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Subjects
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Page
Index
Links
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Link:
The Wonders Of Modern Technology
Link:
Breaking The Error Collector's Ground Rules
Link:
Can You Say "Parabolic Mirror"?
Link:
Early Pièces De Caprice?
Link:
Recent "GMM Nut" Sales On eBay
Link:
Pay Attention To The Edges Of Ron's Medals
Link:
A Glimpse Into Lindy Stone's Treasure Trove
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Enlargement scans available on WWW and ScrapBook CD-ROM.
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Enlargement
Special Memento From GMM
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The Wonders Of Modern Technology
I recently traded in my nine year old dot matrix printer for a DeskJet
from Hewlett Packard. I can now create wonderful housing materials for my
GMM collection. The plastic flip insert shown above is a recent example.
It is also now possible for me to create individual CD-ROMs with the entire
content of the GMM ScrapBook on it. That will require a lot of HTML code
changes but the draft CD-ROM Jewel Case cover shown below is another example
of my newly acquited capabilities. I LOVE modern techonology!
Mint visits are always FUN! While the piece shown above is nothing earth
shattering, I like it because Ron took the time to make it for me as a memento.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
Just A Bit Of Conceptualization
A DRAFT
Of A Possible CD-ROM Jewel Case Cover
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| 2/23
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Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1793 HalfCent Struck On Cent
Planchet
Photographed On A Parabolic Mirror With Color Restoration.
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Breaking The Error Collector's Ground Rules
I mentioned to Lindy that, if he told me stories about his photographs I would
be more motivated to post a ScrapBook Subject on them. I got an immediate
response on a pair of the photographs that hadn't meant much to me. It turns
out he had good reason to be pleased with these two pieces. I will let him
explain why these are special since he can do so much better than I can.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
OK children, you have a sit and I'll tell you a story.
When I went to GMM in the fall of 1996, Adam had prepared some planchets for
me. He knew my favorite was the Vine and Bar edge large cent planchet. So, as
a surprise to me, he rolled me out a few to use as I saw fit. The GMM had just
begun production in their uncirculated and proof 1793 Half Cents. Instead of
using the "Medalic Arts Screw Press", these dies were mounted in a smaller screw
press. The picture I sent you is of a piece I STRUCK.
As background information for you, in my error coin collecting hobby it is a
widely accepted rule that smaller size denomination dies cannot strike larger
size planchets since the larger planchet will not fit into our country's coin
presses. I suddenly realized that these "1793" correct original style large
cent planchets would be the perfect thing to use to break such a RULE. Such
an error example was not represented in my normal error coin collection. If
such an authentic example did in fact exist in real life then the Judd book
would have listed it as a "pattern". So, this piece is one of my favorites
because it breaks one of the ground rules of error coin collecting.
And more importantly, have you ever looked at a real 1793 Half Cent? Ron Landis
executed this die pair perfectly! Well, in addition to this reproduction, have
you ever compared the Wreath repros to their authentic counterparts too? In
pictures or real life? Of all of Ron's reproductions I feel the 1793 Half Cent
and the 1793 Wreath Cent showcase his talent! They are so real looking, so
"authentic"! Lindy Stone ... Thu, 22 Feb 2001 14:33:56
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1793 HalfCent Struck Off-Center On Cent
Planchet
Photographed On A Parabolic Mirror With Color Restoration.
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Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1793 Chain Cent Struck
Off-Center
Photographed On A Parabolic Mirror With Color Restoration.
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Can You Say "Parabolic Mirror"?
One day an envelope showed up in my mailbox. I opened it and out tumbled
some really WEIRD photographs of what were obviously GMM creations.
What I couldn't figure out was how the edge die got struck into a planchet
around the outside of the main die strike. I just couldn't decide what
the heck I was looking at but it sure was NEAT! Then Lindy told me
that he had taken the photographs with the coin placed in the center of a
parabolic mirror. He sort of "sounded" like it should have been obvious but
it wasn't so obvious to this old man! The photo shown below is not clipped
out of the center of the mirror photograph but was a separate "regular"
photograph of the same off-center struck Chain Cent. Lindy sure has some
COOL stuff in his safety deposit box!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
The Same 1793 Chain Cent Struck
Off-Center
From A Photograph With Color Restoration.
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Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1793 Chain Cent Wide Date
PROOF Dies
BroadStruck On 30-31mm Plain Edged Copper Planchet
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Early Pièces De Caprice?
