RCC/Why I Like Baltimore

Why I Like Baltimore

I'm a fan of the City of Baltimore for a number of reasons. One is tat I called it home for more than four years while I attended The Johns Hopkins University. During my time in "Bawlmer" (the way the natives say it!) I came to be an Orioles fan (without abandoning my lifelong ties to the NY Mets, of course!) and I developed a true appreciation for the wonderful row houses that are the predominant housing style through much of the city. I also "discovered" such pleasures as French impressionism (courtesy of the Baltimore Museum of Art), cabernet sauvignon (courtesy of a young lady that will remain anonymous), and both Chinese and Mexican cuisine (see reference to anonymous young lady above).

Another reason I like Baltimore is the twice annual Suburban Washington-Baltimore Coin and Currency Show. I was one of a merry band of four that traveled to Baltimore last weekend for the Fall show and though I came home with nothing that I went looking for, I still "managed" to find a few nice items to bring back with me. And that's the great thing about shows like the Baltimore event, there are so many different dealers with stock that I haven't perused before that it's hard (impossible?) to leave the show without finding a piece or two that is just perfect for my collection.

This time out it was a pair of Norse-American Centennial medals. These medals were authorized by Congress and produced by the U.S. Mint in lieu of a commemorative half dollar back in 1925. Four different octagonal-shaped medals were produced by the Mint: small silver medals with either a thick or thin planchet (combined net mintage: 10,000), a small gold medal in proof (net mintage: 47), and a large bronze medal that was silver-plated outside of the Mint (net mintage: 75).

While I already owned the two small silver varieties, I came upon a nicer example of each and promptly added them to my commemorative medal collection. The purchases led me to a conversation with another dealer who handles Norse medals on a regular basis. I explored prices and availability of the gold medals with him while sitting at his table and looking through his stock of silver Norse medals (be liked my new purchases better!).

He said he handles one or two gold pieces a year and gave me a good sense of what I should expect to pay for various grades in today's market. I remain hopeful that I'll add one of these pieces to my collection some day, though I'm realistic enough to know it will likely be later rather than sooner! I left the dealer's table with a sense that he and I would meet again and that a check with a comma in the amount would likely he involved. (I could have bought one graded Proof 66 from a different dealer at the show for a mere, $16,000! A1as, somehow I was able to resist the, temptation.)

So, while I went looking for four specific commemorative half dollars to complete my type set I came home instead with two medals that I already owned. Some may say it was an unsuccessful trip, but I think it just might lead to a bit of Norse gold in the fixture. To me, that makes the trip an unqualified success!

Until next month, Happy Collecting!

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