... well, not those passions (ahem), but numismatic pursuits. My last purchases were in March at the Michigan State Numismatic Society convention where I bougth two Iron Mine scrips. My interest -- across Greeks and Romans and all the others -- is a continuing interest in how people create money. Among the Romans, I have two from Marcus Porcius Cato, "Cato the Younger." These coins were struck when Cato retreated to Utica ahead of Julius Caesar's advance. As a Republican, Cato resisted Caesar's imperialism, and suicide was his out. He struck the coins from his own stocks. The are inscribed PRO PER. These coins fit my libertarian prejudices on several grounds. Michael
I'm having a fun time with modern counterstamps. I can not find nearly enough in the marketplace to satisfy my interests, so I have taken to making some of my own. Most have a political message. There are some strong political statements floating around Europe courtesy of some counterstamped euro coins.
Ever since I was a kid, I've collected Jefferson nickels. To this day, they have remained my main interest. It's kinda' hard to explain, but whenever I find a nice, slightly circulated 1970-D, It makes me remember how much I love this hobby.
Where do i start... Well for some reason i can't seem to stop myself buying hammered coins even though technically i'm not really collecting them... i was supposed to just be getting one of each English monarch, but for some reason i now have two of King John and three of Edward I. Silver Washington Quarters, i just seem to hoard these. Sixpences. And Victorian shield reverse sovereigns, i buy them, i sell them, i soon buy another, i sell it, i then have to go out and get another. I dunno what it is but i always have one on hand somewhere. I've just decided to give in and collect them.
For the present, French jetons from the late 1590's to the 1880's. They give great insight as to the culture and social structures in France during that period, as well as (on occasion) being records of historic events. Next to that, my passion is for French coinage of the same period. These two interests now account for about 1/6th of my collection but to be honest, i'm a sucker for anything `interesting' as far as the subject of numismatics goes. I am usually guided in my `passions' by an underlying interest in the associated history or `events' at the time of minting of a particular coin. My interests may be many...and transitory, but the knowledge gained in their pursuit is for life As an example of what I mean by knowledge gained...On Sunday I was watching a program on television concerning a fascinating archeological dig on the Corinthian coast of Greece. One of the archaeologists exposed a silver coin from the earth it had been hiding in by using liberal amounts of water and a fine art brush. It was quite a `rush' for me as a remote onlooker being able to identify the coin almost immediately and (surprisingly) before any of the people on the dig. They had to call in an `expert' It was a nice silver stater from Sikyon, a mere few miles away from the dig. Ian (ain't got no expurtees)
unusual passions? nothing coin related except that i'm quite fond of my first flight set. i had it out the other night and giggled
I'm currently being torn between New Jersey coppers and Newfoundland 20 cent pieces. Who knows what it will be next week? My only hard and fast rule is, I don't collect anything younger than myself.
