Gallery Mint Museum ScrapBook
       67e
2003
Original "Falsely Accused" SBsubject
9/28
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  • Falsely Accused!

    •    eBay item 3050095991 (Ends Oct-01-03 18:30:00PDT) - 1796 NO POLE HALF CENT ACCGS VG 8 VERY RARE!! Very rare, with a mintage of only 1,390, and with only 12 graded in ALL grades by ALL major grading services combined. This wonderful discovery piece is struck slightly out of collar on the reverse, giving the appearance that it is about 5% off center, and also making it appear as if it has an uneven strike, with elongated dentils on one side of the reverse and almost no dentils on the other side.
       Starting bid: US $12,500.00. We are starting the bidding low, at about half of its resell value with no reserve, as is the case with all of our auctions. calco979... Sunday, Sep-28-03 18:30:00PDT
       Just thought that I would bring this to the copper world's attention. This is a counterfeit coin of the 1796 half cent, no pole variety. Compared to the genuine few of this extremely rare coin, all "No Pole" varieties, except for 2 examples; one in the Abbey Smith Collection and the other in the Roger Nelson collection, will display the horizontal obverse die break that runs diagonally from about 7 o'clock to 3 o'clock position on the obverse.
       This coin appears to be a "Die Transfer" from a gallery mint coin. Perhaps a silver gallery mint example (they created a lot of the off metals for this date) struck on a soften copper block then impressed with an old copper half cent flan. Probably a crap 1795, to shadow the detail that wasn't struck from the transfer. Of course, slabbed by a grading service.
       The 1796 No Pole with the die cracked obverse does have direct copper cast from the original also, those were made about 1890. Mario (jsuis2003)... Monday, September 29, 2003 6:30AM
       You could be right about this one being created from a one of our proofs. I don't have one easily accessible for me to compare but it is funny to see no trace of a die crack. Ron Landis... Monday, September 29, 2003 4:08PM
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       Well... unless there are additional GMM 1796 NoPole HalfCent dies that I do not have documented ...I conclude that Mario has painted GMM with a four inch paint brush along with the actual basis that was used for this slabbed specimen. It is obvious from the lettering, hair curls and other fine details, that this specimen is NOT a GMM based fake. It is my considered opinion that a GMM recreation stands falsely accused here and was not involved in the creation of this specimen.
       One would think that the fact there are only 12 graded 1796 "no pole" half cents would trigger an alert in the Seller's mind... it sure would in mine I can assure you. What was ACCGS thinking anyway? Then again perhaps ACCGS is correct and this piece is genuine... this determination is well beyond my numismatic capabilities. Verne R. Walrafen
    November 20, 2003 EMail Messages
    From: gfo979@dslextreme.com
    Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 3:42 AM
    To: ANA-LM553@gmmnut.com
    Subject: {ScrapBookPage67}
    You may want to consider deleting your post regarding the coin below, as you are unintentionally lying to the public when you allow others to post the statement that this coin is a "counterfeit", whether you defend it to the contrary or not.  And the description that you posted is copyrighted in the latest Calco Coin Catalog that I have.   It was pointed out to Calco by ACCGS that the coin was mistakenly mislabel 1796 No Pole, when it should have been clearly labeled 1795 No Pole.  Once ACCGS contacted Calco, Calco then returned the coin back to ACCGS for reslabbing.  If you would care to check the auction number, you will see that the auction was closed by the seller shortly after they learned of the clerical error.   I mentioned this because I just heard from an insider at a meeting of the Beverly Hills Coin Club that ACCGS and the attorneys at Mayer, Platt & Brown have been considering suing your organization for posting public slander (regardless of who it is from) because you didn't even bother to contact ACCGS, but instead posted a rather rediculous conspiracy theory on your site.  It is merely an embarrassing clerical error that was quickly corrected.  Regards, Steve Deputy
       eBay item 3050095991 (Ends Oct-01-03 18:30:00PDT) - 1796 NO POLE HALF CENT ACCGS VG 8 VERY RARE!!
    From: Verne R. Walrafen [ANA-LM553@gmmnut.Com]
    Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:18 AM
    To: gfo979@dslextreme.com
    Subject: RE: {ScrapBookPage67}
    Your concerns are easily addressed. My postings are purely informational in nature... reporting what is going on in those areas of interest to me personally ...and I am ALWAYS pleased to make corrections in any that are erroneous. It will be a very trivial change to correct the posting that is of concern to you and I appreciate you telling me of the mistake. The SBsubject becomes even more interesting and valuable to my readers when your new information is included. Please feel free to contact me anytime as I love to learn more about related numismatic subjects. Best regards- Verne
     This EMail message was scanned by Norton AntiVirus before sending!
    Verne R. Walrafen, 12000 Sunset Ridge, Ozawkie KS 66070 785-945-3800
               BS'63-CivilEngineering   MS'76-ComputerScience
            Compiler for the Gallery Mint Museum (GMM) ScrapBook
          http://www.GMMnut.com/gmm.html   Sporadic Seller of GMM rarities  
    2003
    Modified "Falsely Accused" SBsubject
    9/28
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  • Falsely Accused!

    •    eBay item 3050095991 (Ends Oct-01-03 18:30:00PDT) - 1796 NO POLE HALF CENT ACCGS VG 8 VERY RARE!!
    Original ScrapBook posting removed!
       When this interesting HalfCent was originally posted on eBay for sale it was suggested that it was somehow created from a Gallery Mint Museum HalfCent reproduction. This was quite certainly false... as easily ascertained by studying the comparison scans posted just below. It was obvious from the lettering, hair curls and other fine details, that this specimen was NOT a GMM based fake. It was my considered opinion that a GMM recreation stood falsely accused here.
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       On November 20, 2003 I received an EMail message informing me that this interesting HalfCent is in fact a 1795 specimen and that the problem was a simple typographical error when typing the slab label. This piece was returned to ACCGS and reslabbed for the current owner. I wish all of life's problems were so easily resolved. Verne R. Walrafen
    Additional November 20, 2003 EMail Message
    From: gfo979@dslextreme.com
    Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 3:26 PM
    To: ANA-LM553@gmmnut.com
    Subject: Re: {ScrapBookPage67}
    Thank you, however, I do not give permission to have any of my comments published on your site.  I am merely pointing out that ACCGS and Calco are considering a lawsuit against you because you are publishing their copyrighted description on your site, and you are publishing erroneous information about ACCGS, regardless of authorship.   Their attorney is Mayer, Platt & Brown, and I am simply recommending that you take off any reference to the coin, because ACCGS obviously made a clerical error that could be potentially embarrassing and even damaging to their service. Regards, Steve
    2003
    RE-Modified "Falsely Accused" SBsubject
    9/28
    Click for Enlargement on CD-ROM
    Enlargements available on both WWW and ScrapBook CD-ROM
  • Falsely Accused!

    • Original ScrapBook posting removed!
       When this interesting specimen was originally posted on eBay for sale... as a 1796 "No Pole" HalfCent ...it was suggested, on an open-forum discussion website, that it was somehow created from a Gallery Mint Museum HalfCent reproduction. This is quite certainly false... as easily ascertained by studying the comparison scans posted here. It was obvious from the lettering, hair curls and other fine details, that this specimen was NOT a GMM based fake. It was my considered opinion that a GMM recreation stood falsely accused here.    On November 20, 2003 I received an EMail message informing me that this interesting specimen is in fact a 1795 HalfCent and that the problem was a simple typographical error when typing the slab label. This piece was returned to the grading company and reslabbed for the current owner. I wish all of life's problems were so easily resolved. Verne R. Walrafen
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