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W.K.F.

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Journal Entries posted by W.K.F.

  1. W.K.F.
    Greetings Collectors,
    Sitting here at the desk looking at a couple new arrivals. However  three of the four won’t be included in my set here because they’re in PCGS slabs. Still having trouble adjusting to the rule only NGC holders allowed. Only because one would like to be able to share ones entire graded collection. That’s only fair though. PCGS never allowed NGC coins at any time. Enough on that.
     
    I will say for the record, imo, both NGC and PCGS are great accurate graders. In most of my past I’ve been of the mindset that the majority of serious collectors would choose the above two in a different order. I however, do not. I’ve seen overgraded examples in both slabs. Yet just a couple times. I’ve also seen (and cracked out) several that have been under graded in slabs of both these top two graders. My most surprised find was a New Orleans Ten in a VF-35 rattler, that after the “crack out”, came back AU-55. Not to sound greedy, I really thought the coin was low ms possibly? At least 58? Was I happy with 55? Absolutely. Was the new grader too liberal on his or her grade? 35-55? Pretty  steep climb in grade. Bottom line. A lucky find. No one was asleep at the wheel with the original grade. No one gave away the store with the 55. I think it swell that possibly a green bean may be attached at some later date? I think it deserves one. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Right?
    anyway...
     
    I love both NGC and PCGS.
     
    The 1958 Franklin half is not a scarce date with 4,000,000 minted. Not really a huge mintage though. Actually a very low mintage for what was considered a “workhorse” coin. What was really kinda cool. And actually accidental the way the U.S. mint had started to evolve into what was thought of, as running a really tight ship. Not letting many mistakes go uncorrected. (forget the 55dd Lincoln lol) Something really  awesome was happening at the same time for collector coins with some mint packaging changes.  Turns out the paper/cardboard  used to ship Mint Sets at that time, had an unusually high acid content which indirectly caused the gorgeous Peter Max toning seen on many silver and other coins of the better part of the 1950’s mint sets that were stored for years in their OGP (original government packaging). And even more so it seems of the year 1958. Some of these acidic changes were very evident with the old $1,000 bags of Morgan dollars from the 1800’s I’m told.
     
    In the Franklin series I’m of the opinion that both graders of the top two get the numerical grade pretty much spot on. (usually) Yet going by experience, as this is only one of two coin series that I know much of anything about, I love the fact that NGC has always been tougher on handing out FBL (full bell lines) designation on this silver series. Just look at the difference of fbl graded coins. Far fewer by NGC. (bottom line. Any NGC fbl coin would most likely cross to PCGS as fbl. Not all fbl coins in PCGS slabs would cross to NGC as fbl coins.)
     
    i do think PCGS may be a hair tougher on the numerical grade observation than NGC. However, yet both are in my collection. And I respect both. A lot. To add: if PCGS says its ms-67, it most likely is.
    but... it’s all about the coin. Not the plastic. Never forget this about any series that you want to seriously collect.
     
    Pictured below is an example of the 1958 Franklin. One here that is absolutely gorgeous with the blues and honey golds. This particular coin is unique in the fact that there are none graded higher anywhere. And while I think it’s a very strong coin for the grade assigned, it’s more important that CAC thinks it’s a strong coin for the grade assigned.
    NGC has graded 32 at MS67 seen none higher.
    PCGS has graded 74 at MS67 seen none higher.
    I apologize for the photo quality. Need to re invent my makeshift studio to take some decent photos. The ones I post to my two collections I’ll eventually have here will hopefully be of better quality. I’m just really happy with this particular coin in a series mainly collected for the full bell lines, this example doesn’t have them. Few do when compared to total minted.  And none graded this high do (?) just a piece that I feel very fortunate to be one of about 100 people blessed enough to own this coin at this grade. I wish you could hold this one in your hand under light. Wow. Way different than this picture. A perfect example, to a not so perfect claim, that 20th century American coinage was the best! Just this one guys opinion. (Still think it a perfect claim. ‘Cause it’s true!)
    I still like NGC the most, overall, for all things MS Franklin. (yet this is a grand example from the competition)
    i like em both. A lot.
    And I love the beautiful toning from an era not to come again. On all the denominations of the time! Mainly silver.
    yet copper and nickel too.
    Happy collecting to you all!
    kerry
     
     

  2. W.K.F.
    Still getting use to the way things are here. Could have posted the reverse here with the obverse before, but didn’t know how. I promise to continue to improve 🙃
    this is a simply gorgeous example of a nicely toned 1950’s era mint set coin.
    kerry

  3. W.K.F.
    Hello Collectors,
    I have been outta pocket for a bit as when you’re 65, you don’t do, look, or act like a “65” should. Feel like more of an au-55 at best. And I’m not talking about the age. Talking about the body grade. 
    I had a skateboard accident recently  and was prodded to take a trip to ER the next day by my girlfriend. Against my wishes of course. She actually witnessed the crash. Said I appeared to be airborne for minutes. Like a typical stupid guy, I turned down her offer for a ride back to the house a quarter mile away. Only broke my shades, and a small cut over the left eye. What followed was CT and X-ray of my whole left side. Partially dislocated shoulder. Three bruised ribs. One cracked rib. And lastly with the concussion, they found a five mm aneurism that had just begun to leak.
    Lisa actually saved my life. So glad I’m still here to continue to blow money on this crazy wonderful hobby of kings.
    Oh, and also my daughter in NYC gave birth to my twin grandsons one week ago Friday night 7/5/19. I’ve had a bunch going on and I’m just glad to be alive and be in Florida.
    None of this is about coins except the pic. Thank you for your patience. This is a coin from my favorite branch mint in the ten dollar series. 1854-O Small Date.  And one that is closer to my body grade than a “65”. Yea... sure.. XF-45  is about my top condition. Compared to my age. Some luster still remains on this 165 year old ten. Also is a coin minted in the south 100 years before my birth year. And once I get these NGC tens in one place, get my decent photos, then back on here they will go. 
    Until then...
    Last but not least, I’d like to thank all of you that have messaged me, on a post or two of late. Also the comments here. I’m loving hearing from each of you. You that I knew from 2008 onward, along with the new young guns.
    Keep this great thing going!!!
    Happy Collecting!
    kerry
  4. W.K.F.

    A much better photo

    By W.K.F.,

    Greetings...
       just wanted to share the obverse of the previously posted pic of my 1958 Franklin PCGS MS 67+
    Highest graded non fbl Franklin for the year. One of about a hundred total at both grading agencies. Less than that with CAC also.
    This pic shows the beautiful colors much better imo. Hope you like it.
    I always say collect what you like. I like Frank!
    Happy Collecting to all
    kerry

