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|67 posts found
Novice Member
Joined: 7/21/13
I don't have a lot of money, and Lord of the Rings is one of my favourites. How is this game on the F2P part? I've heard a lot about it, good and bad.
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Elite Member
Joined: 5/12/10
Depends. If you're a new player in LotRO, then it can be pretty restrictive, but since you can earn TP in game, you can buy / unlock everything without spending a dime - with a massive amount of time invested in grinding.
If you're a former player, it's much better and easier. That way you only need to buy the quest packs between lvl30-50, you can finish it with buying only two packs (like Evendim and Angmar). That's why it's a standard advice to newcomers to buy a 1month subscription, after that you'll become a former player with its every advantage :)
Above 50 you need to buy the expansion packs, regardless of free player or subscriber, so the difference is mostly in the level30-50 region. (Until 30 you can roam around for free)
Spotlight Poster
Joined: 5/26/08
"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."- Henry Ford
I played LotRO up to about lvl 26 for a while as a free player (I did actually spend around a hundred dollars on their cash shop for cosmetic reasons, but I am sucker for that). Unless they have changed things since then. I can say that playing it from the start for free is not really practical. At the very least you need to buy the lowest denomination available of cash shop money to unlock full trade and wallet ability. The game is really hard to get by in with a limited wallet and trade ability. I was able to earn some cash shop money with in-game accomplishments. But, apparently that does not unlock the wallet and trade. You have to make an actual purchase at least once to do that.
I actually recently asked them (nicely, and they complied) to delete my account, remove me from any subscriptions, and delete any of my information that they may have on record. With the issues they have had in the last year and a half - while I would normally leave an MMORPG I no longer play out of disinterest simply inactive - I do not trust them with any of my information.
The game was fun for me, for a little while. But, I was playing it for the middle earth novelty of it, and that wore off pretty quick. Under which lies a pretty generic game with only a few interesting departures that really didn't give me enough reason to stay.
Novice Member
Joined: 5/10/13
If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
I would NOT recommend investing even just one cent into that game, but that's just me.
My computer is better than yours.
Novice Member
Joined: 1/07/06
Originally posted by Neo_Viper
Hope you are not saying the game is bad, because that's simply not true. If wasn't to your liking, that's fine. This is one of more decent MMOs still left in a bland market of many games. There is so much fun stuff to do in game that a lot of people don't know about until they go and give it some time and effort.
Yes, I suggest you buy some stuff to make the game less restrictive. If you are looking to play a game completely free..well that doesn't really exist. Just buy the necessary expansions once you get to that point in the game. Once you get the game started up, choose a class/race combo you like(do some prior research). Also, join a clan of helpful people. Playing with other makes learning a new MMO fun, no matter which game it is.
note: try to find the more populated servers prior to making a character. I'd tell you, but I haven't been online in a while.
Hard Core Member
Joined: 9/05/08
Its better to be quiet and perceived as stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Problem with LotRO as a F2P MMO is that you'll essentially run into a brick wall at around level 35 or so when you run out of content and have to unlock it, either by paying or grinding the living hell out of multiple characters to get enough TPs to unlock it. Latter gets ridiculous as cost ramps up.
Nature without Technology is little more than animals running about.
Advanced Member
Joined: 8/11/03
If you refuse to ever spend any money.. avoid this game. I love the game.. but you might as well subscribe if you want to take it seriously. Simple as that.. this game is either pay or grind for 1000 hours. You wanna play it? Just pay.. cos if you don't it isn't going to be as much fun.
If you want totally free MMOs look to Rift, Aion or Tera (US, even if you are from EU).
Novice Member
Joined: 5/13/10
The Game is old, but its still one of the best game I have played ever. Who is saying its bad, is just stupid ass and has no sense for good game.
What you should totally do, if you will want to play it, it's, buy a one month of VIP, because the things you will get from that one month are very helpful and they will stay with you even the VIP period will be gone.
Turbine introduced a very successful ftp conversion w DDO
I am surprised the gated content hasn't improved in LOTRO over the years
the older content, like Mines of Moria (Nov 2008) , should be free
LOTRO is probably the most restrictive ftp mmo for expansions
even EQ1/EQ2 unlock all adventure content except the most recent 2 expansions
I have a new idea. If you refuse to spend money ever, stop playing MMOs.
LOTRO is a fine game and I have spent many hours in it. The only questionable thing about the game now, is how long will they hold onto the license.
Novice Member
Joined: 4/27/04
I played when it was new, quite a bit.. came back recently to try FTP and found it utterly boring.. I'm actually enjoying Marvel Heroes atm.. it's not a typical mmo by any stretch, but it's fun and that's what I was after.
Originally posted by Jyiiga how long will they hold onto the license.
Warner Brothers owns Turbine so hopefully no issues
beyond Warner vs Tolkien estate for issues like The Hobbit movies
Yeah the books and the movies are under separate licenses if I am not mistaken.
People have been screaming on the main lotro forums for information about the situation with the game license for months and they haven't been very forthcoming with information.
Novice Member
Joined: 9/25/12
Awful idea.
It's pretty much WoW with better art.
Everything is based around quest grinding, and almost every quest is identical. You will have to keep killing the same reskinned/renamed wolves every couple of levels for some guard who couldn't be assed to leave town. Hundreds of fetch quests and a fewinstances that ttry to be like singleplayer games.
Everything is so phased and instanced that if you have friends you're trying to play with, it's near impossible to play together because none of you will ever be on the same quest step or qualify for the same quests.
And if you want to just explore, like I tried, the game punishes you. Certain zones are straight up locked unless you pay for them (buy and then complete the quests to go in that area) others will appear open, but a mysterious power will insta kill you without warning if you enter them, until, you guessed it, you finished another quest that costs money to get.
There are many endearing elements of the game (leftover from the days when it was developed as a sandbox) but it'll break your heart to try to please it. So many invisible walls and instances and quest requirements means you'll never properly explore Middle Earth, and the combat is really bland, animations don't match what's going on. There's no block animation, just text that pops up and says "blocked".
joystiq's take on the LOTRO license
Turbine announced that it had inked a deal with Middle-earth Enterprises to extend the license for Lord of the Rings through 2014 with options to extend it through 2017.
