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SPHansen

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Journal Entries posted by SPHansen

  1. SPHansen
    Has anyone else seen this?
    Just saw this and was wondering if anyone has any more information they could impart... ? Would this be worth sending to NGC for grading, etc?

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  2. SPHansen

    Money Mecca

    By SPHansen,

    ... or I go to da place where dey Mecca da Money!
    Currency Journal for July 25, 2012I posted this on the PMG registry today, but wanted to share with my coin collecting friends as well :)Being an avid coin collector, I have always wanted to tour one of the US Mint facilities. Not being close to any of them has made this a dream yet to be fulfilled. Having recently become a collector of US currency, it dawned on me that I live very close to one of the two BEP printing facilities, the BEP's Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth, Texas. A quick search on the internet told me that tours are conducted pretty much every day, and walk-ups are welcomed. I have free time this week, so I elected to be spontaneous and take the free tour.I set out early this morning, and after an hour-long drive arrived at the BEP Facility. You pull up to a small parking lot reserved for visitors. A recorded voice welcomes you, and reminds you that you cannot bring cameras, phones, backpacks, etc. and to leave them in your car. I did just that and entered the small security building just outside the gates. You go through a scanner, just like at the airport, and then wait for the next shuttle bus to arrive to take inside. The bus arrived less than a minute, and the ten others there and I boarded and we were on our way. It is just a short ride, and I was impressed at how much security there was there. Double fences, cameras and barbed wire surround the entire complex. You are dropped of in front of the Visitor's Center (the pyramid topped building in the photo) and greeted warmly. A receptionist welcomes you and tells you all the different places to go and see. There are two floors, and lots to keep you oohing and aahing. THe first thing that drew my attention was a display with plates that you could touch. It is amazing how tiny the details are, almost imperceptible to the touch. From there I watched a demonstration on how note were printed in the 1800's. An original spider press was there, over 125 years old, and still in working order. Tom (the demonstrator) showed how the plates were inked, cleaned and then set into the press. Placing a sheet of paper on the plate, he spun the wheel and presto, a printed image was made. The image was of an old $10,000 note. The other plates he had there were of the $1000 Watermelon reverse, and the faces of the Educational notes. These were breaktaking, and the sample images were something you wished you could take with you! From there, I toured the galleries, seeing things like the different counterfeit notes made by specific notorious counterfeiters over the past century. They had a special exhibit on the $100 note, with examples of every type ever made in the US. More exhibits included sections on each part of the process used to create our notes today. Some are interactive, and one I enjoyed was trying to spot the errors on a batch of $20 notes. I was able to find three of the four errors rather quickly, but that fourth one eluded me for awhile. Fortune was smiling on me today, as they had a special event there. Only three times a year, they have a day where the actual engravers, printers and other craftsmen there are on the floor to take questions and show you what they do with actual materials. I spent lots of time there having a great conversations with these guys. They are so knowledgeable, and enjoyed talking about their work. I also learned that a new $2 has been printed, and is in the vaults waiting to be released this fall... I'll be watching for this new series eagerly! The deuce is my favorite note, and was the first note ever given to me as a collectible (1976 series). The tour is all automated now, and you take it at your own pace. They give you a map, and a wand that looks like a remote control for your tv. The tour takes place in an enclosed walkway above the floor of the facility. You actually watch the money being printed, checked, cut and bricked. THe first thing that hits you is the staggering amount of cash sitting just below your feet. Billions of dollars are there, and that is just what you can see. More is stored in the vaults, ready for when orders are placed. When you arrive at one of nine stations, you press the number into your wand, and then hold it to your ear like a phone. You are told about what is happening below you at that point. The tour lasts about 45 minutes, and I was surprised at how many people were there; I'd estimate 100+. Despite that, it wasn't crowded or uncomfortable at all. There was plenty of room up there, and comfortably air conditioned.After that, I moved on to the theater, where they has a short 15 minute film about how notes are made. It punctuates the experience nicely.Finally, I made my way to the Gift Shop. Of course, everything you can find on the BEP online store is there, but to my surprise, it is much cheaper! You don't have to pay shipping, etc. I picked up a 2012 $2 Single note for $4.99, and a cool BEP t-shirt with the image of Washington's image from the $1 note. A short shuttle ride back to the car, and I was on my way home. I spent just over 2 hours inside the facility, but it seemed like 2 minutes. I was so engaged, and there was so much to see. A wonderful adventure, especially for a fledgling collector!The image below is of the facility as seen from the parking lot, with an inset of the sign at the entrance. I wish I could have shown you the sites, but as I said before.. no cameras allowed. I hope that everyone of my fellow collectors can experience a tour of the BEP... it is well worth it!Ciao for now!To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  3. SPHansen

    The Big Switch #2

    By SPHansen,

    My collection grows...
    August 2011 - Things are moving along nicely. Just completed my first #1 registry set; Presidential Proofs. Several more are in the top ten just waiting to achieve that #1 status.
    I'm having a great time with my Walker Half and Roosevelt Dime collections. I've been diligent in watching auction sites and been rewarded with my picking up coins here and there for fantastic prices.
    Joined the Collector's Society and await my package. Once it arrives, I'll be sending in my first coins for grading... after reading about other's experiences, I'll only submit OGP coins and see how that works. Fingers crossed!
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  4. SPHansen
    ... because I am stumped!
    Many years ago, I received some coins from my mother-in-law. I was very busy at the time, and put them away for safe keeping. Today, I dragged them out to bring the ancients to a coin show for see if they were actually real Roman coins. They are genuine, but that is not what I'm speaking of today.
    In that batch were several old coins, most of which are silver from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The only coin I cannot identify is this one. Seems to be in Arabic -script, and is about the size of a Morgan dollar. Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction... a clue to its nationality, etc.? Any help would be appreciated!