  5. W.K.F.
    Greetings Collectors,
       Answer... not in our lifetime. Yet we can always strive to make things better. And learn from history.
    i was born in 1954. A great year to be into coin collecting. Just not old enough then to buy any great coins at great prices. Yet. (would like to have loaded up on proof coinage from 1950-1953. Or maybe crawled to every big bank in and around Philadelphia  a year later at age one, to load up on rolls of Lincoln cents of 1955)
    i just glanced at my first red book (22nd edition 1969) and looked to see what an 1894-S Ten dollar liberty was worth. (I’m in the market presently for one)
    Three conditions listed for 1894-S $10:
    fine- $45
    very fine- $65
    unc- $110
    WOW! Almost as much as the 1893-CC Ten in unc, which was listed as worth $150. Probably could have found choice examples of both coins for far less than $250. Now that would be perfection!
    maybe a 1893-s Morgan in xf for $525?
    perfecter...
    1955 dd obv cent in xf for $235?
    perfectist...
    or, a 1939-d Jefferson in unc for $40?
    mo-perfect...
    shoulda, woulda, could’ve...
    Price total today for all the above??
    (mid to upper five figures) not a bad return 60-years later.
    Was the mid 20th century the twilight of beautiful American coinage? Imo yes. I’ve said nothing about standing Liberty halves and quarters, yet I own both, and believe them to extremely beautiful. Most everything minted from 1900-2000 is beautiful imo.
    But I sure do like gold liberty tens from 1839-1907 too. Actually the entire 19th century coinage too! Would love to have three $3 gold pieces, and four $4 Stella’s also. ( I’m not being greedy am I?) dam right I am. I checked and it was deemed ok! Anyway...
    The coin below in an NGC slab is a new addition. Of my four new Franklin’s, this is the only NGC example. All are CAC.
    I have a nice example already in my set from 1956.  And own a couple others from 1956 in 66-fbl. I’ve seen some gorgeous toning from this year. More so than any other year, except the 1958. This was a beautiful example, that I feel I stole in a Heritage auction a couple weeks ago. There are very few of these attractive examples left of 1956 in ms-66 with full bell lines. And with CAC approval too.
    Sweet.
    Its always about the popularity of the series first. And then it’s about the population (the pop being very important in everything I collect). This determines value imo. This series, while not vastly popular like the Morgan dollar, Buffalo nickel, or Indian head pennies, (never been able to call them Indian head cents) it’s a silver series that has many scarce rarities if one looks at just how many of a certain grade is actually in captivity? I like em a lot. And they’re a way rarer larger silver coin than most realize. Study the 33-coin series. They’re beautiful and they’re scarce to very rare in 66 and above. Look at the mintages and populations at present. Compare how few their are when compared to other series with like-kind mintage and population numbers. With or without full bell lines, high grade pieces are rare to non existent. I still  think that there is only one coin graded ms-67+? With FBL a 1963-D featured in a Heritage Long Beach Auction that ends in a couple days. A simply gorgeous example. Check it out. The bid at last look was at $15,500. I bailed out at $3500. Wouldn’t be surprised if the final hammer price is north of 30-k?
    in a perfect world I’d own a 1953-S FBL Franklin in MS-66... and... an 1894-s ten dollar liberty in regular old MS-65. Now that would be fine and then some.
    (I’d even settle for both coins in Anacs plastic.)  I’d even settle for a full grade down on both too!
    A perfect world would be 1969 buy prices in 2019!  But that wouldn’t stay fun long. 60 years from now 2019 buy prices may look extremely sweet?
    Thank you to all who have texted and commented on the last post. I really enjoy hearing other views on all of this that interests us. Keep em coming!
    Happy Collecting to all!
    kerry
  6. W.K.F.
    Greetings Collectors,
       I missed the fellowship. All of you, and I are alike in many ways. Yet different. To explain, I’ll use surfing. The guys and girls I shared that hobby with and still do, are/is an entirely different atmosphere. You feel one way there and interact. At work you use another mode of interaction with those you grow close to. Your doctor etc...
    Here, this is, and always has had, that other air about it. I know I didn’t say that right, as it’s kinda hard to describe unless you are a fellow surfer, or here, a fellow numismatic. It’s a certain feeling I’ve ALWAYS had when it came to coin collecting. And by saying fellowship, I’m talking of course both the sexes.
    I think what it boils down to, is an OPPOSITE of what was said in the old movie Cool Hand Luke. Where it was said, “what we have here is failure to communicate” “some people you just can’t reach”?
    Here however we all have a unique inner gift to be able to share things numismaticly (?) and closely, yet at a comfortable distance. Yet that closeness and that fellowship trumps everything! It’s a hobby, Love, passion, adrenaline, and almost euphoric rush that kinda never ends. The excitement degree does have some manic episodes. All perfectly (Maybe not perfectly) timed in ones own eyes, at that particular time. And all for pretty good reasons. (?)
    Anyway, I love this particular spot on my journey down this path called life. All the best to all of you and thank you to all my friends who have reached out! Wow. And a special thanks to those I don’t well. Yet.  Thank you reaching out. I want to take time over the next few weeks to study and look at what interests all of you. I love it all. I have for many years. So I’m sure I’ll be copasetic with 110% of it.
    thanks again to all.
    Happy Collecting of that which YOU like.
    the pic either above or below?? Is an under graded ten in an older holder by an adversary. Lol. It’s one I can only share a heads or tails. Love both. Yet the obverse is what usually rules...
    kerry
     

