lol... yes yes yes my one year anniversary quickly approaches. The affliction in collecting currency I’ll never spend and it still boggles my mind how easy it was to get sucked in. I’m probably not so much complaining mind you... anyways, on to my point although it might be more than one. My biggest dilemma surrounding the shiny Preciouses, other than trying to open capsules and cases, is, sharing the collection in photo format. Pictures are not the easiest to process to get the truest representation of a coin in hand. Either I’ve gotten a little better at it or my patience for getting the best shot has increased. Either way it is still a choir and a headache. I’m beginning to feel that the absolute best way is posting video like some do on Instagram. I am going to add three photos and I would like your opinion on which of the three looks most natural. When I look at these pics versus looking directly at the coin, all three photos look like the coin in hand at different angles reflecting different light. If I had to only use one to post on the Collective Coin website, which should I choose? As for some other thoughts on the curiosity side... ... maybe sad but true, the coin in question is the one I have spent the most uncollectable currency on. It was a great pawn shop find and I still can’t believe I walked out of the store only paying $40 and no tax. Can I ask you what is the single most expensive purchase you’ve made and get an answer? Just curious is all, nothing nefarious about it. Okay okay... confession time, lol, I made this post just to show off my coin even though I presented it on another members thread previously, lol, sorry. I just love ship designed coins as well as proofs. This is my first reverse proof and just this morning I was finally able to get the capsule open without destroying it and I was starting to get desperate, lol. Hope you have a happy and incident free Monday.
Knowing which one looks most natural is something you are going to have to decide. As you mentioned, they probably all do depending on how you are holding it and how light is reflecting off of it. I prefer the last photo simply because the details are most visible. As far as the most valuable purchase goes, I won't give an exact answer but if you add a couple of zero's to your purchase it would be in the ballpark.
I like the 2nd set of photos. I have bought and sold gold coins in the past year, so 1700ish for 1 is the most I ever paid.
Some coins are like artwork. Some like to collect ships .. which I do too. You guys aren't helping my pocketbook by showing off these ships on coins. Here's some of the more common ones and an incredibly bad picture of the 1863 & 1864 Tokens showing the Monitor
You've probably seen this one before. It's 63.5mm and contains 4.55 oz. of .999+ fine silver. I also have the same size in bronze. Chris
Quick question; why did you remove it from the protective capsule? It seemed to be well protected and with the certificate of authenticity.
Probably because it photographs better outside of the capsule. Besides, the Airtite can be easily replaced. Chris
Many of the colonial-era Canadian territories' tokens (mainly half-penny size) have ships on them as well.
When I first got the coin home I inspected the capsule in greater detail, coming from a pawn shop I had my concerns. There appeared to be a tiny tool mark. Nothing seemed to be amiss, fingerprints etcetera, through the lens of the capsule but I wanted to be certain. I couldn’t budge the dang thing so I left it alone, not wanting any further capsule damage. I like to share my finds and I am not experienced enough to capture good photos through plastic. As well, for me, admiring the art and the craftsmanship to create such art through plastic is like window shopping, nice but not thoroughly satisfying. I don’t hold my most precious Preciouses without the white cotton gloves I purchased at the coin shop but, holding it, inspecting it up close is the thrill I sought there. Earlier on this year when I purchased my 1970 S American Proof set, looking at the coins through the protective shell was excruciating. I learned quick that the case was not an open and close one but at least now I can hold them, tactile satisfaction. I don’t even keep my prooflike sets in the flimsy plastic. I know, I know, they depreciate in value from being removed and are now susceptible to damage and I should be cuffed upside the head. I don’t ever intend to sell the majority of my collection so, I gotta feed my senses by holding them.
The next time you need to remove a coin from an Airtite, use an X-Acto knife. The sharp edge of the blade slips relatively easily between the halves. Also, it is not necessarily true that a proof set will decrease in value if the coins are removed from the case and/or capsules. You could easily sell the individual coins for more than the original price of the set. Take a look on eBay. Chris