Originally posted by Nadia
Yep, potentially grim. No one really knows though.
Novice Member
Joined: 5/10/13
If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
Originally posted by C.L.O.U.D
I played LOTRO since beta, I'm a founder (aka preorder). The actual game is just a shadow of what it once was.
I will repeat my advice. Don't invest a cent in this game, use the free to play option until you hit the cap when you can no longer get free quests first. Then, if you really enjoy the game, start to give money. And if you plan to pay to play, I advise to subscribe rather than buy content in the cash shop.
And to those saying "if you don't want to pay, don't play MMORPGs"... I'm pretty sure I gave more money to LOTRO than most of you guys. Subscriber for several years, until I finally bought a lifetime a few months before the game went F2P. The lifetime is the only reason why I sometimes log in to see the new content nowadays, simply because I don't have to give a cent to Turbine anymore. Without that, the actual game is definitely not worth any of my money.
My computer is better than yours.
Elite Member
Joined: 5/14/07
I believe in life before death... So dont forget to enjoy it while you still can.
Lore and stories are great, you really feel part of middle earth during its most wellknown time, personally i think the scenery is awesome while combat and annimations are okay.
But then if you want to play the game withouth grinding and just enjoying the stories it will require you to invest real money in content.... Or if you just plan to play to max once and enjoy everything the game has to offer, getting a subscription might be the cheepest option...
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Advanced Member
Joined: 3/18/13
I have installed it twice and then deleted it cause the game is so old,i wish they could make a tally new game.
Novice Member
Joined: 4/12/12
"Reality is but a figment of our collective imaginations." -N.E.S.
First of all I didn't try LOTRO out for a long time because I was familiar with Dungeons and Dragons Online's abyssmal F2P model with Turbine Points and thought LOTRO would be pretty much the same. Luckily that is nowhere near the case at all and TP is far easier to earn in game than it is in DDO.
LOTRO's F2P isn't nearly as bad as most people here are making it sound by any means. It's true there are a number of things you'll really want to get from the cash shop as a F2P player but earning Turbine Points in game is pretty easy. By the time I reached the end of the free content (not counting the main epic story line which is always free regardless of which areas you own or don't) I had acquired more than enough TP ingame to buy a whole quest pack to continue on as well as riding skill and a good bit of TP left over. On top of that you can easily create throw away alts and making a quick farming run to earn 140 TP in about an hour and a half for your account.
That being said I would look at LOTRO more like a Buy2Play game with a really good free trial. You can easilly play to your 30s or so through the first bunch of areas which are compmletely free and if you really enjoy the game by that point you have a few options. You can do your deeds and farm TP to buy more content or you can dish out a little bit of cash to unlock virtually the entire game. Paying a mere $14.99 for 1 month of VIP gets you 500 TP, unlimited access to the game for that month and best of all, a whole lot of unlocks that are permanent for your account even after you cancel VIP and drop down to Premium (you'll go to premium instead of full f2p after spending any cash on the game). These unlocks include removal of the credit cap, access to all traits, 5 bag slots instead of 3, all swift travel routes unlocked, and a few other very useful things for any character you log on during this time. You'll also get a permanent 3rd character slot (and 2 more for a total of 5 if you ever buy moria xpac which is in the quadpack). In addition to that you can buy the expansion quadpack for $40 to get all 4 expansions which includes pretty much ALL content for lvl 50-85. The best part is the sales LOTRO constantly has, I was actually able to pick up the quadpack and get all 4 expansions for only $20 which was one hell of a deal. With the newest expansion getting real close I wouldn't be suprised in the least if the quadpack went on sale again or just straight up dropped in price.
All in all you can pretty much play compleyely free to mid 30s or so and then you can either grind xp and do just epic questline, take a lot of time and farm TP with throwaway alts, or spend $55 for virtually full access to the game without subbing. All depends on how much you enjoy the game and can afford to spend if you want to but either way I highly recommend at least trying it out through the areas that are completely free and any beyond that you can afford to buy with earned ingame TP.


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Quote of the Day: Mitt Romney's Apology Tour
"Hey," tweets Andrew Sprung, "Romney's kicked off an apology tour on behalf of the GOP." He chose Ohio to unveil his new schtick:
Mitt Romney said Saturday that his party had fallen short on its fiscal promises even as he campaigned alongside a top Republican congressional leader...."When we had the lead, we let people down," Mr. Romney told a crowd in this important swing state. "We need to make sure" they are not let down again. "I will cut the deficit and get us on track to a balanced budget."
You know who else thinks that Republicans have let us down? President Obama. Kudos to Romney for finally delivering a message that the American people can all rally around.
MoJo Troll Patrol encourages readers to sign in with Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Disqus, or OpenID to comment. Please read our comment policy before posting.

subset: commoncrawl


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In the last of our series looking back at the riders of 2013, we come to the unluckiest man on the grid. Ben Spies' season was a thing of nightmares, ending with his decision to retire. Here's a review of his year.
Ben Spies – Championship Position: 21st – Rating: Attitude 9/10, Luck 1/10
Up until Qatar 2012, Ben Spies' career had been something of a fairytale. Talent spotted by his later crew chief Tom Houseworth, he took the fight to Mat Mladin in the AMA and beat him fair and square.
He won the World Superbike title at his first attempt, on tracks he hadn't seen until Friday morning practice. He grabbed two podiums in his rookie MotoGP season, then a win in his second season after moving up to the factory Yamaha team. And then it all went horribly wrong.
After a series of bizarre mechanical mishaps throughout the 2012 season, Spies suffered major shoulder damage in a crash at Sepang. He had already decided to leave the factory Yamaha team, signing with Ducati to race at Pramac.


