Duhh.. Dumb question...Would it be this bad if I collected "comic books"??? probably...

Greetings Collectors,

All this "Gold Fever" that has been sweeping the world got me thinking about the past. I started collecting in the early-mid 60's and even still have a "Red Book" from that period. My two most valuble coins at that time was a 1916-D Mercury dime AG-3 and an 1810 over 9 Classic Head Large Cent in XF-45. The former was lost in time and the latter I still own. I remember the large cent was worth $35 for years and years and the dime not a whole lot more. Gold was $35 per oz. and nice gem mint state $20 Double Eagles were around $100 ea. Wow to only be able to go back and do it all again. My want list would be several hundred coins strong... at least. But we are here now and prices are what they are.

As I approached graduation from high school (1972) The war was starting to wind down and coins were put on the "back burner". Surfing/traveling & girls quickly replaced the urges that coins once held. I actually, for the most part, ignored coins from the mid 70's-1990. When I wasn't traveling to some remote part of the tropics in search of the ultimate ride, I was planning my next trip and deciding which female friend I would take with me. It was a great life and I could write volumes on places I went and people I met. This life lasted a dozen years or so and then marriage, three kids, a business took that which I loved and replaced it with something I loved even more. My faith, my children, business and then coins began to consume my every waking moment. The 1st 3 starting in the mid-80's & coins around 1990. I am in a "third cycle" of life now and have been since my first slabbed coin purchases in 89-90. Even then gold was still very cheap after correcting from the 80's high of $800 per oz. I remember that gold was between $200 & $300 per ounce for what seemed like eons. That was when I started buying.

I think back now and while I bought all I could afford, I still can't get the thoughts outta my mind that the 1st cycle of the 60's into the mid 70's I should have been a "bigger" buyer. At a very young age (8-12) all I did was do jobs for neighbors & relatives in order to earn money to buy coins. I caught snakes and sold them to the local pet shops and even on our family trips to see my paternal grandparents in N.W. LA. I would take all my available cash (usually $70-$100) and invest it in nickle packs of "Black Cat" firecrackers. I would buy these ciggarett size packs that had 16 firecrackers in each and would bring them back to Florida (where they were against the law to sell or have) and sell them for $.25 each. All of these funds were used to buy mostly silver & copper coins but I bought a few gold coins as well. And not only then, but I should have bought some (or I should say bought more) in the late 80's - the mid 90's. It wasn't 'til 1995 when my 1st son was born did I really start aquiring all I had any extra money for. And I have been that way even to today. I just can't help but think what kind of holdings I would have today had I just been consistant, kinda like the tortoise compared to the hare. It is amazing how crystal clear hindsight is. But I firmly beleive all things happen for a reason but that ole, "shoulda woulda coulda" continues to rear its smart head.

For the last almost 20 years I have bought anything and everything gold and silver. I would get on a tear with one type of coin and go like crazy, only to replace that one with yet another. But still most all have been about gold & silver (and in that order). I have scolded myself for what I would think was spending way too much and it even played a major reason that my second marriage failed. My statement was always the same when my "so called" better half would say, "that's the third gold coin this month", don't you think you need to tone it down a tad?" Actually that is putting what she said and how she said it mildly. My standard "come back" was always the same, "but honey, I can always sell it if I need to". And her standard reply to that was always the same... "but you never do".

Looking back I am somewhat pleased although I always think I could have done better in not only the rate at which I bought but the quality of what I bought. But I think I have finally put to bed the demons that have caused me to kick myself for not having bought more. I have had on too many occasions to count, said to myself, stop, take a break. Try to go 30 or 60 or heck, even 10 days without buying something. It does no good. I am an addict, plain and simple. I have finally owned up to that fact. I am through worrying about it.

My latest tear of the last 3-6 weeks has been buying gold to fit into several mint sets I have decided to build. And wouldn't you know it, as my luck would have it, the ones I have chosen are gonna probably kill me. (there are several other mint sets in the 1890's I am going to attempt in addition) The two I would really like to complete are the 1853 & the 1901. Both have CS members in the #1 spot that will be near imposible to even get close to, much less knock off. And when you look at some of the coins needed to complete these two, the task is even more daunting. (1901-S Barber quarter & Morgan dollar, both P&S and the 1853 C&D gold)

So anyway here is an example of a pretty nice New Orleans mint gold half eagle for my 1893 mint set (one of 452 total in all grades at NGC). Boy I can't wait to see what the San Francisco Morgan dollar will set me back for this particular year. I do beleive that the aforementioned mint sets will end up with a few "empty slots".

Please pray for me as the problem I have is a serious one...

Happy Collecting

WKF

P.S. Can you beleive a Half Eagle with a reverse this nice resides in an AU-58 holder? What Liberty Gold collector in their right mind could pass on a southern Branch Mint coin like this one? Maybe I'm not as ill as first thought...