Painted Lady
Coin Saver
Externalized application of color to currency is not new. I saw colorized
Dollar coins in the 1980's and reverses of $2 Bills as early as 1976.
The most interesting I ever saw was in 1989, in Ohio, a Peace Dollar,
'colorized' on both sides. Painted in enamel, the "artist" called each one a
"Painted Lady". She had Morgans, too, but the Peace were far more attractive.
What was truly interesting to me was not just the product, the intricate work
in enamel paints, but rather the artist's motivation.
She was a woman, 6 months pregnant, and had a 2 year old son. She had recently
lost her husband, and was producing a variety of hand-crafted goods to try and
earn a supplimentary income (she also had a job at a fast food place).
She would go to a local coin shop and buy worn down (VG) Dollar coins for about
$7 each, and sell the Painted Ladies for about $25 each. Since the coins worth
were (at that time) close to melt value, I personally saw nothing wrong in what
she was doing (she was actually overpaying for the coins, but also getting far
more than what her costs were).
What she was doing was, in fact, transposing a numismatic item into an artistic
one. It is the same as when a jeweler makes a silver pendant by cutting out
the outline of the Liberty Head of a common date / grade Mercury dime and
selling them for $12 or so.
I knew of one jeweler once who would take dateless Indian Head Buffalo nickels,
slice them in half (rim-wise), and make a pair of earrings out of them (one
side was the Indian Head, the other the Buffalo image. Since these coins had
lost most of their "collectibility" value, there seemed to be no "numismatic
crime".
Now, I'm asked about the Painted Silver American Eagles. This is my problem.
Their value, as a coin, is about $9; as a painted coin, $40 retail. These are
not worn coins, but in Mint State, and are mass-produced with 'paint decals'.
I tell people to not buy them for any sense of 'rarity', because even if the
producing company states that they're going to produce a limited number,
there's always the chance that more can be painted in the future by someone
else. Too, the difference between a decal-painting and a hand-painting can be
obvious, and in my opinion, the hand-painted ones are far more desirable, as
far as eye-appeal.
But that's critiquing art, not rendering a level of dissapproval for the action
of painting coins. Once I approve of one method, one design, one style of
producing these, I can only critique others, but cannot condemn the producers
for making them.
I can say: "If it looks like something artistic that you'd like to own, then
get one;" but I can also say: "If you're trying to buy one as an investment,
then you're making a mistake." What I cannot say is: "The Silver American
Eagles should not be painted", because that would be judgemental of the art. I
can say I don't like it, I can say it looks cheap and goudy, I can say I'll
never buy one, but I cannot say that it isn't art.
I know a man who has oil & acryllic paintings in his home, along most of the
walls, on display. Another man, a friend, has his home decorated with framed
pictures his kids had drawn, at different stages of their rearing. The first
man would have, in his displays, not one stickman; the other, nary a realistic
landscape. Art is art. The accepted style, and the medium used, is a matter
of taste - whether that medium is a canvas, a sheet of school drawing paper, or
the silver surface of a coin.
Once the coin has been transposed into a Painted Lady, it becomes art. For
good or for bad.
8-|
- Coin Saver
Bill Krummel
"Coin Saver" <coin...@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20040810141049...@mb-m12.aol.com...
I enjoyed the post, Tim.
Bill
>
Michael R
For
> good or for bad.
> 8-|
> - Coin Saver
These are a little better, engraved, filled and baked. Imagine the labor
costs to make one today. Although eBay is short of quality enamelleds at the
moment:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=786&item=4917718911&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3402&item=3924139499&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3404&item=3924582710&rd=1
--
Michael R
ANA #173222
Ebay and Yahoo ID ~ mrae7
note.boy
art and the better ones fetch high prices, some of the crowns are
amazing.
Coins coloured with acrylic paint last week are not works of art and are
usually hideous due to the very bright colours and the crudeness of the
work. Some may like them but not me, yuk! Billy
note.boy
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3404&item=3922363488&rd=1
Painted last week, yuk! And this is one of the better ones.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3401&item=3922415442&rd=1
£89.08 for the first and £10.51 for the latter.
As posted before this one is particularly bad.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3404&item=3924022057&rd=1
Billy
Ian
highlight is worth a mention from an aesthetic perpective, but it
wouldn't do if we all had the same taste.
