Field notes from
a working collector.
I am not an expert. Numismatics has thousands of years of accumulated scholarship — Sheldon, Breen, Bowers, Browning, the cataloguers at Heritage and Stack's Bowers, every PCGS variety attribution, every dealer who took the time to teach me something. This journal stands on top of all of that. What's mine here is just my notes from showing up, paying attention, and being lucky enough to handle good coins. I write it down because that's how I learn, and maybe it helps someone else who's also still learning.
Happy 250th, America — Snowpack Numismatics is open
Two hundred fifty years of the republic, told in silver, copper, and nickel. The shop opens today, and the first coin is up for sale.
Back to grading school — two weeks at ANA Summer Seminar
I just got back from two weeks at the ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs — Grading I and Grading II, back to back. Had an absolute blast and learned a ton. Here's how it went.
Everything written here is the work of an enthusiastic amateur trying to do this seriously. I rely on standard references — Breen's Encyclopedia, Bowers' various series guides, Heritage's archives, PCGS CoinFacts, the variety attribution work of dozens of named experts whose names appear in those references — and on generous dealers who've taught me things I had no business knowing yet.
If something I've written is wrong, please tell me. Email mike@snowpackcoins.com — I would much rather know.