Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;kaparthy, post: 38447, member: 57463&quot;]I interviewed a public affairs representative from the Secret Service last summer and he was clear and direct.&nbsp; The 1933 $20 gold coins are contraband. They were stolen from the U.S. Mint. I did not argue with him.&nbsp; I was just gathering facts and opinions.&nbsp; It was not my place to argue.&nbsp; Among those facts and opinions is the fact that the coin recently sold was, in fact, granted an export license for King Farouk of Egypt.&nbsp; There are at least two opinions based on that fact: it is important; and, it is irrelevant.</p><p><br /></p><p>Personally, I think it is much ado about nothing, a tempest in a teapot. What does it matter that the Mint changed its mind and recalled an issue of coins?</p><p><br /></p><p>Aesthetically, it is just another coin.&nbsp; There is no shortage of Uncirculated Saints in the world and not one is really exemplary as a coin.&nbsp; I know that everyone in America praises the $20 Saints. Compared to the Barber series and the Seateds, which which we suffered for so long, yes, the Saint-Gaudens coins are, indeed, nice.&nbsp; They ushered in what has been called &quot;the golden age of American numismatics.&quot;&nbsp; The $20 and $10 Saint-Gaudens, the Standing and Walking Liberty, the Peace Dollar, the Buffalo Nickel, Mercury Dime, Bela Pratt Lyon&#039;s incuse Indians, ... the entire array of U.S. coinage was greatly improved.&nbsp; That said, any collector of 19th century European silver jetons can put that array to shame. </p><p><br /></p><p>As far as production goes, the Saint Gaudens double eagles were subjected to a wide range of experimental surfaces that resulted from sandblasting and pickling them in acid.&nbsp; You never see one cameo.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in