"Morgan's Schoolgirl", Private Mint - worthless, or not?

Folks,

I've seen across the Bay a strike listed as a "pattern coin" called "Morgan's Schoolgirl."

Some have been raw, some have been slabbed and graded. I've seen these in just about every slab imaginable except perhaps, PCGS. They've been in NGC, ANACS, ICG, and others. Some attribute these to the "Smithsonian Collection," others do not. I have seen these strikes in copper, nickel, silver, and gold (purportedly).

Seller pricing for them have been all over the board, with no real pattern that I can discern. Right now on Ebay, they can be had from $60 to $2,250. I haven't really done a search for actual sold prices, and I am frankly, skeered to do that (you'll see why in a moment).

I seriously question whether these have any connection to the actual Smithsonian Museum in WDC or if the "maker" is just cooping the name. Most slabs reference these as from a "Private Mint" using the term perhaps to clandestinely hide or obscure the identity of the real maker. I have so many doubts surrounding these, it's insane.

Unfortunately, these played into my recent addiction to all things exonumia and the mystery and mystique surrounding these got the better of me.

Anyway, as stated above, curiosity got the best of me, so I picked a couple up. I'm thinking it was worth the risk, but then . . . . . I started having second thoughts, so I come to the board of experts.

Did I get taken? Are these worthless, or not? What say you?

Zoid

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I’d pay, maybe, $5 ea
Wouldn’t tell my wife
She thinks I flirt too much anyway

 

Bradford Exchange Mint. Same folks that give us lots of privately minted exunomia related stuff available at 3am or so on TV infomercials. Certainly are nice to look at though!

 

I think they're ugly!

 

I wouldn't waste any money on them.

 

If you're happy with them you didn't get taken. If you learned a lesson from the purchase then that's the price of tuition and better luck next time!

 

I think they look better than real Morgans.

 

What? They look like they were modeled after professional wrestlers. Ugly.

 

That shows just how much I hate the Morgan design.

 

I kinda got smitten with the design. I saw a "collection" of different pattern coins in an official looking folder being sold on the Bay around the time I bought these for high dollar. Both of these were in that set.

These weren't a "buy it now" listing but an auction. Buy it now I could better controlled the cost.

Z

 

I understand.

 

Then why wouldn't they put their name on these? That's just one thing that got me starting to question.

I'm getting a sinking feeling about these . . .

Z

 

Heavy,

Where have you seen them at that price? Look now. Most of these are priced at the $95 to $120 level . . . .

My biggest question is: Do these have anything to do with the Smithsonian Museum?

I think that question has been answered above. Bradford Exchange. I need to do some research on them.

Z

 

That has always been their M.O..... I’m sorry, Zoid...... Twenty years ago my son worked a full weekend sweeping floors and cleaning bathrooms at a flea market to get me two Morgan’s to give me for Fathers Day..... I never told him but they were Bradford Mint “copies”.

 

Didn’t say they could go for $5
Just that it wouldn’t be me

 

How much was prudent and how much was education?

That's the question of the day . . .

Z

 

Sheesh . . .

Z

 

Then I started doing some research on the TPG. Boy, was THAT an education. It led me to this thread.

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ebay-seller.359938/#post-4499811

It seems that NNC is being called a "basement slabber." That's why the question in my topic.

In that thread, it is said that seller is no longer doing business on fleaBay. I hate to tell you, he's obviously back . . .

Even his name initially escaped me. When I saw the listings, I didn't check out the seller or feedback ratings before getting into "auction mode."

Hindsight, his seller name is "Centsles".

I read that as "centle's" and NOT phonetically how it should have been read - "senseless" . . . . .

Sheesh . . . .

Z