As much as I sometimes hate to admit it, collectors with deep pockets are a necessary part of the registry.

I have read all the recent postings on the issue of dealers and persons with deep pockets, and I understand where they are coming from. However, I feel that people with more money to spend have an integral and necessary part in the registry. I?m not sure what advantage a dealer has in maintaining a registry, unless he or she is a collector also. The title dealer by its very nature suggests that their inventory is constantly rotating. If I were a dealer, I would concentrate more on maintaining a good web site, especially since a web site is better suited to sales than a registry set is. Therefore, the rest of my post will address the dealer/collector as a collector.

Do I wish that I had a lot more money to spend on coins, yes? Do I wish that I could compete in the top registries, emphatically, yes? However, if I cannot do it, I am glad someone else can. Registry sets encourage professional grading, conservation, and collecting into sets. For instance, let me use this year?s grand prize winning set as an example. Any one of those proof Morgan Dollars in ?Chappell Collection? is worth more than my entire award winning, ?Gary?s 20th Century Type Set?. Nevertheless, I am glad someone has the resources to bring a set like that together. Those coins should be preserved as a set, rather than spread across the world. This is more than collecting coins; this is history and a numismatic legacy. This set is truly a museum quality set. If NGC encourages this collector by establishing registry sets to populate and a pedigree to boot, I say fantastic! Furthermore, this set is one coin short of 100% NGC certified coins! From my perspective, I took joy in simply viewing this awesome set as I cleaned the drool from my keyboard!

Where I may have somewhat of a problem, is when a collector obscures a set. From a security standpoint, I can see it, but if a collector obscures a set to keep the competition guessing, there is where I have a problem. I feel that you should lay your coins on the table and let the grades fall where they may! Where I have the biggest problem is with NGC when they give one of their major awards to an obscured set. Obviously, the set isn?t obscured to the judges and they get to enjoy perusing it, but I can?t, what is with that? Once again, from my perspective, if I have a set that receives a major award, I want the whole world to see it!

There are ways though that NGC levels the playing field so that everyone has a crack at competing. That said; let me preface my prior comment by saying that if a set has a large number of coins or a sizable following and several key dates Joe Collector probably cannot compete. Nevertheless, with the diversity and number of sets NGC makes available, just about anyone can find their own little niche. For instance, I own a small set with one key coin and next to no following. With few coins graded and none that are priced out of this world, I competed with a person I know has a larger budget with which to buy coins than I do. I competed and won with strategy and higher grades, just as it should be.

Finally, I want to wish my lovely wife of 28 years a happy Valentine?s Day! I love you very much! The coin pictured is from my signature set and is dedicated to my wife. The coin is a gold 1971 MS-66 Mauritius 200 Rupee ?Mauritius Independence? commemorative coin. The attached photo should be all you need to see and know why I choose it to dedicate to my wife.

Gary