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  5. SPHansen
    Not happy!
    So, namvette68 has petitioned NGC and they changed the listings... and wants to go back to his corner. Sorry, but the fight is not over, but just beginning. You are happy, dude, but all you have done is open upa can of worms. Did you think that others were not as passionate about their sets? I will now begin the petition to change it again. I was upset about CHRISTOS, but this is more than I can stand. I was first... then bumped to second, and now 4th slot... no way I will let this outrage stand. Monday morning finds me on the phone to NGC...
  6. SPHansen

    The Big Switch

    By SPHansen,

    My task of changing my collection from ungraded to graded coins...
    July 2011 - I start by selling the 8 raw silver eagles I had purchased in 2004, an extra NGC graded eagle, 2x 2005 Silver Proof Sets and one raw gold $5 eagle. Using the funds from these sales, I begin to fill in the gaps in my Silver Eagle collection, and start the process of adding graded coins across the board. My first task is to get all the Presidential and Sacagawea Dollars, which I have almost accomplished. I also have gotten most of the Life of Lincoln cents, and all the shield cents. I have gotten a good start on the Kennedy halves, and many Washington Quarters, some of the state quarters, all of the America the Beautiful quarters and a great find of a single 1942 Walking Liberty half.
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  7. SPHansen

    Ebay Alternative II

    By SPHansen,

    Would love to hear feedback
    The last post didn't hit the boards... please use this one for any replies... thanks!
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  8. SPHansen
    ... or how to add free coiins to your collection!
    Journal for the week of January 30 through February 5, 2012Started this week off with a great acquisition... 14 Roosevelt Dimes in PF70UC, from 1998 through 2011. Now, I have most of these in my collection, but needed the 98,99 and 2000. I know what they go for on eBay on a per-coin basis, and bid accordingly. I was very lucky, however, to get them at a super great price... $16.61 a piece, including a free NGC storage box and free shipping. I took the three I needed, and put the remainder on eBay. it looks like my prediction will prove to be correct, which will have given me three needed coins for free... and free is good Here are my bargain finds for this week: 1998 Roosevelt Dime in Pf70 UC 1999 Roosevelt Dime in Pf70 UC 2000 Roosevelt Dime in Pf70 UC 2000 S Jefferson Nickel in PF69UC 1997 Memorial Cent in PF69UC 1945 P Wheat Cent in MS65RD 1942 Mercury Dime in MS66 2010 D Lincoln Dollar SMS in MS68 2011 P Johnson Dollar in MS67 1999 P New Jersey Quarter in MS66 1999 P Delaware Quarter in MS66 2008 S Sac Dollar in PR69DCAM PCGS 1978 S Washington Quarter in PR69DCAM PCGS 1982 s Washington Quarter in PR69DCAM PCGS 1984 S Washington Quarter in PR69DCAM PCGS 2003 S Arkansas Quarter in PR69DCAM PCGS As I said back in the beginning of the year, I wanted to add to my pathetically sparse Wheaties collection, and was finally able to grab this 45P at a good price. Wheaties were the first coin that I 'ooed' and 'ahhed' at back in the 60's when I found one in my change. It was also the first time that I realized that coins changed over time, and that I could collect different series of a coin. I have a pretty nearly complete set of wheaties in the raw, and one of the ones I want to send in for grading is my 1909 VDB, which is not uncirculated, but sits squarely in the XF-AU crosshairs. The third Merc dime I was able to acquire for my new short set was this gorgeous 1942 in MS66. It cost $5 more than the other two, but it was also a grade higher. I figured I'd grab it since it looked so lonely I had a choice of a couple of dates to grab (wish I could have gotten them all!) but I chose the 42 because that's the year of my mother's birth. Sorry to say she passed too soon back in 2001, and that I miss her immensely, but I get my 'collector' genes from her The last few finds are PCGS coins... I have a few PCGS coins in my collection, although I have never put them in my NGC registry; I have a couple of collections on the PCGS registry. These coins (the Sac dollar set, a few statehood quarters and a couple of the Statue of Liberty commemoratives) were obtained at super great prices, and I wanted to have a few examples of PCGS coins to show and compare. After the debacle with the World Registry decision, I have decided to add more PCGS coins to my collection, and possibly move complete sets to PCGS... in case the situation deteriorates further. As I stated in a journal earlier this week, I have sent in my first coins for grading... I got the submission acknowledgement this evening. Eagerly waiting... My new camera and imaging set up is coming along nicely. With some great advice from moondoggy, I am getting used to the controls and settings, and improving my results. Here the latest addition to my Merc collection taken with my new toys! I know it has a pinkish tinge... working on learning all the new settings to try and get that white balance figured out!Happy Collecting!
  9. SPHansen

    WTF is the Mint Doing?

    By SPHansen,

    The price for the 25th Anniversary set is jumping all over the place!
    The Mint is doing some crazy things lately... first the price for the 25th anniversary set was set at 229.95, then I see a post that it is 299.95, and now the site has TBD with no price at all. What are they doing??? Silver is still hovering around $30 and ounce, and has actually dropped a bit since the 229 price was set... ugh!
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  10. SPHansen

    Latest Results

    By SPHansen,

    ... and I'm pleased as punch!
    After some consideration, I decided to use my free 5 gradings certificate to add to my graded Bulgarian collection. I have a few proofs that I have had graded already, but no circulation coins as of yet... until now.
    The 1992 regular circulation coins are notoriously difficult to get in high grades, since there are no mint sets to draw from, and no examples to purchase. This means that if I want them, I have to send them in myself. I spent some time searching for what I believed to be at least MS64 or better coins that had to come from rolls... I managed to put together a set that I felt would grade at least 64. Sent them in, and just got the results.
    1992 50 Stotinki ... MS65
    1992 Lev ........... MS64
    1992 2 Leva ........ MS66
    1992 5 Leva ........ MS64
    1992 10 Leva ....... MS65
    As far as I know, and according to the NGC census, these are the only graded examples thus far. I still have the 10S and 20S to send in, as well as the three 1997 coins to acquire. The 97s are proving to be even tougher to get!
    I'm hoping to put together a proposal list of Bulgarian sets (like all 1s coins, all 1L coins, etc.) I have stand-in pics in right now, and will add the real thing when they arrive.
    Cheers!
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  11. SPHansen