  7. W.K.F.
    Greetings Collectors,
       I’ve been away for some time. I think I’m back? Hardly recognize the site from what I recall? Never left this hobby. Never forgot any of you. I took a vacation from cable tv, social media and other what I came to view as distractions to sanity?
    And, to use an old saying... to find myself. Well...
     I’ve found that while this hobby can’t be shared with all of those we know, (for security reasons) it can be shared here, somewhat annonomosly. With those here that can relate to each other. And God knows I’ve wished many times, that I could have shared that which I’ve been blessed with, with so many down through the years. That was...  probably... very luckily... decided against... my doing... Many times. Thank God.
    Many things to say. Those of you that may remember, I can be long winded. So probably best if I split these ides/comments up a wee bit. I just signed up for a twelve month tour of duty, and it took several minutes to even find the “Journals”?
    Us old guys all use to see them on the front the NGC home page lower left.
    So... you all may actually be quite fortunate to only have read this one journal entry, as I may never find my way back to this spot again? I’ve been third world for some time. Tech rusty is what I’m using for an excuse this day.
    Anyway, it feels good to be back. (if I am really back?) hmmmm?
    Before it was mostly all about points. How many of my slabbed coins could I tally up? How many sets could I come up with? What’s my point total now?
    Not anymore. I have many coin interests. Foreign and domestic. And I’ve sold nothing. (so far)
    so many interests. Yet I have only two true loves.
    Pre 1908 Ten Dollar Liberty Gold
    MS Franklin Halves
    (Franklin’s are my only coin set here. It is a set that has been upgraded, & is currently not accurate) new additions this week on the way, and hopefully from Long Beach early June in both Franklin & $10 libs. ? We’ll see I guess.
    Another thing is, I’m  unsure I can enter all my current coins here now, as some are in PCGS slabs?? (rules may have changed) Guess I’ll find out that later.
    i remember the day I deleted dozens of sets here, and left just the one. I remember the reason. Soon I’ll have just the two. And this time it won’t be about the points. It’ll be about, what it’s supposed to have always been about.
    Just want to say to all of you. We have a great hobby here that I dearly love. And I’m sure that you all love as well. Until next time... may that post person deliver something happy to your door today! And maybe instead of hiding it from the wife, you can both share in the joy!
    Happy Collecting!
    kerry
  8. W.K.F.
    A couple emails received from our fellow collectors, that I'm sure you will gain way more than a little from reading them...
    Enjoy!Greetings Fellow Collectors,My last couple journals seemed to have exposed company in my mindset, and in my feelings I shared with you all. And to share just a couple emails I have received:The first is from a collector I've known and respected for years. His name is Gary and you will see his user ID below. Most if not all of you know him. But in the case you do not, it would pay to get to know him and check out his many very fine sets. All of us can imagine the work that has gone into Gary's sets. And i can only guess the reasons/excuses/justifications he has had to use with his wonderful wife, who from what i can surmise, has been an ardent supporter rather than a hinder toward the hobby he shows that he loves so much. I'm proud to say that Gary, his faith in God and his vast knowledge has had a most positive effect on me and the way I think about others, not to mention just coins & coin collecting. Thank God for friends like that.The second contact actually contains two emails from Robert, who I can now say I feel him to be a close friend. And aside from being a friend, just like Gary above, this gentleman has amassed a collection of cents that rival any major collector from years gone by. I will say I spent over an hour looking at cents from the 1700's to present day cents. In fact you that do not know Robert, should get to know him. Per his email & his sets here, he owns an example of every cent from every year minted. The most amazing collection of copper I have ever seen, to put it lightly. And that is over my entire life in coins.You all that are not aware of my good friend Gary, and his sets, and the massive collection of copper and gold put together by Robert is a sight to behold litterally. Both men are examples of what we all enjoy & hold so dear here. And while as you will read below, Robert no longer has the issue of hiding purchases or giving reasons why he procured this coin or that, because sadly, he lost his best friend and lifelong mate a few years back. I can only imagine how hard that would be to NOT have someone so dear to share & to explain coin purchases to. Please get to know both of these collectors if you don't already. You'll be the better for it. That I promise. So here are the notes received that I was given permission to use in this post. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed them, and also take the time to look at these two fine Numismitists coin sets. You're in for quite a treat. And that is a severe under-statement.As always I stress to you, have fun with your coins, regardless what you collect!Happy Collecting,WKF Hello W.K.F.,gherrmann44, a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:Hi Kerry,All these excuses are all too familiar but in the end our justifications are good ones. These are my most frequently used justifications.(1)If I am ever out of a job we could live on my coins for a very long time.(2)Our pastor says that after tithing and before paying our bills, we should pay ourselves and I choose to pay myself with coins.(3)I have a 401k for retirement and my coins are more fun to track than the 401k and they diversify Good coins tend to hold their value. (Scarce coins and scarce grades).Well that's about it and like I said I can identify with all these excuses... ahh, I mean reasons to buy more coins!All the best!GaryHello W.K.F.,Robert Baker Trust, a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:W.K.F. - I always make it a point to read your journals but I have to admit that this is without any doubt the best of the best.I couldn't agree with you more even though my wife passed away 5 years ago and I no longer have anyone to justify my coin purchases to. I only wish that I did.Keep up with your journals.Robert BakerHello W.K.F.,Robert Baker Trust, a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:Kerry - Thank you for your very nice note. Feel free to use my comments in whichever way you feel best applies to your subject matter at that time.I am not really very knowledgeable about coin collecting in general and only got into the subject when I first inherited some miscellaneous coins and decided to use this as an investment tool for my granddaughters' education. The one passion I did develop was the idea of owning a penny from every year minted and am proud to say that I have achieved that goal and more. Sad to say that many of the Large Cents are graded as detailed graded coins for a variety of reasons, but this was the only way I could ever have achieved this collection. I know you are not in favor of this type of coin, but if you look at my other sets, you will find that they all consist of coins all graded mint state, with only one exception.The real enjoyment of my coin collection is in reading journals such as yours and several other very knowledgeable society members. Keep up the good work.Robert Baker TrustOne last thing is that Robert has worked long and hard enough to have amassed a collection that is number one in many of his sets, but overall Robert is well within the top ten of every collector listed here at the Collectors Society. If my memory serves me correct, I believe he is ranked #5 of many thousands of collectors here at the Collectors Society. Quite a feat in its own right indeed. But not to have Robert get most of the press here, Gary is a long time collector, worthy of standing next to anyone here. And both of these fellow collectors I feel honored to be even in the same room with. And more than honored to call both friends. Along with many of you others I know here.All the best to each and every collector here at this great organization, that we all belong to, and love so very much. May God bless you and yours for many years to come.Sincerely,WKF
  9. W.K.F.
    The stories and the tales used to continue doing what we do...Here are a few good arguments for those of you who play a lawyer on TV.
    Greetings Collectoors,
    Marcus aka Texans Coins hit the nail right on the head. And thank you Marcus for your kind words & your journals also.
    Wow did it bring back memories of my statements when caught or the rush to beat the wife to the mail kiosk to name a couple things. I'm sure that there are many who have had an appetite in the procurement of coins like I have had long ago in the past. But I always have made it a point to never come out and outright lie. But my justifications have been many to ward off an argument as my mindset was that I was not only buying a coin for me, but for the family as well. And not having any other habits or vices that dipped into the family financial coffers, this fact alone was a major reason that I felt that what I was doing was nothing but right.
    I have had friends and still do that spend as much on their golf game, green fees, cart fees, club fees, balls in the water and lost in the rough. The newest Big Bertha & putters etc. and that's every week, every month. And I'm sure that along with other things cost way more every month than I have ever spent on the purchase of coins in many months during the old days. Also living in Florida, my friends with boats that love to fish, spend way more on their boats, ins. and bait, gear and gas than I again, spend on numismatist activity. My hunter friends with their massive gun safes, numerous guns, ammo, hunting cabins and hunt clubs, also spend way more to hear them talk than I do. And any money made from the above is maybe $100 on a Saturday morning foursome from those that gamble that they can chase that little white ball around at least 18 holes, with less strokes than their partners, each and every Saturday of the year, weather permitting. The hunters and the fisherman pay more for an ounce of fish or an ounce of venison than I spend on an ounce of silver several times over after all they spend regularly. And thats not even counting the alcohol. And boy could I tell you all some tales about the justification they all have to come up with to their spouses as to why they can't afford to take the vacation they had planned many months ago. Or moma can't spend the regular $250 on groceries this week, like she needs to do.
    I have always worked real hard and have always saved every cent. I don't hit drive thru's for burgers during the day or stop off at the bar after work because I don't drink at all. Not that I ever had a problem with alcohol. I just got very very drunk camping out with some friends at age 15 and the sickness I endured caused me to dislike drinking from that weekend on. Now I will have a glass of wine at Christmas or another special occasion, but none of my three children have ever seen dad have alcohol touch his lips. And this was done or I should say not done, just to be a good example to my kids.
    I have owned a couple boats over the years but since the letters BOAT means break out another thousand, I've always been lucky to get a little more money back on each boat than I altogether had in them except one. And that was a very small loss. And then the money was used for seeing that my kids have always had a good Christmas and nice vacations. Very little if any was spent on me.
    But guess where all the money went that I made on boats and all the money saved not drinking or gambling or other addictions???. The vast majority has gone to my kids. Many times years ago when I have been caught by the wife and having her say something like, Honey, that's the third coin you've bought this month. Don't you think you ought to tone it down a bit? And I would always agree & say OK. But there have been times that somewhat heated discussions happened and like my lawyer daughter, I would argue my case, that if needed, I would always say, I could always sell a couple coins honey. But the wife would counter, & say, But you never do. (sell one, that is) But without her knowing, I've sold a great many to see that my family has always had what they needed. What remains is a mere shadow of what once was. During a divorce, a wife can get very greedy, regardless of how that affects the ex spouse. I'll tell ya, a marriage costs way more than a ring, and before the kids are grown, all a father has left is his kids. But you know, the three I was blessed to have, are well worth the sacrifice, regardless of what that sacrifice is.
    She and I have both known that I have what many would call an addiction with a mere hobby. But like I, and sometimes the wife will say, There are much worse addictions one can have. So that coupled with the fact we've never had our power disconnected, or gone hungry. And the kids have always had what they needed and many of what they wanted in the clothing dept. and the bottom line is I never charge anything. I have been tempted, but knock on wood, we are still debt free.