text:
Essex and Kent police forces and police authorities have
developed Section 23
Agreements and Section
22A Agreements in three areas of business – the Serious Crime
Directorate, the IT Directorate and the Support Services
Two agreements – covering the Serious Crime Directorate and the
IT Directorate – were signed on September 30, 2010. They were
developed under the statutory guidance set out under section 23 of
the Police Act 1996, which was amended and expanded by the Policing
and Crime Act 2009.
A third agreement, covering the Support Services Directorate,
was signed in September 2012. This was developed under the
statutory guidance set out under section 22A of the Police Reform
and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (its Schedule 12 Collaboration
Agreements amends the Police Act 1996).
For more details, read a summary of
these agreements.
If you have any questions about the collaboration process, email
or write to Kent and Essex Collaboration Team, Essex Police HQ, PO
Box 2, Springfield, Essex CM2 6DA
Other pages on our site:
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text:
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Cult of Hockey: On the NHL
The Cult of Hockey: analytics and commentary from Journal hockey bloggers David Staples, Bruce McCurdy, Jonathan Willis and Dan Tencer.
Game 5 Tarasov Numbers: Los Angeles Kings
Here at the Cult of Hockey we've been engaged in a pilot project for a statistical project that we call Tarasov Numbers, after the famous Soviet coach Anatoli Tarasov. We count each time a player has possession of the puck … Continue reading
Profiles in Coaching: Gerard Gallant
Gerard Gallant is the current head coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL), a position he has held since the summer of 2009. NHL Experience: 2000 – 2003: Assistant Coach, Columbus Blue Jackets 2003 – 2007: Head Coach, Columbus … Continue reading
Dustin Penner's strong play in playoffs bittersweet for Edmonton Oilers fans
This Stanley Cup finals had been somewhat painful for Oilers fans because the good-to-stellar play of so many ex-Oilers on the powerful Los Angeles Kings squad. Dustin Penner, Jarret Stoll, Matt Greene and Colin Fraser are all in their hockey … Continue reading
It's a great year to be a middling free agent
With the NHL's salary cap set to rise to $70.3 million, the NHL's salary floor is also slated to rise. The way the current CBA works, there's a formula in place to calculate the midpoint of the payroll range, with … Continue reading
I'm picking the Devils to win on Saturday, but for their luck to then run out.
The Los Angeles King have been the better team in the Stanley Cups, something seen most starkly in their 3-1 series. When it comes to scoring chances, though, only in the first game did Los Angeles dominate the Devils, outchancing … Continue reading
Henrik Tallinder and Petr Sykora immediately payoff for the New Jersey Devils; the Stanley Cup Finals will continue for at least one more game
They didn't contribute any points, but Henrik Tallinder and Petr Sykora provided an immediate shot in the arm for the Devils. It was help the team needed, down three games to none and facing elimination in Los Angeles on Wedensday … Continue reading
Fedorov and filthy rich CSKA team are after Radulov, Semin
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Profiles in Coaching: Michel Therrien
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More power and a facelift -- the type of ute you might buy with a four-banger
Four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline may be wreaking havoc on sales of the Mustang, F-150 and Explorer, but it comes along at a convenient moment for the facelifted 2009 Escape and Mariner. Six-speed automatics replace four-speed automatics, there's a new lower front chin spoiler below the redesigned front fascia and rear tire spoilers for better aerodynamics, and new low rolling resistance 16-inch Michelin tires across the board. The old 153-horsepower 2.3-liter four has been bored and stroked (among other upgrades) to a 171-horsepower 2.5-liter, and the 3.0-liter V-6 gets new cylinder heads, injectors, intake and exhaust cams, manifolds and pistons, and a compression ratio bump from 10.0:1 to 10.3:1.
More on Motortrend.com:
NHTSA Investigating 200,000 2010-2011 Ford Escapes, Mercury Mariners for Shattered Windows
So now the V-6 actually has a V-6-like horsepower number, up 40 ponies to 240. Both engines get intelligent variable valve timing. The hybrid gets the new 2.5-liter, too, and for '09 runs on the Atkinson cycle. It has a new engine processor and a new powertrain damping system, to cut vibrations and feedback.Ford anticipates EPA mileage will be up 1-mpg city, 1-mpg highway, whether you get the four, the V-6 or the hybrid. The biggest change, though, is that you no longer have to buy one of the bottom-feeder trim levels to get four-cylinder fuel economy. The 2.5 is available all the way up to the Escape Limited and Mercury Mariner Premier versions. Small engines are big now, even with buyers who can afford more. Ford even removed the "V-6" badge from so-equipped '09 models as if it has become a badge of extravagance and disregard for the environment and global oil supply.
That makes the extra 18 horses for the four-banger the most important improvement. The 171-horse Escape isn't a rocket. It's simply an adequate engine in a smallish crossover, the right vehicle for those who like to ride higher than in cars, carry a few things and manage 21/27 mpg (FWD) or 20/25 (AWD), assuming the EPA backs up Ford on its estimates. Ford says about 45 percent of buyers choose four-cylinder models, virtually unchanged since the first Escape launched as a '01 model. Now that the new four is close to the fours in the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 for refinement, and packs in five extra horses, the "take rate" ought to zoom well past the V-6.
Added refinement comes with the new four, producing better engine noise. It's still a raspy sounding four under full-throttle acceleration, but it's fairly smooth under most conditions. The six-speed automatic (a five-speed manual remains standard with the four) smoothens the power delivery, and there's none of the hunting for gears of the old 2.3-liter/four-speed auto combo. Acceleration matches the '08's 200-horsepower V-6/four-speed auto combination, at 10.4 seconds for 0-60 mph, Ford says.
The extra 40 horses in the V-6 made necessary by the more powerful new four cuts 0-60 mph times by 1.7 seconds, according to the manufacturer. Ford also has revised the suspension, including the addition of a rear anti-roll bar for all models, making the "2009 Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner more fun to drive." Well, no. It's not fun to drive. It's a crossover sport/utility vehicle. But it's more refined and quieter at speed. And by the way, Ford claims the lower-front air dam saves 3/4-mpg at 70 mph. The low rolling resistance tires makes the steering feel lighter at low speeds. Suspension is stable and reasonably comfortable over crusty roads. As for "fun to drive," you don't want to take any CUV this tall too deeply into the curves, anyway. This one is no exception.
