Newly purchased Morgan dollar a beauty
I purchased one beautiful Morgan silver dollar.
The reverse had a fully struck eagle, light natural toning, slightly uneven, darker near the rims of the coin. The reverse fields where immaculate, abrasion-free, no signs of any wear.
On the obverse side of the coin Miss Liberty’s cheek had a couple small abrasions that had no effect on the beautiful eye appeal of the coin. The obverse fields were very clean with natural toning. What a coin!
Other certified coins that grade MS-63 and MS-64 that I own do not stand up to my new purchase. When under 30x magnification only on the obverse it shows slight wear over Miss Liberty’s ear and on the blossom tips.
This 1884-S NGC AU-58 is my prized possession.
Alex Lyszczasz
Metuchen, N.J.
Mint did great job on West Point coins
I recently ordered a two-coin West Point set from the Mint. I also ordered a NGC first release set and a PCGS first strike set from two different national advertisers.
The PCGS set just arrived and it is beautiful and well worth the wait. The reverse proof is everything that I expected while the enhanced Mint State coin is outstanding. The Mint sometimes takes a beating for some of its dealings but this time it hit this product out of the park. Both of these coins are great!
Leo Darmstadter
Vineland, N.J.
Nothing special in designs offered for baseball coin
My view? All 24 designs for the baseball commemorative are clunky. The design is bound to be somewhat cluttered when you have to work in “Liberty” and “In God We Trust” along with the date, but even allowing for that I see no imagination and no sense of artistry in any of these.
Compare these with recent commemorative designs from Finland or Estonia, some of which are simply stunning, and these baseball designs will look frumpy.
Mark A. Brown
Syracuse, N.Y.
Put pitcher, catcher, diamond in coin design
Looking over the 24 designs that were published in the recent edition of Numismatic News, I have one that would symbolize what baseball truly is for the masses, and I mean also the international community in which many people do not know what baseball really entails.
The design with the baseball diamond on top and the pitcher and hitter in action would best be a good example for this baseball coin.
Its twofold meaning showing the two most important position players in the game, pitcher and catcher, who make the game active and real, and the baseball diamond in which it’s played on. True meaning to our America’s pastime.
Art Winterfeld
Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Put some action in design of baseball commemorative
Taking you up on a review of the 24 baseball commemorative designs, first, I would say you are absolutely correct in your evaluation that some of the designs are too cluttered for small coins. Second, a good characterization of baseball is more than a glove and/or ball or bat.
A good depiction of “baseball” involves action. That’s why I like designs 7 and 21. I believe these designs, both depicting a batter, would work well on any size coin. In addition, design 7 shows not just the batter, but home plate and the stadium. The older script “Liberty” is also appropriate. Design 21 is more modern and shows that baseball is the all-American sport with the U.S. map background in the form of a U.S. flag.
Designs 6 and 22 are also good, with both also depicting “action.” Designs 11 and 24 are not bad but are too “busy” for smaller coins. Design 12 is very nice but again no action, just a ball player waiting on the hitter. Several of the designs I couldn’t make out in your magazine, such as design 2. Again, a glove alone does not suffice.
Dan Sowards
Austin, Texas
Coin roll hunting yields special Kennedy half
I’ve been an avid coin collector for four years. It’s always nice to receive coins for my collection for face value, especially considering that I’m a college student.
Recently, I stopped by a bank after I got done with my part-time shift at a local coin store. I purchased five rolls of half dollars. These were for a special occasion, as I was to introduce my girlfriend to something I like to do: coin roll hunting.
We used the first roll as a practice roll to show some techniques I used before getting to work on the others. Down to the last roll, I was thinking we were going to get skunked. Opening it on up, we were delighted to find a silver 1968-D Kennedy half dollar!
I had found others before, but this one is special to me. I 2x2’d it with the standard notations, but also included our initials as well, making this a very special coin in my collection.
Connor Falk
Stevens Point, Wis.
Should have removed a leg from 2013 buffalo
Here’s a thought. I just received my 1 ounce Buffalo proof gold. Wouldn’t it of been nice if the Mint would have honored the anniversary by removing a leg from the buffalo just for 2013?
I wonder what the readers would like, and I would have to guess that the Mint would have made a killing in sales had it had the foresight.
Michael McLoughlin
U.S. Army
Stuttgart, Germany
Gold medal should honor Doolittle Raiders
I received the following appeal to history minded readers of Numismatic News by Brian Anderson, who is the sergeant-at-arms for the Doolittle Raiders.
Brian is spearheading an effort to honor all the Raiders, past and present, for their valor, courage, and patriotism by having Congress award them the Congressional gold medal.
There are four living Raiders, but only three are able to travel to receive the Medal on behalf of all.
The appeal is to ask your readers to contact their Senators to co-sponsor Senate Bill S.381, and their Representative to co-sponsor House Bill H.R.1209.
Our country is in debt to the Raiders for their historic mission.
Bob Jaques
Aviation historian
Print more stories about coins, not their values
Ginger Rapsus should get the article of the year award or at least the unique article of the year award. She contributed an entire article on nickels and only once did she mention a dollar amount for any of the nickels.
The article was informative and well written and didn’t obsess over what the coins would sell for in MS-65, 64, 63 and so on. She hit on what I look for in NN. She wrote about the coins and not the market values beyond what most of your readers can afford.
I often feel NN should change it’s name to Numismatic Financial News. Please, more articles on the coins rather than on their values.
Bill Mendenhall
Wilmington, Del.
Uncle Sam playing baseball a great coin design
When I moved to Prescott Valley, Ariz., I thought my coin finds from circulation would drop. Then a couple of days ago I asked for a roll of halves. I was pleasantly surprised that they had one.
On the way to my car I opened one end of the roll and saw the Liberty bell staring me in the face. To make a long story short, the roll had four Ben Franklins in it, and three Kennedys dated 1964. That was one of my better circulation find.
Today I also got my Numismatic News and looked at the baseball commemorative finals. One design is way out of the park for me. Two American icons, Uncle Sam, playing baseball! How American can you get. All I ask is they use it on the half or dollar coin so most Americans can afford one.
John B. Benson
Prescott Valley, Ariz.
ANA should let club members read online mag
Perhaps the rule prohibiting club members from reading the ANA publication should be changed. If you are in contact with someone at the ANA, please tell him that if club members could read the online magazine, maybe they would be more inclined to join the ANA.
Furthermore, since it is the mission of the ANA to educate collectors, they should want more people to read their publication. The current policy makes them look unsupportive of member clubs. It also hurts their advertisers by deterring readership. This issue should be brought up to their Board of Directors.
Bruce Frohman
Modesto, Calif.
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