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SPHansen

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Journal Entries posted by SPHansen

  1. SPHansen

    Numismatic Geneaology!

    By SPHansen,

    Specials coins get the special treatment...
    Today I sent in some very special coins to be conserved and graded. These will not be very high grades, in fact, I hope they will grade in the fine to very fine range. They are special for another reason. First, here are some of the coins I sent in:
    1899 Indian Head Cent
    1852 Braided Hair Large Cent
    1854 Braided Hair Large Cent
    These are part of a very special custom set I am going to put together... what I will call my Numismatic Geneaology Set.
    The 1899 coin is the actual coin that my Great Grandparents saved on the day my grandfather was born. It was passed on to me by my maternal grandmother, and now I am going to have it conserved, graded and encapsulated for posterity.
    The 1852 and 1854 cents were from my Great-Great Grandparents who were merchants that immigrated to the US and opened a shop in NYC. I got these from my paternal Grand Mother, who did not collect coins but had these stored away. I got them along with many other genealogical treasures after she passed.
    I also have the pocket change that my maternal great gandparents had in their pockets when they arrived in this country in 1895. They are not US coins, but I will have them conserved and encapsulated on the next round of submissions. Also, I have the coins and notes my Great Uncle brought home from Nazi Germany after he competed in the Berlin Olympics in 1936 (he kept them in a Bell Bank that he bought there... the bell was the symbol of that Olympics)
    I want to add photos of my ancestors along with the newly graded coins when they return home, as well as the story of the coin itself. I finally thought of a way to combine two loves into one presentation!
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  2. SPHansen

    Auction Madness!

    By SPHansen,

    ... or searching for that treasure in a sea of junk!
    Coin Journal for the week of 03/18/2012 through 03/25/2012This week saw me with some extra time on my hands, which I put to use by searching every online auction to see what coins could be found. After looking through well over prolly 10k items, I found a few gems hiding amongst the plethora of grot. I also got a great look at the different ranges of terms and buyer premiums out there. I have a few favorites, and few that will never see me again. All in all it was a very educational experience.This weeks treasures are:2009 DCT Puerto Rico Silver in PF70UC1945 Walker (MS64)1930 Standing Liberty Quarter (AU58)1913 T1 Buffalo Nickel (MS64++)1864 (AU58)1883 Shield 5c (MS64)1886 Seated Dime (MS65)1949 D Franklin 1/2 (MS64)1937 Buffalo 5c (MS64)1945 Walker (MS64)1937 Buffalo 5c (MS64)1866 (MS61RB)1937 D Buffalo 5c (MS64)1951 S Franklin 1/2 (MS65)1943 D Walker (MS63)1914 D $2.5 Gold1909 $2.5 Gold1976 Mint Set1884 O Morgan 1885 O Morgan1972 $1 Ike Proof1896 Morgan in MS631883 O Morgan1884 O Morgan1970 Mint Set1963B Joseph Barr Dollars (x3)1963 Red Seal $5 billThe first coin was the only eBay coin I picked up... this one came at a fair price, and I want to complete a perfect proof set of the 09 DC and Territories this year.The next batch with the grades in parentheses are from an auction where bargains were abundant. I only wish I had more money to spend! Peace dollars were really going for way under what you would expect, as everyone seemed to want the Morgans. This is where I picked up that monster toned 1886 dime I displayed in an earlier journal. The pieces I grabbed were also really killer. I put the grades that they sold them as, but the prices were more like VF-XF and in some cases less. It was just a great auction. I feel that even if they grade a little less than listed, I still come out way ahead.The rest of the week saw some great deals. I managed to grab a couple more gold coins, especially the 14D, for really great prices. I'm eager to get these home and ship them off to NGC for grading... speaking of which...The results of my first batch of coins to NCS and NGC are in, and the coins arrived here this morning... wow! Here are the results:1899 Indian Head Cent in AU Details (Environmental Damage)1852 Large Cent in VF Details (Bent)1854 Large Cent in VF Details (Scratches)1818 Large Cent in Good Details (Env Damage)1850 Seated Dime in VF Details (Imp Cleaned)1841 Seated Dime in Fine Details (Imp Cleaned)I was a bit disappointed that all came back in Details, but I learned so much from the experience. I was spot on with all the grades I predicted, which makes me happy. It also gave me a better understanding of how to spot cleaned coins. The conservation of the coins came back with some mixed results.. all are free of the gook n gunk that was on them, and overall they look great. The 52 Cent is still very dark, but the 54 looks so much better. The 1899 IH cent I expected to be AU, since it was picked out from change in that year and put away. Too bad that it was not protected properly until many years later. Still, it looks nice, and it is now fully protected. Funny, that after the conservation, the two dimes have some gorgeous rainbow toning on the reverse... too bad someone screwed them up with cleaning.I will leave you with a quick picture of the 54 Cent... the before image would be a absolute soot black coin. You will find these in my Numismatic Geneaology custom set soon.Thanks for reading, and I will see you fellow coin warriors in the trenches!To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  3. SPHansen

