| 2003
| ScrapBook
Subjects
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Page
Index
Links
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Link:
The Complete Guide To Lincoln Cents
Link:
Future home of... GALLERY MINT MUSEUM
Link:
Once Upon A Dime
Link:
[ Ceca Segovia Hoy ]
Link:
[ The Hall In Tirol Mint In Austria ]
Link:
First United States Mint Issues
Link:
[ Verne and Caroline ]
Link:
Straight from the GMM Presses
Link:
[ Weight Conversion Calculator ]
Link:
You Are Gonna Like This One!
Link:
[ Four Nice 2003 Bill Zach Nickel Carvings ]
Link:
Better Late Than Never
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Enlargement scans available on WWW and ScrapBook CD-ROM.
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| 10/31
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David Lange photographs.
Click for
No.1,
No.2
or
No.3
enlargement on CD-ROM
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The Complete Guide To Lincoln Cents
Ron Landis did indeed create prototypes for a Lincoln Cent token to
advertise the publication of my book,
The Complete Guide To Lincoln Cents, in 1996. His dies were a
copy of the 1909-S V.D.B cent in actual size, but the legend ONE CENT
was replaced by the title of my book, and V.D.B became my intials,
D.W.L. My intent was to produce 500-1000 tokens for free distribution.
His first obverse die was rather crude, as he had copied it from a cent of
later vintage, so I asked him to try again. At his request, I supplied him
with a genuine 1909 V.D.B. cent to use as a guide, and the result was a
fairly accurate reproduction. These prototypes were made using genuine cents
as planchets.
Unfortunately, Ron showed the finished prototypes to some officers of the
ANA during the annual Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs, and they convinced
him that producing these replicas would harm the hobby. Of course this is
ludicrous, since the legends were different, and the mass produced version
would have included the same COPY stamp that his other products did. Even
so, Ron declined to continue with the project, and he gave me the prototypes
free of charge. I still have them in my collection of Gallery Mint items.
David Lange... October 13, 2003 10:38 AM
David Lange photographs.
Click for
Enlargement
on CD-ROM
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Protype Number 1
features Ron's first attempt at a 1909-S obverse, paired with his custom
die for my token. It is struck over a 1980-D cent.
Protype Number 2
combines Ron's slightly improved obverse and the same reverse. It is
struck over a Memorial cent of unknown date and mint.
Protype Number 3
features his greatly improved obverse and is a nearly exact replica of a
1909-S VDB cent on both sides. It seems to have been struck on an unused
cent planchet or one of Ron's own manufacture. This is the piece he showed
around at the seminar and which brought the whole project to a halt.
David Lange... Tuesday, October 21, 2003 2:59PM
Click for
Enlargement
on CD-ROM
Copper - Die Trial -
19.0mm - 2.5g - Plain Edge
Shown here is the discovery piece that triggered my research effort
on the Lange Prototypes. This is a die trial of David's "Complete
Guide" reverse die, paired with the reverse die TheGuys used on their
DoeDough cents, that was struck over a 1986-D Lincoln Memorial Cent.
There is a lot of the undertype host coin showing through the overstrike.
The dies were aligned considerably "off", as shown, but almost made it
to being medal/book alignment. A fantastic find that lead me down a
most interesting and personally rewarding numismatic byway. This sort
of experience is what makes collecting in any form such a kick in the
pants... What an experience!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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| 10/29
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A Mike Ellis photograph.
Click for
Sign
enlargement on CD-ROM
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Future home of... GALLERY MINT MUSEUM
While Mike Ellis was in Eureka Springs over Labor Day he got the Grand Tour
of the property TheGuys expect to build their new facility on. This property
is just south of Eureka Springs on the east side of Highway 23 South. Mike
brought back a whole batch of photographs including a couple of deer on the
property. I think either Mike or the deer moved as things are a bit fuzzy so
I didn't try and show those pictures to you here. Below are the planned
locations of several improvements TheGuys are headed off towards. I showed
you my own pictures taken on my own tour in March of 2003 and you can revisit
those pictures in SBsubject
Link:Early Spring In The Ozarks.
You really ought to go visit Eureka Springs and take your own tour so you
can envision and share in TheGuy's dream for yourself.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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| 10/27
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Once Upon A Dime
TheGuys have leased
Link:The Newark Museum,
in New Jersey, the above screw press which the museum is using in their exhibit
Link:Once Upon A Dime:
The World of Money
that is scheduled to be on display October, 2003-June, 2005. Shown below on
the right is a clip of the screw press location notation from their
Link:Exhibit Map.
