Nice......very nice

See?  Told ya they weren't much to get excited about!

The cool thing is that not one of them cost me more than $10, most closer to two or three bucks apiece.  I think the most expensive coins in the set (besides the u.s. coins I already had) are probably the German pieces (not photographed yet), but that's because they're big hunks of silver. I bought these before the big silver jump, so I'm pretty pleased with that.

It's strange, but looking through a dealers junk album for the best coin I can find for $3 is kind fun. 

I do like the ship on that escudo though.

Great concept, William! I hope you see it through, I think something like this is actually better in circulated coinage- it makes it seem more "real", if that makes any sence.

Some of the zinc issues from the German occupied countries will be tough. Not in the actual finding most likely, but in finding them that have not oxidized badly. One of my family members who served in WWII brought home a handfull of coins, and quite a few of them are zinc. Some from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. All of them have got white spots on them, but this one from the Netherlands is probably the best.


Of your examples, the Portugese coin is my favorite, followed by the Swiss.

I love hunting the bargain bins, myself!

Billy, you've got the idea behind my concept.  I think you have some very special coins, since they were given to you directly by someone in the war. 

I've got a show coming up next weekend in Charlotte, and hope to find some more cool stuff to add at melt value (even though it's doubled since my last show) or in the bargain bins. 

I'm liking that 25 cent coin with the viking ship, Billy.  Anything with a ship on it is cool to me!

Indeed, they are some of my favorites! Unfortuntly, I don't know exactly which family member it was. I had at least 4 who served, and at least three of them were on the ground in Europe. By time I got them they were in a ziplock with my dad's things, and he was born after the war. (His father is the most likely to be the one to have brought these back)

It's coins like these that I feel are most at risk of the high silver prices, so I'm glad you plan to give them a good home!