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Coin show conversations veer toward grading ‘chatter’

Coin dealer Bradley Karoleff writes in his “Designs of the Times” column, “I find conversations at coin shows and conventions becoming more and more boring,” adding “I remember the ‘good old days’ when one could find interesting conversations concerning minting methods, die states, striking characteristics and stories about the people that minted the coins we collect.”

Today, though, conversations often focus on “incessant chatter of will it upgrade, cross, or get a CAC sticker, and where it fits into the registry set,” Brad writes. While he acknowledges that such topics can be important, he laments what has been lost. Read his column exclusively in the print and digital editions of the April 30, 2018, issue of Coin World.

Bargains possible in bulk lots of U.S. Mint sets

“Collectors often bypass a hoard of modern U.S. Mint Uncirculated coin sets or Proof sets offered in online auctions because so few precious dates are in the series, but bargains can be found,” writes Michael Bugeja in his “Home Hobbyist” column. He adds, “Before bidding, you should cautiously investigate shipping and other terms of service.”

Michael then details his experiences with a recent bulk lot of Uncirculated Coin sets he purchased, adding, “Typically, you can win a run of sets like these, dating from 1968 to 1999, for a bid of about $150. Considering the face value of the coins as well as the silver value of some of them, this is a great deal.” His column appears exclusively in the April 30 issue.

Variations in appearance of reeding have many causes

When a collector reached out to Mike Diamond to explain the different reeding counts on several Egyptian coins, Mike examined the coins carefully and concluded that the counts were the same on the coins. “However, their reeding did have an abnormal quality that gave the appearance of greater reeding density.”

He added, “Many factors can make a coin seem to have a higher or lower number of reeds,” concluding, “The appearance of unusually narrow reeding in Paquette’s two anomalous examples turns out to have been caused by various combinations of collar wear, sloppy machining, and shallow (weak) reeding.” The column is found exclusively in the April 30 issue of Coin World.

Collectors need to avoid environments conducive to mold

When the humidity of a localized environment is too high, mold can form, and that can be harmful to collections of coins and paper money. Conservation expert Susan L. Maltby writes in her “Preserving Collectibles” column in the April 30 that the best approach is to avoid environments with relative humidity that is too high.

She offers advice on what to avoid, and also what to do if mold forms despite your precautions. To learn more, read her column in the digital and print editions of the April 30 issue.