With the new 2.5 in the hybrid, 0-60 acceleration is 0.1-second quicker than the gas-only four, Ford says (10.3 seconds). Which begs the question, why not make 'em all hybrids? More realistically, why not hike production up past 25,000 per year? Ford says it is increasing hybrid production, by adding the 2.5-liter/Atkinson cycle system in the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan later this year. It doesn't look like Ford will build more than 25,000 of those per year, so it's doubling hybrid production, and anyway, it expects buyers to respond more to a hybrid car than a hybrid CUV. If you drive a lot of highway miles, the new 2.5's 27/25 highway mpg (FWD/AWD), or even 28 mpg with the manual gearbox, is close enough to the hybrid's 30/27 highway mpg (FWD/AWD), Ford argues.
That may be true, but it's obvious that Ford isn't increasing hybrid production beyond that 50,000 - even as $4 per gallon gas makes the extra sticker cost payoff more quickly - because it has a limit to what it can lose per-car. Ford, to Chrysler co-president Jim Press' recent point, doesn't get financial assistance for such technological experimentation the way Toyota (and Honda) did from Japan in the late '90s. When Toyota announced in late '05 doubling of its hybrid production, it was clear the automaker had cut hybrid production costs sufficiently to make money on them. Ford isn't there, yet.
Ford does say the refined hybrid is more seamless between electric and gas modes, and has made transition from electric regenerative braking to traditional braking more seamless, as well. True, no doubt, but I couldn't get the Escape Hybrid engine to shut down completely in my fairly short drive. I did get a touchy reaction during one braking situation.
Should you buy one, or recommend it to people you like? If the Escape is the type of transportation appliance you need, or your friends want, it belongs on a consideration list along with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. That's not just because the '09 Escape is a substantial improvement, it's also because the RAV and CR-V haven't much improved, in a segment that's virtually devoid of standouts.
2009 Escape/Mariner Safety, all standard:
*AdvanceTrac and Roll Stability Control.
*Safety Canopy side air curtain technology.
*Personal Safety System, a suite of seven safety technologies featuring smart airbags.
*Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
*LATCH Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children on rear seats.
Features and Connectivity:
*SYNC standard on Escape Limited and Escape Hybrid, Mariner Premier, Premier V-6 and Mariner Hybrid, optional on all others.
*SIRIUS Satellite Radio on Escape XLT and Limited, Mariner Premier and Premier V-6 and all hybrid models. Includes six-month SIRIUS subscription.
*Voice-Activated Navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link optional on Escape/Mariner includes AM/FM/six-disc in-dash changer, seven speakers, subwoofer.
*Ambient lighting standard on Escape Limited/Limited Hybrid, Mariner Premier/Premier V-6.
*Steering wheel controls standard on all Mercury Mariners.
*Auxiliary input jack in instrument panel, 110-volt AC power outlet standard, all models.
2009 Escape/Mariner
Base Price
$19,750 (MT est.)
Vehicle layout
Front engine, FWD or AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sport/utility
2.5L/171-hp/171 lb-ft. DOHC 16-valve I-4; 3.0-liter/240-hp/223 lb-ft. DOHC 24-valve V-6/2.5L/153-hp/136 lb-ft. DOHC 16-valve I-4 w/Atkinson cycle hybrid system, 94-hp AC synchronous motor
5-speed manual (four-cylinder only), 6-speed automatic (four or V-6), CVT (hybrid only)
Curb weight (dist f/r)
3300 - 3850 lbs (mfg.)
Length x width x height
174.7 x 71.1 x 70.0 in.
0-60 mph
8.7 sec. (mfg est, V-6)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ
18/23 - 34/30 mpg (mfg est.)
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$23,565 - $23,565
MPG Range:
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Engine: 2.5L in-line four-cylinder DOHC with variable valve timing and four valves per cylinder
Unleaded fuel
Fuel economy: EPA (08):, 20 MPG city, 26 MPG highway, 22 MPG combined and 363 mi. range
Multi-point fuel injection
16.5gallon fuel tank
Power (SAE): 171 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 171 ft lb of torque @ 4,500 rpm
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Unleaded fuel 87
Fuel consumption: EPA 08 urban (mpg): 20, country/highway (mpg): 26 and combined (mpg): 22
Multi-point injection fuel system
16.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
Power: 128 kW , 171 HP SAE @ 6,000 rpm; 171 ft lb , 232 Nm @ 4,500 rpm
2009 Mercury Mariner
2009 Mariner Details
Price Range:
$23,660 - $23,660
MPG Range:
18 - 26 mpg
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2,961 cc 3 liters V 6 front engine with 89.9 mm bore, 79.5 mm stroke, 10.3 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder 991
Unleaded fuel 87
Fuel consumption: EPA 08 urban (mpg): 17, country/highway (mpg): 24 and combined (mpg): 20
Multi-point injection fuel system
16.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
Power: 179 kW , 240 HP SAE @ 6,550 rpm; 223 ft lb , 302 Nm @ 4,300 rpm
2008 Mercury Mariner
2008 Mariner Details
Price Range:
$21,540 - $21,540
MPG Range:
20 - 26 mpg
Price Quote
2,261 cc 2.3 liters in-line 4 front engine with 87.5 mm bore, 94 mm stroke, 9.7 compression ratio, double overhead cam and four valves per cylinder 992
Unleaded fuel 87
Fuel consumption: EPA 08 urban (mpg): 19, country/highway (mpg): 24 and combined (mpg): 21
Multi-point injection fuel system
16.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
Power: 114 kW , 153 HP SAE @ 5,800 rpm; 152 ft lb , 206 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
2007 Mercury Mariner
2007 Mariner Details
Price Range:
$21,140 - $21,140
MPG Range:
Price Quote
2,261 cc 2.3 liters in-line 4 front engine with 87.5 mm bore, 94 mm stroke, 9.7 compression ratio, double overhead cam and four valves per cylinder Duratec 23
Unleaded fuel 87
Multi-point injection fuel system
16.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
Power: 114 kW , 153 HP SAE @ 5,800 rpm; 152 ft lb , 206 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
2006 Mercury Mariner
2006 Mariner Details
Price Range:
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MPG Range:
Price Quote
2,261 cc 2.3 liters in-line 4 front engine with 87.5 mm bore, 94 mm stroke, 9.7 compression ratio, double overhead cam and four valves per cylinder Duratec 23
Unleaded fuel 87
Multi-point injection fuel system
16.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
Power: 114 kW , 153 HP SAE @ 5,800 rpm; 152 ft lb , 206 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
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2005 Mariner Details
Price Range:
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MPG Range:
Price Quote
2,261 cc 2.3 liters in-line 4 front engine with 87.5 mm bore, 94 mm stroke, 9.7 compression ratio, double overhead cam and four valves per cylinder Duratec 23
Unleaded fuel 87
Multi-point injection fuel system
16.4 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
Power: 114 kW , 153 HP SAE @ 5,800 rpm; 152 ft lb , 206 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
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An expert on legal issues in school transportation discusses the distinction between bullying and harassment and offers best practices for dealing with both on the bus.
