• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

mvcoins-migration

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    41

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Journal Entries posted by mvcoins-migration

  1. mvcoins-migration
    Why is a 2007 S George Washington Proof Dollar in PF 70 Ultra Cameo condition worth nearly as many points as a very rare 1937 MS 68 FB Mercury Dime?
    I still do not understand the NGC point system for U.S. coins. It is clearly not based on rarity. Case in point I have a very nice and very common 2007 S George Washington dollar in PF 70 Ultra Cameo condition. NGC has certified at least 9,982 coins at this level and gives them all 908 points.
    I also have very nice and very rare 1937 MS 68 FB Mercury dime. NGC has certified a grand total of 3,760 of these 1937 dimes. NGC has graded exactly 15 in this lofty MS 68 FB condition and none finer. This coins earns 925 points.
    In my humble opinion the 2007 S George Washington dollar in PF 70 Ultra Cameo condition should be worth about 50 points. The 1937 MS 68 FB Mercury dime should be worth above 2,000 points. What do you think?

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  2. mvcoins-migration
    So What Makes a Great Roosevelt Silver Dime?
    Here is a nice example of an NGC graded 1960 D MS 67 FT Star Roosevelt silver dime. Yes this is a common coin as more that 200 million were minted in Denver. To be fair NGC has only graded 847 of these dimes and I am sure more exist that could be graded in the future. That said Full Torch versions of these dimes are clearly harder to find and a MS 67 FT with good eye appeal is yet more difficult to find. I am sure many have been cherry picked at this point for grading, but only time will tell.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  3. mvcoins-migration
    In the end I picked a NGC 1936 Proof 67 Brilliant Coin to add to my Collection
    This year I was debating purchasing either a Gold 2013 Reverse Proof Buffalo or a real Buffalo proof nickel from back in the day. I know less then 50,000 Gold 2013 Reverse Proof Buffalo coins were made, but in the end I prefer to have an original buffalo proof nickel. This is not to say such Gold Buffalo coins will not appreciate, but I am just a U.S. history buff at heart.
    In the end I found a very nice NGC 1936 Proof 67 Brilliant Buffalo coin. It probably cost me less than trying to buy a 2013 70 Reverse Proof Buffalo coin. Go figure. Back in 1936 only 4,420 total Proof Buffalo nickels were made, split between the Satin and Brilliant finishes. In time I hope to add a Proof 67 1936 Satin Buffalo coin. Like many here on NGC Collectors Society I have a hard time not buying a superb Buffalo nickel when I get the chance.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  4. mvcoins-migration
    Total Coin Registry Points: 528,273 Rank: 96
    It took about four years of collecting but I finally broke the TOP 100 in U.S. Coins in the NGC Collectors Society. I realize not every one agrees this is an important goal and I understand that. In many cases a few high quality coins are better to own than a very large quantity of common coins. Still I have tried to upgrade my collection with higher end U.S. coins over the past two years and breaking the TOP 100 shows at least I am going in the right direction. Below is the coin that took me over into the TOP 100.

