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 Friday, September 07, 2007
Second Best Thing to the Windows
Posted by tom
 Tom's Inescapable Truths
While removing your windows for a home renovation always brings on the rain drops, it is the roof replacement which brings on the rain and the wind gusts.
Tom's Inescapable Truths
9/7/2007 1:29:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 9-7-07
Gold $701.00
Silver $12.57
Platinum $1,289.00
Palladium $334.00
Friday Fix
9/7/2007 11:07:42 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Discovery in Portuguese Gold
Posted by tom
B R Propels a Coin to the Top in Portugal
Just had a moment to look through the latest Dix Noonan and Webb auction, scheduled to close at Coinex on September 27th. Most of the sale is comprised of a fine selection of ancient coins, but near the end DNW provides a few unusual Early Medieval coins as well as a few coins from the Crusader States. One of the major highlights is a gold Solidus stuck by the Suevi in Gallaecia. These imitative types are listed by Alberto Gomes in his Moedas Portuguesas and are considered to be the first gold coins struck in Portugal.
This particular example differs slightly in legends and style from the ones Gomes pictures. It is also a bit different than the one sold through Sotheby's Geneva in November 1986. In fact, as Michael Metcalf states in his analysis of this specific specimen for the DNW auction, the B R flanking the figure on the reverse of this coin most likely stands for Bracara, the capital of the Suevi territory in Gallaecia. That small distinction makes this coin a unique example and possibly the earliest of these imitative gold coins struck in Northern Portugal.
Any modern day coin collector from Braga, Galicia should find this a most fascinating coin. Take a look at the DNW website, even if the estimate of 20,000-25,000 pounds is over your budget limit. It's a great opportunity to look and learn and you may find something within your budget in the many other selections up for bid in this sale.
Auction Lot of the Week
9/7/2007 10:00:25 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Fear and Trembling
Posted by tom
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
Fear and Trembling or Stupeur Et Tremblements
Sometimes the most interesting moments in life are created by human dynamics. How we interact is an amazing thing, and the differences in our approach to those around us is vast. Most all situational comedy and drama is based either on physical predicaments or mental and verbal ironies. We enjoy watching others go through uncomfortable situations mainly because we ourselves have likely experienced similar entanglements.
Fear and Trembling
takes some of these basic principles and couples them with cultural differences to form a most uncomfortable, yet oddly amusing film. Its pinpoint comedy is formed through the clash of Japanese and Western European cultures, combined with inter-office dynamics common to all societies. Think about a combination of The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Gung Ho, and you'll be in the right neighborhood.
Everyone if the cast of Fear and Trembling does a great job of conveying the excessive natures expressed in the story. Sylvie Testud is brilliant as the central character and her office mates and eventual rulers are played to the hilt by Kaori Tsuji, Taro Suwa, Bison Katayama as the middle management dicatator, Yasunari Kondo, Sokyu Fujita and Gen Shimaoka. Alain Corneau directed this offbeat film and found the humor in all the little places it could possibly pop up.
Be forewarned that there are some uncomfortable situations depicted in this film. Also, there is one scene containing full frontal nudity, though it will not be anything you expect and is decidedly non-sensual. Keep in mind that Fear and Trembling is based on a true story and told through the eyes of a Belgian woman, Amelie Nothomb, who, for personal reasons, wanted to become more Japanese. Mixed up? So is she, but if you like dark comedy, you may enjoy this little gem.
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
9/7/2007 9:59:02 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, September 06, 2007
Diana on Five Ounces of Gold
Posted by tom
Diana Lingers On
Last week my Blogging Pal and numismatic neighbor, George Cuhaj, wrote a nice posting on the anniversary of Princess Diana's death. George noted that Princess Di has been immortalized on coins, stamps and at least one fantasy banknote. Check out George's Blog posting for illustrations, more links and his experienced take on sculpture.  When he was writing this posting, George asked my opinion on what coins to illustrate and I suggested my favorite off the wall Diana coin, which is a 10 Dollar silver piece from Liberia, KM#350, showing Diana wearing protective gear and observing a minefield. There is a similar coin type listed for Mongolia, KM#202, a 500 Tugrik, though I have never seen that piece.
One area that George did not cover in his Blog posting was Diana medals. So when the Coincraft special flyer from Richard Lobel arrived a few days ago serendipity lent a hand.
Coincraft is offering an unusually large gold Memorial Medal of Princess Diana. The obverse sports a nice depiction of Diana facing right with birth and death dates of 1961-1997 below. The obverse legend reads: IN MEMORY OF DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES. The reverse identifies the medal as Princess Diana's Pattern Gold Fifty Pounds and notes it as a Milestones of the Millennium piece. The weights and measures are included at the bottom of the reverse. At five ounces of .999 fine gold this piece carries about $3400 in melt value alone. Coincraft is offering the medal at 1,870 pounds or about $3780, just about $400 over melt.
Of course this isn't the only Di medal available for collectors. If you are looking for something less weighty, try eBay or look at the other Diana Medals offered through Coincraft's website.
Lots You'll Like
9/6/2007 12:36:53 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sunday, September 02, 2007
Apocalypto
Posted by tom
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
Apocalypto
There's been plenty of talk and lots of good and bad reviews from all corners on Apocalypto and Mel Gibson. It's fun to read them and good to form your own opinion. For me, Apocalypto turned out to be an interesting action/adventure film within a Mayan setting. It was entertaining because it was out of character. You don't come to a film like this expecting to see a Die Hard style plot, but here it is. If any of you have seen Brick, you know the feeling; Noir in a High School setting catches you off balance.
