Jim Urbaniak

My family originated on the Isle of Skye.

I'm a writer too. :-) My favorite dessert is anything pie related, unless it's mince meat. Bleh!

You had me at dessert.

Congratulations, Ashley! That is so awesome. It is so nice to hear about some 'wins' right now and see people who are actually contributing towards public education and making the world a better place.

Flavius was son of Emperor Magnus Maximus, usurper of the Western Roman Empire. His father elevated Flavius to co-regent. Magnus was captured in battle at Aquilia by the legitimate emperor of the West, Theodosius I and executed. Flavius was strangled to death. A brutal end during brutal times.

Bronze 1/2 centenionalis of Emperor Flavius Victor, Circa 387- Aug. 28, 388.

As a side note, Cleopatra I Ptolemy was not the first Cleopatra. She is named after Alexander III's (The Great) sister, Cleopatra.

A heavy bronze coin issued by Cleopatra I Thea ("Cleopatra the Goddess") for the reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor. The obverse portrait is the Egyptian goddess Isis. The reverse is the Ptolemaic eagle standard. The Cleopatra we are familiar with is a descendant of this Cleopatra. Circa 180-176 BC.

Silver penny of King Cnut, 1016-1035AD. Cnut collectively ruled what is referred to as the North Sea Empire. He became King of England in 1016; King of Denmark in 1018; and King of Norway in 1028, ruling all kingdoms until his death in 1035. He was grandson of King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark.

I read this and still can't figure out how to write the Cliff Notes version. LOL.

Love the entire ensemble!

This is a voided long-cross silver penny of Aethelered II 'The Unready'. As a play on his name, which means 'the well-advised' in Old English, 'unready' actually translates to 'poorly advised' or 'unraed'. He was the longest reigning Anglo-Saxon king of England (978-1013 and 1014-1016 AD).

'Bad King' John I short-cross silver penny, Circa 1205-1207 AD. This was found by a metal detectorist in a farmer's potato field in Lincolnshire, England. Obv. reads (star) ҺЄHRICVS RЄX. Rev. reads + RAVF • ON • LVNDЄ.

Short-cross silver penny of 'Good King' Richard I, 'the Lionheart'. Circa 1189-1199 AD. Of course everyone very loosely knows the story. Richard left England to fight in the Crusades. His cousin, John, took Richard's crown and became 'Bad King' John I, spawning the legend of Robin Hood.

I love chess! Now I just need to find a new chess partner.

I might also add that ALL OF THE MEASELS CASES IN TX ARE IN ANTI-VAX FAMILIES!

I remember growing up my grandma would make Polish potato doughnuts. They are the benchmark for what I enjoy when seeking out doughnuts. <3

In my quest to acquire every (non-gold) coin of every ruler of England, I've ventured into Norman & Anglo-Saxon coins.
This tiny, crummy silver coin, called a sceatta, is actually a very important coin and a super rare example of coinage by the Kings of Northumbria under King Eardwuld, 796-806 AD.

SMH. This fascist regime is just so surreal. Do you think when Germany was being taken over by Hitler and the Nazis that the people who understood that was all bad felt like they were on a bad drug trip???

I love detailed holders almost as much as I love the coins.

Welcome aboard! I swear to you, I have felt my IQ increase significantly since migrating over here.

UK minerals: Calcite [CaCO3]; fluorite [CaF2]; copper [Cu]; and agate [SiO2].

I'm kind of feeling like at least the next 4 years might be a bad time to get on an airplane in the United States.

Dipshit will get approved because the GOP has the votes in the Senate and will approve anyone trump serves up, just to remain in his good graces. We are just starting our next 4+ years of ugliness. Maybe a good catch phrase for the next Democrat Presidential Candidate would be God Help America.

Tanzanian minerals: Tremolite [◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2]; tanzanite variety zoisite [(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)]; and tourmaline variety chromium dravite [NaMg3Cr3+6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)].

I had a LOT of fun tramping around SD hunting for gem stones. I even successfully panned for gold and garnets! I found a complete bi-valve fossil stepping out of the car in a gravel parking lot at a road side diner. Collecting the amazing salmon pink quartzite at Sioux Falls was cool too.

Minerals of South Dakota: Feldspar variety Anorthite [Ca(Al2Si2O8)]; and Calcite [CaCO3].

South Africa minerals: Calcite and Bultfonteinite on matrix [CaCO3; Ca2(HSiO4)F·H2O]; and inesite [Ca2(Mn,Fe)7Si10O28(OH)2·5H2O].

Russian minerals: Ferroplatinum [(Pt,Fe)]; murmanite [Na2Ti2(Si2O7)O2 · 2H2O]; and pyrrhotite [Fe1-xS].

God, I remember stepping on a manhole cover right up by that vista point and the frame was so rusted out, the manhole cover collapsed under my feet. Fortunately I have fast reflexes and was able to get onto solid concrete before falling down the hole myself.