The OP has a point, though the thread title is false. Insurance for SDBs is relatively cheap … because the risk is very low, of course. The...
I share your opinion of Breen and respect your decision. However, Breen is dead and can’t receive any royalties even if a new copy of the book is...
The American Numismatic Society (ANS) was able to purchase most of the archives of the Medallic Art Company (MACO), which went bankrupt in 2016....
Whoops! I was still half asleep. Now obvious that John made a typo and meant Breen. Cal
Bremen? John, could you give a more complete citation. I haven't been able to find a book on US proofs by an author named Bremen. I looked...
I too recommend A Short History of Byzantium, by John Julius Norwich. It's well written and a great starter book. Cal
If anyone wants a nondestructive technique that can provide true bulk analysis (i.e. average elemental composition of the whole coin), then it’s...
Actually, a handheld XRF analyzer pretty much is a surface analyzer. Analysis maybe goes down 100 microns, probably less. Problem isn’t the...
Both NGC and PCGS offer metal analysis. I don't know the price, but am pretty sure it ain't cheap. Cal
It was a pattern in the goloid series. Many patterns were struck in multiple metals with the same dies ... sometimes more than six alloys. Many...
They probably have handheld XRFs. The one time metal composition became an issue with a PCGS coin of mine, they sent it out to an independent lab...
London Hilton has excellent room service. Why didn't he use it? Cal
Agree completely. If I have coins with me at a show, they stay with me or get locked up. If they are to be sold, consigned or graded, that is my...
More common raw coins can probably be sold as is or certified and sold without being noticed, especially if sold over time and via multiple...
Christos Pouloglou, 33, lost a collection of 22-carat gold coins from his room on the 21st floor after going out to dinner with his wife. He is...
I've received catalogs from major auction houses for years and never considered it a security risk. I have a big mail box, and others would have...
Yeah, big high voltage capacitors are very dangerous. The link below shows an extreme case. But high voltage capacitors smaller than a beer can...
Very cool! The English and French mints have made piedfort (aka piefort) coins, which are double thickness, for collectors. Now they don’t have...
[ATTACH] [ATTACH] 1859, Judd-241, silver, PCGS PR-62. The coin was designed by James Longacre, who also produced the flying eagle and Indian...
I’ve noticed that older, high-grade copper coins often sell for a huge premium if the color has been graded red (RD) rather than red-brown (RB)....
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