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SPHansen

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Journal Entries posted by SPHansen

  1. 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...

  2. 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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  3. SPHansen

    Submission Comes Home

    By SPHansen,

    ... and here's the promised pic!
    As promised, here is the Bulgaria MS66 2 Leva I submitted.
    I've been afk for the past few days, attending a show and working on my site, so am just catching up on Dr.D controversy. I have my qualms with NGC, as many know, but I have always praised the customer service... top notch in my book. I would love to see more communication in why a coin gets the grade it does, and I'm shocked that the best grading service in the world would refuse to grade items because it is too hard? Members should be able to send in pretty much anything to the experts, IMHO.
    Anyway, I also picked up a gorgeous 1930 20 Leva coin that is an UNC beast! I saw this one, and started drooling It will be heading off to NGC soon

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  4. 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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  5. 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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  6. 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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  7. 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

  8. 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.

  9. 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!

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  10. 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!
  11. 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.
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  12. 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!

  13. 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.
  14. 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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  15. SPHansen
    ... its about the collector.
    Sorry, Paul, I disagree. This is not about the grading companies, nor their contest with each other. This is about the collector, who should be the REAL focus of this. I think that has been lost by these people. Its called the COLLECTOR's Society, and any decision should be made in the best interests of the collector, period.
    Making collector's split their collection tracking for no reason is uncalled for and just plain annoying. Give the collector the OPTION to list their PCGS coins here, but when it comes to NGC awards, then don't count them... but many don't give a damn about the competition.. its about the collection.
    I say any move to limit a collector's options is wrong.
  16. SPHansen
    Keep the faith, brother... you just got to survive to the end.
    Alan is so right. I've been watching this happen for a decade, and the worst is yet to come, I'm afraid.
    As a kid, I collected sports cards... baseball, football, etc. I bought packs with my allowance, saved multiple sets in pristine condition, and traded and played flip games with the rest. I enjoyed my 'hobby' and got tons of satifaction from it. There were a few companies out there.. Topps and Fleer being the biggies. Then the speculators arrived...
    They knew that as the baby boomers grew older, they would hit that point that most of us do... nostalgia for our childhood. They started buying and selling.. older cards, new sets, etc. I watched as people started to 'invest' in sports cards... sinking tons of money to buy, buy, buy. Then the new companies arrived... they added marketing to the cards.. jazzy new series, multiple series, 'special SPECIAL collectors editions', ad nauseum. They flooded the cards, hype and the that goes with it. Real collectors couldn't afford to keep up, they get frustated, they quit. The speculator rides the wave until it crests, and then sells everything to some schmuck with get rich quick dollar signs in their eyes (who ends up taking a bath and losing tons of money), and heads out to see the next thing they can exploit.
    Coin collecting was 'safe' from this... it was perceived by the masses as 'boring' and 'nerdy'... until the Statehood quarters hit the streets. People got excited, old collectors were envigorated and new collectors entered the market... and we became a ripe target for speculators. Now you see the same thing happening all over again... Shopping channels with coin shows, special labels, super exclusive special labels, super mega ULTRA Collectors Sets! Insane prices, a glut of coins, mass marketing... the whole nine yards. Soon the get rich quick suckers will come along (they are already starting to appear).
    The aftermath will be:
    1. Real collectors will be disgusted and many will fall away from the hobby.
    2. The speculators will suck the hobby dry and move on.
    3. With the money well going dry, the companies that depend on it will go away.
    4. The hobby will survive, tattered and in ruins, but alive; barely.
    I don't give a damn about labels, or glitz or whatever. I try to shield myself from the madness, but its impossible to do so fully. I'm keeping the faith, because inevitably, the speculators and their sycophantic lackeys will be gone, and we can get back to collecting in peace.
  17. SPHansen

    Yes! Yes! Yes!

