"Criminal" movie with a numismatic twist.
Found an old numismatic-related movie on DVD this past week. "Criminal" featured actor John C. Reilly and was released by Warner Brothers in 2004. The storyline involves an elaborate scam involving a rare 19th century silver certificate note being offered to a millionaire currency collector for $750,000. The movie was pretty good and involved counterfeiting with a high resolution printer. Even the expert brought in to certify the note was in on it (Definitely not a NGC or PCGS guy). Always fun to point out the flaws too, such as not buying an uncertified piece of rare currency for $750,000 in a hotel room from strangers. It might be of interest to fellow members and worth sitting down with on a cold, quiet evening. I'm always on the look out for movies with a numismatic twist. Heck, it beats watching Rick Tomaska again.
Comments
Kepi
Level 6
Fun blog! I remember along time ago I did a blog on an old Outer Limits episode that a "Magic" slot machine in which they actually used silver dollars. ; )
It's Mokie
Level 6
I always cringe at the Pawn Stars episodes that feature a numismatic item without calling in their usual experts. Rick and Gang often give out slightly erroneous information. I remember one episode where the Old Man (RIP) apparently sold a CC Dollar for common Morgan price because he could not see the mintmark. Are they that disorganized that they put unattributed Morgans in their display case? Oh, and one of my favorite movies involving counterfeiting is To Live and Die in LA with Willem Defoe playing a master counterfeiter.
Longstrider
Level 6
I can't find it anywhere. Curses. I did find out it is a remake of an earlier movie only that one is with a rare stamp. Nice and Thanks.
World_Coin_Nut
Level 5
Pretty cool. I may have to look for that.
Golfer
Level 5
Would never buy a 750K note in a motel room. I have watched the Bishops Wife. Great older movie. I am with Mike on the treasure hunting shows. They are more tease and suspense over nothing. Maybe I can find "Criminal " on roku or hulu? You have me interested to watch it now.
Stumpy
Level 5
Definitely going to have to check that out. Watching for flaws in a story can be fun.
RuralRon
Level 4
Here is an OLDIE for you. The Bishop's Wife" with Cary grant has a numismatic theme and is perfect for this time of year.
coinsbygary
Level 5
My favorite Numismatic TV episode is a 1973 Streets of San Franciso episode entitled "A Collection of Eagles." Curiously, it seems that most of the Numismatic movies or shows have some element of counterfeiting involved. Follow the link below to the IMDB summary of the episode that has as one of its guest stars in a minor role, Jamie Farr. I have also seen the Hawaii 5-O episode with an attempt to swap a counterfeit 1913 Liberty Head Nickel for a real one. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0711495/?ref_=ttep_ep18
Mike
Level 7
Great find. I could watch a movie like that better then all the searching shows for hidden gold and silver. Those shows never find anything and they tease you to watch them. This movie is straight forward. Thanks.for telling us about it. !!!
"SUN"
Level 6
I get a kick out of TV and movies that have a numismatic theme.
CentSearcher
Level 5
Sounds interesting, but I don't have access to that movie so I probably won't be able to watch it. Thanks for sharing!
I. R. Bama
Level 5
Cool! I actually had a patient who was running Jacksons through a color printer and then running those through a bill changer machine like you find at Laundromats and other places with coin operated software. How did they catch her? Well, you know these brilliant theft ideas most often don't work out. Her's didn't because the printer prints a serial number of the printer on it in extremely small pica and she didn't examine it closely to see that. As she was marvelling about how clever she was, shortly thereafter the police knocked on her door and she caught state AND Federal charges! LOL! I notice Maggie Gyllenhaal is in the movie. She did a great Job in a movie called Witness with Harrison Ford where she played an Amish woman.....
Big Nub Numismatics
Level 5
I'm surprised that I recognize so many actors from this movie. Maybe another movie (provided it doesn't scare away would-be collectors with tales of elaborate schemes to steal your money) would bring more people to the hobby.