    Ebay Alternative

    By SPHansen,

    A new site for numismatic buyers and sellers.
    Hey guys...
    For a long time now, I have been fed up with eBay, and for that matter, all the other auction sites... and if I'm not mistaken, so have you. There are just too many problems with these sites; unethical sellers, shilling, doctoring, and fakes, not to mention listing fees and the ever rising seller's premium. When we try to alert them to these issues, our pleas fall on deaf ears. This entire system works against good, honest buyers, sellers and collectors. Awhile back, I gave this some serious thought and said to myself, "No use whining about it; what can I do to change the situation?"
    Many of you know me from the boards, some I have met in person. I am a Top-Rated Power Seller on eBay (coin-aholic), and have been on eBay since 1998 (my original account is scottandelli.) In 'real-life', I am a game designer, having created 10 top-ten games, 6 number one titles, two highly successful IPs and garnered 4 industry awards. I am also a photo-journalist and in charge of the graphics and composition for the local newspaper. I consider myself a creative, pro-active person, and not one to accept the status quo. I decided I would use my creativity to do something about the 'eBay problem' and I have come up with what I believe is the best possible solution.
    We all love to go to the money shows. I know I do! Basically, the monetization model for a show is: dealers rent space for a flat fee, and keep the profits from whatever sales they make. The only problem with a live show is that the time the public has access to the wares is limited, and there are travel expenses, etc. A typical local show lasts three days, with public having access for around 19 hours out of 72... That's only 26% of the time purchased, and a wasted 74%. The eBay problems we already know, but in its favor there are no travel expenses, and potential customers have access 24/7. I thought to myself, 'What if I can take the best features of the two models and create a better place for us to buy and sell our coins and currency?' I did... and I call it Numishow.
    Numishow.com is a virtual coin and currency show, which allows a seller to rent booth space on a monthly basis (for less than a typical 3-day live show!), list their items and give the buying public access 24/7. After the flat booth fee, there are no other costs (except a 2% credit card transaction fee from the bank.) Whatever profit you make, you keep. I even came up with (what I think is) a catchy tag line: 'Sell your money. Keep your cash.' Ebay sellers... what did you pay in auction fees last month? $100? $250? More? I know when you see the site, and do the math you will see the benefit of this model. Sellers get to keep their profits, and buyers will enjoy lower prices (since buyers need not jack them up to try to recover lost profits.) Buyers do not pay a cover charge to 'get in' as they would in a live show, but a modest $1.00 is added to each invoice in its place. The site itself will be responsible for site maintenance, and advertising to generate the traffic.
    I invite you all to check the site out, sign up and visit often. I have put in a lot of time, effort and resources to make this THE site we use for our needs. I also would love to hear your feedback. I have several features that will be coming online in the near future, and if there are features you want first, I will work to get them added a.s.a.p. I also hope you will spread the word to all who would benefit from the site!
    Thanks, and hope to see you there.
    Scott Hansen

  12. SPHansen

    So Close!

    By SPHansen,

    ... but just a half step too late!
    Just back from a show in Ft Worth... met some familiar faces, and a few new ones. It was a great show, and picked up a few choice items for my collection and the site.
    As I was chatting to one dealer, I learned that he had just sold a 1942 T1 NGC MS66 5FS Jefferson, which I have been looking for to finish out the nickel portion of my 1942 Mint set (as a memorial to my late mother). And I really groaned when I heard the price... $90
    That would have been such a coup for the day, but that's life in Coin City. I guess.
    Pic is one of my Bulgarian beauties
    S.

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  13. SPHansen

    Back to the Basics

    By SPHansen,

    ... or Time to Pay Attention to My Favorite Series
    Coin Journal for the week of 02/20/2012 through 02/26/2012This week turned out to be a boon for my Roosie collection, adding several perfect coins to the gaps. As I was going through my raw collection to see what coins I wanted to send in for grading, I came across a very special coin; a 1881 Morgan. This coin is special because it is the very first coin that my grandmother gave to me when she saw that I was becoming a serious coin collector. She presented it to me in a little jewelry box, and I was so very excited. As I let the memories and emotions wash over me, I remembered that I did not have a single graded Morgan in my collection. Time to change that! I looked around to see what Morgans were available, and lo and behold, there was a beautiful 1881O just calling out to me. Less than an hour later, it was mine. I will be 50 in a few months, but at this moment I feel like that 7 year kid with his first Morgan. Here are the treasures I added to my collection this week: 1881 O Morgan Dollar in MS63 1993 Roosevelt Dime Clad in PF70UC 2003 Roosevelt Dime Clad in PF70UC x2 1976 Silver Kennedy Half in PF68UC 2009 P SMS Sac Dollar in MS67 1888 Morgan Dollar in MS63 1945 Mercury Dime in MS66 1972 Roosevelt Dime in PF69UC The Roosevelts were plentiful this week... lots to choose from at all price ranges. I decided to pick my battles, and won the 93 Clad and two examples of the 03 Clad, one of which I will flip. I grabbed this 76 Silver Kennedy for a bargain price, perfect to fill that slot in my Halves and 20th Century type sets. I thought about holding out for a higher grade, but decided to worry about upgrades at a later date. This one is pretty, and will do just fine for now. Here was a coin I had not seen before... seeing non-proof examples of the Sac dollars are rare, so I jumped at the chance to own this one. It was a steal, and I am happy it is mine. The 1888 Morgan was going for well below the other examples, so I grabbed it! A nice coin with some slight toning on the obverse. Seems like MS63 is the level that I will be collecting Morgans, and that is not bad at all. Managed to pick up this Merc for just over $20... surprizing since they were being sold by Heritage on eBay, free shipping (but tax for me, as they are in Dallas), along with two identical coins, and they went for more. Guess it was my night, and my Mighty Mercs Set gains a new member! The 72 Roosie is the first coin I have won from a Heritage Auction. I won with a bid of $8, but will pay $14 in BP, plus tax (since they are in Dallas) as well as shipping. Still, it is a coin I have yet to see on eBay, and many of the PF70UC Roosies that I already have went for $20-$30 (before BP fees), so I feel good. This is a Top Pop coin for the set, and since NGC has stated they will never grade a 70, I feel comfortable that I paid a great price for this one. Funny that, while it is technically a higher grade coin, the PF69* CA has a higher registry value. Seems to me that no cameo coin should out value an ultra cameo. The first submission to NCS for my custom Numismatic Geneaology set have arrived and are now scheduled for evaluation and conservation. I'm excited, and am thinking about how I want to present the set in image form. Also, the next batch to be sent is being decided upon... This weeks image is my new 88 Morgan. Thanks for reading, and I will see you fellow coin warriors in the trenches!
  14. SPHansen