    So while I do get a little static. All in all, my family knows I will always take care of the important things first. But. After that, look out all coin sellers. I have been this way for many years in the past and for but a short period when our economic future was in question, I tried and worked very hard to always tell the truth and do the right thing in all that I was able to do.. The wife having stayed home with the kids as they were growing up, has started working part time which gives her additional funds to go with the allowance I've always given her to buy certain things she's somewhat addicted to. Which is mainly clothes and Coach purses & highlights for her hair. Damn those purses cost as much as some gold coins. And while they hold their value a little, she'll never make money on any but maybe a few bought on eBay. So there again, my spending use to make way more sense. I'm really kinda glad she had that addiction, as that gave me ammunition in any little spat.
    So all of you addicts out there, keep this coin addiction going just as long as the family doesn't go hungry because of it. And harp on the fact to the other half that what you are doing is greatly helping the family and probably insuring that your future will be all the better because of it.
    Of course I'm still trying to figure out a way I can take at least a few of my coins with me when I go. In the long ago past, very few that knew my investment practices always joked with me by saying that anyone who dies with more than 10K in assets is a loser. I tend to disagree with that assumption.
    Keep it going you beautiful addicted brothers (and sisters)
    Happy Collecting!
    WKF
  10. W.K.F.
    All hobbies as you know, cost money! Some, way more than others...
    Greetings Collectors,
    Hobbies are something that most Americans enjoy. Some love to play golf. Others are heavily into fishing and will go out every chance they get. Although I have never enjoyed the hobby or sport of hunting, there are many that do. Those with deep pockets will go to far away places such as Africa for big game, and those with a more shallow wallet will just count the days until deer season comes in the Fall. My point of this post is while most have one or more hobbies, all of them cost money. Some a lot more money than others. But the hobby we all share here, is one that if we are lucky, will not only cost money, but it's a hobby that for the most part, is one that will pay us back in the long run, more money than we have put into it.
    As far as needing or wanting to be "paid back", this will to a certain degree depend heavily on just what coins one collects. There are, as we know, many coin series to choose from. For those starting out, what to collect can be a huge decision and will depend on how much time and money we want to allot to this hobby that for years has been known as "The Hobby of Kings". For all of us that have collected for many years, we are fully aware how the hobby of a Numismitist got that label. If one collects high dollar pieces such as $20 Gold coins, one almost needs to be a King to afford such coins. But there are many coin series that are quite affordable.
    Many of us fall into one of three categories. Old timers like myself have collected for years. Others collected somewhat when they were young, but family and careers became priorities, and coin collecting fell by the wayside for the most part. Now those former collectors are at a point where the kids are pretty much grown or off to school, and the old allure is calling them back. And last but not least, there are those that for many different reasons are just now starting into the hobby, but are unsure as to what to collect. And these folks, just like the rest of us, decide what to collect, based on the funds available to purchase these pieces of copper, silver or gold.
    For the brand new collector it's very important to study and research the coin series you're leaning toward collecting. This is so important to adhere to so that you do not make the mistakes in number, that many of us long time collectors have repeatedly made. All of us that fall into this category remember each and every one of these painful snafus that have occurred in our collecting life. The more you study, and the more research you do before the purchase is made, will ensure "YOU WILL MAKE LESS OF THESE MISTAKES"!
    As far as what to collect depends on two things. How much in the way of funds you have to put toward your coins & collect what YOU like. Not what someone else likes or has tried to steer you toward. In past posts I have tried to steer new collectors away from modern coins, BUT there are many modern coins that are most worthy to collect. But just imagine if there were 6 or 7 original oil paintings of the Mona Lisa? Wouldn't be worth near as much, would they? It's the same way with coins. If you collect, and the coin you buy has 10-20 thousand pieces just like it in the same grade, that coin may not be the best investment. But you don't have to collect coins as if they are an investment. Hobbies like the others mentioned above, many do not make you money for the most part. Some do. But most do not. So again collect what you like and what you can afford and what makes YOU happy.
    Hobbies are supposed to be enjoyable. And if you can make money from your hobby that you enjoy, that's great. But if you don't make money from your hobby, it's not the end of the world. Regardless of what we collect, chances are we will die and no one but our heirs will make any money. This is because most collectors do a hell of a lot more buying than they do selling. Or else we would not have anything to show for this hobby we all enjoy. So we die, and then leave a pile of gold or silver for our heirs to fight over. We haven't made a cent here, have we?
    The main thing is to always remember to have fun with your coins. The rest will for the most part, will take care of itself. AND COLLECT WHAT YOU LIKE!
    Happy Collecting!
    WKF
  11. W.K.F.
    But many of you know that every big dealer in this country has been guilty of doing just that. But me, I do not do that. Some of you may think otherwise, & that's your right.
    Greetings Collectors,
    I probably should not have posted that last journal, and will maybe delete it, now that Ive thought about it. Then again maybe I won't. Haven't decided yet.
    To comment on what Joe said, I agree 110%. It's just that I have had so many nice, mostly gold coins that were in good slabs originally, but I felt that some of those already slabbed pieces were vastly under graded. So I then crack them out and send them in, without so much as even breathing on them before they enter the flip. Then paid my grading fees, waited a week or two and then got back the group and the third party grader found something wrong with every one of them but one. And this is out of a group of better than a half dozen gold coins. And top it off with the fact they were already in good graded slabs from the same grader I sent them in to. Three of the group if I remember correctly were in slabs from the same UN-named grader I was re-submitting them to.
    It just made me angry and I shared that happening with several old timers, who have forgotten more about coins of every kind, than I will ever know about the couple series I do know about. Many of these very smart old timers shared the fact that this coin doctoring stuff has been going on for dozens of years by 90-100% of the big boys. And I'm not going to name any names. But these guys were doing things to coins that later would show up and hurt the person down the line that ended up with the pieces. Chemically treating and dipping and God knows what else. Some of you may remember some very renown individuals being arrested and sued by one of the premier TPG's.
    As far as what I was trying to convey was primarily directed at gold coins. How many times do you think someone with gold coins in his pocket got in a fight in the old west, and out comes a group of coins into the mud. A couple of them gold coins. Then a blacksmith watching the fight picks up one of those scattered coins with his axle grease fingers and then puts it in his pocket. Then a collector 100 years later doesn't like the look of the dirt and grease around the date or the stars gently washes the piece, then dries it off. 20 years later an heir has the piece graded and it comes back cleaned. Now had that coin been left with the mud/dirt from the fight and then the grease from a person picking up or finding the piece. Years later its sent in for grading, and it an XF-40. That's OK with everyone. But then one sends in an untouched coin previously slabbed because a lite 100 year old rub did not bother a grader the first time around, and he or she didn't kick the coin under the bus, only to come out the other side in a purple holder. Then you or I buy that coin that looks way too good for the VF-30 or AU-50 on the slab, and we crack the piece out of that GOOD slab, then send it in again, only for it to come back in what was, use to be called a body bag. Which by the way a body bag to me is better than a purple slab or a details only grade. (you don't have to crack plastic and take a chance on harming the coin if it's in a body bag rather than a Purple Slab)
    If a coin HAS been cleaned, it's been handled very gently until it's sent in and well, everyone knows small hairlines are now present. If you or someone else does that, then they are aiming for a purple slab piece, and if that's good with them, that's fine with me. But I would rather take the coin and let it ride in my pocket and maybe rub it now and then for luck, being very careful with the piece not to take three grades off the piece, by having it in a pocket with a folded piece of sandpaper or a bunch of other modern day change. Or rubbing out a tiny scratch that was fine with the previous grader, but not with Mr. Purple Head. My ears are not dirty and not orange or gross because I keep them clean. I've heard taking your thumb and index finger and putting a small dot of baby oil on one or the other and gently rub out tiny hairlines. I've never done that. But many have done even worse. Most times I've just paid more grading fees to have another set of eyes look at the piece that I see absolutely nothing wrong with.
    Gold is a very soft metal. Even with 10% copper thrown in to toughen it up. A gold coin dropped in the sand years ago and kicked a few times by someone on an old west dirt or mud street, or buried in a Mason Jar, that ends up breaking later with a pile of other coins inside will cause those same lines in that soft metal. My take on all this is when a coin looks fine with nothing wrong, OR it has a few small hairlines in it that probably never came from any cleaning, I'm going to do something that would never hurt the piece or make it look different 10 years from now like many big time dealers do. But do this only as a last resort. I just can not see the logic that coins like I have just received and added to my sets & pictured below, are maybe cracked out and then resubmitted hoping for a higher grade, & they come back purple???. And for crying out loud, they're made of gold. And gold is soft and it scratches easy. But it's not like I tossed the coin across the table during a card game into a pile of silver dollars, paper money and other gold coins three dozen or more times. But it sure may have happened 125-150 years ago. And now the piece looks like someone treated it like a garbage can. I don't buy or try to save coins like that. When I act, It's a coin that from what I can see, has ZERO problems at all, and since I don't buy raw coins, or details graded coins. But is an already slabbed piece that I think, from my knowledge, in only one of a couple series of coins, I feel I have a degree in, that the piece looks under graded by a lot. Then I'm gonna crack it out and send it in for another look. But if some a--h--- kicks it back to me, when I haven't touched it, in an un-deserving purple slab, I'm gonna do something about it.
    If earwax grosses you out, use Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, or motor oil or axle grease, baby oil etc. I'm telling you this is a last resort thing, AFTER being thrown under the bus without cause.
    If someone has done something to a coin in the long ago past and it causes you to have a purple slab piece for no real reason, and what you do does not hurt the piece at all, but just maybe adds a little wear/circulation to the piece. I see nothing wrong there. IMO it's something that shouldn't have to be done in the first place, if the grader that spent 10 seconds looking at your coin did not have a built in thought that there's no way this coin should/could look this good, so they throw it under the bus and then run over it twice just to make sure they screw you real good, and call it "Improperly Cleaned or Lightly Cleaned".
    Below are the two coins I mentioned in the post of controversy yesterday. And yes the 1896-S WILL be cracked out from its AU-58 slab and without even breathing on it, it will be re-submitted for a two bump upgrade. You see on this coin there is zero downside risk and potentially huge up-side potential. But if someone throws this piece, that I won't have even touched without gloves on, into a Purple Slab, well, you know what I'm gonna do then.
    Happy Collecting,
    WKF
    P.S. Purple Slabs suck!

