Back in the summer of 1998, we took a family vacation to Branson, MO in my mother-in-law's camper. This was back when the Gallery Mint was still in operation in Eureka Springs, AK. On the way back I was able to get on contact with Ron Landis, who invited us to visit their facility. This place was definitely off the grid, and we almost didn't find it (no GPS back in those days). It was quite the experience, seeing Ron's dies he used to strike coins, and the old screw presses, maintained by Joe Rust. I purchased a few GMM pieces that day, including the 2000 fantasy dollar featuring Miss Liberty (which would have made a spectacular Federal Issue, had this idea come to fruition). However, in the process of leaving, I had asked Ron if I could strike a coin myself. After finding a scrap silver planchet that was about dime-sized, he allowed me to strike this 1796 dime, which is featured here. It has sat in a metal box until this day (I'm writing this in 2022), in which it has developed some rather attractive toning.

A coin designed by Benjamin Franklin! I purchased this from a fellow EACer - just a nice, smooth good, with planchet striations on the obverse, which is typical. Colonials are not my area of expertise, but I had always wanted a Fugio, and this was a nice one I couldn't pass up. Normally I attribute all of my coins, but I needed help with this one.

My second New Jersey copper, and maybe just a TAD nicer than the other one, the 48-G. I purchased this from the man who literally wrote the book on these, Michael Demling, at the FUN show in January 2015. I also bought his book to go along with the coin. There's something charming about the crudeness of these - the horse's ears look like an "M". I'm not currently forming a collection of New Jerseys (I'm writing this as of 4/2016,) but of course that's subject to change. (If you like New Jersey coppers and don't have Mike's book, it's a must-have!)

My first colonial coin! I traded a MS64 Franklin Half Dollar for it in January 1998. Not the prettiest coin around. It has a horse's head and plow on the obverse (and a partial date, if you use your imagination) and a shield on the reverse. The motto NOVA CAESAREA (New Jersey) appears on the obverse and E PLURIBUS UNUM is on the reverse. At least a partial motto appears on both sides of this coin. According to Breen's Encyclopedia, this particular coin was struck by Matthias Ogden in early 1788, but was backdated 1787. It's a common variety.

I received this as part of a large cent purchase I made a long time ago. A local Conder expert was able to attribute it for me as a Norfolk 47a, plain edge variety.

What's this doing here, you might ask? It's basically a large cent sized coin, dated 1815. Since no large cents were dated 1815, this is my "hole filler" for the date. Neat coin, with a large die crack in the upper obverse.

An incredibly rare and historic counterstamp. This counterstamp commemorated and honored Tommy "Crazy Shoes" Deconstanzo, the little-known inventor of softball, probably in the mid-1850's when Tommy invented the game. Tommy is also credited with the invention of the balk, and he was known to be strictly opposed to the DH rule.

Only about half a dozen examples of the counterstamp are known to exist today. All are counterpunched over an 1825 large cent, the year of Tommy's birth. Furthermore, all known examples feature a small hole at K12, as these were purportedly worn around the necks of the players of the fledgling sport as a symbol of good luck.

This particular "Tommy Softball 23" counterstamp is struck over an 1825 N-10, which is an R3+ variety. The coin boldly displays Tommy's uniform number, 23, in the center of the bust, which is a unique placement of the numeral; all other known examples have "23" stamped to the left side. The "B" in "SOFTBALL" is also boldly double-punched, adding to the mystique of this legendary coin.

A neat piece I purchased on eBay. I figure every early copper collector should have at least one hard times token.

An interesting private issue made of german silver, produced and circulated by Lewis Feuchtwanger, a Bavarian, during the late 1830's/early 1840's. A nice uncirculated specimen. Die pairing 6-I, which is common.

A high grade pleasing example.

A nice example of the toughest date in the short Copper Nickel series.

A choice XF+ example. Bought from Rick Snow, the leading expert in Indian cents.

A nice XF+ example. Not easy to find decent 1864 copper nickel cents. Purchased from Rick Snow.

I got this off eBay. Tough to find as a date, and especially in VG for some reason. Housed in an ANACS slab.

A nice, low-grade no problem coin! I got this as part of my commission for selling coins on eBay. Yes, I will work for one cent (if it's the RIGHT cent.)

A nice example of this semi-key date.

A nice example of this semi-key date.

Part of a large type collection that was purchased locally. I don't really collect these, but if I ever do this is a good place to start. TY of LIBERTY are repunched, and there's a die crack below the date and over STAT. Not a rare variety but a neat one.