    A Fruitful Week

    By SPHansen,

    Finds for many of my sets...
    A great week of hunting for me... picked up a variety of coins for my collection, at great prices... nothing over $10 and most for around $5.
    1955S Wheatie MS65RD
    1984 S Clad Jeff Nickel PF69UC
    1979 T1 Wash Quarter PF69UC
    2010 P&D SMS Hot Springs ATB MS68
    1990 Kennedy Half PF69UC
    2008 P Jackson MS66 FDI
    2009 P Tyler MS66
    2011 P Johnson MS66
    Yeah, these aren't ultra rare finds, or ultra high grades... but I'm excited to find them just the same.. you see, the hunt has begun anew.
    I have albums of great coins that I spent many years putting together; complete Ike set, near-complete Jefferson BU nickel set (missing only the most expensive proofs), Lincoln cents, complete Kennedy halves, and some decent examples going back to 1804. As the sets were completed, I found myself a bit sad... I'd finished the set... what else was there?
    When I picked up that first graded coin, I felt that thrill... here was a coin that was beautifully presented, protected and graded professionally. WOW! I thought it a novelty, an interesting piece I could show friends, etc. But in that showing, I realized I could actually handle the coin, pass to others to enjoy, show it off and relate some interesting tidbit about its history. So much better than having albums that were stashed safely away, hidden and protected... nevering seeing them.
    So, I looked for more.... and got a few very cheap. They weren't gold or rare or whatever... but they felt like it The decision to switch over my collection to graded coins was a genesis... it was like beginning again, and I felt like I did when Grandma and I started filling those Whitman albums so many years ago. The hobby took on a fresh, new feel.. and I love it.
    The picture is the format I've started putting in my registry sets... I like it as it shows the label clearly, and the coin image is bigger, and it is aesthetically pleasing, I think.
    This week was a good one... let's see what next week brings!
    Good Hunting to all

  15. SPHansen

    Sniped!