    My Precious!

    By SPHansen,

    ... or my find of the day!
    Just spent 19+ hours at the computer attending auctions all over the country. I spent the first few hours checking out the goods, terms of auctions, etc, to see which ones I wanted to watch. The first auction started at 8:30am my time and ended about 11:30pm. I picked up some amazing deals... a couple more gold coins, and a nice variety of others, but this is the prize of the day. Can't wait to get it to NGC for encapulation!
    1886 P Seated Liberty Dime with amazing rainbow toning on front and back... should hit MS65.
    Wanted to share with my CS friends right away...

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  4. SPHansen

    Gold Rush

    By SPHansen,

    ... or just when I thought I would never have gold coins!
    Coin Journal for the week of 03/12/2012 through 03/18/2012This has been a crazy week, indeed. I spend a lot of time looking through auctions all over the country... the internet is a wonderful tool. I found many coin auctions, but I know that there would be competition for anything of real value. So, I turned my gaze to other venues, ones where you'd never think to find coins, and literally stuck gold.This weeks treasures include:1909 $2.5 Indian Head1909 $2.5 Indian Head1849 $1 Liberty Head1851 $1 Liberty HeadSmall Hoard Buffalo Nickels1916-1919 Merc Dimes2009 DCT American Samoa Clad in PF70UCSmall Hoard of BU Walkers, Franklins and KennedysMany of these I found out in the field, and at amazing prices. The weeks I have spent digging up the small, out of the way venues has really started to pay off. I not only started up some great new relationships, but got some amazing bargains as well. The Mint has released a new product, the 2012 Birth Year set, a sort of truncated version of the proof set. I ordered several of these and will send them in to NGC for grading. I'll let you know how that turns out in a later journal.The first batch of coins for my Numismatic Geneaology custom set has finally made it through the NCS pipline and has been transferred to NGC for grading. I'm happy that all coins made it through the conservation process (none returned) and look forward to getting them back home soon. Of course I will share when they do.I also received my Star Spangled Banner proofs and MS coins from the mint... how beautiful they are in hand! They were immediately sent to NGC for grading, along with several other coins that I think will grade high. This is my first attempt to pre-grade, and know it will be a learning experience. Lets see how close I come!This weeks picture is of the latest addition to my Top Pop Roosie Set.Thanks for reading, and I will see you fellow coin warriors in the trenches!To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  5. SPHansen
    What is your opinion?
    I wrote NGC about the nickel type set... currently, the set has only one slot for the Westward Journey nickels of 2004 and 2005. Kathy answered saying that they consider the WWJ series as a single type, and that most type set collectors would want it that way. I think that two distinctly different designs on a coin, regardless of the series name, each deserve a slot in the set. She suggested I write and get the opinions of the other collectors, so here I am. I want to have the set changed to reflect the two unique coins.
    What do you think? If you agree, I would like to know so I can petition for the change. Hopefully, this journal will go to the boards so answers will be public and easy for NGC to see.
    Thanks!
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  6. SPHansen

