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Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Journal Entries posted by Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

  1. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

    Mexico Revolutionary note S1042

    By Iowa Silver Baron Bammer,


    Iowa Silver Baron's New Journals.
    It sure feels good to (Finally) to be back with my currency. But of course, it has to start with a note that needs answers, and a worry it's counterfeit. Since PMG doesn't have any Revolutionary registry sets. I believe I'll make a custom set of those I have.
    OK, to begin I'll include my scans:

    Since I can't find my SCW currency book, I'm using the PMG world paper currency pricing and search for whatever note I'm looking for. The face of the note looks OK, but the borders may be showing a little discoloration. Of course, this note is 108 years old.
    The reverse is where my question(s) are. The orange seems a little filled in, do you think PMG will dock it and the front borders too? The big question is: the book says there should be a hand stamped treasury seal (either black or violet) on the back, and I sure don't see one. I guess somebody who was stamping could have missed this note. I can't believe someone would counterfeit a low value note like this. Of course, 50 centavos back then maybe was enough.
    So I'm hoping a knowledgeable collector would take a look and pass along info on the note.
  2. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    This past week all I've been doing is trying to figure out what to sell. I have some, that I wish I never would have purchased. 1 is a Peru note, it graded nicely but doesn't turn me on anymore. To be honest, it's a nice looking note, but I like nice vignettes showing buildings and historical scenes. Once I get the set started, if anyone is interested in the Peru, Dominican Republic and Czechoslovakia notes, let me know. The Peru isn't a Specimen. I also have a lot of raw notes that aren't worth grading, but I do like them. Especially the Mexican, Argentina etc. and a couple of other South American notes. I have enough to do for the next week or so, and I'll try to keep everyone updated thru my journals.
    One thing I have to do is update my World Catalogs. Hint, Hint: if anyone has maybe a 3 year old set of all 3 catalogs, I'd be interested if the low price is right. Here is why: in one of the lots I bought there was several Mexican notes I didn't have, but there was also some Russian notes included that consisted of 2 different designs; one I believe is an 1898 variety and the other, a bigger vertical note is a 1909 date. One of my problems is my eyes aren't near as good as they once were, so even with a loupe or madnifyer I cannot see any differences in the notes. Some of the differences are different names for the signatures, and I can't tell them apart. I'd sure like to get the CORRECT pick numbers for each
    Ok, here's where I try to put in the scans, would you all keep your fingers crossed!!!
     

    I think I had better stop here, as I know if I try anything else, will really be pushing my luck.
    Thank you all for reading and helping out.
    Brian
  3. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

    A First Baby (Grading) Steps

    By Iowa Silver Baron Bammer,


    Bammer's Mexican Journey
    I have several steps in my journey back. First will be my Mexican notes, I'll only will be able to grade (at most) 5 notes at a time. I know I have one early German note to do, will probably start a Signature Set for what few I'll have. My dad brought back a few from France (this registry set has 26 notes, if I counted correct). I'll probably grade those and then look to buy a bunch. Same way with the German AMC's he brought back also. However, the German  set has about 30 slots, so frankly I don' know what I'll do. I may just get one of each type. Mexico is a big bunch of notes, at least to do some ABNC notes. One set I looked at only has 7 notes, so that may be a good, don't know how expensive they will be.
    Then I have at least 2 Sig Sets I want to do. Then there is a 1953 Silver Certificates to do and possibly a $2 note set. Then at least 2 Canadian sets and a couple of Canadian coin sets and maybe a Sac dollar set I have started. Guess it will depend on how much cash I can raise.
    The big task right task now will be to figure out the new Journal format. Looks to me like PMG changed it enough since April, I'm lost on how to do it. Tonight however I have 2 notes I'd like to attach to show how nice my new scanner is. If I get stuck with this entry, I hope one of you top posters will help me out. I'm kinda/sorta embarrased because in 2006 and 2011 I did get a plaque each year for best journals.
    OK her goes the notes to be attached and then relax and watch some TV.
    Well couldn't bring my notes over, hope someone can give me a hand.
  4. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

