To celebrate more than 100,000 downloads in its soft launch, the new mobile video game EIGHTH ERA™ will award NGC-certified ancient coins as prizes to players who reach an advanced level and compete in tournament-style leaderboards. An announcement will be made in the Spring that the game will also offer limited-edition American Silver Eagles with special privy marks in collaboration with the United States Mint (www.USMint.gov).
Free-to-play and available to download on iOS and Android devices, many of EIGHTH ERA’s major characters, levels of play, and rewards are inspired by historical coins. It was created by Nice Gang® (www.NiceGang.com), a gaming publisher and developer founded by entertainment, gaming, and collectibles veterans, including Mark Salzberg, Co-Founder of Certified Collectibles Group and Numismatic Guaranty Company.
"We now have launched our first limited-timed Era Vault event where players can win free historic coins, some 1,700 years old," announced Jason Wasserman, a former 20-year executive at 20th Century Fox and The Walt Disney Studios who is Nice Gang’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.
The two ancient coin types encapsulated by NGC (www.NGCcoin.com) offered as rewards are: a portrait coin of the Roman Emperor Constantine I (A.D. 307-337) struck at the Roman city of Siscia, and a silver hemidrachm struck A.D. 780-793 in Tabaristan.
The famous emperor Constantine I – known to history as "the Great" – ruled the Roman Empire for three decades. He was undefeated in battle and was the first to make Christianity the official religion of the Roman world.
The silver coins of Tabaristan, a mountainous region along the Caspian Sea, were struck in the 8th century A.D. and show a royal portrait opposite two priests at a fire altar. Tabaristan was an oasis kingdom on the Silk Road where merchants rested their caravans after traversing scorching deserts to bring luxury goods from China to Constantinople.
"The partnership between NGC and Nice Gang is transformational for our team as it allows us to connect with a large audience of gamers who are huge collectors in their own right, while introducing ancient coins into their collectibles world," said David Vagi, NGC Ancients Director. "Everyone may not be able to travel to visit an ancient monument, but anyone can add an ancient coin to their collection and be transported back to lost worlds through their passion for collecting."
Set 10,000 years in the future, EIGHTH ERA takes players on epic role-playing adventures through perilous past worlds to collect forgotten pieces of history and save the future from an evil supercomputer.
"EIGHTH ERA offers players addictive gameplay as well as physical collectible hero trophies shipped directly to your door," explained Wasserman.
Working with the United States Mint, the game will also offer while supplies last this Spring the soon-to-be released, limited-edition American Silver Eagle bullion coins with an eagle-in-flight privy mark. Additional information about those coins will be announced in the coming weeks. Previous reward prizes included ASEs with the special star privy mark.
The game’s available rewards which can be won through in-game tournament-style leaderboards also include NGC-certified medallions that depict some of the game’s more than 50 playable action characters. New character medallions will be released monthly for players to win.
EIGHTH ERA is available worldwide in the App Store and Google Play.
For additional information about the game, future updates, and a free newsletter about the latest collectible "trophy" offering for game players, visit www.NiceGang.com.
Thanks again AKBob, for the heads up on those $99 presale, “2024 (P) American Silver Eagle with Star Privy NGC MS70 First 50,000 Issued” coins, with the 8th Era label. They are still selling for roughly $340-$500+ a pop! Regularly in the $350-$400+ range currently. BTW, I noticed a place holder and notify me button, on Bullion Exchanges site for the “2025 Eagle Privy 1 oz Silver American Eagle NGC MS 70 One of First 50K”. Not sure if they will have another batch this year with the Eighth Era(8th Era) label or not? The article above does mention: “An… Read more »
This is indeed a rather interesting combo of playing and collecting (winning). I find myself truly amazed at some of the ingenious marketing schemes that people devise.
…
“GTG” 1964 50C
(Guess The Grade)
I’ll reveal the grade after at least 5 guesses are posted.
Hint; Don’t let the color throw you off.
Higher relief rub-wear, and hair & facial contact marks shouldn’t be dismissed…
I know it’s 1-2 dimensional, and you can’t shift the lighting angle, so what’s your best guess anyway?…
Obverse has lots of nicks & dings. And is that a fingerprint behind and below the ear? Reverse is surprisingly clean compared to the obverse!
Definitely a well struck, nicely toned coin.
I don’t try to grade, as I can’t tell a 69 from a 70, but I do like the coin
I have an 1840 Seated Liberty Dollar I bought graded Extremely Fine. The obverse is worn but the LIBERTY is clear and complete. The reverse shows no wear and still has its sheen. It surprised me but I think it was on a belt buckle, mounted on a fixture or on a display where the obverse was exposed but the reverse hidden. It’s a nice piece. It’s part of my collection of 1840 silver coins (half dime, dime, quarter and half).