    Slim Pickings

    By SPHansen,

    ... or people wanting stupid money for mundane coins!
    Coin Journal for the week of 03/05/2012 through 03/11/2012This week saw a drastc drop in bargains on all the sites. Sellers putting up auctions with outrageous starting prices and insulting shipping costs. I shook my head, and went looking for some baragins in raw coins, especially those for my Bulgarian and Space Themed custom sets. I also did some selling this week, and made a dollar or two. Here are the treasures I added to my collection this week: 1991 Roosevelt in PR70 UC (Heritage) 2008 Kazakhstan 50 Tenge Space Ship Vostok of 1961 BU (raw) 1992 Russia 3 Rubles Year of Space Proof (raw) 2000 Jefferson Nickel in PR70 UC (Heritage) 2003 Jefferson Nickel in PR70 UC (Heritage) 2004 WWJ Nickel Keelboat in PF70 UC (Heritage) 2005 WWJ Nickel Ocean in PF70 UC (Heritage) 1992 Washington Quarter in PF70 UC (Heritage) 1995 Washington Quarter in PF70 UC (Heritage) 1996 Washington Quarter in PF70 UC (Heritage) 2009 DCT Quarter Puerto Rico in PF70 UC (Heritage) The Roosie was obtained at a decent price... I think this is because they seem to have at least one in each auction and it was just my turn. Looking to see if I can continue to add a top pop dime at least once a week. I was looking over the higher ranked sets and there are LOTS of PCGS coins in there. If NGC pulls them, there will be a big shake up there, as I imagine there would be in all competition sets. A couple of nice space coins from around the world were prioced just right, and are on their way to me. I think it is a shame that the US does not have any real space themed coins... commemorative or otherwise. Ohio and Florida statehoods, the Ike dollar reverse and possibly the SBA reverse are the only ones I know of. Grabbed several coins from Heritage this week since eBay has been bargain free this week... these are both upgrades and additions to my nickel and quarter sets. I've been looking to fill in gaps in the proof sets, and beef up the type sets. Speaking of which... I noticed that the nickel type set has a single slot for the Westward Journey nickels, covering both 2004 and 2005. I think this is a mistake, as the 04 has the originial Jefferson profile on the obverse, while the 05 has the single year type obverse. These are two different types, and should each have their own slots. Am I wrong here? As I prepare to p[ost this journal, I read a new post from John Robinson... and would like to respond. I am not surprised by your finds. The 50s were a time when people hoarded coins by the rolls. I often come across entire rolls of coins that were obviously hoarded. Some try to sell the coins on eBay, but when they find out that the coins are not very valuable, they just release them back into circulation. I can't tell you how many rolls of nickels from the 40s and 50s I come across! The most surprising find I had was a 1906 V nickel... I guess not many know what it is, and just assume its a foreign coin (which I see often as well). Nice pull on the 58, tho. Also on the way this week are several proof and mint state examples of the beautiful new Star Spangle Banner commemoratives. I really do like the way this coin looks! I'm going to get them all slabbed, and sell most to help pay for mine. THis weeks image is the oldest slabbed coin I have, the 1835 Capped Bust dime. It is a details coin, but I still enjoy it so much. I can imagine the feeling of getting one in MS condition! Thanks for reading, and I will see you fellow coin warriors in the trenches!
  7. 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!
  8. SPHansen

    To Oldtrader3

    By SPHansen,

    I don't get it...
    ... but I do understand. I dont see the point in Everyman Registry Sets. I am an average guy, not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, yet I manage to have several top registry sets. There are so many varieties of sets to collect that will not bust the average guys budget... short sets, modern sets, annual proof sets, etc. Any collector can afford to put together an annual proof set in pretty much the top grade. True, some sets will have coins that are expensive to us, but there are others that are extremely affordable, especially if you are patient and shop carefully. I also pick my battles... some sets have a few thousand competitors, while others have much, much fewer. It is easier to get a higher ranked set in those categories. As to eBay and devious dealers, caveat emptor applies whereever you shop... being educated in the coins and sets you collect is the best defense against such.
  9. SPHansen

    I Hear You Baron...

