1909 VDB Lincoln Cent - Double Die Obverse (PCGS MS65BN). Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. I bought this coin raw in an open auction for a bit over $100 last month, it was mislabeled as a 1909 (plain) in the original ad ... and I didn't even notice it was a VDB until I got it in hand. To be honest, I didn't really look that closely at the photos in the ad -- and I bought it primarily because I thought the color was pretty, and I didn't have a nice 1909 plain with attractive color. If I had realized it was a VDB, I am not sure I would have still bought it since I already have a few really attractively toned VDB's. So I got the coin in hand and loved the color, and then smirked when I saw the VDB on the reverse (which I wasn't expecting). I still wasn't sure if PCGS would grade it, since PCGS is so picky (even inconsistent) with colorfully toned coins. I sent it in anyway ... and was shocked a few days ago when I saw my grading results of DDO (Double Die Obverse). In addition, this one got the highest known grade (MS65) in the brown (BN) color class of 1909VDB DDO's, which made it a population 2/0 coin. PCGS Price Guide lists the value at $750. I never think about (or look for) errors, so I just sort of fell @ss backwards into this coin -- and buying it was basically a mistake. But now that I have a DDO, I think it's kind of interesting. You can see the doubling pretty clearly in the zoomed shot on the TY in LIBERTY ... and in the 19 in the date. The DDO on the 1909VDB is not nearly as dramatic (noticeable) as the 1955 or the 1972, but it's still kind of cool. The PCGS population guides show the 1909 VDB DDO about 10 times scarcer than the 1955 DDO or the 1972 DDO. Population of PCGS slabbed 1909VDB DDO's is around 400, 1955 DDO's around 4200, and 1972 DDO's around 3800. In spite of that scarcity, the market value of the 1955 DDO is about 5x higher than either the 1909 or 1972 (due to demand and lore).
Ok I'm not trying to be rude here but that's clearly not a photo of 'your' monster box. A google image search reveals that very easily, perhaps you don't know how easy it is to search and see this for yourself. I'm not sure why you're taking images of coins out of the public domain and posting them as your own in a post to show off your newest acquisitions thread. Unless of course your just doing exactly that and trying to 'show off'. However, I'm pretty sure most members are able to discern that and thus the skepticism regarding your random posts with public domain pictures and no explanations at all in your posts.
Speaking of dumb luck, (for those of you who missed my grade opinion thread) last Sunday I attended an auction and this 1908-S was listed as a 1908. I saw the S during the pre-auction lot viewing.
Now this is one that really pleases me, found this at auction on ebay and got it for a decent price, been looking for one of these for a while...
A couple of quarter proofs that I received in the mail yesterday. Sellers' pictures. 1955 PCGS PR66 25¢: 1976-S 40% silver PCGS PR69DCAM 25¢: I just placed an order for this one. It should be here on Saturday or Monday. 1883-O PCGS MS62 Morgan: I sure love me some silver.
Wow, that magazine has an article about the Navajo code talkers. The use of the Navajo language because it is uniquely American and the Axis Powers couldn't break the codes. There was probably not a single person in Germany knew how to speak Navajo, and the language wasn't based on any of the European languages. I have nothing but respect for those guys. They were a big reason the Allies won the war.