In or out of your collecting area, what have you bought lately? I do not normally collect material. As a writer, I have other goals. However, I attended a local coin show this weekend and stopped at every table at least twice. At one, I found high-denomination Hungarian notes from 1946, into the billions and trillions. I also found a set of Hutt River Principality Bank notes. These two lots were my first purchases in about a year. In the past, I collected ancient Greek. These were outside my usual areas, but interesting to me in other ways. I can use the billions and trillions in my Middle School classes.
Just got some nice silver coins to give as gifts to my 3 sons for their birthdays. The grandkids got quarter collections (and I have to do this again next year??!) Just got in today a roll of circ. walking liberties. Also a couple of nice Morgans and Peace Dollars and another walking liberty from coinsshop, a silver merc, some 64 kennedys - circ. and un. Oh, and then I bought some supplies and books. EEK - no wonder I can't go to the coin show this weekend. Should have waited.
Just won an auction on ebay for 1921D Mercury dime looks to be VG but the scan could have been doctored. Will let you know upon receipt, now to find the all alusive 16D for a quarter.
Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin I bought ABE KOSOFF REMEMBERS. Kosoff was a coin dealer in the 1940s-1980s. He carried some important auctions and was well known to everyone in his time. The book is a collection of his columns from Coin World newspaper. It is a standard refernce of sorts. I found it in a local coin store a couple of weeks ago priced at $29.50 -- way over priced at $29.50. "Do you still need $29.50?" I asked. The dealer looked at the book "Fifteen," he said and then said "Ten." Maybe I should have waited for Five, but I said yes to the impromptu Dutch Auction. Ten was all right. The book was in good condition, a fold on the cover, but the spine showing no serious use, mostly a lot of flipping. To be sure I could use it, I opened to one article and found Kosoff's story of his "Paquet Twenty Dollar." It was a coin I knew, though I did not know his part in it. Checking the index, I found other references to the coin in other articles, so I bought the book.
Won an eBay Auction Lot Last Week. Good Morning Everyone, Well, I just finished going through a nice coin lot that I won from a seller named "Beulahdoc" on eBay. This lot was one of his mixed silver & wheatie deals, and I'm happy that I was able to add a few more Barber coins to my collection, thanks to this lot. Right now, I'm waiting on a couple more eBay purchases, an absolutely gem proof 1970-S set (my birthyear), and a PCGS MS-69 West Point Commemorative (can't wait to see this beauty). Sunday, what a great day to spend with family and coins! Best To All & Good Health, Barry
Just so hapens, I went to the biggest coin show of my life last week; The New Silver Dollar Show in StL. It had about 250 tables. I went in with a few specific coin goals but only fulfilled one main one. I bought a nice VF 1908-S IHC. When I first saw it, it I though EF. It had even color, next to no circulation contact marks and very nice detail. Finding that made the show a success for me. I also bought a couple of nice, original looking, Fine Barber Dimes for my collection that day. The next day, my most prized purchase was a Dix Civil War Token. Again, it was a coin that I saw in a case and it just spoke to me. I have wanted a CWT for a while for my US type set (and this specific type design too) but often the ones I see in my price range $10-$15 are not the most pleasant speciments. This one is circulated but has nice detail and a pleasing look to my eye. It will be in next weeks grading challenge. I bought a few other 'junk' coins out of junk boxes that day including a nice toned war nickel and the SMS Lincoln in this week's grading challenge. I also bought a dark, dark toned AU Columbian Commem that just spoke to me because it was so dark...and so cheap Coins like this one usually get dipped at some point.
Fermat's Last Theorem Really? Fermat's Last Theorem was what got me interested in mathematics. I even got a BA in it... (More theoretical than applied math.) When the NY Times printed a big article on Dr. Wile and his proof, I found the article wayyyyy over my head. Even for a NYT article!!! EVP
It is The Ancient Coin Magazine: http://www.celator.com/cws/history.html Hey, I know this guy... http://celator.com/cws/marotta.html
I actually read TWO books about it. The one I vought was FERMAT'S LAST THEOREM by Amir D. Aczel and I had so many problems with his treatment that the book is filled my ink. It was pretty clear to me, as a writer, that as a writer he was in over his head. Discussing Pythagoras, he talks about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, most of which were built after the lifetime of Pythagoras. He says, "The Fibonacci series appears everywhere in Nature." Well, you know, it does not appear EVERYWHERE... He refers to "our normal three-dimensional world" leaving me to wonder which one his lacks. And so on and on and on. The better one, I borrowed from the library's FERMAT'S ENIGMA by Simon Singh. This was a tie in to a BBS television show that Singh wrote for. The material is presented much better with no technical flaws in the basic stuff. That said, the whole thing was way over my head, as well. I was happy to understand the words. What I got out of it all was the story of the proof, its demise, and ultimate success.
