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Entries in this journal

First Journal Of 2011

...not many mother mint coins in my collection. Hello all, First, happy new year to everyone!!! I certainly hope 2011 is a great year for everyone. It's starting out OK for me. I have a Canadian nickel on the way for my Canadian Nickel set. Purchases have been slow lately, for a few reasons. Of course, Christmas time always leaves me a little short of cash. Secondly, there are 2 Stack's auctions coming up this month and as always, I have some watched items in both of them. So I need to wat

Another Year Almost Gone

How did my goals do? Hi everyone, Well, my main goal for the year was to finish my FBL Franklin set. At the start of the year, I needed to upgrade 5 coins and purchase 20 more. Well, the upgrades were easy. All 5 are now at least 64's, and the coins I upgraded are now residing in a more or less ungraded set. As for the 20 I still needed, I purchased 14 of them. I knew the 53-S would be the major stumbling block, as it turned out all of them seem to be. Except for the 53-S, I saw the coins I
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Wheaties Galore

Looked thru a bunch of Lincoln Wheaties! Well, my Lincoln wheat penny albums are a little fuller tonight. My project for this week, as I'm on vacation after having some dental surgery yesterday, was to look thru close to 10 rolls of wheat cents. Some things surprised me. I thought I would find more D and S mints than I did. However, the most common coin I found was the 1957-D, which doesn't surprise me since I live west of the Missippi River, but other than those, some 56's and 58's, I didn'
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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A Wonderful Day In The Neighborhood

...if you're making a raw set of wheaties. (No, not the cereal!) Hi all, First I must explain that my weekend is Sunday and Monday. So usually, I use Sundays to relax, and to relax I either read or work on my coins. (Except in the summer, when our local minor league baseball team is playing at home, then ball games are a part of my Sundays too.) Mondays are used for the normal errands of life, you all know what these are; wash the clothes, do your banking business, mail packages to NGC, etc.
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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A Major Decision That Makes Me Sad

But the decision also makes me happy! Hello all, This past 2 weeks I've been doing one of 3 things: either working, watching playoff baseball (GO YANKEES!!!) or mulling over a really major decision! The major decision is the subject of this journal article. I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to sell a portion of my coins. This is a sad decision, I've never met a coin I didn't like (well, I guess that's 1% untrue, as I don't really care for the Anthony dollar), but it's also a happy
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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An October Assesment

...and other musings. I've been meaning to write this journal entry for a good 6 weeks. For one reason or another, I'm just getting to it now. As some of you may have noticed, I've been juggling both my competitive and custom sets around. I'm trying to more accurately reflect my collecting interests. For example, the one change that maybe is my saddest change is the switch from a full set of Morgan dollars to a one per date set, plus my Carson City set. I love the Morgan dollar; as I've stated
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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Franklin Half Set Goals, Final Grading Results

and a dilemma on the 1953S Franklin. Finally, my last batch of coins are coming home. Mixed results on the 2 coins of mine. Well I should admit on my final 5 coin submission, 2 were mine (a 1918 Buffalo Nickel and an 1883CC Morgan) and 3 were my brother's. I told him I was curious on one of his coins, as to grade, and would split the cost with him so I could meet the 5 coin minimum on the economy grading tier. So the mixed results on mine were this. My nickel was purchased raw as an AU piece

New Site Features & Grading Update

I like the new features (so far) but have a couple of nit pics! Hello all, I meant to write a grading update journal entry before the site upgrade; I'm really glad I waited. I've been checking things out tonight and do not have any major complaints (so far). However, I do have a couple of nit picks, but must say first, they're nit picks only in the respect of how I like to see my coin info. I'll give a specific example, just in case NGC would like to help out (HINT HINT) :-). I currently h

First Round Of Grading Results

3 70's Hello all, Well, my 13 coin submission is on it's way "home to papa". I am really pleased with the results, I can't wait till I get the package, so I looked here. I thought both Franklin commem proofs would be PF70UC, and one was and the other was a 69UC. Not too bad I guess, 1 out of 2. All the others were pretty much as I expected, but the icing on the cake were Mint State Bald Eagle dollar and the proof Bald Eagle half. Both came back as 70's, so I can sure live with only one of

Submission Update

13 coins in quality control Things are looking up! The registered package that was floating around in Chicago has been received by NGC!!!!!!!!!!!! I was starting to worry, but now my worry can be what grades will I receive. :-) I have high hopes for my 1883 Carson City Morgan dollar. I bought it raw because it looked so good. I sure hope the graders agree with me. My 13 coin submission which was received on the 24th of June is in Quality Control. I'm hoping for at least 2 70's, I thought both

Wow! What A Week Since Last Thursday!!!

Lighting is KEY! A week sure has made a difference for me. Last Thursday I sent 2 5-coin submissions for grading. The only bad thing is NGC hasn't received them yet, our local postmaster told me Friday that the Chicago registered mail office (facility?) is moving, and that's where he thinks the package is. Let's hope he's right, as (of course as my luck would have it) this submission is most valuable. Then on Monday, I sent a 13 coin submission which NGC has in the "Received" status. I'll try

Making Progress!!!

on many fronts; photos, adding coins, and grading submissions. The last 14 days or so has seen a lot of progress for me on the coin front. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, I bought a digital SLR camera; since that time I've been experimenting with it, reading the manual, and FINALLY I'm starting to get some better pictures. My biggest stumbling blocks have been WHITE BALANCE and light coverage. Well, I feel I'm making a lot of headway on the white balance. Personally, I hate photos with a t