    Some Bright Orange, Plus a Darker Shade Mixed In

    By Iowa Silver Baron Bammer,


    Bright Orange, Plus Some Brown Mixed In?
    Since I've been ready to get back in, have been looking through my raw notes, especially Mexican and ABNC notes. I came across this note which is one of my favorites. The obverse looks gorgeous to me, but I'm afraid the reverse may knock the grade down. Having been a pressman, really looks like there is a darker shade mixed in. I can see it especially in the largest 10s in the middle down the sides, plus the upper left 10. Or possibly the press hasn't been cleaned up good enough to get rid of the old ink.
    How much will PMG deduct (if any??) I guess I would knock it down some, as the orange should be nice and bright. I know how hard it is to clean out the old ink. Honestly I've had to clean up again, one time I had to go to a yellow  on a rush job, and it took me three washups. I think I'd be lucky to get a 62 with an EPQ regardless.
     

  5. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    It seems to me before I retired back in 2013 that there were currency sets of both Mexico and Mexico - Revolutionary. I'm curious as why this happened? I have fondness for both and would really like to see the revolutionary sets back. I especially like Chihuahua's "dos caritas" notes. I'm going to try to attach a front and back scans of one of mine. I'd be pleased and excited to hear from any currency sets, especially ones with the control numbers. I see there are some revolutionary sets on the coin side, but none here. Oh, I still think the gentleman on the right looks like Captain Kangaroo. Does anyone else see it?
    Brian
  6. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    I've sold some of my coins to work on currency.
    It's been almost a year (10 months I guess) since I've wrote a journal entry here. In that time, I've come to a big decision for me, I've decided to cut down on my coins so I can afford to purchase more notes and related items.
    This is one of those decisions that can cut both ways. I love coins, have since I was a youngster. But I do appreciate a beautiful, well-printed piece of currency. I also was a small offset pressman for many years, and I think this furthered my love of currency.
    I also like adjunct items (both coins and currency) and last week purchased 4 lots a Stack's auction. 3 of the lots are die proof vignettes used on various currency and financial documents, the other is a (quoting the Stack's description) "Archival Specimen" of a "Teller Order Certificate from The First National Bank of Deadwood". Based on the date, this would be Dakota Territory.
    So, I hope this entry shows how exited I am to be able to afford more currency and related items. Another related item I really love are die plates of vignettes used on various types of financial documents. As an example, I'm attaching a scan of a print of one of my dies, this one is entitled "Lower Falls Of The Yellowstone". Hope you all enjoy it.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    When, When, When?
    I see this is my first journal entry over here in notes for over a year. I haven't intentionally been ignoring the currency, it's just I've been thinking more about coins, and my collecting goals for coins for the last year or so. Since I've caught up on the coins, and also caught up on scanning my currency, I figured it was time to catch up and set some currency goals.
    But first, I'd like to maybe vent a little here. I must first say I feel NGC does a fine job over a range of coins and currency. That's the big reason I stay here, along with the fine people in the Collector's Society.
    But my vent (and question) is: WHEN, WHEN, WHEN is NGC going to start grading stocks for us (by us I mean Collector's Society's members)? I know dealers have had the option for about 3 years now. I have several stocks I would love to put in my Railroad and Wild West currency signature sets, but gee whiz, I can't because I CAN'T get them graded.
    I don't know if anyone else here who collects currency also like stocks and bonds. My personal opionion is they're really close cousins, if not brothers, as the engravings and vignettes on the certificates are just as gorgeous and just as intricate as on currency.
    So please NGC, hear my plea!!! Please tell me you're start doing stocks. Thank you all very much for reading.
    As per my custom I'm attaching a photo, today it's the front of my gorgeous Davenport, Clinton & Eastern Railway stock certificate.

