GoldFinger1969

Having a few US coins and Proof sets when I was a child has made me want to collect more US coins. I have a nice collection of US coins that I feel proud to share with my friends that collect as well. Over the years I have Silver Proof sets from the 1992 till 2019, Silver Eagles from 1986 till 2020, odds and ends of proof sets to the point of "someday I will send these in to get rated". 
BUT..... there are some missing pieces.... especially with my Silver Eagles.... because certain people hire people to buy the Mint's product so they can make a dollar. Nothing wrong with that, just realize I won't buy your inflated outrageous prices after. You all know who I'm talking about.... the dealers making a profit off low mintage coins. My silver eagles are a prime example, limited mintage coins scarfed up by dealers. Then turned around and asking 50% to 200% what they bought them for. 
What ever happen to that basic coin shop, where the owner was a coin collector him/her self....... who upgraded his/her collection when someone was on his/her down or wanted to trade for something better..... or needed some money..... when true negotiation was done for that purchase..... and owner would put his/her lesser coin for sale on the counter.  That doesn't happen too much here in the US anymore. Too many fly-by-night dealers looking for the fast buck. I've even notice they are slowly moving into the World market.
I just got done talking to someone that bought a rare Proof Set, but is breaking it down to sell all the coins separate, because they worth more that way. He will get the price.... but not from me (I wanted that whole set) because I like coins and the art involved.
It saddens me to see the US Mint.... seeing they have an opportunity to improve their bottom line.... increase prices considerably. Because of this, I stopped buying from them! I've even will sell some of what I have.
If I'm going to pay some premium price for a coin, it's going to be rare or unique. That's why I'm on the world side.... buying what I can!  I've seen some better designs on the cheap! I'm trying to beat the dealers!!

Today I found out my major coin submission is coming back (30 coins) and some ratings were surprising and some were what I expected.
Many of the coins were minted at the old Franklin Mint, along with some Perth Mint, Royal Mint and some dealers claiming to be a mint. But the Franklin Mint (FM) made me think of what others were thinking in the 80's.. There not worth the metal they are minted on! For some reason, I should have ignored those comments (In some cases I did).
I have a few FM coin sets and I'm actually happy I still have them, but in the worse packaging. Many I removed from the original packaging so they won't get damaged. As I'm finding out, I'm glad to remove some coins from packaging that has PVC from other mints. I have coins that have PVC related issues that it is hard NOT to drop them into acetone to remove and stop the destruction. But then would that be "cleaning"?!?
But what is funny is that I have FM stuff that is not coin related. It is Star Trek (ST) related stuff I have in the basement.... a 3D Chess Set..... An Insignia Board (missing one insignia)..... A Pewter NCC-1701D Enterprise.... and many others....all as gifts. Then there are those PLAYMATE items from ST that were also gifts..... actions figures and the like. All this was GIVEN to me because I was a Star Trek Fan!! 
What's funny.... I'm not that much of a "Hard Core" fan as I'm currently watching Deep Space 9 as I write this. Voyager is next on my list since I didn't watch half-end of the series.
So what am I getting at? Well.... my coin collection is based on what I experienced and enjoyed in my life. The way all collections should be! I have BVI coins, coins with Kennedy on them, Silver dollar coins and American coins of past because they excite and intrigue me to collect them, especially in good quality. My ST collection is the same way, but only a 1/3 of what I was given or purchased. That's because being a ST fan didn't measure up to be a coin fan! Coins to me are ART!! 
Collecting is what you should enjoy, not what you need to beat someone or make a profit. It is enjoying the overall item for what it is worth TO YOU!!