More, More, More

...more coins and more photos. This past couple of weeks have been really good for me. I just made my 2010 IRA contribution (which is always nice), I received 5 more coins in the mail today (which is even nicer) and I'm making progress on the photo front. First off, the coins! I added 3 silver commems to my commemorative set, Two were 69 Ultra Cameos (Edison and Smithsonian) and 1 gorgeous 70 Ultra Cameo (Disabled Veterans). Plus, I added a MS64RB 1920 1 Centavo to my Mexican 1 Centavo set,

Correcting A Mistake

I should say THANKS W.K.F. Sorry W.K.F. my fingers typed faster than my brain is moving today. I transposed the letters. So to everyone who just read my previous journal entry. Thanks to W.K.F. for his journal entries. Also, you can see a larger image of my 1956 Franklin in my galler, I notice the galler will accept a larger file size than the journals. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Making Headway

Franklin Half pic shows I'm getting there. Hi all, Yes, I'm still working on my photos. I am to the point where I was getting some good pictures with my point & shoot digital camera, but am not happy with the detail. Thus, my purchase of a digital SLR. Before I go any further, I want to commend WFK for his just started group of journal entries about photography. I've always felt more heads are better than one, so I've been reading his journal entries in hopes of picking up some tips &a

It's Really Funny And Ironic!

Who would have thought proofs could be easy? Hi all, Yes, I'm still working with my digital cam! I know you probably are all getting sick of reading and looking at my pictures, but tonight I've been experimenting with lights and light angles. The coins I was having the most trouble with before, namely proofs, I'm not having near the troubles now. The only problem I am having is a color shift, and I feel I can find a light and learning to adjust my white balance to take care ot it. OK here'

Working On Photos

...I bought a copy stand. Hi all, On Monday, I bought a copy stand with light fixtures. I think I may have bought more than I need but it does make a difference. One big difference I noticed is the camera is steady as a rock. The big downside is I have to figure out what lights to use. I had been using a small flourescent tube fixture with my point & shoot camera, and had the white balance pretty well figured out. This stand has normal bulb fixtures, I bought some Reveal bulbs for it,

Raw Coins, Raw File Formats

Like the Navy, coin collecting is not a job, but an adventure. I had planned to write this journal entry, or at least parts of it about 2 weeks ago. However, my computer was attacked by viruses, somehow they got on, stopped my anti virus, and I was in danger of losing a lot of stuff and the danger was there of losing identity. So, I turned off my modem, and did a system cleansing and recovery from my recovery drive. Hopefully, I'm safe, but I'm watching bank accounts etc. just to make sure.

I Had An Awesome Day!!!

free at last... What a day!!!! I got a lot of errands finished this morning, then had a 12:30 appointment with my lawyer to finish up my last debt. We had been quibbling on the amount owed for over 2 months, well, it was paid off today!!!!!!!! Then I did some other banking and post office business, it was a good day here today to do all this, as it has been drizzling and rainy all day and evening. So, after my errands were completed, I decided a rainy day would be a perfect time to drive dow

More Purchases, Another Decision

it's so nice being out of debt. Hi everyone, I guess I should say I'll be out of debt in the next week or so, as I still owe on one credit card, but I feel it will be paid (hopefully) in the next week or so. I'm quibbling on the amount I owe, but I'm confident both parties involved can come up with an equitable solution. I've been working on my main goal for 2010, my Franklin half set. (As a sidelight, I started a proof Franklin set, but I have no timetable on when I might really starting

Raw Coins

...a journal entry I said I would write. Finally, I have some time to sit down and write an entry. I've been busy scanning my graded and raw currency to send to a the software company whose program I use to keep track of my coins & currency. I'm also finishing up some photos of my coins, but I'm still having some issues with my proof Sac dollars. Oh well, guess I'm learning something every day. In an earlier entry, I said I was going to write a couple of entries about my raw coins and se

An Upgrade For My Franklin Set, First Coin For My Dad's Memorial Set

...plus some raw coins, I'm going to get 3 journal entry's from the 6 coins I received today. Plus a comment on Beaw's journal. Hi everyone, I didn't realize when I received my coins today I'd get 3 journal entries. My big purchase was a 1959D Franklin that upgraded my FBL Franklin set. I only stepped up one grade, but the extra points sure helped. However, it's nice and lustrous, so I'm happy with it. Along with the Franklin came a 1922 Peace Dollar for my dad's memorial set. Both coins wer

A Good Dilemma For A Change

What do I send in? It sure feels a whole lot better to have a good dilemma. The last half of 2009 was a rough time for my collection. For those of you who have been reading my journal entries this year, know I was to the point of selling the bulk of my collection to pay bills. Now, I'm past that with my collection intact, plus I renewed my membership in the Society for 2010. I received my packet of materials for the year, and we all know that means GRADING COUPON!!!! So my good dilemma is: W
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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I Just Couldn't Do It

...and an update. If you have been following the continuing saga of my registry sets, you've probably noticed I put the full set of Morgans back. I just couldn't do it, the one per year set, and leave out the Philadelphia issues. If a rule were made that we could only collect one series of coins, the Morgans would be mine. I know there are prettier coins (Walking Liberty halves and the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles), but to me, the Morgans are right up there too. Besides, whenever I look at one,
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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In Response To 9sec931x

...I agree. I'm in agreement with 9sec931x. Having just started (within the last 6 weeks) mint sets in tribute to my parents, I would appreciate a NO GOLD option. I have always said in my journals that I am on a limited coin budget. While right now I have 2 pieces of gold, I would prefer the no gold option. I guess this is my 2 cents worth. Attached is a 1921D Morgan, 1921 being my mom's birth year.
Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

Iowa Silver Baron Bammer

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