IMPORTANT NEWP

Well, I have always wanted to write a Journal Entry. I promised myself that, SOMEDAY, when I got to a certain numismatic milestone that it would happen, since I wanted to write a proper and appropriate one, after all. As it so happens, TODAY is that day and I have FINALLY reached that momentous point!

I joined the NGC Registry here back in 2005 and I then made an attempt to buy some Early Walkers for my set. I bought the 1917 PCGS MS 64, 1918 NGC MS 64, 1918-D PCGS MS 63, 1920-S PCGS MS 62, 27-S PCGS MS 63 and one middle date---the 1938-D PCGS MS 65 all in that same year. All of those coins are still currently in my set, except for the PCGS 1927-S MS 63, which was eventually sold and upgraded with an absolute GEM of a coin in a NGC MS 64 holder. I contemplated doing an early set during that time period (in 2005). I correctly theorized that reaching the 84% mark of 22 out of 26 coins would be a HUGE and significant achievement, since it would include everything, except for the ultra-rare 1919-D & 1921-P/D/S coins. Also, there are just SO MANY other REALLY tough dates there (from 1916 to 1933), besides those four, that it would be a monumental undertaking. I, reluctantly, abandoned that plan surmising that it would take me about 15 YEARS to do it the right way (assuming that the right coins would even come along) and that that was just MUCH TOO LONG and not acceptable, at the rate that I was going. Eventually, I began to re-think my position, because I was working a better job and had much more discretionary income. I decided to go 'all in' again in September of 2009 by buying a fully struck 1920-D in MS 64 from a nationally known online coin dealer and I have NOT looked back ever since. I joined the NGC boards the very next month in Oct 2009.

So, here we are in February of 2014---almost four and a half years later and I HAVE ARRIVED! This PCGS MS 64 CAC 1917-S Reverse example is that final 22nd coin for me!! I missed the opportunity to buy a 'perfect' MS 64 example from a West Coast coin dealer approximately 1 1/2 to 2 years ago and it has haunted me EVER SINCE. Although the 1917-S Reverse is NOT an expensive or rare coin, in an absolute sense or in the broader range of the series, but I just challenge you to TRY to find a well struck, clean AND lustrous example! Even MS 65s can look like garbage (flat and dull) and they will cost you AT LEAST $10K or more. I knew that there would be some stiff competition for this coin, as it looked almost as nice or possibly better than the special one that I had missed about 2 years ago. Who knows? Maybe it's even the same coin re-holdered?? Probably not but I don't really know for sure---I didn't have a clear enough image of the first one to be absolutely certain. I also knew that other people who were 'in the know' would see this coin, too, and it would be heavily hyped and exposed by Heritage but I just wanted to get there, soooo badly!! I could actually see that finish line---that surreal, self-determined goal, in my head, so I paid a VERY strong price for this piece, because it was not just the coin that I was purchasing but it was also my long yearned for goal, too, and special pieces come on the market sooo very infrequently. They are RARE RARE RARE!! This last week of waiting has been one of the longest weeks of my life! Thankfully, I went for it hard and was not overtaken by the stampede of lemmings!! I was really wishing that it DIDN'T have that darned CAC sticker on it, if you can actually believe that, as I didn't want that fact to artificially inflate the price! I am sure that it did, anyway. Now, I can relax and be happy knowing that it does have the controversial bean and its mine. Besides, I have seen a lot of other examples of this coin with CAC stickers but this one truly deserves it, IMHO, as the others were VERY inferior examples, so there is still A LOT to be said for buying the coin and not the holder OR the sticker----nothing trumps knowing what to buy YOURSELF.

Building this set has been MORE than a passion for me---it has been an absolute FULL BLOWN OBSESSION!! I have spent virtually every minute of every day it seems of these last 4 & 1/2 years searching & searching, viewing & studying, learning & acquiring the best pieces that I could possibly find at the best prices. I sold off almost all of my raw early Walkers, Morgans and others coins, so that I could re-invest the money back into my certified Early Walker set. I have also overpaid for one or two of my Walkers, as well, but I knew that they would be worth it. Many more coins I UNDERPAID FOR, too, so all in all---I am well ahead of the game. There was also a bit of LUCK involved but knowledge is power and hard work ethics do come into play and they make you much more successful, as well---they increase your odds by forcing you to create your own opportunities, so I worked very hard. I have kept fastidious records of sales & resales, crack-outs & upgrades and images & prices. It has been a 24/7 job for me---I recall staying up as late as 3 AM and also getting up as early as 5 or 6 AM to bid on a coin or to research it. Many dealers had flat out told me that I simply couldn't compete with them. Well, guess what, man? My job and my lifestyle have allowed me to do just that. So, I not only was able to compete but I feel that I did BETTER, as I focused solely on MY series alone---a luxury that not even those dealers have. I surpassed them by picking up coins for LESS money than they could've offered them to me for and coins that were PQ and hand selected by me and specifically for me. I have a certain satisfaction in knowing that I did it all on my own and I built it exactly the way that I wanted it built---that is something that CAN'T be conveyed to a dealer no matter how much money that you have available to spend with them. Besides, it is really fun to do it on your own, if you are lucky and dedicated enough to be able to do so.

Some people might say that I am NOT done, yet, and technically, they are right----I am NOT 100% complete. So I say this---I WILL still acquire the 19-D and 21-P/D/S coins (probably in a mix of MS 62, 63 and 64 grades and also an AU 55 or 58 example for the rare 'King of Walkers'---the 21-S coin, too) but it will be in the LONG TERM. I am taking a MUCH NEEDED break, now, but I am certainly NOT stopping and I never will---in any way, shape or form. Although it was a lot of FUN, for a long while; I was just completely absorbed by the coins and, recently, it was starting to be stressful, a little financially taxing and it was negatively impacting other portions of my life. Like a marathon runner----I had hit the wall, so to speak. So, now I will use any extra disposable income that I have to diversify my financial portfolio for a while with other investments, such as stocks, bonds and my high yield IRA. I'll likely start spending more on dining, entertainment and travel, as well. However, to quench my consummate desire for coins; I will now just casually work on my One Per Date Walker Set, when I get the urge. Acquiring, AT MY LEISURE, and hopefully, without as much difficulty but with an equal amount of pleasure, the missing coins in that set. They include but aren't limited to one example of the 1941 through 1947 year coins in MS 65 or MS 66 grade. I will be looking fo

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