Ron Landis created a pair of dies for the Newark Museum's use in their exhibit.
Joe hauled this screw press to Newark and set it up for the museum. So... if
you are in the area you can go see it for yourself. I understand they are using
Ron's dies to strike pewter tokens so if anybody goes to see the exhibit you
should take advantage of the opportunity to acquire another superb Landis creation!
Shown below are two trial strikes of Ron's dies using GMM Hobo Token silver
planchets with plain edges. Obviously there wasn't quite enough silver in
the Hobo Token planchets to fill up Ron's new Newark dies so both trials are
a bit weak and not as large as they should be. TheGuys struck a limited number
of silver tokens with really nice reeded edges for the Museum's use. I just
verified this with Ron and he tells me that GMM struck 100 silver tokens and
provided the museum with reeded edge blank pewter planchets... type 2 planchets
for those of you that understand the terminology ...so keep your eyes open
for these scarce specimens in both
Silver and
Pewter.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
Click for
1st Trial
or
2nd Trial
enlargement on CD-ROM
Silver - Die Trials -
21.5mm(1st)
22.0mm(2nd) -
5.0g(1st)
5.1g(2nd) - Plain Edges
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Glenn Murray... of Segovia, Spain ...photographs.
Click for expanded view of
Left
or
Right
photograph on CD-ROM
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Ceca Segovia Hoy
These photographs are fresh from Segovia, Spain and show a roof replacement
project in progress. The building that the red roofing is being installed
on has a temporary roof to keep the rain off the crumbling walls until the
architect finishes the restoration plans, around spring 2004.
In case you don't "get" this SBsubject's title, it says;
"Mint Segovia Today."
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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Glenn Murray... of Segovia, Spain ...photographs.
Click for expanded view of
Left
or
Right
photograph on CD-ROM
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The Hall In Tirol Mint In Austria
These photos are of the roller mills in the Hall in Tirol Mint, in Austria
(near Innsbruck.) These will be the guys helping us rebuild the Segovia
roller mills.
Also... here are photos of the aluminum strip they roll, and sell for 8
euros to their visitors. The mills were inaugurated July 4, 2003, so they
don't have anything on their website about them yet. Their website is
Link:www.muenze-hall.at.
Glenn Murray... Monday, October 20, 2003 12:26PM
Glenn Murray... of Segovia, Spain ...photographs.
Click for
Expanded View
on CD-ROM
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The design on the aluminum strip is a Taler. It matches Bachtell #129a
Ferdinand (The First) as Archduke (1564-95). It's a taler of 60 Kreuzer
dated 1567... I can't tell from the image, but it should be in the halo
above the eagles head. The reverse design is the eagle of Hall.
Dale Hallmark... Monday, October 20, 2003 5:08PM
To me the reverse/eagle die on this aluminum strip is ever so slightly,
albeit quite noticably, larger than the obverse die. I checked the scale
the scans were shot at... there was a ruler in both original scans ...and
they were identical. You can definitely tell there is more space between
obverse impressions than reverse impressions on the strip. I played a bit
with my graphics editor and created
Link:this scan that you can look at if you
are viewing this SBsubject from one of our ScrapBook CD-ROM's.
Glenn tells me that the fine folks in Austria will help their Spanish
friends construct a Rotary Press under their eventual new roof. I sure
am pleased to see progress finally being made in the Segovia Mint
restoration project.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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| 10/19
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Ron Landis photographs
(except for the Wright Quarter on the right.)
First United States Mint Issues
TheGuys are working on completing a five piece reproduction set of the "First
United States Mint Issues." Shown above are the four recreations they have
completed thus far plus a "place holder" Wright Quarter image on the right.
I built this graphic mostly to show you the relative sizes of the 1792 coinage.
I know I do not have the precise measurements but I am certain I am reasonably
close at: 32mm Birch Cent, 23mm SilverCenter Cent, 17mm Half Disme, 23mm Disme
and 29mm Wright Quarter.
Shown below are Ron's cool silver Half Disme and Disme recreations. I have
shown you these two Landis recreations in a previous SBsubject but here they
are again... shown at as close to the proper scale as I could manage ...so
that you can read what TheGuys had to say about them on their website.
1792 Half Disme...
Price: $20; Weight: 1.35 grams; Composition: silver; Edge: diagonally reeded.