    By SPHansen,

    ... and I am not offended by what you say.
    Everyone should be able to, and not fear speaking what they feel in our society. I try not to be a whiner, but sometimes I get upset and speak my mind. I never take offense when someone puts forward a differing opinion.. you never know when someone will convince me I am wrong.
    Before tonight, I never really cared about who had what coin in what set... after thinking about it, I decided to join the fray... I purchased several PCGS dimes to add to my registry sets... and I do this to support my fellow collectors.
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  10. SPHansen

    NGC / PCGS Reply

    By SPHansen,

    My reply to Bully
    Bully makes some good points... Since I started purchasing graded coins, I have always preferred NGC over PCGS. The reason is that I just like the holders better... to me they are more aesthetically pleasing.
    I also see that PCGS coins seem to cost more, but the reason this is so escapes me. Could it be that PCGS puts a higher FMV on their coins? Another reason I ignore FMV listings and Price Guides is that they are inconsistent and IMHO arbitrary.
    Also lets see if this journal will allow for forum dialog.
    Whatever the motivation behind it, collectors are hedging their bets and, I think, trying to avoid the emotional nonsense that came with the World Set debacle. Who wants to have to worry about all that?
    I wonder if there are any NGC and PCGS fanboys like Mac and PC users... I feel a parody commercial coming on!
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  11. 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!
  12. SPHansen

    To Gino

    By SPHansen,

    That is what is called Cost of Doing Business...
    ... and it is something that must be taken into account when buying and selling. I know it sucks, but thats how it is. In fact, look at other auctions, both digital and real world... I see premiums as high as 18 percent.
    Now, with that being said, the bullion coins are tied to the metals... I got $55-$60 for my graded PF69UC ASEs back when silver was $40 an ounce... I got $40-$50 for my ungraded ASEs as well. Now that silver has dropped, you can expect less. You just waited too long I think. When silver dropped to $27, I picked some up... and now that it has gone back up to $33, I let some go. I have yet to lose money, even with fees, on a coin.
    As to PF70s going for $50... I live on eBay (and the other auction sites) and have yet to see prices that low. They may start there, but never end up there. If they were, I'd have PF70 ASEs right now. One piece of advice... don't use the price guide to determine what you can expect for a coin... use auction history... that will give you a realistic expectation, and will let you buy accordingly.
    Send me a message, and let me know what u r asking for those coins...
  13. SPHansen

    Adding Sets to the List?

    By SPHansen,

    How do we get NGC to add sets to the world coin list?
    I have a couple of Bulgarian coins graded by NGC, and would love to be able to have a competitive set as I add more. Does anyone know the process for nagging NGC to add a set to the list? Has anyone ever done this before?
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  14. SPHansen

    Image Quest Continues!

    By SPHansen,

    Am I getting better?
    So, I've been on this quest to get the best possible images of my coins possible. Here I have added two 400 watt studio lights diffused, and using a really crappy point n shoot digital camera. I am going to finally spring for a much nicer SLR digital in the next day or so. I have my eye on a Pentax K10D... (because I have several lenses for Pentax SLRs)
    I like the contract between the field and the devices... do my fellow collectors agree? Would love feedback on this latest attempt...

  15. SPHansen
    Just arrived!
    I wanted to share the latest coin to arrive... I saw this coin and just had to have it! As promised, this coin does not disappoint... the gorgeous gold toning makes this beauty a joy to look at... this coin has joined the top ranks of the favorites in my collection.

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  16. 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
  17. SPHansen

    Digging Deep!