I think not! While it certainly is possible that these were custom
order strikes, there are two strong reasons that I am disinclined to believe
such to be the case. First, I found these pieces in the MintMaster's
TrashCan which is where I have found mostly pieces that were clearly die
trials and other production flotsam. Second, they really aren't as
"spectacular" as most custom order pieces tend to be.
What really tickles me here is the strike of the PROOF dies in
a non-proof style/presentation. It seems clear to me that this strike
was created during the production process but I certainly can't prove
this assertion. I generally prefer actual production errors to custom
order errors and true trial die strikes to presentation strikes. However,
as Lindy Stone so eloquently made the case, these specimens are wonderful
pieces no matter if they are pièces de caprice or not.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1793 Chain Cent Wide Date
Uncirculated Dies
Multistruck On 31.5-32.5mm Plain Edged
Copper Planchet
The first pair of chain cent proof dies on a centered
broadstrike is interesting. This strike is probably a die trial before the
proof run. Centered, multistruck, not on a specially prepared planchet and no
vine and bar edge. Ron would polish and repolish his proof dies every 25 or so
strikes unless they needed it sooner. This one is not a polished die strike, thus
it has no proof surface. (Editor's comment: It is my understanding
that BOTH the dies and the planchets may be polished prior to striking
GMM proofs. I watched them polishing planchets with jeweler's rouge and a
buffing wheel for the 1804 proof dollars on a recent trip to Eureka Springs.)
Concerning the second piece, the multistrike chain cent, personally I do not
think it's a die trial but instead, Adam having fun. Those two underlying
strikes, both off center in different positions, is Adam's "saddle strike".
He did the same for me on wreath dies. I explained to him that a saddle strike
was a planchet simultaneously struck by two die pairs. You see, you need a
least a dual or quad press to do "saddle strikes", I informed him back then.
So, to me it's a "Adam Hardcastle saddle strike" that was then center struck
a third time.
There are really four groups of GMM oddball stuff: their "die trials", their
real errors that they call "naturals", their "Adam Hardcastles", and their
"special orders". Lindy Stone ... Wed, 21 Feb 2001 13:24:01
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Recent "GMM Nut" Sales On eBay
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
The above counterstruck cent was mentioned on Page20 in
Link:Two
Small Gems and I sold it on eBay for considerably less than
a similar one brought in Mike Ellis' 1999 Special Auction. Here is
what Mike had to say about his piece:
1793 BU Liberty Cap New Style Cents were
counter stamped with "Summer Conference" and a tiny rendition of
Pike's Peak on obverse and "ANA 1997" and a tiny Lamp of Knowledge
on reverse. These were done as a special giveaway by the GMM for
the American Numismatic Association's 1997 Summer Seminar. Special
dies were made for the event and were used to counterstamp many
items, mostly 1997 Lincoln Cents. The dies were then destroyed.
This was done because the GMM was too busy to bring the mini-mint
to the Summer Seminar as they were too busy working on the dollar
prototypes. Only 395 items total were counterstamped using these
dies and even more significantly only 25 - 1793 Liberty Cap Cents
were used! The dies were then destroyed. Mike Ellis ... circa
April 1999
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
When the counterstruck Large Cent did so poorly on eBay I held this
counterstruck Lincoln Cent back and returned it to my reference
collection. It is worth more to me just to pull it out once in a
while and look at it.
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
Rings left after cutting Half
Cent planchet from "Spoiled Cent"
Now then... this item brought much more interest when I offered the
high bidder their choice of the three rings on eBay. There were
31 Cent over Half Cent pieces produced so, presumably, there were
only 31 of these rings created in the process. Definitely a unusual
piece to add to your half cent (or large cent) collection! For the
full story behind the research into how the NC-7 half cents were
created check out Page1's
Link:The "NC-7"
HalfCent Copies.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
The King's Coin Hammer 1992 38.5mm 1.5oz
Medal
"The Santa Maria"
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Pay Attention To The Edges Of Ron's Medals
Lindy Stone tells me that his all time favorite design of all Ron Landis'
Renfest Medals is the King's Coin Hammer 1992 piece shown above. Lindy had
watched Ron's Royal Mint Demonstration movie and just loved what Ron was doing
at those Renaissance Festivals. He eagerly bid on a copper strike of the "The
King's Coin Hammer" 1992 medal at the 1993 ANA Summer Seminar Auction.
