I always figured I'd just have to settle for the 1807 large stars 50 over inverted 5 (otherwise known as the 50/20 [sic] {see my registry set for a more detailed discussion of the erroneous 50/20 designation}). I was tickled when I landed a really really nice one in AU55, and never figured I'd own those two really really difficult to find 'large stars' and 'small stars' varieties.

And of those 'Bearded Ladies' supposedly so rare but popping up all over the place (I bought one once in a PCGS VF something holder and returned it immediately)...damn, to find one of those with the complete crack and in really nice condition would cost an absolute fortune (I've only seen one that I liked and it was priced at over 8K).

Well...my collecting practices are taking a turn. Initially I thought I'd buy coins I always kind of wanted...like the U.S. Assay $10 piece, and all that copper, lucious copper, in my Colonial Coins set...but I've determined that I just don't know enough about any coin outside of the Bust Halves...I mean...not that I'm an expert in ANYTHING, but I know more about Busties than Gold, and I hate to say this...even copper. I just don't know enough about them to not risk getting screwed in a transaction.

So I started selling off my copper and my gold and besides paying off some credit card bills, where the interest alone, in a year, could buy me one very nice coin...I started to re-invest myself in my Bust Half collection. Damn...am I happy I did that. The future looks BRIGHT. Yep!!! I said it...BRIGHT!!!

First, I began to find that I was tripping over...or maybe I should say these coins were literally falling into my lap (which makes you wonder how scarce they really are). I found a great AU58, really MS62 1807 50/inverted 5, that I just had to trade up for...and of course, pay the difference in cash (Arrrgh).

Then, I came accross this really neat and original looking AU40 Small Stars, that I also traded some coins in for...of course + some cash (yikes!).

And THEN, I fell upon a really neat large stars, clean surfaces (basically), un-molested (basically too), also in XF40+, that just had great eye appeal (gosh...I never seem to capture these kinds of coins adequately with a camera...but what the hell...my photos end up in my registry set regardless).

Oh yeah...and traded in coins for that one also.

Darn, I'm devesting and investing at the same time.

But I am sure as hell happy about it!!!

So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.