I started collecting coins as a kid. In the 1950's-60's era, there were a lot of coins that would be found in circulation change. So I started a coin book trying to fill my blue Whitman books. If we know then what we know now, silver coins would have never left out hands. It was nothing to find the classics back then in circulation.
Standing Liberty quarters,
Mercury dimes,
Buffalo nickels, Silver dollars. But they were just normal coinage then. As a kid, you couldn't save a lot of that.
But I grew tired of coins and sold off the silver coins and bought a set of drums and played guitar and later started to raise a family. (gone then are times collecting coins. money was needed to make ends meet) So after the kids were grown and grand kids were appearing, I got back to coins again in the 1990's. Now I could put away what I wanted to save for a change. (pun intended) I started collecting every thing. So I got a lot of coins, but the internet sparked an interest in something new to me.
Varieties Started getting on line first with
ebay coin chat. They were talking more about every thing else, but about 5% about coins. But I ran into a collector from Missouri who went by
cd. He was very informed on things that he liked. RPMS (re-Punched-Mint marks) and doubled dies (hub doubled incorrectly on the die making the devices enlarged). This was a new thing to learn. RPMs came easy to me. But things were coming slowly to me. He often gave yes or no answers. Not much of an explanation of what he was seeing. But the longer I hung out with him, the more I started to learn. He was always trying to start on doubled dies, but I was content with RPMs at that time. I started taking images with an cheap little scope that connected to the computer. It did a far job, but the image were terrible.
The biggest issues were the plastic lens in the scope always made copper coin look pink in the images. Also the issue of clarity was not present on them. They just looked cheesy. Then He hooked me up with a scope like the one he had. Then I got started editing images. Soon I kept getting better as the thousands of images were taken/edited/posted. (I figure today the number of images I've edited are probably in the 100,000 image area) He was stating a new web site as he was getting tired of the
ebay chat banter. We meet a lot of nice folks that are still around today where ever go post. But he wanted me to take images of the RPM portion of the site. I felt it a challenge, but I would see the benefit of that on the internet. It would be a reference to not only identify the RPMs for that year, but also markers and in different die states. The first batch of images were my own creations, and it was well taken. Later on different requirements made them even better. This got my start on the variety world at the time. But moving on, coppercoins decided to eliminate the chat portion and I moved onto
Lincoln Cent Resource. That was interesting, but the challenge was not there that I felt on the other site. I tried Coin talk, but they were not in what I like the most. So on to CCF.
I was introduced to this by a friend in Tucson that was here at the time. It was a rocky start for me. He was looking for one of the
State Quarters at the time, and I mention I could help him out with that one. I was still in the trial period and got a warning that I could not hand those things on the forum. But I took my lumps. Moved on and helped as much as possible on the questions asked.
I had always been a big fan of images. Images were everywhere, but when I needed one, where was it? So I started an all out battle to collect and edit images to suit the purposes on the site and others as well. Soon I had hundred-thousands of them I stated with the concept, why give an answer of yes or no, when with just a little more effort I can share
what I see in a posted picture. This has worked out very well. Soon the new ones learning at the time were soon teach with the same concept. I not only used overlays to show a die match for RPMs, but for also doubled dies. Noting the small differences between the two. Soon I was using side by sides that show this even better. Thus I encourage those who can create images, to make a duplicate image of a normal coin. With them side by side or upper and lower, then you can discern the differences between the two images. So Gary W, this is where you come in. You can continue to use the information to pass on to others. That was always my goal. To become a better teacher. Some grow quickly, some go away. But the ones who go away, often come back and bring us something new they found. We are still learning, seeing something things for the first time that were there, or are something new to the forums. It is an addiction to not only learn, but to share to new ones who some along. Glad you are here.
19983
Posted 06/18/2016 1:08 pm
All hail the almighty coop.
But seriously, thanks for sharing all of your knowledge with the members of this forum. Almost at 20k!