Here's one I have. Its a George III crown obverse. Although some of the
enamelling is beginning to show its age, it is (IMO) a nice piece of
art. Judging by the obverse, the coin was `dead' before it was
`doctored', so i don't think there was any particular coin sacrifice
being made in its making. The enamelling was as far as i can see an
enhancement. :-)
http://www.imb4u2.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stuff/EnamelledCrown.jpg
Ian
Michael R
"Ian" <I...@somewhereovertherainbow.com> wrote in message
news:%CbSc.3034$hd5.32...@news-text.cableinet.net...
> To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't say that either of these you
> highlight is worth a mention from an aesthetic perpective, but it
> wouldn't do if we all had the same taste.
>
> Here's one I have. Its a George III crown obverse. Although some of the
> enamelling is beginning to show its age, it is (IMO) a nice piece of
> art. Judging by the obverse, the coin was `dead' before it was
> `doctored', so i don't think there was any particular coin sacrifice
> being made in its making. The enamelling was as far as i can see an
> enhancement. :-)
>
> http://www.imb4u2.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stuff/EnamelledCrown.jpg
>
> Ian
Ian
Probably the same way they are today. Take two coins. Hollow out one
using a lathe. Mill down the second till it fits snuggly into the cavity
of the other. Of course theres some considerable machining skills involved.
Ian
Michael R
I guess that would be the only way. Those are rare and have really risen is
price the last few years.
Ian
I'd post the example I have, but you wouldn't be able to tell if I was
showing you two different coins or not :-)
Seriously, i'm surprised to learn that they actually have a value, let
alone that it has increased. Is there any reason why these are
particularly sought after?
Ian
Dale Hallmark
Are y'all talking about "box" dollars?
I get lost easily ;-)
Dale
Michael R
"Dale Hallmark" <dalehall.no...@xit.net> wrote in message
news:uMydnT4P546...@amaonline.com...
> Are y'all talking about "box" dollars?
> I get lost easily ;-)
>
Dale
I've posted a doublesided enameled coin from Peru 1890 to ABPN to show you.
Michael R
My guess is:
1. There was a writeup in the Numismattist in 1997 about the Peterson
collection of enameleds, first time I had ever heard of these.
B. Bonhams's had an auction around the same time of this collection.
Stack's also had one.
3. Also, a numismatic friend of mine in the UK, Ivan Chick, wrote a book
which appears on Ebay from time to time titled "Little Gems A collection
and history of Enamelled Coins and Tokens from 1800's - 1920's". The heyday
for this type coin.
D. The beauty and history of them coupled with the cost it would take to
reproduce them today, have drawn collectors and increased demand.
5. Rarity (in the US anyway) In the decades of coin shows and shops I have
never seen one of these coins in the US. Of course, I wasn't looking for
them until 1997.
See my 1890 double-sided peru on ABPN
Michael R
I just posted the Bonham's catalog and Ivan Chick's enameled coin book to
ABPN. If anyone is interested in the book, Ivan sells them direct or on
ebay from time to time.
Ian
Saw your posts to apbn. That's a neat piece of work.
I misunderstood your earlier query and hadn't appreciated that you were
talking about double sided enamelled pieces. As such I suspect my
earlier response would have had you scratching your head a bit wondering
what Ii was talking about. :-)
I've seen that book you mention being advertised on ebay (on occasion).
About this time last year someone mentioned it on the NG. It might even
have been you, but I think I first saw it mentioned on UKrcc :-). It
looks interesting, but for me, i've just got too much reading material
at present and too little time to read. :-(
Ian
Coin Saver
collectible would also condemn the enamel painting of a coin as a "numismatic
crime".
The enamel done to painted coins can be removed. The alterations done to love
tokens cannot.
8-|
- Coin Saver
Ian
That might be true of some enamelled coins Tim, but the older ones had
the surfaces machined first in order to give a depth to hold the
enamelling. if you take the enamelling off these, then you have a bit of
an ugly duckling to contend with. Mind you most of the older coins which
have been enamelled were `saved' from being naturally ugly ducklings. ;-)
Ian
note.boy
a UK coin, that one is very nice. Billy
note.boy
Acrylic paint on a coin could be removed I suppose but the coin would be
a bit messy afterwards.
An enamelled coin (usually nice) and a painted coin (usually not nice)
are two very different things. Billy
Michael R
Well, I wasn't really scracthing my head. I was thinking, how else could
they do it?
We're in the same boat. I bet I have read 10% of my stuff. I do good to
read the CW and the Numismatist. I'm looking at 6 bookcases to go through.
:>O
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