    By SPHansen,

    A week of last second losses, but still fruitful...
    Journal for the week of 01/23/2012 to 01/29/2012Seems I was very unlucky this week.. having been outbid in the last couple of seconds for many auctions. The one that really got me was not even a coin, but related to them. I put a bid on a table top light studio so I could have a real setup to image my coins. I stayed high bidder until the last seconds, and lost it. No matter.. there was another one only a couple of hours away from ending, and there were no bids on it at all. It was the same set up, but used, and one of the bulbs for the lamps was burned out. No problem... I did the research and found replacement bulbs pretty quickly. So, I left the site for the bulbs up, placed a bid and waited. And again, in the last 2 seconds, someone put in a crazy bid, and stole it from me. Mad was not the word to describe what I felt! So now, I have to wait another week for the next one at a reasonable price to come up... which brings me to another thought. It makes me wonder who is selling coins on eBay. I watch auctions, and I see what certain coins are going for... it is usually fairly consistent over a period of time. Then I see the 'Buy It Now' offers and they are outrageous. What sort of insufficiently_thoughtful_person thinks they can put a coin up for 2 to 3 times the price they go for in an auction? And not only that, but inferior coins at inferior grades! Are they greedy or really just that stupid? Or another thing, where they put up a coin at around the same price, and then want to charge $15 for shipping? WTF? I just filter out the BIN listings now; they never sell anyway. . I remember what one pawn shop owner told me when I made an offer on an item he had way, way overpriced... 'I'll find some sucker to sell it to." So that being said, here are this week's pickings: 2011 P Gettysburg Quarter in MS67 1968 S Washington Quarter in PF68 Ca 2007 D Jefferson Dollar in MS66 2004 D Handshake Nickel in MS66 2004 D Keelboat Nickel in MS66 2011 P Australia Colorized Christmas Tree Dollar in PF69ER 1964 Memorial Cent in PF68RD 1941 Mercury Dime in MS65 2008 P JQ Adams Dollar in MS66 FDI 1971 S Jefferson Nickel in PF67 W UC The Gettysburg ATB quarter is an upgrade from my current MS66 that I got cheap (of course!) The 68 Quarter makes me smile, since that is the year I started collecting.. I was the ripe age of 6 The 07 Jefferson Dollar was a great score at $2.99... I thought about picking up some of the Prezzy dollars in MS65 to fill the holes, but I held off and will stick to my MS66 minimum for the set. Also, I see alot of those dollars graded at only BU... Why bother grading them at all? Seems a waste, and I rarely see them sell at all. The 04 Westward Journey nickels were less than $5 a piece shipped. I enjoy these nickels, especially since they lead to the changing of the coin's obverse in 05 and again in 06. I really like the new obverse for the Jefferson Nickel, and was excited to see if they would do the same for the (then) upcoming revision of the Lincoln cent. The new obverse makes the coin look modern and sleek, IMHO. Too bad they didn't do it for the cent, an opportunity lost. The Australian Christmas Tree coin (my first Australian coin!) is just fun... liked and got it! The 64 memorial cent is a great looking coin, and I was lucky to grab it at a really good price. I'm really enjoying getting certified versions of the coins that I first collected way back when. Of course, 1964 is the year that the first Kennedy Half appeared, and its staggering to realize that the 50 year anniversary is only a couple of years away! Wonder if the Mint will do something with the half like the Lincoln cent in 09? And another great find for my newly created 41-45 Mercury short set! The second coin I was able to pick up for under $20, which makes me and budget so happy A quick little grab was the JQ Adams P dollar, as real steal at $3.25 shipped. I love the presidential dollar series, not only because the coins look so good, but because I'm a history buff. JQ Adams was the sone of our second president, John Adams (the only father/son pair along with Elder Bush and W). For his first term, Adams ran against Andrew Jackson, and actually lost the popular vote. Jackson, however, did not get a majority of the electoral votes, so the matter was taken to the House of Representatives. Henry Clay (who came in fourth in the 1824 presidential race) chose Adams, to the outrage of Jackson and his supporters. Clay was then appointed as Secretary of State by Adams. This became known as the 'Corrupt Bargain', and ruined any chance for Adams to accomplish anything during his term. The 1971 Jefferson proof was a nice little find... especially in and Ultra Cameo. Getting that UC is tough before they refined the minting process, and I'm estatic that I got this for the whopping price of $2.23 That's it for this week... I think I'll have a chance to add a few choice PF70UCs to my Roosie collection, and happily so since its been rather a slow month for this collection This week's pic is one of my favorite modern coins.. the 2010 PF70UC Lincoln Shield... I'm only sad that they did not take the opportunity to update the obverse image like they did with the Jefferson nickel; an opportunity lost IMHO.
  16. SPHansen

    Bump!

