Posted on 01/06/2018 11:14:59 AM PST by mairdie
When is a penny worth $300,000?
When it's one of the first copper coins struck at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, in 1793.
The annual Florida United Numismatists (FUN) convention is being held in Tampa this week, and three historic coins, including the pricey penny, went up for auction Thursday evening.
Mark Borckardt, a senior numismatist with Heritage Auctions in Dallas, said the George Washington-era penny is one of about 500 in existence.
The 63rd annual FUN Convention also features 'over 600 dealer booths, a competitive exhibit area, 15 educational programs' and a host of other activities. FUN describes itself as 'an organization dedicated to involving and growing the numismatic community.'
Other high-value U.S. coins sold at auction included a half-dollar minted in New Orleans in 1838 and a $4 gold piece called a 'Flowing Hair Stella,' that sold for $750,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The 18th century had a penchant for abbreviations which we may find surprising or even confusing. For example Wm. for William, Tho. for Thomas, Geo. for George, Soc. for Society, and so on...
Thanks mairdie.
That’s not from the same die as the one in post #7.
At first it was the written letters that got me. Then it was the vocabulary. I was always having to ask the academics I worked with what such and such meant. Like fegs.
Well, I’ve got a 1794 Liberty penny that my uncle gave me for HS graduation. Got it right here. I’m sure a year can make all the difference.
Regarding the two coins. I believe the second one has a little more wear, including a nick on the cheek and across the 3, and more wear on the hair. Why could these not have been from the same die?
One of the happy times of my childhood in the 1940s was when my father came home from collecting monthly insurance payments on his route (they had 5, 10 and 25 cents per month policies). We would go over all the coins and he would let me pick out the old/unusual ones including Indian head pennies, steel pennies (WWII), V nickles, walking liberties, etc. I still have them plus earlier coins my father had found including several large pennies.
Mother let me go through her purse and I still have a little safe that once held my “coin collection” until the ice cream man came by and I was without funds except for....
Look at the bottom of the lettering on both coins plus the period after liberty and the date on the second coin, not on the first.
You’re right, two different dies.
That's a great memory to have. Somewhere around here there's some oddball coins, including a British half penny from just before the UK reformed its currency to the decimal version they now use. Also, there's an early American sub-nickel, either a 2 cent or 3 cent piece (I just don't remember) someone traded my dad for a silver dollar the guy needed to complete his collection. Dad's mom had a sort of piggy bank that she put weird coins that came to her via circulation. This only came to my attention about ten years ago. I shook them out through the coin slot and had to look up some of them by best guess, just to see what they were. None of them set the world on fire (essentially no value), but I was going to keep them intact anyway. Slid them back in the slot when I was done.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.