Lord Marcovan's "Eclectic Box" collection In 2013, I did a major purge of all my coin collections and decided to simplify to just one small box of "nicer" coins, focusing more on quality than quantity. However, pursuing quality remains an ongoing challenge on my budget. I have tried to develop a discerning "eye" for nice coins that are still obtainable on a working-class salary. Aesthetic "eye appeal" is my first goal and historical, artistic, or cultural appeal a very close second. In keeping with the "eclectic" attribute, I'm also trying to add as wide a variety as possible of time periods, cultures, and geographic regions here. "Eclectic Box" gallery on CollectiveCoin (the current lineup) "Bygones" from the Eclectic Box (gone, but not forgotten) Last update: March 15, 2018 Number of coins as of last update: 35 Number of coins as of this update: 38 Individual coin photos are not shown to scale. As always, thanks for looking. ~Robertson ("Rob") Shinnick (aka "LordM") St. Simons Island, Georgia, June 16, 2018
Greece (Ionia, Phokaia): electrum hekte; Athena and quadripartite punch, ca. 478-387 BC NGC VF; Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5. Greece (Thessaly, Pharkadon): silver hemidrachm; Thessalos restraining bull, ca. 440-400 BC Presently uncertified; ex-Sphinx Numismatics. Greece (Corinth): silver stater; Pegasus and Athena, ca. 345-307 BC NGC AU; Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5. Greece (Mysia, Lampsakos): silver diobol; janiform heads and Athena, ca. 4th-3rd century BC Presently uncertified; ex-Ken Dorney. Greece (Spartans in Taras, Calabria, Italy): silver drachm; Athena and owl, ca. 302-281 BC NGC XF; Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5. Greece (Kingdom of Macedon): silver "Mercenaries" drachm of King Perseus, ca. 175-170 BC NGC Ch MS; Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5. Roman Republic: silver denarius of moneyer L. Furius Brocchus; Ceres and curule chair, ca. 63 BC NGC Ch VF; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5. Roman Empire: silver denarius of Vespasian; capricorns and globe, struck by Titus ca. 80-81 AD NGC AU; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5. Byzantine Empire: gold tremissis of Justinian I; Victory with wreath and cross, ca. 527-565 AD NGC MS; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5, "wrinkled". Sasanian Empire: silver drachm of Khusrow II; fire altar; struck 611 AD Presently uncertified; ex- Marc Breitsprecher.
England: silver penny of King John, ca. 1213-1215, from the Gisors hoard found in Normandy PCGS XF45; population 2 with none higher as of 6/16/2018. France (Duchy of Lorraine): silver "sword" type demi-gros of Antoine the Good, ca. 1508-1544 Presently uncertified; ex- Künker am Dom. Lithuania: silver half-groschen of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland, 1550 PCGS MS63; population 5 with 8 higher as of 6/16/2018.
Ireland: brass "gunmoney" halfcrown, July, 1690; struck during the Williamite-Jacobite War PCGS AU53; population 1 - the only example graded by PCGS as of 6/16/2018. Bolivia (Spanish Colonial): silver "cob" type 1-real coin of Charles II, 1694 VR, Potosí mint PCGS VF25; population 1 - the only example graded by PCGS as of 6/16/2018. German States (Teutonic Order): silver 1/4-thaler of Grand Master Maximilian of Austria, ca. 1615 PCGS XF45; population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018 German States (Nurnberg): silver 1/8-thaler klippe of Ferdinand III; Peace of Westphalia, 1650 PCGS MS62; population 1 with 3 higher as of 6/16/2018. Switzerland (Zurich): silver "city view" 1/2-thaler (1 gulden of 36 schillings), 1739 PCGS AU58; population 1- the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018. Spain: gold half-escudo of Ferdinand VI, 1759-JB, Madrid mint PCGS XF40- population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018- also the key date. Mexico (Spanish Colonial): silver 8 reales ("Pillar Dollar"), 1761-Mo-MM, Mexico City mint PCGS AU50; population 4 with 11 higher as of 6/16/2018. India (Mysore): gold fanam of Tipu Sultan, AH 1200 (1786), Patan mint PCGS MS62; population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018. Belgium (Austrian Netherlands): copper 2 liards (2 Oorden); Insurrection coinage, 1790 NGC MS63 BN; population 3 with 4 higher as of 6/16/2018. Great Britain: gilt copper proof halfpenny of George III, 1806, Soho mint PCGS PR65 DCAM, ex-NGC PR64 CAM; PCGS population 1 with 1 higher as of 6/16/2018.