    By SPHansen,

    ... or new additions to a project set!
    Coin Journal for the week of 07/08/2012 through 07/15/2012This has been an interesting week for me. It saw the beginning of a new collecting interest, the completion of a set and the resumption of work on another. The completion of my 2012 Proof Set was accomplished early this year. I had several of the required coins already sent in and certified from the Birth Year set earlier this year. I was very disappointed that NGC has not acknowledged the birth year set, either in the regular proof set or in a set of its own. It was a first year of issue, had a pedigree on the label and even had a mint error in the packaging. I hope they will reconsider. Be that as it may, I have another 100% perfect PF70UC set under my belt. Its completion allowed me to turn my attentions to another set I have been wanting to work on. The 1942 Mint Set, created and named in memory of my late mother, has gotten a little love this week. My goal is to make it a top-ranked set, which will be no small feat, as there are some really great sets. Checking out the competion, I decided to give mine a bit of a bump by acquiring the three cents required in the best grades possible. A quick check the Coin Explorer (what a wonderful tool!), shows me that the 42 Philly has a top grade of MS67RD, the 42 Denver has a top grade of MS67RD, and the 42 San Francisco also has a top grade of MS67RD. I dug around, and found very few opportunities to acquire any of these at a price I considered reasonable. I was able, however, to acquire the 42P from Great Collections, and the remaining two from David Lawrence. I had done the research, and all were within the price range I deemed proper. I was glad that each coin was rich in color, with great eye appeal and well-kept slabs. Each is a fine addition to my set. These three coins bumped the set up 4 places to 14th in the ranking. I am now scouting for additions and upgrades for the 4 nickels required. Each will be what I half-jokingly call 'Lehigh Standard' in grade and appearance (budget willing, of course.) For those interested, the set can be seen here... http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=137041 If you follow the Friday Trivia Challenge, you'll notice that I was runner-up two weeks ago (Received my storage box, which now houses the aforementioned 1942 Mint Set!), and was the winner last week. The prize was a certificate to have a note graded. Up to this point, my interest in currency was confined to collecting a few interesting notes here and there. They always have been raw, and stored in a currency album kept beside my coins. This prize peeked my interest in notes, and I decided to expand my horizons. I've added a couple of PMG graded notes, my first ones ever! I'm excited to learn more.I'll leave you with the obverse of the 42 Philly Cent.See you in the trenches!
  17. SPHansen
    No flashing!
    Thought I'd pipe up and give Bully my answers to his questions...
    In regard to taking pictures of coins, you need to have a decent camera, no flash but LOTS of light, and either a steady hand or a tripod. Take closest picture possible, and use image software (like Photoshop) to scale and crop. If you don't have a decent camera (like me), then do the best with what you have. I'd rather spend money on more coins than on pictures of the ones I already have. Come to think of it, you could borrow a camera from a friend or relative for a weekend and click, click, click away... and worry about the processing later. Hmmm, now who do I know with a good camers?
    As for the cost of graded coins, I've been seeing many great deals for 69 and 70 grades for 2011... there is a greater supply than demand at this point, I imagine. While a great deal for the Jeffie, I'm surprized you paid that much for a 69 this late in the game. Either way, when compared to obtaining and grading the coin yourself, its a major bargain... no doubt!
    Speaking of grading... I'm still torn on which 2012 coins to use my 5 free on... should I do the ATB quarters now or wait for Proof Set? Decisions, decisions!
    Good Hunting
  18. SPHansen
    ... or Why I won't be buying from Heritage today.
    After reading about a deal a fellow collector got on Heritage, I decide to poke around on the various auction sites today. Here are my thoughts:
    On Heritage, the minimum BP is $14, plus shipping of $6+... so I would have to pay at least $20 before the bidding every begins. Sorry, thats just too outrageous for low priced coins. Why would I buy a modern coin for $20 + bid, when I can pick up the same coins on eBay for $5-$10 shipped? I just doesn't make sense for a collector on a budget. I just picked up a 1999 Penn State Quarter PF69UC NGC for $4.14 + 2.99 shipping.. $7.13 total... 1/3 of the price of just the shipping and BP fees for the same coins on Heritage.
    Now this is not an attack on these sites... its just that until I win the lottery, and can afford to get a higher priced coin, where $20 is not a real factor, then I'll just have to stick to my current hunting grounds... now, if they dropped those BP on coins under, lets say $100, and reduced their shipping to a more reasonable $3 (it costs 1.76 to ship 1 graded coin... add in supplies + time, and $3.00 is not unreasonable).. then they'd have my attention, and I'd certainly be busy examining all their lots. Til then, thanks, but no thanks.
    Just my 2 cents on the subject...
    Good Hunting
  19. SPHansen
    ... or Finding some bargains on Heritage, Great Collections and Teletrade sites!
    Coin Journal for the week of 02/27/2012 through 03/04/2012This week saw several top pop additions to my Roosie proof set, and a few for my SBA set. I am still waiting for my 1881 Morgan!!! Listen to this little adventure... the coin left Oregon, sent promptly by the buyer. It spent a couple of days in transit before hitting San Antonio, and another day to get to the main Dallas sort center. The next day it was at the Coppell sort center, and usually that means it will make to me the next day. This time, however, it was back at the main Dallas center the next day, and then back in San Antonio the following day. This began a ping pong situation where it is now back in Dallas, but traveling between Coppell and Dallas each day. This has been going on for about a week now, and I have no idea what is up. I wrote the USPS but am still waiting for a reply. Good thing its not a organ for a transplant or something!Here are the treasures I added to my collection this week: 2002 Bulgarian 5 Stotinki in PF67 1943 D Merc Dime in MS65 FB 1835 Capped Bust Dime in NGC Good Details 1979 S SBA Dollar in MS66 1980 S SBA Dollar in PF69UC 2006 D SMS Jefferson Nickel in MS66 6FS 2004 Michigan Quarter in PF69UC 1981 S Quarter Type 2 in PF68UC 1974 Roosevelt Dime in PR69DCAM PCGS 1942 D Mercury Dime in MS64 1962 Jefferson Nickel in PF64 1995 Clad Roosevelt Dime in PF70UC 2000 Clad Roosevelt Dime in PF70UC 2008 D JQ Adams Dollar in MS66 FDI Started the week off getting an NGC graded proof coin for my Bulgarian set... it would be nice if NGC would honor my request to add these to the competitive set list... I also picked up a complete BU raw set of 1992 Bulgarian circulation issues. These would be the first coins of the new era, free from the grip of the USSR and the Communist regime. These will be going to NGC for grading, along with some silver and gold commems I got on my last trip to Sofia. I've railed against some of the non-eBay sites, citing their high Buyers Premiums as a reason to avoid these sites. Recently, however, I have been comparing the going prices on these sites as compared to eBay, and I have to say that my first impressions were both right and wrong. First, I find that my original sentiment holds firm, that the BPs are keeping people from bidding on the low cost coins that will go cheaper on eBay. I am also finding that the premiums are also keeping the prices for some of the slightly more expensive coins lower than eBay. I picked up this 1835 Capped Bust dime for my dime type set for $22, with a BP of $5 (total $27). The cheapest on eBay for a comparable coin is twice that! This coin has a Details designation for some scratches on the reverse, but the coin itself looks really nice. Its one of those that speaks to me, and it will now have a home in my collection. So I have now purchased coins from both Heritage and Great Collections, and I'm very happy with both experiences. Also grabbed a couple of SBA dollars on the cheap... One for $5 and the other for $1! Since the only one I have in the registry is a PCGS graded coin, I wanted to make sure I have at least one NGC example in each of the MS and PF registry sets. I remember when these came out, and several times I got them in change instead of a quarter. Its funny how the US public shuns the dollar coins... from what I understand, they are again introuducing legislation to get rid of the dollar bill. Canada did this and they have only $1 and $2 dollars in coin form. Seeing how much money it saves, it might just pass... The SMS Jefferson just popped into view, I needed it, it was 6FS and it was cheap.. trifecta! I am, by the way, glad they stopped the SMS coins.. it sucked having to get not only proof and circ sets, but now a third? ! Right after that I snagged a Michagan Quarter at a bargain price as well... slowly but surely I will get the entire set in graded form. The same for the 81 Quarter... its not the highest grade, but I am choosing my battles when it comes to top pop. Dimes are first, then proof sets as I pick a date and work to get the best coins for that year. ... after all the talking about NGC vs PCGS, I picked up the 74 Dime in a PCGS holder. I decided to do this because the PF69UC dime in NGC is going for stupid money... economics prevailed here. The 42D Merc is for my short set and the Memorial Mint Set for my Mom. I grabbed this one because it went super cheap... the 62 Nickel is a lower proof grade than I have, but for 3 bucks, you can't go wrong. I am thinking that later on, these lower grade coins can be used to give to the grandkids if I can get them hooked on the hobby... go ahead kid, the first one is free Picked a few more coins from Heritage this evening... both dimes in PF70UC. Also, I participated in my first Teletrade auction today... that was an interesting experience. I like the fact that they have *fee-free* nights, which I imagine helps get more bids. I grabbed a 2009 P Polk Presidential Dollar in MS66 FDI for $7... about the same as eBay would cost me. Some of the Morgans went for less than average eBay prices, but most about the same as well. The selection of coins is not as diverse as a regular auction, but it was okay. Only thing is your almost have to baby sit your selections the entire time, or wait til the last 30 minutes and see what you want to bid on. I will watch this site, especially on Tuesdays. No change on the NCS status... still waiting for evaluation. I was reading some FAQ questions on the NCS site, and saw that if I requested a concervation and grading, but the coin is not deemed suitable for conservation they will just send it back to me without grading? I wish they'd have some sort of choice box for that... I wouldd rather have the coins graded than just returned to me, so that I have to send them back them again. They also said it could take 4-6 weeks? Damn, they know how to keep a person_too_unaware_of_social_graces in suspense! ;)This weeks picture is latest addition to my Bulgarian collection, the 5 Stotinki coin in Brass Proof. It holds the image of the Madara Horseman on the obverse, and the denomination of the reverse. Thanks for reading, and I will see you fellow coin warriors in the trenches!
  20. SPHansen
    ... Just curious!
    I've been picking up some examples of the coins and tokens minted at the Moonlight Mint over the past year... I really like the look of the fantasy coins and tokens... and I think they add some whimsy to my collection. I just received my 2012 Liberty Head / Eagle silver tokens, and they look so sweet. I wouldn't mind if our current coinage looked like these... anyone else a fan of DC?