  5. mvcoins-migration
    I have tried Three Methods and Only One Works.
    I have tried three different methods to get an existing NGC coin upgraded or have a Star (*) added. My first attempt was to send in five (5) coins for a regrade. This did not work at all. All the coins can back graded the same in new holders. My second attempt was a crack-out with a 1922 Gold Grant Dollar coin. I posted a journal about the success I had with NGC upgrading the coin from MS 65 to MS 66. My most recent attempt was to send in a group of coins for a Designation Review to see if I could get a Star (*) added. This was wholly unsuccessful. All the coins came back graded the same despite the very nice toning on many of the coins.
    At this point I am convinced the only way to get an existing NGC coin upgraded or have a Star (*) added is through the crack-out game. Obviously cracking out a coin is not without risks, but then there are rewards to be had with the right coin.
    Have you had success getting NGC to upgrade your coins or have a Star (*) added? If so please post as I am always interested in better ways to achieve this goal.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  6. mvcoins-migration
    Isn't it time the Mercanti Eagle was Dumped by the U.S. Mint in Favor of the A. Weinman Masterpiece or just about any other Eagle on the ASE?
    While reading American Silver Eagles, 2nd Edition I came across both a wonderful section on Weinman's Walking Liberty Half Dollar as well as a nice section on American Eagles through the years. With so many outstanding Eagles to pick from it is hard to believe the U.S. Mint can't find anything better than the Mercanti Eagle to slap on the back of the ASE after more than 25 years.
    In my opinion Mercanti's Eagle pales in comparison to Weinman's masterpiece. Looking at the 2013 Enhanced Uncirculated ASE I'd have loved to see Weinman's original Eagle on the back instead. Maybe for the 30th Anniversary I can get my wish from the U.S. Mint.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. mvcoins-migration
    Blind Eagle and Almost no E PLURIBUS UNUM - Is it worth anything more than the price of Silver?
    Bought a bunch of 1964 P&D Mint Sets cheap and was looking through the coins for the usual Full Torch (FT) Dimes or Jefferson Nickels with actual steps. I always find a few worth submitting to NGC to make my money back. Anyway I was looking through the Kennedy Half Dollars and found a very odd looking Philadelphia minted coin.
    This 1964 (P) Kennedy Half Dollar looks awful, but it is still in the Mint packaging. The face on the Eagle is gone as is some of the upper part of the shield. Nearly all of the E PLURIBUS UNUM and a few feathers on the right wing are also gone. There is also damage to the ear and hair of Kennedy. Is this just quality control gone bad or is there something more here? I just don't know enough about error coins to know if this is worth something or just the melt value of 900 Silver.
    Hopefully someone out there knows more about these sort of errors. It looks like part of the die was damaged that made this strike.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  8. mvcoins-migration
    1922 Gold $1 Grant Star Coin upgraded to MS 66!
    Back in 2010 I acquired at auction a Grant Star $1 Gold coin graded MS 65 (286937-004) in a old no-line fat NGC holder. Under magnification the coin looked better than a MS 65 to me. While only a little over 5,000 1922 Grant Star Gold dollars were minted, today an MS 65 is an average grade with a wholesale value around $2,000 and worth about 2,732 points.
    Selling the coin was an option, but I would likely lose money after the fees. Submitting the coin in the holder to NGC for a re-grade was also an option, but I have tried that and failed several times. The coins come back in new holders with the same grade. The better option seemed to be to crack-out the coin and submit it new to NGC for grading. For 1922 Gold $1 Grant Star coins there are over 300 each of MS 64, 65 and 66 graded coins. It seemed like a good possibility that my nice MS 65 would come back as a MS 65+ or even MS 66. If it dropped to a MS 64 I would not lose much money. The risk seemed to be worth the effort.