(Continued) Iran (Persia): gold toman of Fath Ali Shah, AH 1233 (1817), Yazd mint PCGS MS62; population 4 with none higher as of 6/16/2018. Great Britain: silver shilling of George IV, ca. 1826-1829, mint error (struck 20% off-center) PCGS XF40; no population data since errors are unique, but a rare error for the type. Liberia: proof copper cent; first coin issued for Liberian independence, 1847 PCGS PR65 BN, ex-NGC PF64 BN; PCGS population 1- finest graded at either service as of 6/16/2018. France: copper specimen striking of a 10-centime pattern (essai); Marianne and fasces, 1848 PCGS SP65 RB; population 1- the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018. United States: silver dime, Seated Liberty type, arrows at date subtype, 1853 PCGS AU53; population 553 with 840 higher as of 6/16/2018. Japan (Meiji Era): silver and gold Nibu-Kin (2 bu), ca. 1868-1869 PCGS AU55; population 93 with 38 higher as of 6/16/2018. France: silver jeton (insurance token) engraved by Ernest-Paulin Tasset, 1869 PCGS MS63; population 2 with none higher as of 6/16/2018. Great Britain: gold half-sovereign of Queen Victoria, 1901, from the Terner collection PCGS MS64; population 12 with 6 higher as of 6/16/2018. United States: silver dime, Barber type, 1901, ex-Stacks-Bowers Galleries PCGS MS64, CAC verified; population 98 with 67 higher as of 6/16/2018. United States: copper "Hard Times" token; C.D. Peacock Jeweler, Chicago, "1837" (1902) PCGS MS63 BN; population 1 - the only example certified by PCGS as of 6/16/2018.
(Oh, hi there, @spirityoda - you snuck in while this was still under construction!) (Continued) United States: cupronickel 5 cents, Buffalo type, 1913, Type 1 ("raised mound" reverse) PCGS MS65; population 3,891 with 2,926 higher as of 6/16/2018. Greenland: copper-nickel 25-øre, 1926 (h) HCN GJ; Danish arms and polar bear PCGS MS65; population 23 with 26 higher as of 6/16/2018. Great Britain (Island of Lundy): bronze 1-puffin coin (token) issued by Martin Coles Harman, 1929 PCGS MS65 RD; population 5 with none higher as of 6/16/2018. China (Republic): silver yuan ("Junk dollar"), Year 23 (1934); Sun-Yat Sen and sailing junk PCGS MS62; population 10,967 with 24,094 higher as of 6/16/2018. United States: cupronickel dime, Roosevelt type, 2001-P, mint error (missing obverse clad layer) Presently uncertified; ex-ToughCOINS.
June 16, 2018: Update Summary We have had 4 arrivals and 1 departure since last time. Number of coins as of last update: 35 Number of coins as of this update: 38 Here's what's came in since last time: Sasanian Empire: silver drachm of Khusrow II; fire altar; struck 611 AD Presently uncertified; ex- Marc Breitsprecher France (Duchy of Lorraine): silver "sword" type demi-gros of Antoine the Good, ca. 1508-1544 Presently uncertified; ex- Künker am Dom. United States: silver dime, Seated Liberty type, arrows at date subtype, 1853 PCGS AU53; population 553 with 840 higher as of 6/16/2018. Greenland: copper-nickel 25-øre, 1926 (h) HCN GJ; Danish arms and polar bear PCGS MS65; population 23 with 26 higher as of 6/16/2018. And here's what went away: United States: gold half-eagle (5 dollars); Liberty Head type, 1842-D small date, Dahlonega mint PCGS VF30, CAC verified; population 16 with 157 higher as of 6/16/2018. The departure of the 1842-D half-eagle was a big one, as that was the most expensive coin in this set by a wide margin (>$2K). It is the only coin for which I had ever paid a four-figure pricetag. But it was technically set aside for my daughter all along, and she's 16 now and working, and needs her first used car, so there it goes. Goodbye Dahlonega! I did put that 1853 Seated dime in the slot where this gold piece was, so there's still an antebellum US coin in the collection. I'll gradually add more US coins - and hopefully another gold piece or two - but for now that category has been significantly "downsized". I think I'll stay in the two- and three-figure price bracket from now on. I really don't have any business playing with four-figure coins on my budget. That league is for the folks with much deeper pockets. In addition to the changes above, several coins have been graded at PCGS and reimaged, so I have updated that information. The long, laborious process of doing individual writeups for all of these coins continues. Eventually those writeups will all be linked to from these update posts, but it's a work in progress. You'll notice that one or two of the first ancients in this list have links that go to writeup threads, but most of the hyperlinks above each coin still go to my CollectiveCoin gallery listings as of right now. Again, thanks for looking. ~RWS/"LM"
wow Lord M your upgraded box is so impressive. I enjoyed seeing the new coins in the mix. my favorite was the Iran (Persia): gold toman of Fath Ali Shah, AH 1233 (1817), Yazd mint . so interesting looking to me and it is gold. a very close 2nd fav would be the Switzerland (Zurich): silver "city view" 1/2-thaler (1 gulden of 36 schillings), 1739 . I like lions, but that city view is so amazing.
Agreed, please never sell the city view! I always look forward to seeing that one in your eclectic box updates. Love the half-sovereign and that buffalo is outstanding as well. And who could deny a sword coin?
Noooo not the Dahlonega! At least it was divested for a worthy cause. I’d say that moves the peacock token up to the #1 spot in my personal power rankings. The 1759 1/2 escudo, the 1694 1 real, and the 1853 dime are also top contenders.