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  21. SPHansen
    ... if I only had a time machine!
    I picked up an old numismatic catalog at auction, and it arrived today... wow, what fun to look through it!
    Listen to some of these prices:
    Gold Dollars D mint (Dahlonega!)
    1849 $2.00
    1850 $2.00
    1851 $3.00
    Trade Dollars
    1873 Proof 50c to 75c
    1874 Proof 50c to 75c
    1875 Proof 50c to 75c
    Morgans
    1896 through 1904 Proofs $1.10
    Half Dollars
    1794 Flowing Hair Dollar $25 to $100
    1795 Flowing Hair Dollar $1.50 to $3.50
    Half Dollars
    1794 $2.50 to $6.00
    Dimes
    1796 $1.00 to $5.00
    and on and on... Whew!
    I think I remember someone saying they are a collector of these old books... if you want to trade for this one, please contact me !

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  22. SPHansen

    Update

    By SPHansen,

    ... on the site
    Hi all,
    Just wanted to give an update on how the site is going:
    Traffic picked up this week, which was nice to see. There are now 3 dealers signed up with items posted. I have been adding items almost every night, and managed to acquire some new pieces this weekend. Some are already posted, and some have yet to arrive here... these are some very interesting items, and I look forward to getting them up!
    I attended the Cowtown Coin Show in Ft Worth this weekend. I spent about 4 hours straight talking about the site. Interest was high, and several times I was pulled aside by dealers to answer questions and give more detailed information. Interest was high, and it was fun to finally be able to promote the site!
    I have reworked the pricing structure drastically... monthly prices now range from $20-$25 per month, and I still have the $1 for 3 months deal going on. I also have some interesting deals cooking in the background, which I hope will comer to pass... the site is getting momentum
    Thanks for your support!
    Scott
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  23. SPHansen

    Moving On

    By SPHansen,

    Trying to forget the last few months...
    So, here I am.. a new year with so many new possibilities. I need to work hard to forget the two travesties that threatened to sour my feelings for my beloved hobby of coin collecting.
    First was the nonsense with the Mint back in October... not being able to get my 25th Anniversary set, and watching insufficiently_thoughtful_person after insufficiently_thoughtful_person post videos of them opening their 5 sets on YouTube. Getting emails from dealers willing to pay a few dollars over cost for sets if you bought them on their behalf, and seeing them post sets for 4 to 5 times that price. It disgusts me still, and I have severed ties to these dealers, vowing to never buy from them again.
    Second was the disappointing Registry Awards... seeing sub-par presentations getting top honors is so ridiculous, it's nauseating. I read one journal about how changing criteria is a good thing. Really? Nonsense, I say. I refuse to chase a moving target, like a cat trying to catch the beam of a laser pointer. NGC gets my 2011 'Middle Finger' Award for outstanding incompetence for this... congratulations!
    Having sufficiently vented, time to move on. Looking forward to adding to my Roosevelt collection, and continuing the perfect sets of Proof Presidential Dollars, Union Shield Proofs and Proof ATB Quarters. Might even add more to my Walker set, if budget permits.
    Good Hunting to us all.
  24. SPHansen

    Last Straw

    By SPHansen,

    !!!
    First I'd like to say gratz to those who got awards... But none of those sets which got 'Best Presented' was presented anywhere near the quality, or had the effort that I put into my Presidents set.
    It shows me that NGC doesn't really give a damn, nor makes decisions based on the parameters they set forth.
    Tell me this set is better than mine?
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/awards/WinningSetDetail.aspx?AwardSetID=29979
    Or that any of the awarded sets beats this one?
    http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=128310
    Sorry, but I'm not buying it...
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  25. SPHansen

    Milestones!