    By SPHansen,

    Happy Happy Joy Joy
    Journal for the week of January 15 through January 22, 2012What a great week I've had! I've spent months looking for a 2010 Clad Pf70UC Kennedy Half, not only at a decent price, but for any price at all. The silver coin is readily available, but the clad has been so elusive. I wanted to grab one before December to complete a perfect 2010 proof set, but none were ever offered. Then, suddenly, one appeared for auction. My eyes widened and my heart raced... this beauty would be mine! I watched as the auction drew to a close, and placed my bid... and I got it for a great price... $37.00! I fully expected to pay twice that, so I did a little dance and there was much rejoicing . With a 2010 Sac dollar upgrade from PF69UC to PF70UC, I'll have completed my goal of putting together a perfect 2010 Proof Set. I also was able to snag some more great deals: 1976 Type 1 Clad Ike Dollar in PF66 Cameo 2009 Jefferson Nickel in a perfect PF70UC 2008 P Jackson SMS dollar in MS67 for a mere $3.25! 1999 S Pennsylvania PF69UC 2011 P US GRant MS67 ER 2009 S SMS Lincoln cent Professional Life MS67RD 1978 D Ike Dollar in MS65 1945 S Mercury Dime in MS65 1981 S Kennedy Half in PF69UC 1983 S Kennedy Half in Pf69UC 1960 SD Memorial Cent in MS65RD Ikes seem to be very popular, and demand is keeping the prices higher than other similar coins... I already have a complete set of BU Ikes, but non-graded. Might be worthwile to send those in for grading.. don't know yet, I'll have to think. My 09 Jeffy not only fills a hole, but also starts the process of working to put together a perfect 09 proof set. That'll be tricky, as the four Lincoln cents will be pricey, and I have none of the DC and Territories coins... but I'll keep my eyes peeled The 99 State quarter is my first 1999 certified... I already have a complete set, both silver and clad, sitting safely in a Dansco album... but finding them at great prices is a real job. But, with patience I think I can pick them up here and there for prices like I got this one for... can't beat $4.14 with a stick! Its a pretty coin, and I'm happy The Jackson SMS dollar was a great find... the SMS's are not easy to find, and my collection is spotty. So grabbing one for such a great price is icing on the cake of a great week. Oh, my 2012 Silver Eagle PF69UC ER came this week... bought that one back before the New Year for $49 on a pre-sale. I love these coins... they have my favorite design of all time, walking liberty, and its a joy to just look at them. Now, I wonder when NGC will add the 2012's to the set listing? Ohhh... just picked up my first graded Mercury Dime... 1945 S MS65 for $20! Another favorite coin design, I've watched for awhile as let coin after coin slip by... until today. Think I'll start on a short set of 1941 - 1945 Mercs, and work my way into the quagmire from there Scoping out a Buffalo nickel to give a good home as well Another great deal.. picked up a couple of Kennedy Halves for pretty much nothing... bought the pair for $5.75 with $6.00 shipping (kind of high)... but, even so, it still brings them in at under $6 a piece. Not too shabby From the Mint, I ordered the new ATB proof set... I think I'll send these in for grading with my free certificate... this will be my first foray into getting my own coins graded. How this one goes will determine whether or not NGC gets my money later when I want to send in more coins. As to the removal of PCGS coins from the World Registry... although it does not affect me directly, I'm not happy about it. The worst thing that can happen to a collector is to remove options and limit them. To me, its the coin that counts, nothing else. If the top two are considered equal in the eyes of collectors, then they should be allowed to keep track of them in one place. I've heard that politics has something to do with the decision... I don't know if that is true, but if it is, then it is a sad day for our hobby.
  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

    What do you think?

    By SPHansen,

    Budget photography!
    Would love to get the opinion of my fellow collectors... here is my latest experiment for imaging my collection. I like the contrast and detail of the coin, as well as the color... not bad for a cheap camera. There is a little glare, but I'm working to remove that entirely. Do you think it is good enough for competition? Be honest, you won't hurt my feelings ;P

  20. 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

  21. 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
  22. SPHansen

    Plugging Those aps

    By SPHansen,

    Grabbed some nice gap-fillers
    Continuing my change-over from raw to certified coins, I managed to grab some gap fillers...
    1985 PF69UC Jefferson Nickel
    1992 PF69UC Jefferson Nickel
    1965 SMS MS66 Wshington Quarter
    2009 SMS MS67 WH Harris Dollar
    Each of those for under $5... as well as:
    2001 PF69UC Kennedy Half
    This one for for just under $7
    Not bad... the coins for my other collections are running a bit high atm, so I'll let them slide by for now. Also have bids on several Wheaties in MS66 that are super cheap. Lets see if I can snag them, and add to my pathetic Wheaties graded Wheaties collection
  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

    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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  25. 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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