Legend has it that Martha Washington donated the family silver to produce a
total of fifteen hundred half dismes. The finished coins were delivered to
Thomas Jefferson who in turn distributed them for eventual circulation. The
1792 Half Disme was produced in significant quantities under the supervision
of the newly established U.S. Mint and actually circulated in day to day
trade. This is the reason so many numismatists regard this coin to be the
first real U.S. coin. The Gallery Mint reproduction is made to the same
standards as the original coin, approximately 1.35 grams silver, with a
diagonally reeded edge, and struck with a "medal turn" (top of design is
at the same point on both sides.)
Link:GMM Half Disme
All reproductions are made using the same specifications, metallic content, weight and diameters as original coins.
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1792 Disme...
Price: $24; Weight: 2.7 grams; Composition: silver; Edge: diagonally reeded.
The original 1792 Disme pattern coins and copper die trials of the proposed
disme are very rare with only 16 copper die trials known, and 2 surviving
silver examples. It is unusually large for a silver ten cent coin, and we
at Gallery Mint have found it necessary to use our largest press to be able
to strike a full impression into the very thin planchets. When the U.S. Mint
began producing dimes in earnest, they used a much smaller, but thicker
planchet, making it more feasible to strike. The finest known example of the
1792 Disme, a copper example graded Proof 63, is currently offered for sale
and was on display at the recent convention of the Florida United Numismatists
in Orlando, Florida. After comparing the reproduction next to the real coin,
we are confident our collectors will find our efforts to be of the quality
expected from a Gallery Mint reproduction. The Gallery Mint reproduction
contains 2.7 grams silver, has a diagonally reeded edge, and struck with a
"medal turn".
Link:GMM Disme
All reproductions are made using the same specifications, metallic content, weight and diameters as original coins.
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There is no description on the GMM website yet for their 1792 Joseph Wright
Quarter.
Link:GMM Wright Quarter
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
Ron Landis photographs.
Click for
Half Disme
or
Disme
enlargement on CD-ROM
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Verne and Caroline
Here is a photo of the world's greatest inn-keepers. "I like it," and
want to thank you and Caroline for a your great hospitality, a stop I
will not forget. --Although-- I wonder what the guy coming down the
road in the dark thought when he saw those two fat guys with their
arms around each other, standing in the middle of the road.
Cliff Kraft... Saturday, October 18, 2003 6:10PM
This last month Caroline and I have been blessed with the company of two
wonderful and talented nickel carvers; Cliff Kraft and Lee Griffiths. It
really makes our day/week/month when we have a house guest who shares a
common interest with the ol' FatMan... a definite bright spot in our lives.
Cliff brought us some larupin pork ribs which were absolutely
fantastic. We don't make any money but we sure have a lot of fun!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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| 10/19
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Straight from the GMM Presses
Just got some neat stuff from TheGuys. A Birch Cent, which is probably one
of their finest replicas... looks like the real McCoy ...and a special
order coin strip struck with two of the 1792 Silver Center Cents and
punched with an RL punch. Timothy said it was fun and a challenge to do
the Silver Center Cent strip because he had to punch the holes for the
silver center in the strip before striking. Both strikes were done with
medal die rotation. Kind of cool that one side shows the COPY stamp and
the other doesn't. I didn't expect Timothy to make two individual strikes
on this strip. Makes for a really neat piece!
Clifford D. Bolling... Saturday, October 18, 2003 5:05PM
I have been basically holding back on showing all y'all Ron's 1792 coinage
reproductions hoping for the fifth piece... the Wright Quarter ...to come
out of the mint. When Cliff sent me these super scans I just couldn't wait
any longer to share them with you. There are other specimens from the 1792
reproduction set in my midden heap that I will show you when I can find
time to scan them.
Here is what TheGuys have to say on their website about their Birch Cent:
1792 Birch Cent...
Price: $20; Weight: 13 grams; Composition: copper; Edge: lettered.
The fourth in the set of five reproduction pattern coins of 1792. The
"Birch Cent" pattern coin is named after it's creator, Robert Birch.
Weighing in at 13 grams and measuring 31.8mm, it was the largest U.S.
cent coin ever struck. Another variety of the original coin exists that
includes President Washington's initials on the reverse side. Those dies
were rejected, and the concept of the large cent over the smaller Silver
Center Cent was adopted for U.S. coinage, but struck on smaller, lighter
planchets than the Birch Cent. Like the original coins, the GMM
reproduction features a lettered edge that reads: TO BE ESTEEMED * BE
USEFUL *
Link:GMM Birch Cent
All reproductions are made using the same specifications, metallic content, weight and diameters as original coins.
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There is no description on the GMM website yet for their 1792 Silver Center
Cent.
