200,000 Points in the Registry

Dear Journal:

As much as I enjoy collecting coins, I also enjoy sharing coins and stories with other collectors on the Registry. While I don't particularly care where I am overall in total points or rankings on the Registry, I do enjoy competing on individual sets.

I have been adding some coins lately, and one day, I looked up to see that I had crossed the 200,000 mark in total Registry points. I stopped in my tracks and did not add any more coins that day. I thought to myself, should I celebrate? How should I celebrate? There are many collectors with fantastic coin collections with many more points than me, and I don't have any grand visions of ever getting close to them. But my collection is special to me, so I am going to celebrate.

My celebration will be to go back through my collection, remembering when, where, how and why I acquired my favorite coins, revisiting some coins that I have not thought about for years, and reminiscing about collector and dealer friends that I have crossed paths with over many years.

Will I ever get to 250,000 points? I think so, as long as I am able to keep my job (not an easy task these days) and remain in good health. In fact, I have a backlog of coins to add that will get me started. It may take me five years, but what's the rush. Will I ever get to 300,000? I have some doubts about that one. My current registry sets are pretty well along, some are done, and I don't think I will be starting many new ones...but you never know.

By the way, I almost forgot. This is the coin that put me over the top (see photo). I will always remember this coin for that reason. It is a first year 1878-P (7 tail feathers with reverse of 1879) Morgan silver dollar in the GSA soft pack that was worth 1,066 registry points.

Well, that's enough celebrating. Now I am going to add some more coins to the Registry.