LINCOLNMAN

2 hours ago, Zebo said:

If they are hard to find or the price is right - I will. An example is something that will be upgraded later, but purchased at its melt price or close to it. 

No fair, buying at melt or near it there is no significant waste. 

2 hours ago, AcesKings said:

You mean like this? 

Depends on the rest of the set, per my point. That's a very nice coin BTW. If I were doing Morgans I would have to try to go with nice circulated examples, too many stoppers for my budget to handle MS. (Not sure what is to be done with '95.) I would have the same issue with many other series that I admire. Also applies to early type in my case. My silver draped bust coins range from 8 to 30, but they look nice together.  

3 hours ago, Just Bob said:

With me, it depends on the series. As I have already stated several times, I often have to settle for what is available, when it comes to tokens. If I want an example from a particular town or company, I may have to take what I can get.

On the other hand, I started a certified Roosevelt set many years ago. I am not a registry participant, so I don't look for points, especially with the FT designation. But if it isn't  MS67 or higher, I don't buy it. I will not settle for anything less, just to fill a spot. I haven't added to it in a while, and still have a ways to go. The same goes for my circulated type set that I try to add a few coins to each year. I have passed on some nice looking VG and F coins, because they would not fit with the VF-AU  coins in the set.

Good topic, by the way.

The token comment brings up something of an exception to me as well. I collect certain medals which are not expensive but rare. I bought some cleaned bronze ones just because I probably will not see them again in this life. I'm darkening them so they at least show reasonably well. I assume the EAC guys and colonial guys (and other collectors of rare or hard to locate items) often have to settle for what's available. My original post has more to do with coins that are available, at least from time to time. 

A couple of very high-profile purchases recently strike me as "hole fillers", albeit very expensive ones. I've developed a strong opinion about filler coins over the years: I just never do it. In my early years in my zeal to complete a set I bought a few, but always came to regret it. First, there is no real sense of completion. Second, there is a real sense of wasting money. I don't mind spending money on coins for which I have little hope of gain or probably breaking even, in any near term or at all. But just wasting money is another matter. I have to admit to settling for a coin or other collectible of lesser quality than I would like, but such cases are based on affordability (or perceived value for price) and must fit well in my set/display. For example, I would buy a nice slider AU 16D to complete an otherwise unc Merc set.   

Thoughts? 

Not my long suit but I'll give it a shot. Out of town until next week. These sets present very well, not like the old days but better than sticking them in a box in one's SDB.

21 hours ago, Just Bob said:

Got pictures? 

I've been collecting type coins off and on for a very long time. Lacking imagination, hadn't until recently challenged myself, adding to the fun, by combining type with other sets of interest. I recently completed a 1912 birth year set to honor my father, including gold. In so doing I collected a Liberty nickel, all the Barbers and four 20th century gold types. I assembled an 1859 proof set (no gold, no 3c), which included an IHC (one year type), stars obverse 5c and 10c, and no motto 25c, 50c and $1.00. Did my own birth year, 1945, to add a nicer Merc and Walker. Did a 1939 proof set to commemorate my parents marriage year. If I had thought of it earlier there are other proof and birth (or other) year sets that would have looked neat together, but I already had many of the types covered and not needing upgrades. I'm probably going to hear that this is old hat, but the approach is new to me and may be to others. Now, to find out when my great-great grandmother was born...I need to upgrade some of my early type. 

That has been my experience, although the 31S can be tough as well. Many were saved in MS, but spots and preservation problems, coupled with lousy strikes, made it hard for me to find a really nice one, ignoring the grade on the plastic. The two examples you show appear to me to illustrate this. 

I can't vouch for them as far as ancients go, but I've had good results buying European medals from MA Shops. They do carry many ancients.  VCoins is another source that I've used. 

Clever, hope NGC gets some volume. 

I've said before that this looks like a poor business decision, although only NGC knows whether submissions and cross-overs have improved. I would bet the opposite among classic US coins. A shame really because I always thought that NGC was the better brand simply because of the attractiveness and solid feel of the holders as well as the tie-in with the ANA. I still buy NGC for more common gold because of the look, and will cross a damaged PCGS holder to NGC scratch-resistant, but otherwise don't play the cross-over game. Reminds me a bit of the Mac vs. PC market some years back. Tech people often told me that Mac was superior, but it didn't matter. 

I would say "yes" and a details grade may not be that big a deal on a colonial. I have a few and they look as good as some straight-graded examples. 

23 hours ago, Coinbuf said:

I also enjoy the Liberty Seated coinage, beautiful design and it covers an interesting span of history.  If your not I would recommend becoming a member of the LSCC, great organization for fans of the seated series.  But my favorite series will always be Lincoln Cents primarily the wheat backs, president Lincoln was a fascinating man at an important time in history.  I have many books on Lincoln and have read them cover to cover multiple times, it is not the most stunning design on any of our coinage (far from it really) but the history behind the man is very compelling to me.  I completed my Lincoln registry set a couple of years ago (the last coin a 25-S is in PCGS so it cannot be displayed here) but I still look at and on occasion upgrade the coins in my set as well as find nice raw coins for my dansco.