Link:GMM SilverCenter Cent
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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Weight Conversion Calculator
I am always interested in how things are implemented on webpages when
I see something like this
Weight Conversion Calculator.
So I wandered afield
today and investigated this cool tool. I thought it had a flaw in it... it
calculated "Troy Ounce (oz t)" and "Ounce (oz ap)" identically when I thought
that they weren't the same. A bit of study and I found that I was confusing
apothecaries and avoirdupois. If you happen to see anything in this calculator
that is actually wrong... aside from the duplication of certain fields that
was apparently intentional in the original code design ...then give me a holler.
Enjoy!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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| 10/18
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You Are Gonna Like This One!
eBay item 3051326511 (Ends Oct-11-03 17:03:26PDT) -
Gallery Mint Museum ANA token w/LETTERED EDGE.
If you are a collector of Gallery Mint Museum pieces, then you are gonna like this one! Struck by Ron Landis and Joe Rust at the 1998 ANA Summer Seminar. Obverse includes "In God We Trust", the date, "Liberty", and a nice flowing hair bust! The reverse features a nicely-detailed eagle on a branch, the date (1998), and "ANA Summer Seminar". This coin has a LETTERED-EDGE! "Gallery Mint" with a logo is inscribed around the entire edge! This piece is the same size as a nickel and is in MINT CONDITION, bursting with luster! ptcoins... Oct-04-03 17:03:26 PDT
My corresponding friend Mike Wallace EMailed me to ask if I had seen this
token previously... to which I replied:
Yes... this is a nice Landis/Janssen
collaboration. He did the obverse die and she did the reverse die. This is a
very scarce little token. It is SmallDollar related but I expect you realize
that since it caught your eye. I can't remember every place in the ScrapBook
I've shown this token but one is at the bottom of Page11.
Then Mike asked if these pieces were silver, if they were all struck with
a lettered edge and if it was really the size of a U.S. nickel... to which
I replied:
GMM tokens are generally pewter... the one on eBay certainly is.
Rarely are they ever struck in any other metal since 99% are struck on their
portable minipress and it isn't forceful enough to strike anything but pewter
and get a decent impression. Yes... they almost always have the edge lettering.
I don't recall ever seeing a plain edged specimen although one could be struck
simply by not running the planchet through the edge mill. They are 20mm which
is slightly less than the size of a nickel but being pewter the size varies a
bit depending on how much force was used to strike them since pewter is so
soft.
I found it noteworthy that this scarce little token brought $26.95 ($23.95+$3sh)
when it sold on eBay earlier this month. While that isn't an unreasonable price,
it is... as Ron Landis says ...quite a bit for a freebie token handed out to
the public at a convention. I can't argue with him but he isn't a collector
so he doesn't put the same value on things that his fans do. This token has
LOTS of things going for it; it is a collaboration of two artists, it is small
dollar related (using the same bust as Ron's 1998 Con$ept patterns,) it was
definitely struck in limited numbers and then was scattered to the winds at a
convention. All these things make it scarce and desirable.
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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Four Nice 2003 Bill Zach Nickel Carvings
Clearly Bill's shoulder surgery this year hasn't impacted his work like Bo
Hughes' hand injury did decades ago. Bill didn't have to "back up" and relearn
his carving technique. Fantastic carvings Bill!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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| 10/18
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Click for
Obverse
or
Reverse
enlargement on CD-ROM
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2003 Landis Carving #205
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Better Late Than Never
Here it is quite LATE in the year of our Lord 2003 and Ron Landis
has just completed his first carving of the year, shown above. While
it is not a "traditional" nickel carving it is still an artistic masterpiece
and I know you will enjoy seeing it here in our ScrapBook.
If I have all my ducks lines up in a row (have all my facts straight)...
Bill Fivaz will eventually end up with five of these wonderful two ounce
silver round based "nickel" carvings... one each from; Steve Adams, Sam
Alfano, Bill Jameson, Ron Landis and Joe Paonessa. This project started
before Lee Griffiths "arrived on the scene" and before Clifford Kraft made
such significant strides forward in his carving skill and technique. It is
my personal opinion that these seven men are The Magnificent Seven
of today's nickel carvers.
Bill tells me that he plans on creating an article on these fantastic two
ounce round carvings, presumably for The Original Nickel Society's
quarterly publication BoTales, once the set is complete.
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Shown here are the original two ounce silver round that the carvers started
with and the carving Steve Adams created which I showed all y'all quite some
time ago. These are great times for a nickel carving collector to be alive
and building a collection!
EMail:Verne R. Walrafen
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