going straight to the top!!

well, maybe not the top--but hopefully the first page.

When I started my Walker short set I had a simple goal (so I thought) just finish the set with coins that met a certain strike criteria and not be concerned with the grades or points. I love a fully struck Walker, it is my favorite coin design. In fact, the use of the design on the SAE is what re-energized my interest in coin collecting.

My criteria was: full skirt lines on the left leg ( a must),seperately defined face/hair/cap, a thumb and forefinger(semi optional) and nice breast feathers on the reverse.

The whole hunt and experience has been very educational. For example: I have learned that different dates are graded differently than others--at first I thought it was inconsistent grading, but as I've studied the series it is evident that the "S" mint coins are mostly weakly struck. The grading services understand that certain dates are almost uniformly poorly struck and have adjusted the grading for those dates.

Anyhow, to get coins that fit my criteria I have had to buy some pretty high graded coins for some of these dates. I have also had to be very patient and uncompromising. Without really trying to I had climbed into the top 50 !!! Then my last 2 coins..a 1946-S MS66 jumped me from 48 to 38...and this Saturday I bought a 1942 MS67 that jumped me from 38 to 33 !!! now I'm nearing the big boys...I don't delude myself, I will never crack the top 10--but my goal of making the first page, the top 25 is a possibility.

My original goal of simply completing the set is shot. I've regained registry fever for the moment. I have decided to "upgrade" some of the lower graded coins--even though they fit my criteria and are beautiful, the points are too low. It may take me longer than just the end of the year, because I still will buy the coin first and not the grade on the slab--but that is my new goal.

It's great to have goals in my collecting--it adds the excitement of the challenge........I hope that all of you reach your goals this year and keep the excitement in your collecting...

Here's a new addition to my never-ending set, the High Seas signature collection. I also have a goal that someday this set might win the Best Overall Sig Set..I can always dream..