A new book by Peggy A. Burns, Esq., and Lisa J. Hudson provides lessons learned from legal disputes.
Sometimes we need to be protected from legislators. But sometimes they really do have our protection in mind.
Get breaking news, industry updates, product announcements and more.
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Posted July 26, 2012 on AP on Fox
The Dallas Mavericks re-signed free-agent guard Delonte West on Thursday. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. The 6-foot-3 West originally signed with Dallas as a free agent on Dec. 13. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 24.1 minutes in 44 games last season. He missed 21 games after fracturing and dislocating his right ring finger on Feb. 15 against Denver. The former St. Joseph's star was drafted 24th overall by Boston in 2004, and has averaged 9.7 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 432 games in eight seasons for Boston, Seattle, Cleveland and Dallas.
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As the 16 January, 2015 deadline for responding to the controversial P2P draft report draws near, and in the interests of balance and representing the whole community, Phoenix Rising presents two differing views on how to react. Today, Clark Ellis flags up important content to...
Discuss the article on the Forums.
Making sense of fatigue - Julia Newton editorial in Occupational Medicine
Discussion in 'Latest ME/CFS Research' started by oceanblue, Dec 3, 2010.
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Code covered by the BSD License
Stuart Kozola
Stuart Kozola (view profile)
15 files
601 downloads
31 Oct 2006
27 Nov 2006)
Demo files from the Webinar "Introduction to Optimization with MATLAB(R) Products" Oct. 26, 2006
%% Optimization of a Double Wishbone Suspension System
% This demo shows how to use MATLAB, Optimization Toolbox, and Genetic
% Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox to optimize the design of a double
% wishbone suspension system.
% _Note: You will need to have the following products installed in order to
% run this demo: MATLAB, Simulink, Optimization Toolbox, Genetic Algorithm
% and Direct Search Toolbox, and SimMechanics. Optional: Virtual Reality
% Toolbox._
%% Introduction to the Problem
% We wish to optimize the response of a double wishbone suspension system.
% The response we are evaluating is the camber angle vs. travel distance as
% shown in the figure below. Our current design is shown in green. We
% want to achieve the profile shown in blue.
% Camber angle is the angle of the tire relative to the perpendicular axis
% to the road. A negative camber angle is beneficial to handling.
% Travel distance is the amount of verticle motion of the car as a result
% of traveling over a bump or pothole in the road.
verifyInstalled % verify products installed
wbOptimSetUp % Load in geometry
wbPlotFun(idealProfile) % Plot ideal profile
wbPlotFun(x,time,'initial') % Simulate and Plot current profile
%% Double Wishbone Model
% A model of the double wishbone suspension system was created using
% Simulink with SimMechanics. We will use this model to simulate
% the performance of our suspension system.
if license('test','virtual_reality_toolbox')
simName = 'DoubleWishboneVR.mdl';
simName = 'DoubleWishbone.mdl';
%% Input Geometry Definition
% The wishbone geometry is defined according to diagram below. We have 15
% inputs that we specify, denoted as X1 - X15, that determine the double
% wishbone connection points and rod lengths. These are defined as:
% Upper Arm Length X1 = AG
% Upper Arm Connection Point B (X2, X3, X4) = (xB, yB, zB)
% Upper Arm Connection Point C (X5, X6, X7) = (xC, yC, zC)
% Lower Arm Length X8 = DG
% Upper Arm Connection Point E (X9, X10, X11) = (xE, yE, zE)
% Upper Arm Connection Point F (X12, X13, X14) = (xF, yF, zF)
% Connecting Ling Length X15 = AD
% All dimensions are input to the model in inches.
x %Current geometric definition
figure('Position',[1 700 700*317/545 700])
image(imread('schematic.png','BackgroundColor',[1 1 1]))
axis equal, axis tight, axis off
%% Problem Formulation
% Our objective is to minimize the difference between the 'Actual' profile
% and the 'Ideal' profile by changing the geometry parameters X1 - X15.
