I will always be working on 1 or 2 album sets

Like many numismatists I started my collecting with an album/folder. It was actually 2 seperate folders for lincoln cents, one with dates from 1909-1940 and the other with dates from 1941-present {which was about 1975 then}. I can still see my youthful -script of putting the dates under the undated holes for the late 70's years as they were released.

I am an enthusiastic registry collector...in fact it has revitalized my passion for coins. I love the community feel, reading the collecting experiences of others, looking at some incredible sets and the various and creative signature sets that people assemble. I send away between 10-12 submissions a year with varying amounts of coins each time. I will even, on occasion, submit a coin that has a value lower than the slabbing cost...just so I can include it as part of my "registry collection". Some may think that's nuts but I'll collect what I like, the way I like..and anyhow, that low-value coin may have a higher value to me than the "list price" says its worth.

Having said all of this about the registry and certified coins, I still love assembling an album collection. I usually try and have a primary registry collection I am building, a fun signature set, and 1 or 2 albums to work on.

The albums are great...I get to hunt through cheaper, raw coins without any concern for points. If it is handsomely toned I can put it in its hole without worrying about body bags. I can use hole fillers to finish a set and upgrade later or start another set. It is casual, fun and I still get a thrill when I fill that final spot.

For the most part it is inexpensive, although most series have a few semi-key and key dates that will cost more or I can just compromise with a lower grade example to fill the spot.

One of the things I love about album collecting is I get to actually HOLD the coin. I love the weighty feel of an old silver half or dollar in my fingers, not a plastic case between. I also love to open a page of the album and look at all of the coins sitting together with their older and younger siblings..nice neat rows and hopefully of similar quality.

I found out today why the water in my house has been murky lately---our well is drying up!!! Well that's gonna be an $8000-10,000 expense I hadn't counted on...so it looks like I may be collecting a cheap album set for a while...I think I'll start a Mercury dime set, starting off just trying to fill all of the holes, and then replacing the more common dates with nicer coins sometime later. This way I can still enjoy collecting during this tight spot.

Here's my newest replacement for my Franklin Set {I've already finished it, I am just trying to make it a more matching set now} Fresh from its cracked open PCGS holder, I have a great home for him..right next to all of his shining brothers...