    By SPHansen,

    ... or even the FHA couldn't cramp my style (too much!)
    Coin Journal for the week of 02/06/2012 through 02/12/2013Another week of bargain hunting... and it really had to be bargains for me! My son is purchasing his first home (a nice condo in a great part of town), and a problem arose when FHA said the condo did not qualify for their program (of course, only after weeks of paperwork and outlays for inspection, etc.) We had to scramble to help him, when the down payment went from 5% to 20% (as the loan went from FHA to conventional.) That unexpected outlay required some financial juggling, which put a slight crimp in the coin budget for the week. Anyway, he's getting his home, and I'm still able to grab some great deals.Here are the bargains of the week: 1975 S Roosevelt Dime in PR69DCAM PCGS 1978 S Roosevelt Dime in PR69DCAM PCGS 1989 S Jefferson Nickel in PF69UC 1979 S SBA Dollar in PR69DCAM PCGS 2002 P Ohio Quarter in MS66 2005 Clad Minnesota in PF69UC 1942 Wheatie in MS66RD 1942 D Wheatie in MS65RD 2009 Virgin Island Clad in PF70UC I grabbed several PCGS coins this week, as I decided to expand my horizons by having both grading companies represented in my collection. The two dimes were a steal at less than $4 each, and SBA dollar is my first graded example for under $5. I'm finding that the NGC examples for the SBA and Ike Dollars have much higher starting bids (which don't seem to sell) than their PCGS counterparts. As I've said before, even though I have a complete Ike and SBA collection in the raw, I still get a thrill when I add a graded example to my set. I've also decided to add my small (but growing) PCGS coin collection to the registry here. I will replace them as I find bargain NGC examples. The Jefferson nickel is actually my first example of any graded coin for 1989. Inspired by another collector, I started custom sets for the birth years of my wife, son and mother. I have several coins for my wife and mother, and I figured I had at least ONE 1989 coin in there... but nope. So when the time came to add a coin to my son's birth year set, the cupboard was bare. I quickly dug around, and found this nickel on the cheap ($6.) I was reading another journal and he mentioned getting a certificate for his President's set... that very day my certificates also arrived. I got one each for my four number one sets... a nice surprise. Looking forward to keeping those four at the top of the heap, as well as adding at least one more to the list. So, the first half of the week seemed to belong to PCGS, but it finished with a bang for NGC. First was the results of my first grading submission, which was not perfect, but did please me. I found a few more statehoods for the pile, and was even to pick up my first graded example of the DC/Territories set. These have been hard to find real bargains on, but this one found a new home with me for under $15 shipped. I also decided to grab the two 1942 cents for the Wheatie collection, but also to add to the 1942 Mint Set I'm doing as a tribute to my Mom. Now, as I finish up this week's journal, I'm reading moondoggy's 'Drive You Nuts' journal entry. I'll take the time to respond here instead of having two journals (since the forum discuss feature is being obstinate again). I totally understand what you're saying, bro. As I live on eBay, I see all sorts of behavior like that. I've found that unless I really, Really REALLY want a particular coin, what I do is bid my highest and let it go from there. If a coin goes for over that, and I get a second chance offer, I negotiate the price down or just pass on the offer (I usually ask for free shipping thrown in as well.) Now, as for shill bids.. yeah they happen, and you can usually tell when. I just let it go and move on... you have to be patient when it comes to eBay (or other places). I never feel I need to have an item so bad that I can't wait for the next one to come along. If a coin has no bidders, I bid first and put the max I'm willing to pay. If it does have bidders, and the price is below my max, I wait to the last seconds and bid my max. I seem to have a fair amount of success.. the key is patience. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you fellow coin warriors in the trenches!
  18. SPHansen

    Results!