% Our problem is formulated as a constrained minimization problem:
% Objective function:
% $$min f(x)$$
% where
% $$f(x)= norm[(CamberAngle_{actual} - CamberAngle_{ideal}) +$$
% $$ (TravelDistance_{actual}-TravelDistance_{ideal})]$$
% Subject to (constraints):
% $$A \cdot x <= 0$$
% $$lb <= x <= ub$$
%% Objective Function
% Our objective function is defined to return a single value, which is a
% measure of how close the 'Actual' profile is to the 'Ideal' profile. Our
% objective function is defined in the function |wbObjFun|.
type wbObjFun
%% Constraint Definition
% The constraint specified for the model are (refer to previous figure):
% BAC Angle (degrees) 25 <= BAC <= 35 -|
% EDF Angle (degrees) 15 <= EDF <= 30 |- A
% Point B/C rotation (degrees) BC <= 10 |
% Point E/F rotation (degrees) EF <= 5 -|
% Upper Arm Length Limits 6 <= X1 <= 16
% Point B X-Axis Limits 10 <= X2 <= 16
% Point C X-Axis Limits 10 <= X5 <= 16
% Lower Arm Length Limits 8 <= X8 <= 18
% Point E X-Axis Limits 6 <= X9 <= 14
% Point F X-Axis Limits 12 <= X12 <= 20
% Ling Length X15 <= 18
% |__________|__________|
% | |
% lb ub
% Coefficient matrix A and upper and lower bounds are defined in
% |wbOptimSetup|.
%% Solve the Problem Using Optimization Toolbox
% The problem can be solved using the |fmincon| solver in Optimization
% Toolbox. To use the |optimtool| GUI to set up an run the problem, load
% the optimization problem definition in |optimtoolProblem.mat|, then type
% |optimtool| at the command line and once the GUI is open, select _File
% --> Import Problem --> optimtoolProblem._ The problem is now defined in
% the GUI, select *Start*.
load optimtoolProblem
% optimtool % uncomment this line to run interactively in the GUI
% Command line equivalent
% -----------------------
% Start with the default options (may want to comment out this section if
% running interactively.
options = optimset;
% Modify options setting
% Note: You can use the defaults as well, this will speed up the solution
options = optimset(options,'Display' ,'iter');
options = optimset(options,'TolFun' ,0.1);
options = optimset(options,'LargeScale' ,'off');
% Request plots, add my custom plot to the mix
options = optimset(options,'OutputFcn' ,{ @updatePlot });
options = optimset(options,'PlotFcns' ,{ @optimplotx @optimplotfval });
[x_x0] = fmincon(@(x) wbObjFun(x,time,idealProfile),x0,Aineq,bineq,...
%% Solve the Problem Using a Different Start Point
% At this point, Id like take a look at our problem from a different
% angle. As you may know, gradient based solvers, such as the one
% we used here, tend to fail if the objective function does not have smooth
% derivatives or the problem is ill-defined. Let's change the start point
% of this problem, and see if |fmincon| can find a solution.
load wbPSOpt
[x_x0c] = fmincon(@(x) wbObjFun(x,time,idealProfile),x0c,Aineq,bineq,...
disp('We caught the following error')
nowork = lasterror;
% The error message is from our Simulink model and basically tells us we
% put in a bad definition for geometry that our model could not handle.
% Just to be clear, the problem is not with the |fmincon| solver, but with
% my knowledge of the design space in which we are looking to explore.
% |fmincon| did what I asked it to do, it just found a point that my model
% could not handle. To use |fmincon| we need to add constraints to our
% problem definition or redefine our objective function to prevent this
% situation from happening.
% Im pointing this out because in practice you may often encounter problems
% where you just dont have enough information to completely define your
% problem or you may have an objective function that does not have well
% defined gradients, or even holes in the design space. This often renders
% traditional gradient based solvers, such as the one used here, ineffective.
% This is where algorithms in Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox
% are useful.
%% Solve the Problem Using Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox
% We can use pattern search to solve this problem without having to redefine
% our objective function, constraints, or the Simulink model. Let's define
% our problem as before and solve. We loaded in the problem formulation in
% the structure |wbPSOpt| in the previous step. Let's see if pattern
% search can find a solution.
% _Note: You can set up your problem in the |psearchtool| GUI analogously
% to the |optimtool| GUI. File --> Import Options --> wbPSOpt, set up the
% problem definition, and then click on *Start*._
% psearchtool % uncomment this line to run interactively
% Command line equivalent (comment out this section if using psearchtool)
% -----------------------
% Start with default options
options = psoptimset;
% Modify some parameters
% Note: You can use the defaults as well, this will speed up the solution
options = psoptimset(options,'TolFun' ,0.06);
options = psoptimset(options,'MeshContraction' ,0.25);
options = psoptimset(options,'MaxMeshSize' ,1 );
options = psoptimset(options,'PollingOrder' ,'success');
options = psoptimset(options,'SearchMethod' ,@GPSPositiveBasisNp1);
options = psoptimset(options,'Display' ,'iter');
options = psoptimset(options,'Cache' ,'on');
options = psoptimset(options,'CacheTol' ,2.2204e-010);
% Request plots, add my custom plot to the mix
options = psoptimset(options,'OutputFcns' ,{ { @updatePlot } });
options = psoptimset(options,'PlotFcns' ,{ @psplotbestf @psplotbestx });
%%Run PATTERNSEARCH
[x_x0c_ps] = patternsearch(@(x) wbObjFun(x,time,idealProfile),x0c,...
% Pattern search found a solution. We set the function tolerance for
% both |fmincon| and |patternsearch| to limit the total number of
% iterations required to satisfy our convergence criteria. Decreasing this
% value would allow the solution to converge more tightly on the 'Ideal'
% profile, but would require longer solution times.
%% Summary
% We used two approaches to optimize the design of a double wishbone
% suspension system. The first approach illustrated traditional gradient
% base techniques that work well for well-defined problems. We then found
% a condition where the gradient based method did not find a solution,
% since we do not have a completely defined problem and were unlucky in the
% choice of start point. The second approach, pattern search, was used to
% illustrate non-gradient based methods that work well for problems that
% are ill-defined or do not have well define gradients or objective
% functions.
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Do real men eat pink pizza? You bet, and they drink pink beer, too.
For one day, at least, men - and women - gobbled up pink pizza, pink calzones and pink stromboli, sipped pink draft beer and topped their salads with pink ranch dressing, all for the sake of helping women who are fighting breast cancer.
Tuesday's "Plates for Pink" event marked the third year Athens Pizza in Swannanoa has pulled out all the stops for the event benefiting Beauty Through Cancer, a nonprofit that helps women with wigs, skin care and make-up tips, support groups, post-breast reconstruction cosmetology and other ...