    By SPHansen,

    ... or Slow and Steady wins the Race!
    Coin Journal for the week of 02/13/2012 through 02/19/2013This week sees several milestones for my collection, the beginning of several new registry sets, and an additional direction in my collecting habits. Overall, it has been a great week, both in collecting and my personal life. A new contract may hold a larger collecting budget in my future, so fingers crossed there! I splurged a little this week, purchasing not only bargain coins, but acquiring some higher priced examples as well (still at great prices, tho!) Here are this weeks additions to my collection: 1958 Jefferson in PF66 2007 D Madison FDI in MS66 1941 Jefferson in MS64 2009 Bronze Cent Presidency in PR70UC 2006 Sac Dollar in PF70UC 2011 Daniel Carr Ike Military Industrial Complex 1948 S Jefferson Nickel in MS65 2007 Jefferson Nickel in PF70UC 1963 Franklin Half in MS64 2010 Sac Dollar in PF70UC 1941 D Jefferson in MS66 5FS 2009 Silver DCT Virgin Islands in PF70UC 1941 S Merc Dime in MS66 1942 S Merc Dime in MS66 1962 D Franklin Half in MS63 1963 D Franklin Half in MS64 1973 Ike Dollar in MS63 My first grab of the week was a 58 proof Jefferson. It had no bids with a minute to go, and the price was within my range, so I decied to snag it. I have not been concentrating on proof nickels so much, so this one becomes my earliest graded example in the set. It's a pretty coin, and a nice little addition. Another presidential grab this week... the Madison D marks the 50% complete mark for my circulation strike prezzies! It is slow going, with the acquisition of one coin here and one coin there, but keeping with my bargain hunting formula, I will eventually complete the set at a much less cost than just going out and buying them en masse. This milsetone coin cost me a whopping $3.84 Actually grabbed this 41 Jeffy MS66 while at a karaoke party using the eBay app on my iPhone! So I not only sang karaoke for the first time in my life, but I managed to add a great coin to my collection for under $10... and thats something to sing about The perfect 09 Proof 70UC Presidency Cent was a last minute find... I was browsing the lists, and with only a few minutes left, this caught my eye. I have never seen a single coin in PF70 available, and haven't even seen the sets lately. With the sets going for about $240, I figured I would snag this one on the cheap, and keep an eye out for the others. This beauty came in under $30, which I think is a great bargain. This coin also hits a milestone... my graded coin collection has now surpassed the 400 mark with no signs of slowing down. I actually passed up some very inexpensive statehoods this week, simply because I do not like getting ripped off with shipping. Let me give those who sell on eBay some advice; either charge nothing for shipping or charge what it costs. Combine shipping for items on one invoice. Try to charge me 3 or 4 times that so you can make a few more bucks on a coin is just sleasy business practice. You are losing bids, and costing yourself more... buyers are passing over auctions with ridiculous shipping. And stop starting your auctions at stupid high prices.. all you are doing is wasting your time as no one is going to give you double what the coin is currently selling for everywhere else on eBay. Oh, and if you combine shipping, please write that in your description... I cannot stand lazy sellers!!! The 2006 Sac dollar is the first coin I picked up for my newly split Sac collection. I originally had just PF69UCs in my registry set, with the exception of the 2011. I knew I'd be looking for the 2010 coin in 70 to bring my proof set up to a number 1 ranking in the registry. In anticipation of this, I created a new registry set for 69s and one for 70s. I will be looking to fill in the 70 set (with bargains, of course), and the 2006 is the first to join my team Hopefully, the 2010 coin will be joining close on its heels! While listening to The Coin Show podcast, they had an interview with Daniel Carr on one episode, and mentioned his work in later episodes. I have to admit I had not heard of him, but after a visit to his website, and some research on eBay, I found that his work is popular and very good. I decided that to snag a copper version of the Ike dollar he did and add it to my Ike Dansco collection. The Dansco album has four unused slots on the last page of the album, and I hate wasted space. I added the Ike commemorative to the first empty slot, and put the plastic disks from the Blue Ike packages in the other three. Now, this item will fill one of those spaces, and add a bit of fun and whimsy to my raw collection. The 48 Jeffie was a coin that looked really nice, and had an extremely low bid with an hour left... I watched, and bid at the end, and snagged it for $7.59... it was quickly followed by a PF70UC Jeffie to fill a hole. I wound up passing on some 6FS coins this time.. the price was fair, but I had some other coins coming up that I really wanted, and I had already gotten several nickels this week. Wow, the Franklin half was an unforseen purchase... it was not at a bad price, the pictures of the coin looked nice, and there were no bids! I could find nothing that would deter anyone from bidding, so in the last moments, I put in the initial bid and won it. This is my first graded example of a Franklin... time to start another registry set The 2010 Sacagawea is mine! This gives me a #1 ranked 2010 Proof set... next stop, 2009! Those darn proof cents will be the killer there. I saw this 41D Jeffie in an awesome grade with 5 full steps, and feel in love with it. Think I paid an outstanding price for it... $33.00. I originally set my sights on adding MS jeffersons that only had the FS designation, but have not kept strictly to it. I never thought I could add an early FS to my set any time soon, but what a pleasant surprise This week marks the beginning of my Type Set collections... another milestone for me. I had thought about type sets for awhile, and decided to jump right on in. I have a great start on my 20th century types, and I think my 21st century proofs only type set will be a contender! I think this will be a fun direction to take, and I look forward to it... I also want to be able to start 19th century type sets soon. I have these in raw form, but not graded... yet! The Silver Virgin Islands coin was one that I found while looking over the list to see if I can fill in any gaps in my type sets... it was listed at $20 and buy it now for $22... so I grabbed it. The trend for these has been between $25 and $30, so I think it was a good deal. It is also my first example of a silver DCT quarter, and goes along with the PF70 Virgin Island clad. I decided to grab the 41 S Merc to complete the mint marks for 41. I was the only bidder for this beauty, which was a surprize because it went for about half NGCs price guide value, I guess you can't look a gift horse in the mouth! Speaking of gift horses, I was gobsmacked when I placed the opening bid of $3 on a 42 Merc in MS66, and won it with that bid. Shipping was a bit high at $5.95, but that makes the total cost $8.95! What a buy! My NGC coins arrived today. Just wanted to report that there was no problem with the order, the capsules are all clean, and all the labels are flat and properly placed