When I finished watching Apocalypto my first thought was that I had seen this story before. Different setting, different time frame, same chase'em down plot. In trying to think of which film I was relating Apocalypto to, I discovered, over a few days of thinking, that it was actually many, many films, all with similar stories.
Like The Naked Prey, or Die Hard, Apocalypto pits one driven man against many ruthless killers. All the talk about historical accuracy is somewhat lost on me, as I can only see this film as an action adventure piece set in an unusual time period. Aside from documentaries, I highly suggest that viewers should not mistake entertainment films for history lessons. I love JFK for it's intricate and mystifying plot, but I would never take it as historically accurate.
The same is true of Apocalypto. Enjoy this film for it's great action, fast pace, irony and heroism.
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
9/2/2007 11:00:12 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes fro 8-31-07
Gold $672.00
Silver $11.95
Platinum $1,268.00
Palladium $330.00
Friday Fix
8/31/2007 4:15:43 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, August 24, 2007
Great Italian Coins in UBS Sale
Posted by tom
Italian, Russian & French Coins Stand Out in UBS Sale
Spent more time looking through the upcoming UBS Auction 73 catalog and discover several additional delights. There was an impressive run of French material, and more importantly in todays market, there was also a fair sized run of Russian coins.
Most impressive h owever was the very large selection of Italian numismatic items. In addition to coins from unified Italy, this sale offers substantial groups of many Italian States issues including Medieval silver issues from Savoy and early gold coins from the Vatican and Venice, Colonial Italian coins from Somalia and Eritrea, a nice Tuscan medal, a scarce Mezzo Scudo of 70 Soldi from Venice and many other interesting items such as this sharply detailed 2 Doppie of Genoa stuck under the rule of the Biennial Doges in the name of Conrad II.  These coins are distiguished by their date, 1616 for this coin, and the mint masters or magistrates initials, which in this case are IZ for Joseph Zinus. A similar example grading gVF and with some heavy doubling sold in January 2007 for $2,400, but I would expect this example to sell closer toit's estimate of about $3300.
Auction Lot of the Week | Lots You'll Like
8/24/2007 5:24:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 8-24-07
Gold $660.85
Silver $11.70
Platinum $1,240.00
Palladium $323.00
Friday Fix
8/24/2007 10:58:01 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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The Queen
Posted by tom
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
The Queen
HRM Queen Elizabeth II is the fifth longest reigning monarch of Great Britain and the UK, at present, and one of the more prominent world Royal figures of my lifetime. This stature, coupled with the fact that Helen Mirren won a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Elizabeth II in The Queen, drove me to watch this film. I must admit, I was none too excited coming in, as Royal films are not particularly my favorites and I am not an aficionado or follower of Royal Family news.
That being said, I do heartily recommend The Queen. Stephen Frears put a fine group together for this film and did a great job of directing their efforts. The disc even offers an audio commentary from Robert Lacey, British historian and Royal expert.
After viewing The Queen one can see that the highly nuanced screenplay by Peter Morgan sets up both compelling and vulnerable figures in Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair. There is no bashing here, no easy one-dimensional figures. All the main characters, with speaking parts, are well developed and imbibed with spirit. Morgan establishes a counter point between commitment to State and responsibility to Family which relates to most all of us in one way or another. This is what drives the film and keeps our interest, and I was pleased to see that Morgan won awards for Best Screenplay from both the Golden Globes and Venice Film Festival in 2006.
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
8/24/2007 10:44:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, August 23, 2007
Another Fabulous India Piece
Posted by tom
 Rare Jubilee silver medal from Gwalior at UBS
Another eye catching item in the UBS auction 73 set to close the first week in September is this Jubilee sliver medal from Gwalior. At almost 77g. this is a large and impressive item, with bust of Madhav Rao Scindia at the top of the obverse and a sharp centered Arms on the reverse.  Madhav Rao Scindia ruled from 1886 to 1925 and the design of this medal obviously shows him great respect. For the first eight years of his rule, Gwalior was run by regents, but after turning 18 Madhav Rao became a very active Maharaja.
His 39 year's as Maharaja began when he was 10 years old and when he died Gwalior was left to his 9 year old son George Jiyajirao Scindia. Both were major figures in Gwalior's progressive era before joining the Union of India in 1948. After joining the Union, George Jiyajirao served as regional Governor for eight years until 1956.
The lot description of this great historical item notes some minor scratches and grades the medal good extremely fine, with an estimate of 3500 CHF or about $2900 USD.
Focus Country | Lots You'll Like
8/23/2007 12:34:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Book Printing Medals offered in UBS sale 73
Posted by tom
Gutenberg From Every View Point!
In the upcoming UBS Auction 73 set to close September 5-7, 2007 there is a great run of Book and Printing related medals. Most of the over 60 medals in this group commemorate Gutenberg, but there are few relating to other events. Estimates are reasonable, ranging mostly between 100 to 800 CHF, or about $85 to $665 US dollars each. 
There are ornate designs like this large silver medal from Haarlem dated 1740 and simple designs like this modern silver medal from  Wiesbaden. You can see many busts of Gutenberg in this group as well as several medals with flatbed letterpresses and even some with modern printing presses like this fabulous printing technology medal from R. Hoe and Company.
It's an impressive collection and well worth a look. Check it out at the online catalog section of the UBS numismatic site.
Lots You'll Like
8/23/2007 11:06:55 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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