrote a few books about a hobby, that reflects so poorly on the hobby it isn't even funny. It's even worse the "quality" of such books.

I could go on but I won't. There has been plenty of real work done where people did hope to find the truth that we don't need to keep propping up such a monster.

I put more weight into not ruining multiple children's lives than if he could figure out some numismatic knowledge. Plenty of people have corrected things and really figured stuff out since. As a hobby it’s time to move on

 

Thoroughly interesting read. Thanks.

 

It was an interesting read and quite enlightening to see what Sheldon got away with in his "professional" research. None of that would stand a chance of flying in today's world. There was a time that adding "Dr" to ones title gave them universal credibility in many societies.

 

Do you get any warnings before CU bans you?

 

You are quite right. I was a YN collector in the 50's. I didn't join the ANA until 1972. As an employee of ANACS in DC, I had multiple dealings with both men. I never heard a bad word about Ford. The ONLY thing I heard about Breen was he was a drug smoking Hippie that once wiped his nose on a window drapery. Thus, I was happy to stand in the dealer line around Breen (a major expert of his era) at major shows to get his opinion.

Fortunately, I am a person who can categorize info. It may shock you but if I need help from a fellow numismatist, I would not care if he were a murderer, rapist, whatever. Others are not that way. I get a big kick reading all the Rookies-come-lately disparage Breen's work. NEWS FLASH, from what I saw (WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS) most of the guys back then were numismatic DUMMIES with fanciful opinions! Sound familiar?

Yes, usually. Heather is a good moderator. Eventually, Brett warned me I had one "life" left.

If I ran that Forum, I would just delete comments rather than dump members. They have done it before. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time to monitor "flags" from the Snowflakes and weak-of-stomach members. Heather has a real job at PCGS so it is easier and necessary to ban members who break the rules.

 

The most amazing thing about the Sheldon photographs story is that the college students meekly followed orders to take their clothes off and pose nude for this guy.

I am sure that a psychology student could write a good thesis on this story.

 

I didn't, but then I don't have Insiders stature in the hobby. Just one day all of a sudden I couldn't log in anymore

 

Once or twice a year that happens to me around here.

 

Nice gig if you can get it!

 

Most Inappropriate Answer! lol

 

I don't think the last round of banned members got a warning either.

I went back on with an alt (it is very easy to do) but was detected after a few weeks when I PM'ed Tom Delorey. I suspect the mods can read anything posted by anyone.

Anyway, it was no fun trying to play dumb and not being able to answer questions properly. The most fun I ever had was to join a forum anonymously and let the members call me a know-it-all which I certainly am not! The problem comes when you put a professor of chemistry in with a bunch of high school chemistry students. They will think he is smart whether he is or is not.

I wish there were a way to get about 12 of their members to post over here. IMO, CT has the best ancient forum but the World and US Forums could get better.

 

Thanks, that's high praise coming from you.

BTW, I just did a "first" today in my long career as a grader - LOL. Today, I entered a grade on a Franklin Half dollar and in the notes I wrote: "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE CORRECT GRADE OF THIS COIN IS!!

That should put the description of a "know-it-all" applied to me to rest.