  12. W.K.F.
    To me these two types of slabbed coins along with the old NGC "Fatty" Slabs are by far the best of the older slabs. And the oldest slabs from the oldest third party graders that go by the name...
    Greetings Again Collectors,
    Not sure why, but I'm in a writing mood that I have plotted out at least a couple dozen+ more journal topics to write on. And more seem to be popping up at the rate of several a day. So many in fact, I have gotten to the point that I am having to start a list, so that I don't forget any of them, like I have done with so many ones I have thought of in the past.
    Most of you know of the OGH's (old green holders) and most of you know that PCGS started in late 1989-early 1990. And the NGC fatty slabs as they are known, started about the same time. These are the NGC slabs that are quite aggravating when one tries to stack them with the newer NGC slabs. I know NGC has had different slabs ending up with the 4-prong inside white plastic pieces that allow the collector to view the edge of the coin easier. What many do not know is that the what I call, the third, "third party grader" named ANACS was the first third party grader to come into existence. Not sure what date exactly, but it was maybe as early as 1988 or early 1989. Anyway it was the first, and can be easily recognized as a holder that is much smaller than other holders, with the first PCGS rattler holder maybe being the closest in size, at that particular time. Both NGC & PCGS followed shortly thereafter, and later many other "wannabe's"
    Anyway, in my usual long "round about" way of posting, the point of this post is for collectors of any coin series, take special notice of the four holders:
    One- The small white 1st generation ANACS slab.
    Two- The again, very small 1st generation PCGS "Rattler" slab.
    Three- The 2nd, 3rd, & 4th generation regular size compared to today, old green holder slabs by PCGS. The only difference I can see is the color shade of green that these green labels have. I had a coin on eBay that I called a 2nd generation OGH and another eBayer wrote me and said that the OGH I had listed was really a fourth generation PCGS OGH. Possibly there has only been a total of four OGH's from PCGS counting the OGH Rattler slab, or four green label slabs after the Rattler. I don't have a degree in PCGS slabs so as far as I'm concerned, there's only been two OGH's from PCGS, The Rattler and the regular size green label slab. Whewwww.....
    Four- And the last but surely not the least, the old Fatty Slab from NGC which I have always been able to tell apart by two things. First they don't stack worth a , & they have only six digits in the prefix of the serial number. As in 587346-003. And they are one of my top favorites.
    Each and every one of these old slabbed coins were slabbed when graders were a great deal more strict. As in, if you know your series very well, and I mean VERY WELL, you stand a very good chance of obtaining a very nice coin that at today's standards, could very well be, an under graded example. Be on the lookout for these slabs. But not all will contain an under-graded coin inside.
    But at the same time, remember the "Cardinal Rule" in always buying the coin, rather than buying the slab. Just because a coin resides in an old NGC Fatty slab doesn't nessasarily mean you automatically have an under graded coin. It's just that the chances are better, than maybe with another newer slab. This is where knowing your personal coin series, and knowing what an MS-65 looks like or a 64 or any other grade for that matter is supposed to look like.
    There are other obscure third party graders that I personally have had very good luck with. The best being a gold coin in a PCI graded slab. The next best was a regular size old green holder slab. I actually posted a journal last summer titled something with "Crack-Outs can be very Rewarding" in the title, and I show a pic of a rare $10 New Orleans Mint coin dated 1882-O that was in an OGH regular size slab that was graded VF-35 and when I saw the coin, I was positive the coin was vastly undergraded in that slab. So rather than be happy with a very nice OGH $10 New Orleans Mint coin, I cracked it out and sent it in to NGC, hoping for as high, as maybe an AU-53 to AU-55 grade. With a very slight possibility of making that grade right next to mint state with an AU-58. But when the coin came back, I was pleased with the grade of AU-50 NGC figured that the coin was. VF-35 to AU-50 is a very worthy three point jump, grade-wise, on a very rare coin that only saw 8,350 coins minted total. And NGC at last look had only graded a total of 164 coins from that mintage of a little over eight thousand coins. In that post I show a pic of the OGH paper insert reading VF-35 along with that same coin sitting in a very conservative, what I believe to be still an under-graded coin in an AU-50 new NGC slab. As I said in that post, that AU-50 is where that coin will stay, as I am not one to get greedy, or take BIG chances. Because as I said in that post, and I say again, playing that "Crack Out" game can very easily be a double edged sword that can cause you to be cut, and bleed to death, before you realize you've ever been cut.
    The ONLY WAY YOU CAN HOPE TO BE SUCESSFUL IN THAT GAME IS TO KNOW YOUR SERIES WELL, and know it well enough to spot an undergraded coin. And then you still may lose, and have like I have, get your coins back inside a purple details only slab because the grader says the coin was improperly cleaned, or the obverse was improperly cleaned. Even though you never touched the coin except to carefully crack it out, slip it carefully into a 2X2 plastic flip & send it off for grading. I have cracked out newer NGC coins and resubmitted them untouched to NGC and had them come back with purple slabs on account of issues. I still have never been able to figure that one out. This only happened once with a 12-coin submission of which six or seven coins were gold coins and I was litterally THROWN UNDER THE BUS! This came close to ending my crack out days, until I submitted the same coins again, with a little trick I'll share in a later post, and every one of these coins came back with a one grade upgrade except one, and it stayed the same grade. This re-newed my spirits and the 1882-O $10 gold coin was after this. So IM BACK....
    The always "buy the slab and not the coin could not be any more important in this game, as I call it. I have found newer slabbed coins that we're undergraded examples and have had decent luck with a few one point up-ticks, a few that stayed the same, and one that lost a point the first time. But my little trick I do brought it back up a notch to where it actually started. Needless to say, I left that coin alone where it was.
    This tactic is not for beginners or for the faint of heart. First and foremost you have to study your coin series you like extremely well. And know this tactic does not work, or I should say I haven't tried this on a coin newer than 1963. Not to say it couldn't be done. But it's doubtful. Walker halves, Standing Liberty Quarters, Barber coinage are ones I haven't tried personally, except a bad experiance on a Walker Half. But my specialties are, any gold coin, preferably coined before 1908 are the coins I feel most comfortable with. Really only the Liberty Gold coin series is the one I feel I have a degree in. But there are others here at the C. S. that have pr
  13. W.K.F.
    Thank all of you, very much! Your thank you emails make the time I spend, very well worth it.
    Greetings my Fellow Collectors,
    In my entire life of collecting coins, I have made more mistakes and have been taken by dealers who saw me coming from a mile away. In each one of those, what I would like to call miss-steps, but deep down I know they were nothing but stupid mistakes, that was no ones fault but mine. Gosh, to be able to go back to the very beginning, and do it all over again would be something indeed. But you know, looking back, each and every one of those mistakes could have been easily avoided by adhering to something I have harped on so many times lately. If only there had been a Collectors Society & an Internet back in the beginning. But Mr. Gore had not invented it yet, so oh well.
    Wow my big thing in those early years was something that you young fellows and ladies haven't a clue as to really how big this one thing was. And that was looking forward to Saturday morning cartoons. And number two was counting the days until a movie that if I remember correctly, only played once a year. And again if I remember correctly aired right before or right after Halloween. And that one movie that brought so much anticipation and sheer excitement, was The Wizard of Oz. But memory lane aside, I will always try to tell others what has happened to me and wrong turns I have made, and hopefully I will maybe save a fellow collector some pain and some money.
    I have received more mail from you, my fellow collectors, over the last couple to three months, than I have total over the many years I have been a member here combined. I have tried to not be so wrapped up in controversial topics that tend to do absolutely nothing constructive. And only creates strife. My whole goal, to sum it up in one sentence, is again, to inform others of the mistakes I have made, in the hopes that you all don't make these same mistakes. I detest liars and thieves. And I really don't know which I dislike more. Thus the reason for my last post. And had I not had the boob tube on in the background while writing this journal, and a reminder flashed, I would have missed the 1st piece of that show, that I throughaly dislike, but watch occasionally anyway. Thinking that just maybe I will see something that I feel is a deal. But you know, all the years I have watched pieces of this show, I have never seen what I would feel as a deal. EVER!
    I will say that if it is true, that this tall well dressed man who sells coins on TV, has truly broken up as many proof and mint sets, that he has claimed to have broken up, to bring you this coin, or that set, or whatever, then there may be hope for those of us that have bought multiple mint and proof sets down through the years. Because they just may be an endangered species, if they are intact. But since I don't believe this guy to be capable of telling the truth, this remains an unknown in my mind.
    Before I share the last two of possibly a total of 30+ emails sent my way, I want to reinterate to each and every collector to please educate yourself by whatever means you choose, in order to, NOT make mistakes I feel that most of you have made, with me being at the tip top of that list of mistake makers. Collect what makes YOU happy, and please do all the research that you can on that coin, or that series, BEFORE you make that decision to buy ANYTHING. I have done more homework on cars I have bought (used cars) years ago, than I have on coins in the past. And paid way more for those un-researched coins than I paid for many of those cars down through the years. If you do this one simple thing, and resist impulse buys, you will be a much smarter and much more savy collector than most. And you'll have a few extra dollars in your back pocket.
    Below are a couple of the latest emails sent to me. Both were about my last post, and the last email, just a real nice example of a regular collector. I really enjoyed getting these two latest contacts, not to make light of the many others received, because I appreciate the others just as much. Thank you all. You guys & gals are some of the closest friends I have, and I appreciate each and every one of you, more than you know.
    As always, Happy Collecting,
    WKF
    Hello W.K.F.,
    , a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:
    Once again, dead on about the coin TV shows. I have been emailing a guy up in Alaska, old timer, in the middle of nowhere, not computer savvy, and he watches them all but buys NONE and agrees how they rip off the old people that don't know any better. It really is sad but like you say, what come around goes around and I watch them in the beginning, AANC and HSN, a couple others and the HSN guy, is so funny. I crack up because when he is about to lie, ever notice him twitch his neck and loosen his collar a bit. It truly is entertainment, for about 10 minutes! Have a good one and keep posting. Love your top ten list BTW. Dead on and wish I had read this a few years back. Could've saved me a few grand. Lessons cost money, good ones cost lots! Tony Beets aka Gold Rush miner!
    Hello W.K.F.,
    rrwwss49, a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:
    Enjoyed reading your article. I like to purchase NGC and PCGS as well. Think the NGC pricing/values are more realistic. Only use NGC these days for anything I send off myself for grading (Silver Eagles and Modern Commemoratives mostly) since I like the service response better. Seems to me PCGS is really more aimed for the professional collector/dealer versus the individual collector. Agree completely that the HSN stuff is ridiculously overpriced. How it sells out is beyond me. Thank you. Robert
  14. W.K.F.
    In my opinion only two of the above are worth owning...& HSN is one place that should be exposed as to who & what they are...
    Greetings Collectors,
     