    After carefully cracking out the coin I sent it in to NGC to be graded. I am now the proud owner of a NGC MS 66 Gold $1 Grant Star coin (2608339-001) in a new holder. Same coin as before but with a full point upgrade. The wholesale value is now up to around $2,300. Not bad really, but there was some risk.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  9. mvcoins-migration
    NGC 1951-S MS 67 STAR (*) Rainbow Washington Quarter
    I realize the 2013 W American Eagle Set is all the rage in the Coin World right now. I'm fine with that. Since there were more than 250,000 sets manufactured there will always be the option to acquire a perfect NGC 70 set in the future at a better price than today.
    What I like to find is quality nicely toned Pre-1965 U.S. coins. The are a number of such quality coins out there and they come up for sale in a variety of locations. I prefer the rainbow toned coins with either a full circle or a nice crescent. This 1951-S quarter has a nice crescent rainbow on both sides. Yes a coin can have too much toning, but with the right amount I think it adds interest and value. Just my opinion as blast white coins are still popular too with many. I suspect at this point most of the nicely toned rainbow 1950's quarters have been sent off for grading, but I keep looking both for raw coins and certified coins.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  11. mvcoins-migration
    1913 MS 67 STAR (*) Type 1 Buffalo Nickel
    Well 100 years have gone by and the 1913 Type 1 Buffalo Nickel still remains very popular for coin collectors. NGC has certified a bit over 330 such coins in MS 67 condition and around 12 in MS 68 condition. I think the STAR coins add a nice touch of color, but I realize not everyone agrees. The Buffalo nickel was part of the larger effort to beautify U.S. coins in the early 1900s and many agree that James Earle Fraser designed a stunning coin fit for the ages. Given the fact that the U.S. mint keeps reusing this design I think confirms its continued popularity today.
    Considering the boring Jefferson nickels the U.S. Mint is still churning out today (and has been since 1938) maybe it is time for a change to beautify U.S. coinage again. How about a nickel with some classic details? Maybe a design that isn't so computer driven? Maybe bring back Lady Liberty on a circulating U.S. Coin? Just some thoughts.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  12. mvcoins-migration
    The Sad Fate of the 2000 S Proof Sacagawea Dollar
    I see there is lots of fuss about the lowered values for Sacagawea dollar coins in PF 70 Ultra Cameo condition. This shouldn't be a shock to anyone who collects modern coins. There is simply a limited group of collectors for most modern coins and far too many coins in perfect PF 70 UC condition. The real losers are those with PF 69 UC modern proof coins that will be lucky to get back the price of certification in the future. Yes I know there are exceptions to this rule, but not that many. With modern coins you need to think about the long term value (or lack thereof). Buy the coins you like, buy them cheap and don't worry about the value is a good motto for modern coin collecting.
    Let's examine the sad fate of the 2000 S Proof 70 Ultra Cameo Sacagawea Dollar. In July 2005 this coin had a book value of over $600 and spiked at over $1000 in 2006. This value simply couldn't hold as more and more PF 70 UC coins came on the market. The U.S. Mint produced over 4,000,000 of these Proof coins with many in perfect condition. As of 2013 what was a $1000 coin has dropped to below $100 in value and will likely end up worth even less than that as the demand fades and the number of perfect coins slowly increases to well beyond 2,000 PF 70 UC coins.
    This is an object lesson also for the American Silver Eagle Proof Bullion Coins that are hot right now. If there are several thousand or more of any coin in PF 70 UC condition one can also expect a high priced coin to drop over time as demand fades. Supply and Demand rule the coin world as well. This is something something one should consider when buying or selling modern proof coins.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  13. mvcoins-migration
    Total Sets Reported Sold - About 281,310
    As predicted the U.S. Mint sold a vast number of 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Sets. The grand total is around 281,310 or so. I would assume all these coins will be in 69 or 70 condition as the U.S. Mint is getting rather good at making perfect or nearly perfect coins. This makes collecting modern coins a bit less interesting.
