Letters to the Editor: Nov. 5, 2019

Silver Lindbergh Medal

I have a 1927 Paris Mint Charles Lindbergh medal in silver. It is three inches wide and its edge is stamped “2 Argent.” Lindbergh wears a suit on the obverse and the reverse shows a trans-Atlantic path of Lindbergh’s flight. Iwant to find out the mintage of this medal but I can’t find anything can. Can you help?

Ray Tonns
Address Withheld

In Response to Coin Show Etiquette

I was very interested in these articles because I haven’t really been to a coin show in some time. Like many collectors, I now acquire items for my collection through various Internet venues. Each comes with positives and negatives--buying and selling in person brings lots of advantages that simply aren’t possible over the Internet.

These articles were very dealer-centric ... as if the dealer were all that mattered. I don’t believe the customer is always right, but I don’t believe that any dealer is absolutely beyond reproach either.

The flip side of this is that a good deal of what was presented would, in an earlier time, be considered basic manners. When we spend so much time on the Internet, we sometimes lose touch with the basic skills required to politely engage people we haven’t yet met, and this can be a problem.

I think these articles could, in smaller pieces, be a series that runs regularly. With this knowledge, people who haven’t yet been to a show can feel empowered with good practice that will help them achieve their collecting goals.

Thanks for this!

Henry Mensch
Syracuse, N.Y.

In Response to the NGC Milestone Article

Your Article, “NGC Milestone: 10 Million Silver Eagles Certified” in the Oct. 1, 2019 Issue, page 86 contains misinformation. The sentence in the third paragraph, “None have been struck at Denver as of this date.”

John M. Mercanti’s books on Silver Eagles does indeed include the Denver Mint as having been a contributing Mint in the production of the 1986 first-year Silver Eagle. I submitted the question to the “Coin Clinic” in your magazine. You printed it, yet there was no response. I think John M. Mercanti certainly didn’t have his facts mixed up. The sentence I believe should be altered to state, “None have been Certified as having been Minted at Denver.” I’d bet the first Silver Eagle struck at Denver would most certainly have been saved. We as Collectors can only dream of the Value of that first Year Silver Eagle from Denver.

Best Regards,

Steve McGowan
Algonac, Mich.

Grading Info Wanted

I have a favor and a suggestion. Your magazine talks often about sending coins you want certified to a 3rd party grading. This is great, however:

1. Can you do an article about 3rd party grading, specifically:

a. An Address to send your coins.

b. How do you protect your coin(s) when you mail them?

c. What is the cost to have a coin graded?

I have some coins I want to have graded but have no clue how to go about doing that, and what I can expect as a cost to have them graded.

Thank you so much.

Bruce Stohlman
Bellevue, Neb.

Beware of Altered Coins

I was looking through some of my extra old coins to send my daughter for her birthday, and I ran across this 1841 large cent. I don’t remember where I got it, probably part of a lot of coins on eBay. I never paid much attention to it, since I already had one in better condition. While looking at it today I happened to notice some damage around the date. Closer inspection revealed what is obviously someone’s attempt to remove a portion of the “4” in order to make it look like a much more valuable 1811. To a casual observer, this may have worked, but a collector would automatically identify it as a Liberty Head - Braided Hair portrait, rather than the Classic Head which would adorn an 1811 coin. The other obvious indicators are remnants of the 4 still visible, misshape of the altered 1, and the deep scratches caused by the attempted alteration. I wonder if anyone ever got fooled into thinking this was an actual 1811? For any novice or new collectors reading this, beware of coins like this. Don’t always trust the seller’s description, always look closely at the actual coin!

Daryl Conley
Truth or Consequences, N.M.