I have collected Lincolniana for many years, including Lincoln cents  - sold recently on GC, alas. OT, my dad worked as a housekeeper for Julia Taft Bayne while he was a student at the University of Illinois. She spent time with Lincoln's kids at the White House and met Lincoln. She wrote a little book called "Tad Lincoln's Father" and made a name for herself as a lecturer. Took me a bit to track down a copy. Not much of a read, but a nice family heirloom. Oddly, this isn't what got me interested in Lincoln - I've always been an avid admirer and reader as well. Many years on I was discussing Lincoln with my dad and he says something like "oh, yea I worked for a lady who knew Lincoln". A taciturn fellow, my dad. 

Sounds like some of us should join LSCC. I'll take a look, thanks. 

My favorite series is the US Liberty Seated series. I like the artistry, especially in proof; the fact that the series straddles an important period in US history: and the many denominations and types represented.  

I'm in.

Interesting the different methods used by Pietz, thanks once again for an informative post. Who was Edna Kimball Wilkins? 

The larger the better - 81/2X11.

Looks very nice, I'll bet the toning is super in hand and looks lustrous. I know too well what it's like to buy a nice coin that I already own, if it just grabs my attention. Part of the fun. 

"Full split beak" on the quarter? I'm cynical as it is when it comes to reverse strike designations. Totally nuts, and someone I assume paid good money for this. 

Looked up the bout referenced above. An hour of bare-knuckle heavyweight boxing. Brutal. A bit of an Ali/Liston match but without the quick resolution(s). Good history, thanks for posting.

Usually not a fan of modern mint collector issues, but those ghost ships are very cool. 

What a great collecting theme. I wasn't aware that there were so many medals issued representing the same commemoration. I do know that expos or similar events seem to have an unlimited amount of related materials, including medals. A lifetime of collecting enjoyment indeed. 

36 minutes ago, Just Bob said:

Ditto here with Mississippi trade tokens . Except for an occasional purchase for my circulated type set, I have been buying only exonumia.

History there - numismatics!

P.S. most of my collecting most recently is 18th century medals. More like how I used to enjoy the hobby. Beauty, rarity, no slabs, no CAC and in my series', low cost/risk. 

1 hour ago, Rollo Tomassi said:

Late to the debate but have to register MY ..opinion.   My OPINION only.

I consider it to be one of the worst innovations in the "hobby."

I agree completely and wholeheartedly with those saying how brilliant the BUSINESS PLAN is/was.   Pure genius in fact.

In my OPINION, we have conferred on one man (who does no grading) the power to decide just how GOOD the grade is.   If it's in the top 2/3 of the grade per...his...opinion, then approval is granted.  If not, well then the coin will have... and in reality already HAS HAD.... an inferred negative inference as to its MARKET PRICE.

I just sold an 1848-CAL quarter eagle that had such NICE color that it brought a record price "for its grade" ....but.... I can't even count the number of queries I got asking it it had been "approved."   So that tells ME that whether or not it has been "blessed" affects ...desirability.... to BUYERS.   Rightly or wrongly, that's an observable fact.  

I base this on another observation that NEW collectors and "the public" in general want, desire, hope for, accept and NEED .....advice ... in order to make decisions.

It's not something that ...I...want to deal with.   

You may be the best "unofficial" grader on earth.  You may have more time in the arena than most collectors.  But YOUR opinion will remain only YOURS without an "outside" approval.  

So MY ....actual program has persuaded me to SELL almost every coin I have that is NOT APPROVED!   Silly?  Maybe.   But it's what I did.

My PRESENT practice is to buy whenever possible a coin ALREADY APPROVED and remove at least one possible hoop for it to jump through if I decide to no longer own it.   I also have a STRINGENT requirement that the approved piece being considered is also EYE APPEALING TO ME !!!  So, the approval alone won't dictate whether I buy a coin or not.

My ...advice... (if even solicited) is to give yourself the least grief possible in pursuit of an enjoyable "hobby" and thus keep it a valued activity.   I don't consider approval to be so important in the arena of GOLD coins.   As a former dealer I can vividly recall the competition to buy GOLD coins whenever and wherever because they ARE LIQUID.. Gold sells. Day in, day out.....gold sells easily.   To a WIDE base of buyers.   But NON gold coins appeal to a more specialized and PERSONAL ...hobbyist.  And there is where "approval" becomes a necessity to them.

I base this OPINION as I have written it on personally observed TRENDS and as in the stock market (which coins definitely are NOT) fighting a "trend" is a discouraged practice by every financial person I know.

Pan this post or applaud it; it matters not to me.  It's MY OBSERVATIONS that have formed MY actions.

Having fun with your coins should be your ultimate objective.

In MY opinion. 

 

Good post. I haven't gone so far as to liquidate my non-CAC coins or totally limit my buying to stickerd coins. However, the vast majority of my recent purchases are CAC. That's reality.