Usually, December is a slow month for coins, but this issue
of the JR Newsletter tells me it is a great month for news about coins. Lots of good stuff in here, starting with
something from Rich Uhrich.
Rich Uhrich wrote:
Rich Uhrich has announced he is selling for a client an
1838-O half dollar, one of only nine such coins known. The coin is PCGS
Specimen-50 and will be pictured on his website and will be at his table #712
at the FUN show. A photo is provided for
readers of the JR Newsletter. In hand,
the coin is more lustrous than one would conclude from the images.
Rich is also preparing his "Coin Year In Review"
newsletter, an annual tradition. Last year's edition was republished, in
part, in Coin World. The only way to get the newsletter on its issuance
date of December 31, 2014,
is to sign up on Rich's Newsletter page on his website www.richuhrichcoins.com
. At some time in January, 2015, the newsletter will be published on
Rich's website.
Best wishes for wonderful holidays!
Rich
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Barbara Rea wrote:
Washington University in St. Louis and the Eric P. Newman
Numismatic Education Society (EPNNES) have announced plans to create the Newman
Numismatic Portal, an online research tool that will become the ultimate go-to
resource for the study of coins and currency. A commitment of $2 million from
EPNNES will support the project. More
information is at this link: https://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/27786.aspx
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Brad Karoleff wrote:
The latest issue of the John Reich Journal has gone out and
anyone not receiving their issue by Christmas should contact me at
bkaroleff@yahoo.com
Also, dues for next year are requested. There is a
renewal form in with the journals. Please fill it out and return it to
Steve Crain at PO Box 1680 Windham
ME 04062
(with checks payable to JRCS or John Reich Collectors Society). Please
put your membership number on the form, it is on the mailing label following
your name.
The bust dollar census will be the next one published by the
society in the Spring issue. Dollar collectors should send their
information to Dave Perkins. The announcement is in the editor's notes in
this issue of the JR Journal.
There will be a JRCS meeting at the upcoming FUN
show. Anyone attending the show is encouraged to come share some time
with us.
Happy Holidays,
Brad Karoleff
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Garrett Ziss wrote:
I would like to make a correction to one of the quiz answers
published in the most recent John Reich Journal (Vol. 24/ Iss. 3).
The answer to question #4 under the dollar section, states
that Jules Reiver owned 93/98 Draped Bust dollar die marriages. First of
all, after discussions the last few days with Early Dollar Specialist and
Dollar Census Keeper, W. David Perkins, it was clarified that Mr. Reiver owned
97 of the 98 Draped Bust dollar die marriages known at that time. A few of his
dollars were sold right around the time of his death and they were not captured
in my answer. He only lacked 1796 B-3 BB-62, which he believed did not exist.
Secondly, I would like to clarify that a new dollar die marriage, 1803 B-8
BB-257, was discovered since the quiz was written, which brings the total
number of Draped Bust Dollar die marriages to 99. It was certainly amazing that
Jules Reiver had such a complete Draped Bust dollar collection considering all
the other coin series he collected.
Garrett
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We also have two replies to Jim Matthews concerning Jim's
counterfeit 1796 dime:
Keith Davignon wrote:
A reply to Jim Matthews on the bogus 1796 dime: Jim, have
you tried a magnet on the coin? If magnetic, it is most surely a modern Chinese
counterfeit. If not magnetic, it may still be modern, but I don’t know of any
magnetic (iron alloy) contemporary fakes.
Keith Davignon
Keith Davignon
--
Paul Kluth wrote:
Jim Matthews' request in last week's JR Newsletter for more
information concerning his counterfeit 1796 Dime raises some good questions
regarding 'contemporary' counterfeits in general across all U.S. series and
denominations (in my opinion). Even though counterfeit coins over the
past 200 years are for the most part, both a mystery as to origin and
complexity as to manufacturer, it would be helpful for numismatists to have a
checklist of sorts that helps to identify whether a fake is of modern origin
(and modern Chinese origin) or of contemporary origin that collectors are
interested in.
Most of us probably go by visual feel, past knowledge of older known counterfeits, obvious weight, specific gravity/metal content and the good 'ole ring on a hard surface, but the Chinese fakes out there are so good that it is hard to tell how old the coins really are. [There must be a 'fake coin cartel' out there ruining the hobby for all.]
Anyway, for the next Whitman Baltimore Show, I'll plan to bring some interesting counterfeits from my own collection across the Bust, Liberty Seated and Barber series to share with Jim and others if interested. Maybe we could come to an informal consensus on the topic of fakes difficult to determine age (modern vs. contemporary)?
Just an idea...
Paul Kluth
Most of us probably go by visual feel, past knowledge of older known counterfeits, obvious weight, specific gravity/metal content and the good 'ole ring on a hard surface, but the Chinese fakes out there are so good that it is hard to tell how old the coins really are. [There must be a 'fake coin cartel' out there ruining the hobby for all.]
Anyway, for the next Whitman Baltimore Show, I'll plan to bring some interesting counterfeits from my own collection across the Bust, Liberty Seated and Barber series to share with Jim and others if interested. Maybe we could come to an informal consensus on the topic of fakes difficult to determine age (modern vs. contemporary)?
Just an idea...
Paul Kluth
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