More Dreams, Procurement, Completion, & on to the next one...

And Congratulations To...Greetings Collectors,Well, after almost two weeks waiting for my last 4 1996 Silver Eagles to arrive, they finally did. I tried to strike a deal with this vendor who sold them because it appeared that he had several hundred. I also thought he had probably bought them back in the day like I had, and only paid $6 or $7 per for each but, I couldn't get him to budge off the $50 price tag for each. On top of that he kept coming up with excuses, and delaying the shipping of the four I had bought. I purchased them on a Sunday almost two weeks ago, and asked that he pick me out some real choice examples as I was just trying to replenish my original roll that was lacking 4. He said he was out of town and if I wanted "him" to select them, I would have to wait 'til he returned on Friday later that week. Well, he writes me Sat and informs me he was held up and would not return 'til Monday. Monday he writes me and says he's back but this was Mon eve so shipping that day was out. Then I am looking to receive them on Thursday and I get an email saying "your item has shipped" and when I looked at the tracking #, he didn't make it to the post office 'til 4:15 pm that afternoon (Wed.) Well I had been trying to get out of town since Monday, and here he is, just now shipping a couple days after he returns. By this time I'm kinda pi---- so I sent him an email telling him how even though he kept me informed, he has really messed up my plans, as every email, was one informing me of continued delay.Well, today I get the coins. And not only are they absolutely "pristine" examples, but he "did not" forget to send me a "green lidded" plastic mint tube (at no-charge) as I couldn't lay my hands on the one I had back when my roll of '96's was intact. And in addition, for my trouble, he also includes a "spot free" 1963 Franklin proof that looks as good as any Pf. 69 I have ever seen. Not a cameo but a really gorgeous coin and one that's worth in excess of $7 in silver content alone. Now mind you, he never responded to my somewhat "nasty gram" that I had sent on Wednesday after finding he had just sent the coins that day. Now I know why. I feel like a real jerk and now I have to "eat a large helping of crow" to make up for my "person_without_enough_empathyie" email. I also have to leave feedback for him and I don't feel like "positive fb" is all I need to do. I think an apology letter is in order. I hate when I "jump the gun" like this. I do it very rarely, but when I do, I really feel like . So anyway, Now I can put this very long quest of obtaining a "mint roll" of each date from 1986 through 2010, finally to bed.As I have said before, finishing one goal really feels good but then I look at all the other goals I have set, and I get somewhat "bewildered". Now I am pecking away at completing a roll of each Franklin date, 1948 through 1963. And with the rising price of silver, I am afraid this goal is going to take "too huge a toll" on my overall budget devoted to coins in general. Rolls of "gem BU" Franklins were around $180 2 months ago for common dates and around $50-$100 more for some of the older dates from the 40's and early 50's. Now the common rolls are $225 and higher and some of the "buy it now" prices I've seen on the less common rolls are in excess of $400. Damn I hate when I put such a strain on this hobby I love so much. This is going to be quite an extensive undertaking and one that might get so expensive, I may have to abandon it altogether. With the rapid rise in gold and silver many of my items on eBay. are in the form of jewelry, and have really started to sell. I think that a few of the prices I have raised has caused some of my "watchers" to become buyers. Everything I sell is gold or platinum & some silver, and while I hate to sell any of it, I am dumping every cent from these sales, back into numismatics. With my medical bills of late, if it were not for these sales, my buying of anything would have ceased.So anyway I have 35 different rolls to complete that Franklin "roll goal" and I only have knocked out 9 notches thus far, which is just around 25%. That last 75% may kill me. I fear if I wait for the ones I need, to come up for auction, they will be far "costlier". On the other hand, if I start knocking out all of them I can find now, that are just "for sale", this is quite "deadly" as well. Decisions, decisions. I hate when I'm faced with only two alternatives, and I don't particularly like either one. But we'll see how everything works out. Right now, I'm just extremely glad I have this one "roll goal" out of the way and finished.Congrats to Gary on his N.O. Morgans, (I never buy the "keys" 1st, although I always wished I had) and to moondoggy on his awesome set in the works with his Kennedy proofs. Also kudos to J Lloyd Young on his completion of his Washington proofs (those early 50's proofs are very scarce & tough to obtain). And lanebrad finished off a goal with his Silver Eagles in proof & MS (that was a huge undertaking that's complete) And to Jackson, I think you got a great deal on those "prezzie 4-packs". and back to Gary again, if there is anyway possible, keep that spouse gold set going, this is a set that when completed, you may be able to retire on it alone. And last but not least, pnunemacher, I know exactly how you feel when it comes to making the decision of sending some "old stock" off to be slabbed. I teeter on that decision on an almost daily basis. I do know that the coins I have pictured have been a pain in the to get back together after sending 4 of them off, a couple years back for grading, so "NONE" of these pictured will ever see a grader as long as I am alive. Actually, I want to say, congratulations to all of you, on goals accomplished, along with goals that you have "underway". What an "awesome" hobby we all share! Happy Collecting to all!WKFP.S. A pic of my 20 '96's and my little "Franklin bonus".