    The argument continues as to which of the third party graders are the best? All three of the above have changed their slab's appearance, as the three have done several times before in the past, with PCGS having changed more times than the other two. But as I have said before in previous posts, always buy the coin and never just buy the holder the coin resides in? Or the grade that slab & coin has been assigned.
    Again in my opinion, there are good coins to be found that are undergraded pieces in all three of these graders. But I will say that the vast majority are found in mostly OGH (old green holders from PCGC & the fatty holders from NGC and lastly the original holders of ANACS, which is a much smaller slab than all the others. I have mentioned this before in that my best coin I have ever found, that was under graded, came from another 3rd party grader maybe not known by some of you called PCI. I bought a $5 Indian gold coin that was in a PCI holder with a grade of AU-53 or 55 as its been so long ago, I know it was one of those two grades, but don't remember which one. What I do recall is that the coin was purchased at a show, and was a coin I already had done a good bit of grading research on, and to me, this Indian was vastly undergraded. So I cracked it out of its slab, and sent it to NGC, and it came back as an MS-62. It was such a gorgeous coin with details equal and better than any MS-62 I've seen, I thought I actually had a great chance of getting an MS-63 grade from the crack out. This 4 or 5 jumps, grade wise, was a nice day for sure.
    My point of this post is to harp on what I've harped on for well over 15-20 years. And that is to always buy the coin rather than the slab and the certain grade that's been assigned to the piece. If you can study a series long enough and know that series like the back of your hand, I am sure there are those that could make a very good living to just canvas every coin show, and concentrate on coins in these older holders from all three graders. And of course look for those coins you know really well. Or at least well enough you can spot a slabbed coin in an undergraded holder.
    The last part of this post is about a show that many of us watch, including myself. And that is the one with the tall well dressed man, that usually has a good looking female companion, that generally knows very little about coins in general. But the time I spend watching is short because of the crazy high prices charged for coins makes me physically ill. And graded by a third party grader that few astute collectors would ever take a second glance at. That is unless it's in one of those very early and very small old holders. With those holders of old from the very first 3rd party grader named ANACS.
    But this Coin Collecting show that primarily sells newer slabbed ANACS coins may be one of the biggest rip offs on the planet. They are always comparing their prices to other insufficiently_thoughtful_person dealers on the net who have the gall to rip off every Numismitist they can. And the way they talk in this show, they always sell out at these exorbitant prices. I watched the show tonight for all the time I could stand, and that was for maybe 8-10 minutes. They were selling the 2013 Satin Finish Silver Eagle for $149.95 plus s&h and also selling the First Day Of Issue 2014 Proof Silver Eagle for the crazy price of $169.95 plus s&h. Now both of these coins were in 70, but I would bet $500 that none would cross to being 70's at NGC or at PCGS. And the show does everything to build up their wares, and say how much cheaper they are, than any others on the planet. When all they are, are well established TV coin dealers that are no more honest and give no better deals than one would get selling their scrap gold to some stranger operating out of a hotel.
    There are three laws I live by, and there are these same three laws I have always taught my children. #1 Never steal from anyone. #2 Never lie to anyone and #3 Never promise more than you can produce. And I live by these three things and have taught them to my children because I firmly believe in the "Law of Reciprocity" which means, what goes around, comes around! If you ever do one of these above things to ANYONE, or surround yourself with those that do, or even patronize those that do like this certain TV coin sales show, YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE!
    In my opinion both NGC and PCGS try and do the best jobs. But for certain coin series, I prefer one for a certain type coin, and for another series or type of coin, I prefer the other. I NEVER choose the third one unless the coin resides in a very old 1st generation holder, AND is one that appears undergraded. If you study the series well and then you study the coin even closer, both NGC and PCGS are your best bets. I own both and have bought the third, but the third only long enough to get reslabbed into an NGC holder. I would hate to live on the difference between the "Top Two".
    Happy Collecting!
    WKF
  15. W.K.F.
    Beginning Collectors can NEVER be armed with too much info...Nor can those that have been collecting for a while.
    Greetings Collectors,
    During the last few weeks I have received an abundance of questions & comments from fellow collectors. I have saved their questions/comments and I have saved my answers/replies to them. Also just FYI I don't participate in the message chat boards, but anyone can comment on any post I make here by posting a journal of their own, or by contacting me directly. I have gazed into the chat rooms, but a good bit of the time, things get too heated & too nasty. So I choose not to get into the fray there. Anyway this is a question that was posed to me by Trey aka Sodarulz
    Hello W.K.F.,
    Sodarulz, a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:
    Hey Kerry thanks for the quick response.
    I guess I'm just having a quantity over quality problem, and would rather look foward to getting alot of coins over the course of the month, rather than 1 or 2. I need to make more money . The investor in me is starting to regret starting a modern proof collection. Its cool to have but I'm scared I won't get my money back down the line, even if I'm only spending $4 dollars or so for ms69's.Do you think modern coins such as Silver Eagles or Silver Pandas are a bad move as well?
    Also I have some older coins that I was thinking about sending off to NGC to be graded. If I post the pics would you let me know your honest opinion if they could be mint state quality.
    Thanks alot for your time Kerry
    Trey
    I replied with the following tips:
    Hello Sodarulz,
    W.K.F., a Collectors Society Member, used our contact form to send you the following message:
    Hi Trey,
    Ten main things to always remember to do and not do.
    ONE- Always go for QUALITY over quantity.
    TWO- If you want to buy coins that will always increase in value, buy rare coins with low populations except for most modern issues. On those just don't buy them at all and you will always know you're not going to lose money. Except for a chosen few. BUT... if you like these coins, then by all means, collect them.
    THREE- If you are a collector, just buy what you like. But if you're an investor, that wants to end up selling at some point for more than you paid, stay away from most modern coins except the special one of a kind issues with much lower mintage numbers, than other like coins. Start with the Silver Eagle Reverse Proofs (2006, 2011, 2012, & the 2013 West Point Two Coin Set with the Reverse Proof & the Enhanced Finish Silver Eagle) and maybe the 2008 Silver Eagle with the reverse of the 2007. Total mintage & populations are very important & always have been since the dawn of being a Numismitist. But if there are ten million collectors of a certain series, & there are only 20-30 thousand coins in a certain grade, of a certain year, this may not, in some collectors eyes, be a bad thing.
    FOUR- In all modern stuff, if you're going to buy it, stay away and avoid like the plague all MS or Proof 69's Stay with the 70's if at all possible.
    FIVE- Silver Eagles and Silver Pandas are nice coins & very good if you buy them raw and leave them raw. They're just way too many of them and if you buy them, only pay a very small premium above the one oz. silver value, if at all possible. This way you won't lose money in the long run. But in the long run, you'll make money on not only the coin, but on the silver value as well. Somewhat of a double positive.
    SIX- You don't have to grade everything. Grading fees will eat you up unless you're getting a better date $10 piece of gold graded or a very old large cent or other nice older coin. Then have it graded if it hasn't been cleaned, whizzed, rims filed or it has any other problems like rim dings, scratches etc. There are numerous things that will cause a coin to come back in a Purple Slab with just a Details only grade. Study & know what to look for. Homework, research, homework, research, & more homework & research. Then study more! Have an expert take a look at the coin for any potential problems that would prevent the coin from a graded slab. But there's something about a raw coin that one can hold in ones hand. Preferably with a gloved hand/hands.
    SEVEN- Never buy the slab, buy the coin (this goes mostly for older less common pieces) In other words, NEVER buy an ugly coin, even if the slab says the silver dollar or half dollar or quarter says MS-65 on the slab. Wait and buy a beautiful MS-65 even if its more money, because 10 years from now, that coin will be just as ugly, or just as beautiful as the day you bought it. It will NEVER look any different than when bought.
    EIGHT- Always do your homework and research that which you're thinking about buying BEFORE you make the purchase. This is a key "MUST".
    NINE- Don't try to collect everything. Pick out a series you like, then do massive amounts of research and homework before you buy. This is a must if you don't want to forever lose $$$ for paying too much for a particular coin.
    TEN- Never follow the crowd, but pick a series with a strong collector base, is an important thing to consider before you start to collect anything. This way the market for your coins will most likely, always be there.
    If you follow the above tips, you will make fewer mistakes. Also the old saying that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And sure, I'll be happy to look at your photos of coins and give you my opinion as to whether or not to have them graded. I'll email you some tips to take pretty good photos of your coins, inside with artificial light.
    Take care & I hope this has helped some.
    Happy Collecting,
    WKF
    This is one of several questions Trey wrote and asked me. I thought they were great questions for those just starting out, and also fo others that have been at this hobby for a little while. But not for Q. David Bowers and the like.
    I think I will from time to time share other questions and comments by others.
  16. W.K.F.
    At least gone in the composition it has always been made in since 1866...
    Greetings Collectors,
    I have taken a little break from posting lately but before I make this post, I want to apologize for my last post concerning and insinuating that quite possibly those that rank above me in the $10 Liberty series, may not even own the coins they claim to own. I incorrectly assumed this just because those above me did not have photos or descriptions posted. That is, all but one collector. I know how expensive these coins are, and those above me probably work a good portion of the time, and may not have the time to do what needs to be done in the photo & description realm. Anyway, an across the board "blanket" I'm sorry is something I think is in order for the content, and for the tone of my last journal.
    But changing gears to the point of this post, I just wanted to let others that don't know, what I've been expecting to happen anytime over the last 4-6 years. And that is, the metal content of the nickel is quickly on the way out. And may end this coming year.
    The nickel or 5-cent coin has ALWAYS been made with 75% copper & 25% nickel. The Shield Nickel, the Liberty Head V-Nickel, the Buffalo Nickel, and lastly the Jefferson Nickel have all been made with these two types of metal. The Jefferson Nickel did change during World War Two for the years of 1942 through 1945. The 1942-D was of the old alloy, but the 1942-P & S through 1945 was made of 56% Copper, 35% Silver and 9% Mangenese. Even the pre Shield Nickel coin known as the Nickel Three Cent Pieces minted from 1865-1889 which were minted to replace the Silver Nickel Three Cent piece, were also made from from 75% Copper & 25% Nickel. Kinda makes one wonder why they were always called a "Nickel"?
    Anyway, just recently I read in a Coin World artical where the mint had struck a number of Zinc plated Steel Nickels to replace the alloy in the 5-cent coin known since 1866. Wow to be able to be in close with a mint official, or be a high ranking Treasury official, & get one's hands on one of those very rare experimental pieces? This is a "one of a kind" modern coin I'd love to own.
    My whole point of this post is that it reminds me of when they took silver out of circulating coinage in 1965 except of course, the few years after from 1965 to 1969 when the Kennedy Half was coined in 40% Silver. And those of you with extra money, which seems to be very scarce these days with the economy like it is, should start salting away as many nickels as you can, while they all are made from a very high Copper content, and another semi-precious metal of Nickel.
    At present, every roll of nickels you put away will be something that in 20-years, you will be extremely happy that you did so. After the composition changes, one will have to check the dates of most every nickel. And also, all of you will be very pleased that you put these 5-gram coins away, when you didn't have to rely on checking the dates.
    Back when Gold was $1800 and Silver was a few cents shy of $50 a Nickel 5-cent coin was worth almost $.07 each because Copper being a commodity was following in line with all other metals. Just imagine then, having five million dollars worth of nickels, which if melted down, would have realized almost 7-Million. Not a very bad return. Well, the day is soon coming where 75% Copper Nickels, with a 25% Nickel composition as a kicker, will be an investment one will be very glad he or she made.
    There is zero downside, as the nickels you put away will ALWAYS be worth a nickel. And the upside may be beyond tremendous. I have been getting a roll of nickels at every single stop I make regardless of the store. Sometimes they will give you one and sometimes they say they have none to spare. WallMart has quit letting anyone buy nickels there (I go to that store often). But it's really no big deal because every bank in the U.S. will sell you a box of 100 rolls for $200. Which by the way is a very heavy box. Just think if you were around in the early 1940's and bought a box a month of 35% Silver nickels? Or better yet, anytime before 1964, if one was to have bought a box of dimes or quarters that were all 90% silver? The day is coming my fellow collectors that the mostly Copper nickels will change and then each roll of nickels will have to be checked. But right now that's not the case. Every nickel in every roll weighs 5-grams and all are 75% copper. I and many others I know have been salting away nickels for years. About seven years for me and some I know have been doing this for over 20-years. Remember it was 32-years ago when they took copper out of the Cent. I would have thought that nickels too would have been changed, long before now. But just know that when this change takes place, the copper nickel will disappear very quickly.
    Think about it and do what you choose to do. But with ABSOLUTELY no downside to doing this, it's really a no-brainer. Again no pics today as I have no coins at home.
    Happy Collecting (And Hoarding)
    WKF
  17. W.K.F.
    Those of you with good pics and even better descriptions worked your A-- off getting there... I know!!! BEWARE there are a couple of "rants" below!
    Greetings Collectors,
    Well the coins I was waiting on finally arrived today. And with these four additions I am broke, but did finally reach my goal of making it into the top ten of my $10 Liberty/Coronet gold (1838-1906) minted at the New Orleans Mint with this 1854-O small date. I have just two more coins I will be able to trade for and after that, it will take selling my first born to attain any more. At least for any time in the near future. But if the NGC arithmetic is correct, I'm 35% complete with this set & sitting in 10th place.
    I counted the points a few days ago to see where I'd be in the overall set as a whole with all dates and all the mints, and that would have been 10th place also. But there are those with deep pockets (or non-existent coins) that from one day to the next, they add 69,000 points and then another 10-20 thousand points a day later and even more a few days after that & are close to halfway completed with the entire set, or beyond the halfway completed mark. Yet they have at most only 17 photos. Of everyone above me, some have no pics, others have a couple and the most photos I did see one collector above me that had all but one coin photographed & had 31 total pics & 32 descriptions. But you know what? the top two collectors (#1 & #2) the #1 guy had zero photos and two descriptions the number #2 guy had ZERO photos & ZERO descriptions. One of these collectors (#1) was over 50% complete with the entire set and guy #2 was at 41% complete. I'm 15% complete with 28 pics & 24 descriptions. (lacking the 4-descriptions of coins received today)
    So in the overall set where I would have been #10 I am now #12. Makes one wonder if some collectors go through auction catalogs and magazines and just write down a bunch of serial numbers to say they have this or that, when they really don't have squat. A few years ago this would have pissed me off. But today, I really don't care. If someone wants to say they own this or that, but really don't then I think an ego problem exists, just so they can see their name at or near the top. Maybe making up for lack of size in other areas???
    But I will say this, IMO if you can't show your coins in pictures, and you have nothing to say about them, WHY the F--- ARE YOU EVEN HERE??? On second thought, that kind of action (in-action) does me off. I work my off. Not only "REALLY" buying & "REALLY" owning the pieces, but I work even harder on the photos and the descriptions. Only to be "Upstaged" by someone else that probably doesn't own 3-coins in the series, if that many. Oh well, now that I've vented, I'm OK.
    But on second thought, don't even get me started on sets that are obscured. This is something that SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED here at NGC whatsoever. What in the H--- is that OBSCURED person trying to say anyway. You won't show your coins, you have no photos to share and you have nothing written in the way of what you have??? I say take your friggin marbles and head your A-- to the house. We don't need you here and if you have nothing to offer or nothing to share with others, you have no business even being here. Go the "you know what" home. NOW I'm done.
    It never ceases to amaze me that working on this goal since 2008, now that I got there, the "high" is already starting to dissipate. Not that this is anything new to me. I have worked on other goals, then made it there, only to further upgrade the same series, to the next grade level, or go on to something new.
    But anyway I will continue to stay with these $10's, but at a much slower pace. I really need the 1892-O and 1894-O in MS-61 and after that only six more coins will take me back to having all the O-Mint pieces except six, from the Civil War to the last one in the series, the 1906-O.
    So in closing pictured below are the 4-coins that arrived today, (only one O-Mint piece) and all are strong for the grade and all are in brand new NGC slabs. But the addiction continues, be it at a much slower pace. Now all that is left with these four coins is typing in the descriptions, total mintage, population figures and other misc data .....Whew...
    But they are very nice coins & well worth the work & effort obtaining them from a 180 coin series. But the way I feel right now is, I'll type in descriptions at another time. For the record, I do own the coins and I have posted photos of the coins as well. Which is more than I can say for some in this series. If you have the "bucks" to own near or over half the series, then hire somebody to take the pics if you haven't the time or the know-how to do. Or just delete the set altogether... I don't know about everyone else, but if you have no photos and have no descriptions, I sure won't be looking at your set, that for all practical purposes, doesn't even exist. This is by no means aimed at those of you just starting out or those that are new to the C.S. as a whole. Most of this is something you will have to take your time and learn to do. I think you all know who this is directed at.
    Congratulations to all that have reached their goal, or at least are diligently working at completing their present goal. Just know that once you finally get there, you will want to start upgrading those pieces, or you will start another series to work just as hard on. (or they're will be some non-existent ghost set or two above you) I know that the monkey will never let you go... If he DOES let you go, please message me and let me know how THAT was done. I need mu-cho help in that area among other areas. And sorry for losing it a while a go. BUT... I did mean every dam word.
    Happy Collecting
    WKF

