Potpourri

(The following originally appeared in "The Encasement", the quarterly newsletter of the  Associated Collectors of Encased Aug. 1995 - Oct. 2002)

-The only known "oval" encasement is from Wisconsin. Jack Zauft's/Sinclair/Service Station/405 W. Wisconsin St./Phone 265 R/Portage, Wis.//Good Luck on large horseshoe within (top) 4 leaf clover (bottom) wishbone - 1948S Lincoln cent - Hole for chain.

- Bob Mitchell has listed 6 varieties of the "Teddy Bear" encasements:

• 1908 Kolb Bakeries - Philadelphia, Pa.

• 1908 White's Modern Bakery

• Collin's Baking Co. - Buffalo, N.Y.

• High Grade Bicycles - Toledo Sporting Goods, Ohio

• 1907 Souvenir of Niagara Falls

• 1910 Teddy Bear Bread/ Taste Tells The Tale

- Jim Lawniczak and Jerry Binsfeld offers some hints on how to  detect replaced coins in encasements:

• There sometimes is a space between the coin and the encasement in one or more spots. Hold the questionable encasement up to the light and examine closely.

• There may be marks on the encasement where the coin was removed. Examine with a glass much like when you grade a coin.

• The coin may be loose.

• There may be unequal wear between the coin and the collar. The coin may be a lower or a higher grade than the encasement. The later is a definite indication that the coin is not the original. Generally you will see a junky coin rather than a higher grade one unless the higher grade piece has a glaring flaw.  However, don't conclude that any lower grade coin is a replacement because sometimes lower grade coins are used in the initial production. This was the case when the Racine Numismatic Society had 1000 encased made. The club supplied the coins and 900 wheat cents were used that graded VF-AU and 100 Indian cents were used that graded filler to good.

• Glue or solder residue is evident on the coin or the center edges of the encasement.

• Encasements may be bent, sometimes the collar is concave but here again sometimes the manufacturer did this at the time of production.

• Metal flow is into and over the coin, also can occur at production time. This was the case with some RNS encasements. So, if this is the only flaw it mat not be a replacement, always look for one or more of the above.

Prices for encased coins are going up especially on the scarcer ones so now the deception aspect is creeping into out hobby. Be careful, especially when paying big bucks.

- Joel Reznick say. "I find that naval jelly works well in cleaning corrosion off of aluminum encasements. However, keep the navel jelly off of the coin. Lighter fluid also works well for both the coin and the aluminum encasement. When using the later use a terry cloth. Sometimes just soap and water works if the piece just has residue. Avoid cleaning if the piece looks decent as is but cleaning of some pieces enhances the the appearance." Joel failed to mention whose navel the 'jelly' came from!