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Press release from Business Wire
NYSE Euronext Announces Date for Fourth Quarter 2012 Earnings Release and Conference Call
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
NYSE Euronext Announces Date for Fourth Quarter 2012 Earnings Release and Conference Call11:34 EST Tuesday, December 04, 2012 NEW YORK (Business Wire) -- NYSE Euronext (NYX) will announce earnings for the fourth quarter 2012 before the market opens on Tuesday, February 5, 2013. A news release will be issued at approximately 2:30 a.m. (New York) / 8:30 a.m. (Paris) and a conference call with remarks by NYSE Euronext senior management will begin at 8:00 a.m. (New York) / 2:00 p.m. (Paris). A presentation will be referenced during the call and available on our website at http://www.nyseeuronext.com/ir. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of NYSE Euronext's website, http://www.nyseeuronext.com/ir. Those wishing to listen to the live conference via telephone should dial-in at least 10 minutes before the call begins. Live Dial-in Information:United States: 866.203.2528International: 617.213.8847Passcode: 11676007 An audio replay of the conference call will be available approximately one hour after the call on the Investor Relations section of NYSE Euronext's website, http://www.nyseeuronext.com/ir or by dial-in beginning approximately two hours following the conclusion of the live call. Replay Dial-in Information:United States: 888.286.8010International: 617.801.6888Passcode: 41798941About NYSE Euronext NYSE Euronext (NYX) is a leading global operator of financial markets and provider of innovative trading technologies. The company's exchanges in Europe and the United States trade equities, futures, options, fixed-income and exchange-traded products. With approximately 8,000 listed issues (excluding European Structured Products), NYSE Euronext's equities markets — the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext, NYSE MKT, NYSE Alternext and NYSE Arca — represent one-third of the world's equities trading, the most liquidity of any global exchange group. NYSE Euronext also operates NYSE Liffe, one of the leading European derivatives businesses and the world's second-largest derivatives business by value of trading. The company offers comprehensive commercial technology, connectivity and market data products and services through NYSE Technologies. NYSE Euronext is in the S&P 500 index. For more information, please visit: http://www.nyx.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning NYSE Euronext's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are based on NYSE Euronext's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause NYSE Euronext's results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: NYSE Euronext's ability to implement its strategic initiatives, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations, government and industry regulation, interest rate risk and U.S. and global competition, and other factors detailed in NYSE Euronext's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers. In addition, these statements are based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change. Accordingly, actual results may be materially higher or lower than those projected. The inclusion of such projections herein should not be regarded as a representation by NYSE Euronext that the projections will prove to be correct. This press release speaks only as of this date. NYSE Euronext disclaims any duty to update the information herein. Please follow us at:Exchanges BlogFacebookLinkedInTwitter NYSE EuronextAnna Shlimak, 212-656-2185Investor email@example.com:Amsterdam, +31-20-550-4488Lisbon, +351-217-900-029New York, +1-212-656-2411Brussels, +32-2-509-1392London, +44-20-7379-2789Paris, +33-1-49-27-11-33orInvestor Relations:New York, +1-212-656-5700


text:
Various reports throughout the year claimed LG is providing the television behind the Apple HDTV. However, nothing conclusive has surfaced.
As far as the big display makers are concerned, Apple's relationship with LG is probably the strongest. LG makes iPod Touch and iPhone Retina Displays, some iPad displays, and Apple secured a $500 million dollar investment in LG displays in 2009. The net investment was a temporary exclusive on panels for the 27-inch display that Apple's iMacs and Thunderbolt Displays now use. Sony also makes OLEDs, but it does not have a strong relationship with Apple – at least as far as displays are concerned. The other big OLED maker is Samsung, and it is currently tangled with Apple in patent disputes.
With that said, look at the things that will be shown at the Consumer Electronic show. They have a 4 mm bezel -that is half the thickness of an iPhone 4S- and weighs in at a paltry 16.5-pounds. In addition, things like "1,000 times faster than LED/LCD displays" and "infinite contrast ratio" makes this sound like one of the best displays of 2012.
(Full sized images and the press release are below.):


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NewsOctober 10 2012
Herald's annual Pink Photo set for Friday
Posted by Lucy
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Lyman County Herald invites people to dress in pink and gather for a group Pink Photo at Dakota Prairie Bank Friday, October 12 at 10 AM.
Each participate is asked to bring a dollar to be donated to the South Dakota All Women County Program, a federally funded cancer screening program for women who need financial assistance for exams.
- Scavenging through the county
- WCE Cooperative finishes up repairs after weekend storms
- High winds damage structures,
- North Central Farmers Elevator and South Dakota Wheat Growers Member-Owners Vote No on Unification
- Lyman School Board Election results
- Construction at new elevator site stays on schedule
- What's new at the museum
- Local Lions Club projects recognized
- Lyman reunion moves to Clubhouse
- Remebering those who gave all
- Presho HS reunion set


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We have some big plans for the future to put some unique and well needed programs into place for the community. We appreciate any help that we can get in putting these programs together. If you are interested in learning more about our future plans, or any of our current programs, please feel free to contact Bev Sotile at firstname.lastname@example.com. Donations are much appreciated and can be done using the link below or by sending a check, made out to Dylan Marburg, and send to:
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text: New stories Upcoming Incoming 40° Crytek's Virtual Reality Tech Demo Made Me Fear For My Life, and That's A Good Thing | OnlySP 11m ago - OnlySP: Virtual reality is set to revolutionize player immersion in the entertainment industry...... | PC Comments (0) PockyKing Source 20° Beat the Heat with the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale 11m ago - EB: "Starting on July 7, 2015 and running through July 13, 2015, the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale feat... | Xbox 360 Comments (0) WutangClam Source Ad Kickstarter Perspective: Sam Abbott, Compulsion Games Now - The story of the Kickstarter of We Happy Few. | Promoted post Read More SiteBot 10° Batman: Arkham Knight Review | A Knight to Remember 11m ago - Dealspwn: Rocksteady and Batman is a combination we'll sorely miss. Their trilogy ends on a high... | PC Comments (0) bggriffiths Source 9/10 dealspwn.com 10° Knee Deep Episode 1 review – GamersFTW 18m ago - Knee Deep is a true example of what Steam Greenlight should not be used for. It's messy, unpolish... | PC Comments (0) Joystickero Source 4/10 gamersftw.co.uk 30° Code Name S.T.E.A.M and Splatoon lead the charge for Nintendo's July 4 celebration 26m ago - Calling all Code Name S.T.E.A.M. squads! A new online "Independence" tournament begins today and... | Wii U Comments (0) jasontorfin Source


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Buy Tickets Here: newvistanv.3dcartstores.com
Event Info:
Enjoy a night filled with beautiful people as we auction off Las Vegas' most gorgeous local singles to benefit New Vista. Come bid on all the amazing bachelor and bachelorettes to benefit New Vista and the continuous development of the organization! Guests can attend as VIP's or General Admission. View the options available under Buy Tickets button.