  18. W.K.F.
    There are others but these are four pictured below that won't break the bank...If purchased one at the time.
    Greetings Collectors,
    I've been doing a lot of talking about the waste of many modern pieces. But with all due respect there are a few on the flip-side that for the average collector these ARE as I said, MUST HAVE PIECES that will not destroy one's pocketbook.
    Any reverse proof coin in silver or gold, and if the funds are available, the Reverse Proof $50 Gold Buffalo which by the way is the only coin that has ever been made in the .9999 fine 24K category, with this finish to my knowledge. It is one of the 3-4 not so cheap pieces and are one's I don't have, but are coins I really want to pick up and leave raw in their gorgeous original Govt. packaging that they come in. There is another $50 Gold Eagle in reverse proof that is second on my want list, and it too, costs a pretty penny to procure. But without a doubt these two big gold coins and the others will one day make the person that purchased them, a very happy camper indeed. In the OGP these will be in 100 years probably about like having an original Pan Pac Set from the 1915 era in its original Govt. packaging at today's pricing which is very steep.
    Those that can afford these two coins and the others that come with the Gold Eagle in their respective sets, as I think the Buffalo is a one coin set which is expensive enough by itself. But again it is a coin that has never been done before, and most likely will never be minted again. And most importantly, minted in ultra low numbers.
    But these modern coins along with the 1907 High Relief Re-Strike $50 Gold Eagle are 3 expensive moderns that come to mind that each and every year they have gone up in value, and are pieces that you will never lose on. Even more so while the price of gold is much lower than it use to be when these coins were produced, and of course because of the economy we are in, at present. I have seen very good deals on eBay for all of the coins mentioned in this post.
    But if the purchase of these are most definitely out of the question, money wise, at least take your time and if you haven't already done so already, pick up the 4-coins pictured below. And if at all possible get all four in MS & Proof 70. Forget the MS & Proof 69's if you can. Especially the 2013 Enhanced Finish Silver Eagle in MS-70. This coin you must have in MS-70. Of the 4 coins below, if you can only afford one of them, get the "Enhanced Version" Silver Eagle in MS-70. You will not be sorry, as it will surpass in worth, possibly all three of the others combined one day.
    Universal Coin & Bullion had the two coin set of the 2013 in the Reverse Proof & the Enhanced Finish for $299 for the pair in the Star "Black Label Holders" in MS & Proof 70, just a couple months ago, and they still may have some left. They had the 69's too, but forget about them if you possibly are able to.
    If you don't purchase another coin in your life, try to get these two "Black Label" coins in 70. You will not be sorry!
    Happy Collecting!
    WKF

