ED-O update

I’ll use previous information for ED-O updates.

What is an “ED-O” (Ed Oh). “ED-O’s” are coins or ephemera with ED’s name carved into it by ED. It has no added intrinsic value over the value declared by the minting entity or the price of the metal content. The first one’s went out today to Ron Howard’s office. The name “ED-O” is the unofficial term for the piece..

This is in the order the coins were produced and distributed.

1. 1. Several (10) test pieces were used to practice engraving, made of clad metal, counterfeit pieces (not coins because they are counterfeit) purchased at a flea market, representing other countries on the reverse and Disney images or Superheroes on the obverse. Produced the week of January 12-18, 2018.  Ron asked Ed to hold on to these.
   2. Two AP coins, Artist’s Proof coins/ED-O’s, labeled “AP 1” and “AP 2”.  January 17, 2018. These are actually the first “ED-O’s” produced. Both were made on 1964 90% silver. I believe one is a P mint mark and one is a D mintmark. Currently held by Ron and Cheryl.
   3. The first 43 coins of Kennedy half-dollar series consecutively number from 01 through 43. Engraved on January 17-18, 2018. Coins were disseminated to friends, and family of the Howard’s
   4. One 1964 Kennedy half dollar 90% silver with two names on it. On the left side of the obverse the actual first name of “The BB Queen” and on the right side, the name “EDDIE”. All in caps. Not numbered. Produced on January 18, 2018. This is the only “ED-0” to date to use “Ed’s” childhood nickname of “EDDIE”.  A second 1964 Kennedy half dollar 90% silver also with two names on it. On the left side of the obverse is the name “KIKI” and on the right side, the name “ED”. All in caps. Not numbered. These are the first two “ED-O’s” produced without an identifying number. Produced on January 18, 2018. The coins belong to the daughter and granddaughter of Cheryl and Ron Howard. The ladies have taken possession of the ED-O’s, I think…oh oh…”ED…Dad really want’s these!!!” They were opting to wear them as jewelry and have agreed to periodically loan the coins to Ron’s museum, at their discretion. It appears they are doing their best to hold onto the “ED-O’s”. Someone just screamed, Ok everyone all at once…”LET GO OFF MY ED-O!!”
   5. Two 1971 S, 90% silver Eisenhower dollars, one proof and one uncirculated with ED on both. The coins were given to Ed by his grandfather as part of a larger Eisenhower collection. The proof coin labeled “01” and the Unc labeled “02”. The coins have a US declared value of $1 each or $2 total. These two coins produced on January 18, 2018 were designated by Ed to go to Arnold Schwartzenegger. The back story on this is a new charitable enterprise was being set up in CA. Everyone involved agreed to donate $2 to get the charity going (more of a symbolic nominal fee). Ed being on the east coast could not easily donate and asked “The BB Queen” to borrow $2 but felt embarrassed afterwards and requested the money be returned to her (suspicions are high that it wasn’t actually her but a body double!). Ed then asked Arnold if he could borrow $2 from him, which he was more than happy to do. Ed, personally disliking owing money, no matter how small, machinated over this for a year or two and embraced the opportunity to return the borrowed funds. There were 4  Eisenhower Dollars produced in 1971. Honoring Arnold as a good and close personal friend Ed selected the Proof and the Uncirculated 1971 90% Silver S Mintmark Eisenhower Dollars to repay the debt for which Ed is still grateful.  This represents the first use of an “Ed-O” to pay a debt (Jan 19, 2018
   6. 32 ED-O’s sent to Ron on .January 20th 2018. All Kennedy’s. Two were personalized. Once the coins are sent to Ron they are his to do with as he chooses. If I have specific instructions he will generally accommodate.
   7. Five “Ed-O’s” were released into circulation today, all Kennedy’s, January 21,2018: 1) Buying movie tickets in Voorhees at the old Ritz 2) Buying water at the counter 3) Buying girl scout cookies in the lobby, given as a donation 4) Given to the wait staff at the Indian restaurant in Haddonfield (See Story of the Day, below 5)  Given to my friends at the end of dinner, I wish I’d given them 2, these are good friends. (I told them to put it away safely and not lose it.
   8. All ED-O’s are Kennedy halves except for the 2 Ike’s that went to Arnold. Total approximately 75 Kennedy ED-O’s have gone out 4-6 not numbered. I partially lost track of numbering. I’ll pick up at #80. There may be a few numbers missing and possibly a duplicate number or two but hey!…that’s coin collecting!!!

      Story of the Day: So we finished our Indian meal which FYI was delicious so I’ll give them a plug,

      Cross Culture

      4.0  (81) · $$ · Indian

      Fine Indian fare in quiet quarters

      208 Kings Highway East Kings Highway East

      I went out with my buddy Steve to get the car while the ladies paid but we hurried back largely because I wanted to leave an ED-O for the wait staff. The place had a reasonably good number of tables (3-4) filled with several people, one had over 10. I assumed correctly that at least a couple of them came in to see me and the Mrs. Nice people, nice families. So, I ran in with and found the table cleaned up but the paid bill was still there in one of those plastic book type bill holders. I slipped an ED-O in there and left. (FYI, current count is 21, the last one being The Mrs. clone who I saw in I Tonya.) On the way home I heard people in the restaurant laughing. The waiter opening up the bill-fold and saw it was all paid up but must have been befuddled about the half dollar that was in there and picked it up and examined it. The large table of nearby people must have seen him do this and realized I had slipped an ED-O in there when came back in (They didn’t know I had done it,) So they were laughing and one of the guys said something to effect of, “That’s unbelievable!! Those sold for 40 thousand last night!” Everyone laughed and was stunned. I was instructed to get 8 of these out last night. I fell short. I wanted to spend or donate them and not just leave them lying around. I may change up my policy on that, we’ll see. Not so easy to spend Kennedy halves. What’s great when you’re getting information like that when your miles away is when it contains language, images or numbers you wouldn’t make up in your head, like $40,000. I approximated the value of an ED-O based on one hundred produced at $10,000 each, which I thought was conservative. I loosely based it on if I had a sheet of 100 invert stamps each might be worth about that. The night the ED-O’s were distributed some “horse trading” went on which was nice actually because it meant people saw the value in the coins, took ownership and did as those chose with them. Some were given away, mostly following their hearts. Some were used to gain favor because they are rare. I’m attempting to be realistic about my position in the world. It’s not about narcissism or grandiosity. People have been collecting old stuff of mine for years, I mentioned this earlier. If I can show provenance of an ordinary item of a well regarded person, the item is worth more. Someone was selling a fishing rod that supposedly belonged to Babe Ruth, the story was compelling but there was no proof it was his. It went for $800. If it could be proven the fishing rod could have gone for 100 times that.
      I’m going to continue to produce these sensibly and improve the quality as I can and actually put in a anti-counterfeiting feature which I won’t describe. I won’t sell any of them unless I go homeless which would not be my intent. I’ll stick with the Kennedy’s, and Ikes for a while. They are reasonable priced in clad, face value in the bank. At some point I will do some Morgan and Peace Dollars. These can be very expensive and I have to use some nice ones. I will be torn as to who to give the earlier pieces to.

      A bit non-sequitor but in the batch of ED-O’s I sent to Ron yesterday four of them made their way to South America, which I was glad! I like that I am deeply connecting to other people from around the world, which I’ve always done, but this is happening more rapidly as we weave the world together… together.

      I leave you now with this quote, taken from above…

      “…as we weave this world together…together.”   ~Ed

      (Boy, that’s really good!!!! I hope no one else has said that before! I’m liken’ it!!!)