O/T: Carrying a $1.9 million, 1894 Dime on Airplane

[Archive]

Posted By: Howard W. Rosenberg

Here's an article about a guy who supposedly didn't sleep or eat as a result:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/27/MNG9GR85OG1.DTL

[Archive]

Posted By: Joseph

Delightful piece! And not really off-topic at all. I'm sure a number here can relate.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jim Dale

They've never heard of insured carriers \ couriers of small items? Anyway its one way to move it...I read it because I use to collect B.Dimes and followed that one's trail for some time. $1.9 million is a step up - I remember when it first went for over a $100k and everyone thought it was too much.

[Archive]

Posted By: peter chao

Just curious, are any of the dealers going to transport their cards by plane to the National? I suppose most of you will be simply driving.

Peter C.

[Archive]

Posted By: Wesley

That is a great story. I am sure many people here can relate to transporting small collectibles, albeit at a much smaller scale.

[Archive]

Posted By: Trae R.

""It's the Holy Grail of coins,'' he said. "But Liberty, how can I say it, she's not the prettiest. Actually, it's considered an ugly coin. Sometimes, ugliness can be attractive.''"

The "Holy Grail of Baseball Cards" doesn't have a very pretty person on it either!

[Archive]

Posted By: Alan

Isn't that a very similar situation to how the T206 Wagner was recently bought/sold thru SCP Auctions ?

[Archive]

Posted By: leon

That's a good on topic story relative to how we handle/deliver/transport our cards. A few years ago, before my website, I took many of my nicest cards to the National with me for display. Anywhere I went I would have that bag with me...It was kind of a hassle. I am much happier, at the National, now that I don't do it....That was a neat story though...

[Archive]

Posted By: MVSNYC

interesting story, but sounds like this guy has never transported rare coins before, was too nervous and had it in his pocket for some of the trip?! how about just keeping it in a zero halliburton case for the whole duration?

i also love this:

"That was a worry, because people in flip-flops, T-shirts and grubby jeans do not regularly ride in first class."

obviously that guy does not fly from LA to NYC often...these days, people who fly first class usually look like they are going to the beach.

cool story, but alittle over-hyped by the author, IMO. thanks for sharing, i think most of us can relate to traveling with or transporting very rare & expensive cards...

my personal favorite was hoping in & out of cabs with a T206 PSA 10 a few months back.

[Archive]

Posted By: leon

The couple large (for me) card deals I have done have been hand transported or picked up......Once I flew them to sunny So.Cal, and the other time the gentlemand flew here to Dallas from NY. I would not have sent either of those deals through the mail....However, though, I did do one larger value trade with a board member and we both over nighted our part of the transaction and crossed our fingers. It worked out ok.....

[Archive]

Posted By: Alan

Everyone's definition of "expensive" is different.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

While the 1894-S Barber dime is a legendary rarity, it may not quite be the Holy Grail. The most famous American coin is the 1804 Silver Dollar, and it was the most valuable until a 1933 Double Eagle, which is unique, was auctioned a couple of years ago for about $7 million.

Other great rarities are the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, of which only five are known (and all five were once owned at the same time by famous collector Colonel Green) and the Brasher Dubloon, a gold goin issued in 1787.

[Archive]

Posted By: Geno

So why didn't they just charter a flight through NetJets or something? For that kind of cash, it's in the noise...

Take Care, Geno

[Archive]

Posted By: Jimmy

Next to sports items, coins are one of the best investments and I plan on investing some day. Coin collecting can be very expensive, and want to wait when I can really have some fun and do it right. There are many "S" coins in the market that demand high money, but this is the Wagner of coins. There are a few others that demand a lot of money, but I think it’s similar to the Wagner because only a few are known to exist. My Dad is a coin collector and now that he is retired he has gained some interest in what I do with my sports memorabilia, I think it maybe time for me to learn more about coins from him.

Take care

Jimmy

[Archive]

Posted By: Ed Ivey

How do you spot trimming on dimes?

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank Wakefield

That what cards need, milled edges like many modern coins, to discourage trimming.

I recall about coins being shaken. A bag of gold coins would be shaken for a while, and a residue of gold dust would be left in the bag...

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

The reason early coins had lettering or reeding on the edges is that shaving of the precious metals could be easily detected. Take a small shaving from a hundred different gold coins and you've got yourself a very nice day's pay.