I find that I don't buy much these days...

Interesting how things change. Learning to grade, spot cleaned coins and generally a lack of interest in common grade coins and an aversion to overpay for coins means that I don't get to buy much at coin shows... The grading issue is my biggest challenge as I've learned to have the finest in champagne taste, if you know what I mean.

I always go with the intent of finding that next great gem for my Roosevelt dime - ex mint set, OBW roll or dealer stock, but usually what I end up finding are dogs not worth an old blue Whitman thumb buster. So, I've given up this pursuit lately and in fact I rarely even look at mint sets anymore.

What I've decided to do, so that coin shows make sense for me is to start a Dansco US Type album with an optimal grade in the XF-AU range - with F-VF acceptable for the oldest coins and BU for the moderns. I spent quite a bit of time perusing dealer stock, talking to dealers/collectors and viewing some phenomenal coins! Some had phenomenal prices too, I might add.

After a couple of hours of deliberation I decided to stick with a dealer I knew I could trust and pick out a few coins to take home - budget is limited right now coming off a few very large purchases. I choose a really nicely toned AU 1893 Columbian Exposition Commemm to fill one of four slots in the book, a really nice 1854 with Arrows Seated Quarter in XF-40 to 45 with a similar gun metal toning as the Columbian half and a 1910 Liberty V Nickel in AU-55 or so with lots of retained luster. The group set me back $120 - which I figure to be a decent deal and they look great in the Type Set album! Today's picture is the obverse of the V Nickel.

Also looked at a disturbing display of counterfeit slabs that would have been worth in excess of $50K had they been real. Most were early silver dollars and most had PCGS numbers that were valid for the corresponding coin - Distrubing to say the least...I was also amazed at raw counterfeits in a similar display including some "1900" Silver eagles. I had to get away from this display, as it was just infuriating me to no end.

No way around it - coin shows are just plain fun1!!

Todd

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