    Will I buy this set? Sure - but I'll wait a year or two and let the prices settle to a more normal level. With this many coins on the market you can expect to see the prices rise during the first month or two as collectors snatch up the NGC or PCGS graded coins in 70 condition. After a year or two the shine will have faded and prices will settle. In the end these are simply never going to be rare coins. There are far to many coins available and none will ever be circulated. They will all remain in perfect or near perfect condition.
    While I like some modern U.S. coins I've decided to take a more realistic few of them. Buy the ones you like, buy them cheap and don't expect the value to jump.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  14. mvcoins-migration
    Buy Now or Buy Later?
    With over 138,000 sets already sold by the U.S. Mint it seems likely a very large number of 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Sets will be sold. This won't be a rare coin in 70 condition. It seems like the most sense is to wait and buy the coins already NGC or PCGS graded. This will save the cost of getting the coins certified as well as related shipping costs. It also eliminates the chance a coin won't grade at 70. There should be plenty of perfect 70 coins floating around on EBAY or other websites later in the summer. Still it is hard to wait for something new.
    Let me say I like American Silver Eagle (ASE) coins that are interesting, reverse proof or whatever an "enhanced" coin turns out to look like. Yes I know ASE are very popular right now, but the U.S. Mint seems to be flooding the market with them. In 2011 they did it right by putting a limit of 100,000 coins on the 25th Anniversary Sets. To be honest a limit of 25,000 coins on the 2013 American Eagle West Point Two-Coin Silver Sets would be better and at least make collecting them more of a challenge.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  15. mvcoins-migration
    I guess the Answer is it Depends on the Buyer
    In a recent post wdrob brings up the interesting question as to the value of a coin. His argument is that selling a coin below the Grey Sheet value reduces the overall value of a coin. This is probably true over the long term. Of course the reverse is also true. I have seen many sales of high grade Roosevelt Dimes go above the Grey Sheet value. Such sales would over time likely raise the Grey Sheet value. In the end isn't the Grey Sheet value simply a reflection of buyer's demand for a given coin in a given condition?
    I would also argue that demand more than rarity determines the price of a coin. A good example are American Silver Eagles (ASE). Love them or hate them there is a big demand for the rarer ASE coins. For example NGC has certified over 19,000 2011 EAGLE REVERSE PF 25TH ANNIVERSARY ASE in PF 70 condition. This is not a rare coin yet it sells for $400 or more. Clearly demand is driving the value and not rarity. Some day when ASE become less popular the demand and prices will both fall as there will simply be too many ASE available. The same is true for any coin. In the end a given Buyer determinea the value. Coins in some sense are collectables but also commodities.
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  16. mvcoins-migration
    1913 Type 1 Buffalo Nickel MS 67 STAR (*)
    I also wanted to thank CCCoindude for letting me acquire several of his nicer coins. The 1913 Type 1 Buffalo Nickel in MS 67 STAR (*) condition is just fantastic. I always like purchasing coins directly from members and cheating the auction houses out of their high commissions. It only makes sense for our members to work with each other to improve the hobby and save each other money. If CCCcoindude has any coins remaining you can count on him for fast shipping and great service.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  17. mvcoins-migration
    Crisp Fall Colors on the Leaves and Edge
    This is a nice example of a NGC MS 67 * l935 Connecticut Tercentenary Half Dollar with nice Fall Colors on the Leaves and Edge. No finer NGC MS 67 * coins of this type exist and there is only one NGC MS 68 coin. A total of 25,018 of these Half Dollars were minted with most graded at the NGC MS 65 level or below. Enjoy!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  18. mvcoins-migration