Click for
Enlargement
The King's Coin Hammer 1992 Medal Edge
(top)
The King's Coin Hammer 1991 Medal Edge (bottom)
Lindy went on to tell me that the 1992 medal was struck with a four piece
segmented collar. It had to be removed by hand after each strike and the guys
were justifiably proud of it. Ron and Joe made a major advancement in
technique here! That's why the edge lettering is so three dimensional, sharp
and clean on the 1992 medal. The 1991 medal was struck with a three piece
collar and is also wonderful but it certainly can't, in my humble opinion,
hold a candle to the 1992 medal's edge. Of course, this is sort of like asking
a parent which of their children they love the most! ;-)
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
The King's Coin Hammer 1991 38.5mm 1.5oz
Medal
"Saint George Slaying The Dragon"
These two medals are not screw press struck but instead the obverse
die dropped from like 4 feet to dead blow strike the planchets as
shown in Ron and Joe's movie. Lindy wanted me to be sure and point out
the fact that the machine/mechanism used to strike these pieces was
called "The King's Coin Hammer". This wonderful machine is still
in operation in Texas, as they say, "Under New Management" but it no longer
has the benefit of Ron Landis' expertise and attention to quality.
Anyone who has seen the King's Coin Hammer since 1992
and/or own or have
seen current products created using it,
PLEASE share your experience with us.
In ten years there MUST be some of you fine folks who have tales to tell.
I owe Lindy for providing the details I refer to here. He gave them to me
in a series of EMail messages which made it impossible to quote him directly
but he deserves the credit. Ron Landis told me that they continued this series
as the three Gallery Mint Museum Annual Medals. So... this means there are
actually FIVE medals in this series. Thank you Ron for creating such superb and
exciting pieces.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1995 Concept Dollar Double Struck
Off-Center
From A Photograph With Color Restoration.
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A Glimpse Into Lindy Stone's Treasure Trove
Concerning the Con$ept "errors", I actually drew
out what I wanted them to look like. I did not simply order a double
strike, but instead, with detailed drawings showed them exactly what
I wanted. In regards to the Wreath Cent overstrike off center on a
Con$ept, I tried to keep the best design elements in the multistrikes or
overstrikes. It is my understanding that I have the most intentionally
struck errors on this series according to Adam Hardcastle, their past
Chief Coiner. I just loved Ron's dies and also the concept of using the
word "Concept" instead of "dollar". I also liked the lack of a copy stamp.
In all I commissioned 27 or 28 "special order" pieces over 3 or 4 separate
orders.
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1995 Concept Dollar Flip-Over Double
Struck Off-Center
From A Photograph With Color Restoration.
Oddly though, I actually do not have a normal piece
for comparison, though I did get one for my best friend Jim when I visited
Eureka Springs in the fall of 1996. During that visit Adam Hardcastle and
I struck some 60+ pieces of those 14 star 1796 proof dollars before Ron
realized (was told by his local photographer) he had made another star
count error. Ron was furious! He tried in vain to modify the 14 star die,
but instead ruined it thus sealing their low mintage. After Ron made the
new 15 star dies Adam and I set a GMM dollar record for striking something
like 109 15 star proof pieces the following day. It was awesome to see Ron
produce his 15 star replacement die!
Click for
Obverse or
Reverse enlargement
1995 Concept Dollar Overstruck Off-Center
With 1793 Wreath Cent Dies
From A Photograph With Color Restoration.
In regards to intentionally struck errors, when you
manually place the planchet on the reverse die and you manually "shot put"
the balls on the screw press to strike it 2 to 3 times with their 70 ton
screw press and then have to catch the balls as the press recoils from the
strike, one realizes just how hard it is for their "natural" errors to occur.
Those real and "natural" mint mistakes are quite rare. Though the majority
of my errors are unnaturally created, they still look beautiful. I feel they
are great representations of screw press mistakes, even if they are not really
errors. Lindy Stone ... Sun, 18 Feb 2001 10:16:16
I want EVERYBODY to know that, not only do I appreciate the nice
photographs that Lindy has shared with us, I appreciate even MORE
the reminiscences he sent us. I am always at a loss for words to
use to introduce you to the wonderful scans I acquire or produce. Speaking
of photographs, between Lindy's lighting, the folks that processed the
photos and the textured surface on the prints, my scans came out really
weird colors. The silver was a deep blue-green and the brass was an ugly
blue-green-brown. I tweaked a few of my graphics editor's thousand
adjustments and eventually, after many trials, got a fairly representative
color for each scan. Lindy tells me they are very close to the originals
but I wanted you to know that they have been messed with... A LOT!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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