Chipk
Elite Member
Yes I collect coins but only those I find while metal detecting or while searching coin rolls. But I’m always interested in checking out other’s coins.
Well a good friend came over Saturday and dropped off a good sized, heavy box. On a couple of occasions he has mentioned his coin collection and that it is mainly “old silver”. I offered to review them for him but he’s never responded.
Well he is going off on a 6 month motorcycle vacation soon and became worried about somebody stealing his collection. Since he lives in an RV deep in the woods , his concerns are valid. Anyway he asked me to keep them safe and gave me permission to rummage through them.
Well what a surprise. He has a number of mint sets, penny books, rolls of coins and a bunch of loose coins. He has a couple of 1880 Morgans, some Barbers, a triple handful of Walkers and Franklins, a handful of V nickels, buffaloes and uncounted War Nickels, Merc, Rosies,SLQs, and a big bunch of wheats along with a couple of Indian Head pennies. It’s quite a smorgasbord of coinage.
Now they are all well circulated and far from mint condition. I found one no FG Kennedy half dollar but beyond that nothing of note.
And then I saw it.
I had scooped up a handful of pennies and was passing them under my magnifier. This machine can magnify 18x and gives you a great look at the coins. But when I slid THIS COIN under it and looked on the screen I didn’t see Lincoln nor an Indian Head.
I saw a flying bird. A Flying Eagle cent.
If you’re not familiar with this coin it’s likely because it was only minted 1856-1858and is the first American small cent.
It is high on my bucket list and I have decided I am unlikely to ever find one unless I plop down some cash at a coin store. In fact this 1858 is the very first one I’ve ever actually seen.
I confess I had a brief thought of spiriting it away and denying I’d ever seen it. He may not even know he has it. But I try to be honest and so I took some pictures of it and slipped it into a small plastic ziplock bag for him.
Besides since my collection is made of those coins I personally have found, I would have no real joy in owning it.
Rats. Lol.
Well a good friend came over Saturday and dropped off a good sized, heavy box. On a couple of occasions he has mentioned his coin collection and that it is mainly “old silver”. I offered to review them for him but he’s never responded.
Well he is going off on a 6 month motorcycle vacation soon and became worried about somebody stealing his collection. Since he lives in an RV deep in the woods , his concerns are valid. Anyway he asked me to keep them safe and gave me permission to rummage through them.
Well what a surprise. He has a number of mint sets, penny books, rolls of coins and a bunch of loose coins. He has a couple of 1880 Morgans, some Barbers, a triple handful of Walkers and Franklins, a handful of V nickels, buffaloes and uncounted War Nickels, Merc, Rosies,SLQs, and a big bunch of wheats along with a couple of Indian Head pennies. It’s quite a smorgasbord of coinage.
Now they are all well circulated and far from mint condition. I found one no FG Kennedy half dollar but beyond that nothing of note.
And then I saw it.
I had scooped up a handful of pennies and was passing them under my magnifier. This machine can magnify 18x and gives you a great look at the coins. But when I slid THIS COIN under it and looked on the screen I didn’t see Lincoln nor an Indian Head.
I saw a flying bird. A Flying Eagle cent.
If you’re not familiar with this coin it’s likely because it was only minted 1856-1858and is the first American small cent.
It is high on my bucket list and I have decided I am unlikely to ever find one unless I plop down some cash at a coin store. In fact this 1858 is the very first one I’ve ever actually seen.
I confess I had a brief thought of spiriting it away and denying I’d ever seen it. He may not even know he has it. But I try to be honest and so I took some pictures of it and slipped it into a small plastic ziplock bag for him.
Besides since my collection is made of those coins I personally have found, I would have no real joy in owning it.
Rats. Lol.