  8. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    steams into my collection.
    Just received my latest acquisition today. It's a beautiful 10 Colones remainder from Costa Rica. There's a gorgeous vignette of a 4-4-0 steam engine with smoke trailing. The note is graded 65EPQ, the only thing keeping this note from a higher grade (possible 67) is the front being off center from left to right.
    According to Krause's Specialized Issues catalog, this note is rare in issued varieties, so I thought I better latch onto this remainder, and I'm sure glad I did.
    I'm attaching a scan of the front to this journal entry, you can see both sides in my Railroad Sig Set.

  9. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Let's hunt buffalo!
    Finally I've found a note so I can start my Wild West Currency Edition Signature set. I've really thought my first additions to my signature set would be a Chief note and/or a Bison note. But I couldn't pass this one up.
    The note is an Obsolete note from the Western Exchange Fire & Marine Insurance Co., from Omaha, Nebraska. It's a $3 note and has a red THREE overprint. The center vignette is a mounted Indian chasing a buffalo, and when I saw it on a Teletrade auction a few days ago, I had to have it. :-) I think I overpaid a little, but that's OK because I sure like it.
    It's an unsigned note (does that make it a remainder)?
    I'm attaching a scan, and you can also see it in my set.

  10. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    ...7 gorgeous Mexican notes.
    Well, I really shot my coin/currency budget on this haul. I couldn't pass these 7 notes up though, as they are so beautiful. And what's worse, I'm looking at another specimen note, and it's going to cost me as much as these 7 did. So now, I'm thinking, do I want to cull through my coins, keep my Wild West and other signature sets, my Franklins and my Morgans, then sell the rest so I can continue my currency habit, or do I collect both???
    I know why I like currency so much, it's my printing and presswork background (might as well say 19 years minus a day's worth). I have (I feel) a basic understanding of what goes (went?) into the making of these notes. The artistry and skill of the engraver's still truly amazes me (you have to remember I sometimes have a tough time drawing a straight line with a T-square and a ruler). I'm attaching an image of one of the notes to this journal article, and what impressed me so much on my first look impression was the engraving of the mounument. The detail and the way it pops out at you is totally fantastic. I've been looking at it with one of my magnifiers, and if I couldn't see the engraving lines, I'd swear it was a picture. WOW!
    Well, I guess that's enough raving for now. Another thought (or wild brain idea I'm having) is to do a lot of research on these notes. The research could include: what these notes are depicting/celebrating; were the engravings stock ABN vignettes; note worth (I use the Krause catalog for reference and on a lot of the specimens, they don't really value them). Also I'm thinking I'd like to learn a ballpark figure on how many specimen notes were usually printed, who got them, just all kinds of info questions are shooting through my head right now.
    So I'm also going to include a plea to any of you knowledgeable currency collectors, can any of you help? Lead me in the right direction as to where to start my research??? Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated, and I will share anything I learn. Thank you all for reading and hopefully helping.

  11. Iowa Silver Baron Bammer
    Am I insane to do both coins & currency?...
    I must admit, I'm glad our Collector's Society fee covers both coins & currency. I've been working on my coins so much lately, that I decided to get my currency caught up, and yes, to buy some more!!!
    I originally started out with just United States currency, specifically Silver Certificates and Legal Tenders, mostly all small size. But I'm starting to like more things now, at the top of the list are the Deuces, and Mexican notes. So of course I have to get the more expensive ones, particularly the Mexican Specimen notes.
    Well, then I found Canadian notes, especially the 1954 issues with the gorgeous scenes on the back.
    For competitive registry sets, I'm planning on sticking with US currency, and make signature sets of the foreign currency. Hopefully the signature sets I make will augment my coin signature sets. But I'm still looking for affordable Chief and Buffalo Notes.
    To close, I'm going to attach an image of my only large size Silver Certificate, and the image is the back of the note. I was amazed to see so many of the threads on a Choice AU58 note.