    By SPHansen,

    Nice surprise
    After reading about the quickness of the grading at NGC, I decided to check on my first order.. I had hoped it would be scheduled for grading, but to my great surprise, the coins are graded and on their back already.. about a week since I mailed them.. that's awesome! Here are the results:
    LineItem Year Mint Mark Variety/Pedigree Denom. Grade Comments
    001 2012 S CLAD EL YUNQUE 25C PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
    002 2012 S CLAD CHACO 25C PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
    003 2012 S CLAD ACADIA 25C PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
    004 2012 S CLAD VOLCANOES 25C PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
    005 2012 S CLAD DENALI 25C PF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
    Not bad... not bad at all
  19. SPHansen

    Hang in there Ed!

    By SPHansen,

    You have plenty of time!
    Love the ATB quarters! I have my clads at NGC for grading now... regardless of the outcome, I will get a full PF70 and MS70 set for 2012... I have until December to get them, and so do you. I got my 4 certificates in the mail, too and it made my day. Funny how a simple act of recognition goes a long way My ATB quarter set is/was also number one, and will be again before the year is out... the prices are already dropping, and should be around $100 come Fall. You don't have to be first, you just have to finish This will happen to all the sets as the new coins come out and NGC adds them to the registry, so no worries... and I'll see at the top
  20. SPHansen
    Inspired to share my Bulgarian coins
    Inspired by JAA's excellent and inforamtive series on his Phillipine coins, I wanted to share my growing interest in Bulgarian coins. My wife being Bulgarian, we often have occassion to travel there. I did some reasearch on their coinage, and learned a few things that interested me.
    First, the Bulgarian National Bank is also responsible for minting coins. You can go to the bank in Sofia, and they have a specific teller who handles proof sets and the commemoratives. Mintages are very low (the below example commemorative has a mintage of 4000), and I rarely, if never, see a Bulgarian coin certified. I did find two examples so far, of an NGC certified proof coin from the last proof set they minted in 2002.
    The certified coin is a 2 Stotinki coin in PF67UC. The commemorative is a very interesting coin, and is the one that made me fall in love with Bulgarian commemorative at first sight. This is a 2011 .999 silver and gold 10 Leva coin honoring Gena Dimitrova, a Bulgarian Opera Singer. The Obverse shows the logo of the Bulgarian National Bank, the denomination and the year of issue. The reverse shows Gena Dimitrova as Princess Turandot. The inscription reads 'Great Bulgarian Voices' above her, and her name below. I love the three tone look of the coin, with the outer ring double-oxidized, the obverse silver and the reverse in gold.
    I'm thinking of sending in my Bulgarian commemoratives for grading... I'm wanting to pick up a few more before I do, especially the ones deling with space flight so i can add them to my custom set dealing with that subject.

  21. SPHansen

    I Think I Got It!

    By SPHansen,

    What do you think?
    I think I fianlly got the right settings for the new camera... here is the latest image... I would love to hear from my fellow collectors!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  22. 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!
  23. SPHansen

    A New Adventure

    By SPHansen,

    begins today!
    So, my first coins for grading are on their way to NGC. Just sticking my little toe in the water this time... ordered the Proof ATB quarters from the Mint, which arrived on Saturday. Spent Sunday making sure, double and triple checking my paperwork, and sent the package out this morning. I wanted to see the results of this before I venture further into this with older coins in my collection.
    Now the worst part... the wait.
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  24. SPHansen

    I'm Glad too Moondoggy!

    By SPHansen,

    Inspired by a great fellow collector!
    I love moondoggy's set up, and am inspired to build my own tent. The set up that I lost in on eBay was priced at $15, so I wasn't about to pay $50+ for one!
    I purchased my new camera this morning... a Pentax K10D. I chose Pentax because my 35mm camera is a Pentax, and all the lenses (which are the most expensive parts, as moondoggy found out!) can be used with it... also, I got it for about half the price I could on any sites, even used. When it arrives, I'll refine my image process even more. Meanwhile, here's the latest addition to my Merc Short Set...
    Good Hunting!

  25. 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.