WAYNE'S NUMISMATIC DIARY: JANUARY 22, 2023

Tuesday, January 17 brought the first meeting of 2023 of my Northern Virginia Numismatic Social group Nummis Nova. I was the host and picked Ristorante Bonaroti in Vienna. I was assisted by Jon Radel who kindly offered to handle the restaurant reservation and announcements.

I arrived around 6pm and found Julian Leidman waiting in the parking spot next to mine. We were seated at a table a little small for our expected number and before ordering they thankfully relocated us. A recession may or may not be on the horizon, but business was booming at this classic Italian restaurant, with nearly every seat filled by the end of the evening and more people at the bar and outside on the porch.

Jonas Denenberg was the next to arrive, quickly followed by Tom Kays, Robert Hoppensteadt, Mike Packard, Jon, Steve Bishop and Wayne Herndon.

New Books
As usual I brought along some numismatic literature, this time two books recently announced in The E-Sylum. I didn't photograph them at the meeting, but here are cover images from the earlier articles.

Conversation within my declining earshot included upcoming coin shows, Jonas' recent purchases and eBay sales, and Wayne Herndon's post- FUN purchase of two and a half tons of U.S. Proof sets for stock.

"I brought a small display case of modern coins that garnered little interest in the low light of a fine Italian restaurant, especially to the older eyes of most of the Nummis Nova diners. The case held modern cents, nickels, and dimes having sundry mint errors. Now to tell the truth, I gave up collecting Lincoln Cents and common twentieth century US coins nearly fifty years ago. I parked rolls of Wheaties pulled from change into jars for future perusal by youngsters with clear, sharp eyesight, who care about holes in their blue cent folders and know the breadth and depth of low mintage key dates, mint errors, and the difference between savers and spenders.

"As luck would have it I sat next to Jonas who can still see these coins and discern minute differences, and who knows how to move inventory via social media to the newest generation of coin collectors, who think sixty-five year old wheat cents are practically ancient, and well worthy of acquisition. Highlights of these lowlights included a 1964 Class I, double-struck/rotated obverse die cent, a pair of Class II (Poor Man's) 1955 double-die obverse cents, and more modest accidents involving grease-filled dies, lamination errors, and die cracks as culled from circulation for face value fifty years ago."

Modern Errors included a 1964 double struck, rotated obverse cent and Poor Man's 1955 Double-Die Obverse Cents

"I also brought The Cherry Picker's Guide to Rare Die Varieties (4th Edition, Volume 1) by Bill Fivaz et. al., published in 2001, hoping to identify some plums among the pits. When all Lincoln cents have fuzzy looking dates, it is time to pass the torch.

"The highlight of the evening came from Steve Bishop who enticed us to play guess the grade on a stack of raw, Mint State Morgan Dollars. "

Steve's Beauties
Steve Bishop likes toned coins, and he shared these recent online purchases of unslabbed coins. The seller photos aren't great - the coins looked nice in person and generated good discussion on grading, pricing, and striking characteristics. Thanks.

Yet another great night of numismatic fellowship, despite the lower-than-usual turnout. I'm looking forward to next month.