Agree or Disagree? That my friend is the question.

Wow, I am not going to go off on a massive tangent here. NGC has the right to set up it's awards however it wants. For those of you who are shooting for number one just to get a plaque, the true meaning of coin collecting has been lost. Sure, a nifty plaque whould be great fun to have and perhaps even put up on a wall. BUT, that's all it is..........a plaque. No one will remember or even care 5 years from now if you won best of category for 18 3/4 cent nickel dimes (I know it makes no sense, that's kind of the irony of this thing), NO ONE.

Jackson has it correct. One of the greatest concepts of collecting is "if this coin could only talk". What would it say? In some cases, where did it hide for the past 120 years? Who took such great care of you? Did my great-grandfather spend you? Perhaps my great-great-great grandmother traded you for a bail of hay.

The history and the intrinsic beauty is the real deal. I likely will never win a plaque, except for in a category where 83 people are #1 (see 21st Century Proof Type Set) or Presidential Proof $1 (16,356 are tied for #1). OK well I exagerate a little. Being number one is not my goal, my happiness, the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction that comes with putting that last coin in a set to finish it off. That's got it for me!