...8 coins to go for my Franklin FBL set.

I'm really looking forward to 2008. I've started off with a bang already, as January isn't even over yet. My main goal for the year is to finish my Franklin FBL set. I've 9 empty slots in the set, and I have one coin on the way I won in a Teletrade auction. So that leaves 8 slots to go, I really want to finish the set this year. The downside to this is I decided to not do the Proof Franklins. However, I might buy a 1957 Proof, as I am comtemplating a Franklin signature set. I've admired Franklin for a long time, mainly I suppose because of his contributions to printing. Who can forget Poor Richard's Almanac?? I guess my 19 years in the printing business has a lot to do with this. More on the registry set in future journal articles.

Another reason for the decision not to do the proofs has to do with my (slight!) downsize of my collecting interests. As of this journal article, I've made the following downsize & focus decisions:

1. No Franklin Proofs.

2. No State Quarter Proofs (except the ones for my Wild West signature set.

3. No 20th Century type set (mainly because there are a few coins needed for this set that I DO NOT like, think Anthony dollars) What coins I do like, I'll buy one of them and put them in my Brian's Beauties Signature set

4. Finally, and this is the big one, I'm focusing on the sharpest strike, best coins for the grade in what I buy. I noticed when I first started buying, I overpaid for lackluster coins. I've gotten rid of most of them, took my loss and learned my lesson. Where this will really help is my gold sets and coins. See the picture of the gorgeous 1878 Quarter Eagle I'm attaching to this journal.

I'm also looking forward to some nice currency purchases. I've already bought 3 notes already (sigh!!!) and will write about them over on the currency side. The good part is, I've sold some of my duplicates and what I've downsized to pay for these notes (plus a little extra) so that helps.

Well, all for now, and I hope everyone has a great year in 2008.