VIP access allows early entry to the event starting at 6:30pm with a complimentary cocktail and time to mingle with the bachelors and bachelorettes. General Admission starts at 7:30pm.
Click Below to see the 2014 Adam and Eve Program, listing all the bachelors and bachelorettes and their date packages!


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Determining agricultural property appraisal values can be a pretty complicated process. So when it was time for Morrisville State College Professor Sheila Marshman to teach the subject in class, she chose a different approach "she took her students on the road.
Seventeen students in her Agricultural Financial Decision Making class became agricultural entrepreneurs for part of the semester, working in the field, most recently at an actual farm, learning hands-on what goes into appraising a dairy farm.
With the help of Kevin Manion, a certified appraiser from First Pioneer Farm Credit, the largest agricultural lender in the United States, students determined an appraisal value of the Taylwind Dairy farm located in Cassville.
Marshman, assistant professor of agricultural business, took on the class this semester, utilizing her own unique approach.
"Given the current economic climate, it is essential that students know how a market value is arrived at for real-estate, farms and homes, Marshman said. "It is also critical that students know how banks determine the amount a client can borrow based on the appraised value.
"The concept of conducting an on farm appraisal is consistent with Morrisville State College 's hands-on philosophy of learning by doing, she said.
Taking what they learned in class, the bachelor degree students from agricultural business development, dairy management, horticulture business management and equine science majors, were tasked to determine values for the land and buildings on the family farm.
Divided into four teams, they set out to classify and evaluate characteristics of the farm to make their final valuation, a complexly detailed process that entailed hours of tedious work.
Among their toils was measuring structures and assessing building values.
"There was so much involved with putting prices on buildings, including determining depreciation, physical deterioration and pricing every building and every stall, Lene Roberts, of Remsen, an agricultural business development major, said.
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how to pay quaterly tds online?
by john6, Creator
- Created: January 6, 2011, 2:53 am
I am running a company and since last two years my chartered accountant pay quaterly tds, but he charges very high for small account. So i want to know what is the procedure for online tds payment, like i have receipt of tds which i pay every month and i have digital signature also now just i want to know how to pay independently the quaterly tds?
NicoleD | Former Moderator | 1/7/2011 - 12:32 pm
John6, I am not familiar with online tds payments. Could you explain what a tds payment is so we better understand your question?
john6 | Creator | 1/11/2011 - 9:12 am
Show Replied Text…
John6, I am not familiar with online tds payments. Could you explain what a tds payment is so we better understand your question?
still no reply? I think it needs to buy licence but anyone knows who is providing such type of licence?
BriaS | Community Moderator | 1/11/2011 - 10:32 am
Show Replied Text…
still no reply? I think it needs to buy licence but anyone knows who is providing such type of licence?
John6, Could you explain what TDs payments are and maybe what could help you figure out the answer to your problem? BriaS
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1842-C $5 Small Date MS61 NGC. Variety 4-C, Die State I. ...
2004 Orlando, FL (FUN) Signature Sale #336
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Extremely Rare 1842-C Small Date Half Eagle, A Very Rare Uncirculated Example, Second Finest Known1842-C $5 Small Date MS61 NGC. Variety 4-C, Die State I. The 1842-C Small Date is the rarest Charlotte half eagle, and is the second rarest issue of all Charlotte coins, trailing only 1849-C Open Wreath gold dollar. Only 4,595 pieces were originally struck, and it is estimated that today a mere 50-55 coins are extant in all grades. Current population data from NGC and PCGS (10/03) indicates that six pieces have been certified in mint condition between the two services. We seriously doubt that represents six individual coins, as three years ago this issue was considered unique in Uncirculated (the Ex: Elrod coin). This particular coin in neither the Elrod piece nor is it the Ex: North Georgia coin (graded AU58 five years ago). To the best of our knowledge, this is a new addition to the Condition Census, and there are probably no more than two, maybe three coins represented by the population figures from NGC and PCGS. As such, we consider this coin to be the second finest example known of this very rare issue.
The striking details are exceptionally well defined on this coin. The hair curls and peripheral stars are very strong with the only area of weakness being the feathers on the eagle's neck, as always seen. The few survivors of the 2,555 pieces struck from Die State I are generally sharply struck and they are especially well defined when compared to the Die State II coins. As an aside, approximately three-quarters of the known examples of the 1842-C Small Date are from the Die State II dies, which show a rim cud at 12 o'clock on the obverse. The surfaces overall are quite clean and show only minimal abrasions for this usually extensively abraded issue. As with many Charlotte and Dahlonega coins, the fields are semi-reflective, no doubt from the minimal usage of the dies, and the coin shows light green-gold coloration overall.
The collector of Charlotte gold would be well advised to bid generously on this coin as another Mint State example may not be on the market for many years.(#8208) (Registry values: P8) (NGC ID# 25SV, PCGS# 8208)
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