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Mike 's Blog

21 Mar 2023

Blogs

Exonumia | Mike

Hi everyone. I have tried to write two blogs and lost the information twice. I put it in the Forum but no one reads them any more. If your having problems call Pete Gentzler  at 719-482-9820. He is the gentleman that fixes these problems. I will get the blog up! Funny this stayed up?

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13 Feb 2023

The West Point Mint Mystery!

Exonumia | Mike

High everyone hope all is well. How many of you own cents made from the West Point Mint? Probably all of us. If you look at the pictures below they look like a warehouse. Well that's true. It started out as a storage house for gold bullion back in 1938.         .Now I asked you how many own or have West Point Cents. Probably all of us. The U.S. mint needed help so in 1973 it started making cents!. It was not an official mint of the U.S. yet.It also made quarters. These coins have no mint mark on them. Think of what they would be worth.      These coins were shipped to the Philadelphia mint they had no mint marks. Starting in 1976 they started making Bi - Centennial quarters. These coins were wanted by the public. 1980 it started making Gold Medals. Now take a minute to think of all this coinage being made by a mint that was not yet an official mint of the United States. I was going through some cents from the era. I noticed the rims were higher. Could these be West Point  cents. I don't know. But I wish I could tell.            It wasn't till 1988 the West Point mint became an official mint of the United States. I find this absolutely fascinating that business strikes came from a mint that was a bullion storage facility. The public had no idea and the sad part is we will never know what coins were made were. After becoming a Mint of the U.S mint marks began to show on different coins. And did the public like that. Proof coins, Eagles special sets. It has become a mint that coins are wanted from. So next time you go through your cent books think how many are made at West Point. I believe these strikes would be sought after for years.I always wondered if we could test the metal make up of these mystery coins. Yes I believe they would be worth big money but the Treasury Department pulled one on us. They knew they would be made big money. Once they got to Philadelphia that was it. The mint now had the coins they needed so they made it an official mint in 1988. That's allot of coins they made and we didn't have a clue. I hope you enjoyed this .mystery in making coinage!!.Its like a treasure hunt . Find one!!Enjoy!

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25 Jan 2023

Have You Ever Heard Of The Silk Road?

Exonumia | Mike

Hi everyone hope all is well? The silk road was not one road but roads connected to each other from China to the Roman Empire.Now this road was over 7000 miles though one country to another over mountains. That's bigger than the U.S. witch is 3000 miles so its double our country !

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14 Nov 2022

Part Two Civil Tokens

Exonumia | Mike

Hi everyone well here is part two of civil war tokens . These are political tokens. Remember store tokens and political. There are more that's for part three.. These tokens below are all rarity one!  Now you would think that rarity one are cheep. Well I say there reasonable and people liked these. That means there was more that 5000 of each one made. They were easy to get and buy items.          Now if you look at the George Washington its raw. Try to find this in a book if you don't have the obverse and reverse number. Washington is 112/396a. So you would look for the obverse number and it will be Washington. Now here's the trick. The obverse of most of these are several different reverses. Depending on that this has a reverse that uses a number that would make this a 10 rarity. Unique one of a kind!!    .....Now the first token below is the Monitor. They made many different  tokens of this. Why it was very popular. Again no numbers. I found the obverse its 240/341. But the different designs make these different raritys. Like I said very lkpular. People would ask for this token based on what they could afford.. All tokens will come with the number and information.             What I love about these it has famous items like the Monitor. It also has our Flag! This token is called Flag of our country. Now the number is214/416a. The reverse says " If anyone attempts to tear it down shoot him on the spot" in the middle it has Dix. Now there are errors of this token but it doesn't add to the value.         .So now you have learned to find one in the book using the numbers. The price can be affected by the metal that was used. And they used them all.From ,copper ,bronze ,brass,copper nickel,white metal or pewter,silver,lead,tin,aluminum, and zink. So there you have it. I forgot gilt.Gold plated and zink.        Now I have not seen all these metals used in the maiking of these tokens. And you have to admit these tokens have some wonderful design. The have animals. Bears,dogs, lions bulls a wonderful group to chose from.. Some will collect store cards . Others political. Some mix them both up. But the beauty of these is there is a design for everyone . A rarity for everyone. The rarity 1,23, are very resonable. If you buy a one and it grades aMS 63 your looking at a hundred dollars.   ......So there are choices to be made. And like I said there is one for everyone. They start at about thirty dollars. And they go up and up and up to the tens of thousands.So you will find somthing in your price range.  So look at them on ebay. I believe they have six thousand tokens for sale.Take a look you will see what I mean. I hope you enjoyed part Two. Part three will be in a couple of days. Thanks for your ingerest. If you have questions message me!  Enjoy and thanks Mike!

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12 Nov 2022

Medieval Coventry I Have Been Published!! Its On Line Now!

Exonumia | Mike

Hi everyone!! Well I received good news last night. My article on The Medieval Gates of Coventry has been published!! I first submitted it last October if I remember right and the editor Mr Caleb got back to me and said it would be in December's issue. I said thank you. I guess good things are worth waiting for.    ....I worked very hard on it and with Gary Hermman  taking the pictures and Mokie looking it over I thought I had a good chance. Those are what friends do for each other on this site. If your looking to write one please have Gary take the pictures. He's a professional photographer and my tokens look great. Im sorry for writing  two blogs in two days but I was very excited about this. Its not me.    .....I saw the layout last month when we went through the last editing. They did a terrific job. When one does write an article credit has to be given to those who helped you. The editor Mr. Caleb. Mokie and Garry ( coins by Gary). They put time in to this. I had to mail my tokens to Gary and I was worried sixk. It is a one of a kind set. There is no other.  I would also like to thank the asset editor for her work!   .....Im very proud to have it published in the A.N.A. magazine. This way you all can read it. The l first one was in the great magazine s the Clarion. From P.A.N. the great  show that goes on every year. I know I'm blowing my own horn but to get published twice at my age after 30 years of collecting. And blogging makes me feel great!  ....I always say to some write an article. They can say yes or no. If they say no rewrite it. You never know. And especially with my injuries it made twice as hard. But as I said years ago in the NGC registry never give up!!. That was five years ago I tell that to many people. Again my heartful thanks for helping this old man get published in a magazine of the A.N.A. is very rewarding.  I asked you all to blog. I ask you who want to write do it. Its something I was talked into to. A little angel on my shoulder kept telling me write it write it.  That angel was Mokie. Thanks for the encouragement. And thank you all for reading my blogs all these years. I will write till my death and still write blogs. Thank you all for your support. The meaning of friends means friends most of the time. I hope you enjoy the article.A d give it  angry if yoh don't you might regret it Try . That's all I ask. There are great bloggers here I know here article will go threw.

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