A 1943 zinc coated steel penny sold recently for a record $1.7 million, owned by a New Jersey coin dealer. It is thought that fewer than 20 of the bronze error pennies were made, and the coin that just sold is believed to be the only one minted in Denver. A few fakes have been discovered. Check out those old coins readers others may be out there.
Question: While visiting Marietta, we read your interesting newspaper column. We are hopeful you can give us some insight about our find, while going through my husband's deceased mother's belongings, a military dog tag was found with the name Jessie James. This coin is brass about the size of a quarter. One side has HQ CO 5 inf printed on it and the name Jessie James on the opposite side. I have searched the Internet in an attempt to find out something about the coin. Also called a museum in Kansas, only to be told it could not belong to the outlaw Jessie James as he was never in the military. We have a vacation home in Marietta and plan to be back there in October. Can you help us? - J.D., Columbia Station, Ohio.
Answer: ( HQ CO 5 inf ) means that Jessie James was headquartered in company 5th infantry. The 5th infantry regiment spans over 190 years of American fighting. The 5th infantry regiment (nicknamed The Bobcats) is the third oldest infantry regiment of the United States Army, tracing its orgins to 1808. It is participated in some way in most of the wars the U.S. has fought during its heyday, including the Vietnam War. To find out any information on the dog tag you found on Jessie James you would need to contact the Department of the Army locator service, but due to security reasons the Army has closed their world wide locator services to the general public. In researching I found there are several websites you can go to that charge a fee for finding information on veterans of world wars. One is called vetfriends.com. You also might want to log on to military.com. They have a database of over 10 million records of servicemen. Your coin is worth $20 to $30 to a collector .
Q.: I have a vase marked with the initials U.G.P. Can you tell me who made it? - S.R., Vincent.
A.: Your vase was produced in Parkersburg by a glass company called Universal Glass Products.
Q.: I was yard sale shopping in Devola and I came across a Roseville jardinere. It's yellow with apple blossoms, approximately 2 feet tall. Can you give me any information about it from the photos I'm sending? - S.C., Marietta.
A.: Roseville Pottery has been reproduced in China and other countries. It's hard sometimes identifying old from new, especially from photos. Going by the photos you sent, if it's an orginal piece it would sell for $250 to $300 or more at auction. To sell Roseville pottery to the highest bidder contact Randy Sandler at Cincinnati Art Galleries by e-mail at sandlers@cincinnatiartgalleries.com or give Sandler a call at (513) 381-2128.
Larry Koon is the author of several price guide books on antiques and collectibles.