    BUY BUY BUY!

    By mvcoins-migration,

    Classic U.S. Gold and Silver Coins!
    For Thane, Six Mile Rick and anyone else out I would argue that Classic Silver and Gold U.S. coins are timeless works of art. Yes you can collect them for the value of their metal, but then you are likely missing the true beauty they hold. I am not suggesting anyone overpay for coins or that coins values won't go up and down. I am suggesting you collect coins because you love coins and they can be an investment too.
    As many know the basic problem will most Modern Commemorative U.S. Coins, Mint Sets, ASE Coins and Proof Sets is the U.S. Mint churned them out by the Millions as that's how they make money. While some of these coins may have long term value many will sink as they were over produced and there is limited collector interest. I am not saying never buy such coins, just understand their potential and buy the coins you like.

  19. mvcoins-migration
    NGC 1996 D Lincoln Cent in MS 68 RD
    Yes this is a common 1996 D Lincoln Cent with billions minted in Denver. Still it is nice to find one in MS 68 RD condition. While NGC may not give MS 68 Lincoln Cents many points I still think they are fine coins to collect. Their prices are also much more reasonable. Enjoy!

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  20. mvcoins-migration
    Buying Panda Coins Hurts America and American Workers - Your Money goes to Support the Chinese Communist Party
    I realize Gold and Silver Panda Coins are cute, but do you understand where your hard earned U.S. money is going? Let's examine Gold Panda coins. The People's Republic of China State Council approved China Gold Coin Inc (CGCI) in 1987.
    CGCI is the only professional company dealing with precious metal commemorative coins directly affiliated to the People's Bank of China.
    CGCI will follow the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party committee of the People's Bank of China and the enterprise management committee and carefully implement the Regulations of the People's Republic of China governing the Renminbi, so as to standardize the management in the programming, designing, production, propaganda and distribution of precious metal commemorative coins.
    The Chinese Communist Party through the People's Bank of China and CGCI directly control the distribution of these coins and enjoy the profits from this effort. I don't know about you but I think the Chinese have taken enough American Jobs and Money. Buy Gold coins from the U.S. Mint and Americans work and benefit. Sending your money to the Chinese Communist Party hurts us all. Just my opinion.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  21. mvcoins-migration
    Can a MS 70 or PF 70 Coin Have Any Imperfections?
    What is a 70? According to the NGC website,"NGC defines a Mint State or Proof 70 coin as having no post-production imperfections at 5x magnification." Does this mean a coin that that has pre-production imperfections rate a 70? What about an incomplete strike, like missing some of the points on a star? Can this be a 70 coin too?
    I've seen many NGC PF 70 coins that under 5x magnificant will have a very minor pit or flaw in the field. I assume these could be part of the original blank and are in fact pre-production issues, but this gets back to the question of what is a 70. I've also seen coins with imcomplete stars (missing 4 out of 5 points) that rate a 70. I have returned a PF 70 UC Silver Kennedy Half Dollar for a review, it had a litteral hole in the reverse, and the coin was bought back by NGC. Which was all fine, but it still makes we wonder what really is a 70?
    As a example see the attached image. According to NGC this is a 1981 PF 70 UC Susan B. Anthony dollar. Note the imcomplete star (missing 4 out of 5 point) near the "S" mint mark. Is this a 70 coin or another coin that needs review by NGC?

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  22. mvcoins-migration
    Another Amazing and Colorful NGC STAR Coin!
    If you've read my journal before you know I collect Mercury Dimes and try to find examples of those coins in MS 67 FB or better with the coveted NGC * (STAR). Here is a very nice example of a 1935 Buffalo Nickel in MS 67 * (STAR) condition. While I will probably never complete a collection of Buffalo Nickels I still try to find interesting examples to add to my growing collection. I think this picture also says it all.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  23. mvcoins-migration
    WOW - Mercury Dimes Don't Get Much Nicer than this STAR Coin!
    I always love to find nice MS 67 FB or better Mercury "Winged Liberty Head" Dimes for my collection, but it is always nice to find one with the NGC coveted * (STAR). When I first started collecting I only looked for white dimes and ignored those with any sort of toning. Over the years I've come to appreciate the beauty of colorfully toned coins like this one. I think this picture says it all.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  24. mvcoins-migration
    Third ever Perfect NGC complete Proof 70 Ultra Cameo Susan B. Anthony Dollar Collection
    Had some luck in recent weeks finding both the 1979 S Type 2 and 1981 S Type 2 Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Proof dollars in NGC graded Perfect PF 70 Ultra Cameo condition. This is only the 3rd complete prefect collection of NGC-only SBA Proof coins in the NGC Registry. Yes there are other complete SBA sets using PCGS graded coins (for however long they will still be here), but it is a major accomplishment to get 1 of only 18 NGC 1981 S Type 2 Proof 70 Ultra Cameo SBA coins. I still like the reverse the best with the Eagle landing on the Moon.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  25. mvcoins-migration
    Nothing is More Annoying that Trying to Register a Coin or Two and getting this Message - "This cert number is already owned by another user."
    Today I was trying to register a very nice NGC 1946 S MS 67 STAR(*) FT Roosevelt Dime when I got this message. Honestly if you have placed your coins on EBAY or a coin auction site (like Heritage or Teletrade) maybe it is time to unregister them from your NGC Collectors Society page. Just a thought as his seems to be the polite thing to do. In the end NGC always fixes the problem, but you are stuck waiting days and days. I wish there was a faster solution to the common annoying problem.

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