Congratulations Rick, if this is in your collection! Well, IMO this is more than likely a MS66 or possibly even a MS67. I’ll say the coin appears to be well struck overall and the toning is actually quite attractive. You said: “Higher relief rub-wear, and hair & facial contact marks shouldn’t be dismissed…” which indicates to me the coin received a higher grade more than likely, than what you expected, it deserved or should have been awarded. With all that being said, if you had submitted the coin to CaliSkiers, “Coin Mafia Grading Company”, this would have been a MS65.… Read more »
Rick, Am I too late for the party? The 1964 P Kennedy above has an above average strike, as can be noted by the “Eagle’s Eye” on the reverse. The strike is fairly well centered and there are no sharp digs on either side of the coin. Also, there are no distractions in the critical areas either. Subjectively, the coin is pleasing to the eye with its light colorful toning. In 1990, I sent a number of these to PCGS and it was my experience that these coins don’t grade well from BU bank rolls. I will speculate here, that… Read more »
E1, You’re never too late to the party bruh. Maybe that’s where some other GTG’s are, they’re running late. A grade number is all it takes really, so we wait. Anyway, I think yourself, Cali, and Dave are all on to something here, all solid points, and some generous points I’ll add. My hint’s above are key. I can’t help with lighting angles as I’ve said, but here is a zoom pic without the nearby toning that may distract some. One more hint; The coin was holdered in Gen 4.4 plastic 15-20 years ago. 15-20 years ago toning wasn’t as… Read more »
1960’s circulation quality 50C coins in MS-65 and up are nice coins, and your 3 coins above are no exception E1, very nice. Those are in some classic plastic–mid 90’s Gen 3.1 where the back label says “©PCGS COPYING PROHIBITED” below the logo…
I’m on the lookout for some hi-grade 1964-D, 1966, and 1967 BU 50C coins(not SMS)with toning. If you see any, give me a shout!
Rick,
The strength of the strike cannot be denied. Also, that coin has never seen the inside of a roll. Look at the upper left and right corners of the shield.
It’s better than a 6 and not an 8.
“Instead of giving a range of grades I will give just one grade – MS67+.”
“It’s better than a 6 and not an 8.”
As it so happens, E 1, I was completely stuck as to what grade to give that coin. I appreciate your untying my hands in that regard by switching your own “quote” from a single grade to a wider estimate instead; it’s quite a welcome relief to be given some leeway!
Rick, my input will be double designated: a MS66+ or a MS67.
.
Keep the grade guesses coming, just remember my hints.
I’m no grader either, but when I can do condition comparisons, whether in hand or in photos, it helps me out.
The skin texture/wrinkles on the neck is not a fingerprint, nor die polishing lines.
That upper neck & upper jaw texture was a fully intended design feature implemented by Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts, and arguably a bit off. You’ll see this feature on ALL Kennedys(MS, PF, SMS)from the 1960’s. It ended in 1970.
The 50C 1965 40% SMS coin below has the best of both conditions on display.
In Red we see the skin ‘wrinkles’ purposely engraved/implemented into the design.
In Yellow we see the die polishing lines ‘engraved’ onto the die(looks like cleaning/scrubbing, but isn’t).
You’ll never see die polishing lines on the Devices of the coin, only in the fields.
Why? Because the Devices on the Die are INCUSE, providing protection from the often over-exuberant elbow grease going on with polish-man…
You can see the newer, more realistic skin texture on the 2014-P coin below.
The same updated neck texture can be seen all the way up to the 2024 50C coins too.
The same can be said for the President’s ‘Crows Feet’ on the newer coins. They are more pronounced than the coins from the 60’s…
Toggle between the 1965, and the 2014 coins to see the difference in wrinkles at the eyes. I’m sure there are more enhancements/adjustments as time passes by?…
Rick, thanks for the education on the coins noted features and the information regarding the lines/wrinkles vs die polishing marks on the neck of the Kennedy Half dollar. After further consideration and taking a peek at some additional pictures, you’ll be pleased to hear, the CMGC has upgraded this coin to a MS66!
Only rich people need to collect coins. Everyone else, out on the street.
Now I’m somewhat confused, Antonio, as I’m sure I remember correctly that in the hilarious 1966 movie “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming”, Alan Arkin as the second in command of the grounded off Martha’s Vineyard(?) Russian submarine has been sent by his Captain to run through the adjacent American town shouting in the best poor English he can muster “Everyone to get from street!”
Carl Reiner fun stuff. Arkin a great actor, in its day the movie Poppi was a big hit for him…
Antonio well, it is the hobby of Kings!
Kaiser in English is King. As is Konig.
Antonio and John Q. Coinage,
Kaiser also happens to be the German version of the English word Caesar.
Constantine coins are fairly common. I have a few copper ones in great condition. Also Valens and his brother.