What if i had a theory about how a error was made???

And please don't get me wrong about Spadone. It was, I think, the first attempt to try and do this type of book. His heart was in the right place when he first published. May he rest in peace. His daughter ended up with hundreds of copies of the book so in the end I doubt he ever made any money out of this endeavor. Potter attempted to capitalize on his knowledge and went about all wrong and probably has made a killing.

 

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Not sure I know Spadone’s work. What I CAN say is my present “move in planning” is about reducing my present regular 13 hour workday plus commute to a reliable 8-1/2. That may help my disposition, given my miscellaneous health issues. People with far less severe strokes than mine are on permanent disability, and I’m on the go 13 hours a day because my M.D. has ethics. Oh well. I have a low tolerance for modern day internet slackerism. I doubt I’ll ever get over it.

 

I can empathize with you. I had a tree fall on my back in '09, permanent nerve damage and lower back damage. Not the same, but can make some of my days grumpy. Keep positive and take good care of yourself.
Spadone tried out a book on errors and varieties to try and help newbies but failed at the attempt. He listed very many minor errors like die chips, die cracks, odd anomalies, etc. He was so badly beaten up by the so called experts at the time, that he never tried again. People with a whole lot more money condemned him to their own advantage when he was just trying to make a useful tool for collectors. I once talked to his daughter to tell her my thoughts and she told me how badly it had affected him overall. He was never out to make a lot of money on his book, mostly trying to break even, instead going broke on it because he had to order so many copies to make any money at all. Nothing like today, where Amazon makes books on demand.

 

Man! Not to mention the eBook only option. The world sure is changing, and what stinks is I only care for about 1/4 of the changes. I genuinely loved the 1980’s and wish I could get them back. The car I now drive was built in the GW Bush administration. The next one I drive will have been built in Reagan’s. No OBCD port, no airbags. Antique license plate.

 

I find it interesting that this “what makes an error or variety collectible” controversy has such long legs. To me, they’re all pretty much uninteresting. I prefer the holy grail of seeking perfect coins, to the extent possible, rather than errors. It’s part of my decades of “training” in coins. Errors simply do not interest me at all.

 

Imagine, if you will, a hunter who spends all winter looking for that huge rack on a buck he's seen but never nailed down. Then one day comes along and he has his shot and claims it. It's an adrenalin rush. He's a responsible hunter and eats the meat, not just saving and mounting the rack. Now, imagine the thrill I had earlier this year when I finally opened a bank wrapped roll of 1998P cents I had laying around since getting them then. Found 12 beautiful wide AM's. At that time there were only 30 graded MS67 from the top three TPG's and I added three more to that. Three others graded MS66 and the rest MS65. For me that was a rush. And a little while back I cracked a BRR of 1995P cents to find two gorgeous EDS doubled dies. Neither case will make me rich but I feel richer for this experience. The minor errors are a small source of income for me on Ebay, but still, it is the thrill of the hunt. We all have different interests for sure and I applaud yours. For me, will my big rack buck be the next 1983 copper cent? One never knows but the search continues. And I think the two folks who recently found the no "S" proof cents buried away are very happy they are many thousands of dollars richer for. Nope, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it sure is mine.

 

Tell someone who gives a rat's butt.

 

Easy. Talk about their own errors of those people who give a rat's butt, and they won't like to hear error error error anymore.

 

Struck through a screen door.....

 

Pretty snippy for someone who just got here, don’t you think?

 

Hey, @tommyc03, is the Frank Spadone the same guy as the actor I get when I google that name?

 

Been here longer than ya know.

 

That's OK, you really don't want to know it.

I don't think he could have been beaten up too bad, I believe the book went through seven editions. He may have lost on the last one though, by then better books were coming out.

 

I'm guessing it was "vanity published" then? More and more, it's becoming a case of Whitman or a vanity house, right?

I'm truly sorry if this opinion offends anyone here, but I think the shameless promotion of minuscule errors and minor varieties is harmful to the hobby in the long run. Why do I say this? I bought a "miscellaneous box" of stuff at an auction, mostly for the "beaucoup" plastic coin tubes in it. Also in it was a lavishly and meticulously researched and labelled box of minor errors and varieties on Lincoln cents. Memorial years, all of them. None of the labelling was by hand. The collector used stamps and labels to mark every 2x2. The only manual marks were arrows pointing to the alleged anomaly. A single row red 2x2 file box - the eight incher, I think, packed full. It was a "throw in" and gotten as a freebie for empty tubes. It had basically NO VALUE. I still own it, but I have no earthly idea why.

 

Just subscribing so I can have a good laugh saved up for later.

 

V. Kurt Bellman, posted: "Do you read at all?... Ken Potter wrote, to the detriment of the entire coin hobby, a tome called "How to Strike It Rich With Pocket Change". He should be forced, in my opinion, to EAT every copy out there, for the damage he has done to this hobby's reputation through that one book."

BooksB4Coins, posted: Bravo!

Question? Have either of you ever read the book? No need to answer as there is only one answer that will not make you look foolish and I won't believe it anyway!

V. Kurt Bellman, posted: "2865214, member: 71723"]Not sure I know Spadone’s work."

What? You're kidding right. I know an old time numismatist as you was around when "fly-speck" numismatics was very popular. That book introduced thousands of collectors to minor errors and varieties they could find in their pocket change! I have a copy and used it as a YN.

BTW, I wonder how many folks have gotten a "start" with Potter's book. I've NEVER READ IT (now I may) yet I know one thing to be true: Putting "Make Money" in the title of a book will help to sell it.

V. Kurt Bellman, posted: "I find it interesting that this “what makes an error or variety collectible” controversy has such long legs. To me, they’re all pretty much uninteresting. I prefer the holy grail of seeking perfect coins, to the extent possible, rather than errors. It’s part of my decades of "training"
in coins. Errors simply do not interest me at all."

Such a pompous and narrow minded response only shows...

Errors don't interest lots of folks. Especially the tiny, virtually worthless "nothings. However, IMO your former "trainers" should be ashamed they did not turn out a more "well-rounded" collector.

You see, one of the most basic necessities for professional graders, authenticators, and knowledgeable numismatists is to know how coins are made. Error coins are included as they give us further insight into the process.

Furthermore, to disparage ignorant folks far below your expertise who derive enjoyment from searching pocket change
and bank rolls is not in line.

I thought you were an "educator." Ignorant collectors who come to this forum don't know any better than to question "experts." Try using patience as I am now.

 

The first couple of editions were sell published, then there was an edition published by a firm called ANCO (although that might have still just been the author) with the fourth edition the publishing was taken over by Krause Publications

 

@Insider, it's quite simple, really. I am a creature of the "The Red Book is THE Bible" era of beginning numismatics. I would no more skip the annual Red Book (hardbound version) than I would skip my son's birthday celebration. Go and check how much of the Red Book covers minor errors and varieties. I'll wait here until you get back...

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Back yet? No? Okay.

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Okay, they're barely in there AT ALL, right? RIGHT! Sorry, they were NEVER of any interest to me whatsoever. Is that okay with you? Am I ALLOWED that preference? HMMM? Not only don't they interest me and never have, I can SCARCELY IMAGINE why they catch ANYONE'S imagination, REALLY I can't. Boring and tedious on steroids is the way I consider minor errors and varieties. I'd genuinely prefer nobody EVER wrote a book on them. Waste of time!

 

That? Heck, I found one of those about 15 years ago. You should have read about it in Gnumismatic Gnus.

Chris

 

If this is your new discovery, I think you should quit collecting coins and take up collecting buttons.

Chris