  19. W.K.F.
    One should ALWAYS remember a couple of things...Which are oh so important tips!
    Greetings Collectors,
    First of all I wanted to say that my greeting in my journal posts should be addressed to collectors, rather than collectors & investors for the simple reason that this is the NGC Collectors Society and not the NGC Investors Society.
    I had quite a few emails concerning my last post and while I answered several, I felt it better to address the many questions and comments here rather than write a dozen+ emails. Wow there were some interesting comments which surprisingly, were all positive, interesting & constructive. Regardless whether or not you are a collector or an investor, there are several things all of us should remember. And probably the main one is a feeling that I and many I have talked to say we should remember, And it is one that will not make me popular with NGC and will probably prevent me from ever winning another award. But I'm not a member here to obtain awards. My only goal is to inform others of what little bit I know from being in this hobby for more years than I like to say. Simply because it makes me feel old, and possibly too set in my ways.
    The several people here I wrote back to had some very good questions and comments and I have asked a few of them if I could copy and paste some of them and of course give credit to them for that content. But having just responded to their emails/messages, I have not heard back from them yet, so I will save those comments for possibly a later posting.
    The few things I feel all of us should remember whether just starting out in the hobby, or the ones having been in this so called Hobby of Kings for many years is the following:
    All of the mints of the world are out to make money, rather than be a drain on their respective treasuries.
    And all of the third party graders make the vast majority of their money on grading millions and millions of freshly minted modern coins. If it were not for these modern coins, I think there would be at the very minimum, a massive amount of layoffs or even some of the graders going out of business because most company's usually borrow funds based on past years income. A severe drop in revenue from not having modern coins to grade, may lead to actual bankrupcy.
    Having said that, there always has been, and there always will be those who love modern coins. Which if that is what one loves and enjoys collecting, then that is a very good thing that I would never want to change. We are all different animals, with different likes and dislikes.
    But one day without fail, each will question that which he or she collects. And many will add sets or have sets they no longer enjoy collecting. I know it's been that way for me and that way for many of those I have talked to at shows & at coin clubs & here at the CS.
    Tips for the new and old collectors/investors is to ALWAYS do your homework. Don't buy a coin and then read up on it. That is multiple times worse than putting the cart before the horse. Take some funds and purchase reference material before you make that first purchase into that coin series you have chosen to collect. I can't begin to stress how important this one thing is.
    Probably the second most important thing to always adhere to is, ALWAYS buy the coin and not the holder. This also is a very important thing to always remember to do.
    Grading as most of you know is just one persons opinion. And grading is very subjective. Third Party Graders that say they have two or three people look at each individual coin, before a grade is assigned, and the piece is slabbed, could not be further from the truth. Maybe if it's a coin that only a dozen or less exist in the world, may have more than one or two graders take a look at the piece. But when PCGS or Anacs or NGC get hundreds and hundreds of monster boxes of Silver Eagles weekly among many thousands of other pieces, and they say three people look at each coin before its slabbed, is a bit unbelievable if you ask me. Plus I have talked to graders from companies I will not name, who say that most modern pieces have less than 10-15 seconds of studying each coin. And I have heard that as little as 3-5 seconds is the norm.
    If you believe otherwise, then you probably think Santa can stop at every house with children in the entire world in less than one 12-hour evening.
    But with all that I have just said, the most important thing to me who does not buy many modern coins. But one who looks for vastly under graded coins with very low mintage figures. And just as importantly, coins that have very very low population figures. I could give you hundreds of examples of coins with a total mintage of hundreds of thousands, but less than 500 coins exist today from all graders, including raw un-graded pieces also.
    If you are one who does not buy post 1964 coins, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS, TO NEVER BUY AN UGLY COIN, REGARDLESS IF IT'S SITTING IN AN MS-65 OR MS-66 SLAB. SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY AND EVEN IF IT'S TWO TO THREE TIMES THE MONEY. IF YOU BUY A GORGEOUS COIN, 20-30 YEARS FROM NOW THAT COIN WILL STILL BE JUST AS GORGEOUS. AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, IF YOU TRY TO SAVE THE MONEY AND BUY A COIN BECAUSE OF THE PRICE AND IT'S AN UGLY PIECE, IT WILL BE JUST AS UGLY 20-30 YEARS FROM NOW, AND MAY NOT BE WORTH WHAT YOU PAID FOR IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT I JUST SAID IS SOMETHING I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH, THE IMPORTANCE OF ALWAYS REMEMBERING.
    But if you still like the modern coins, look at how many there are today and know that figure for MS-70 or Proof-70 could very easily, and probably will quadruple over the coming years. At least if not more. And with old coins, or with new modern coins, value is based now, and always has been based, on just how many of those coins are there in the world now, and how many of that grade could there possibly be far out into the future.
    With moderns the first year of issue or an example that is a one time example is your best bet. A 1995 Proof-70 Silver Eagle which was the first Silver Eagle from the West Point Mint that then could only be purchased inside a 4-coin Gold set, as a bonus coin, just recently sold for $100,000. And then how about all the reverse proof Silver & Gold modern coins from the past less than a dozen years. Look at those values. They have gone through the roof for the most part compared to other Eagle's which have many times the final mintage figures.
    How about the $5 Gold Capital Visitors Center coin in 70? And the latest MUST HAVE for the modern collector is the 2013 Enhanced Finish Silver Eagle in MS 70. It is the only time a coin like this has ever been made and may be the last/only time it will ever be made. I own most of those firsts that I just mentioned and the reason is they were the firsts and quite possibly the last. That MS Enhanced finish Silver Eagle is a must have and mark my word, it will be worth far more than the reverse proof 2013 in 20 years. On this, you can mark my word! There again look at the total mintage figures on these pieces. Many times lower than any of the others. And really it has always been about how many of that piece could possibly be out there. Not just what's out there right now presently.
    There are numerous ways to collect, but there are as many mistakes one can make as well if one does not do their homework. When in doubt, ask a trusted veteran collec
  20. W.K.F.
    Actually Pretty Darn Good. And I am living proof of this.
    Greetings Collectors,
    Now that the award deadline has come and gone, there are many of you wishing and hopeing for an award. Now as most of you know there are many types of awards. You have three for many of the categorys, and of course if you have the number one set in a series, there is but a single winner there. But to win this last award with a number one ranked set, one has to have very very deep pockets such as a doctor, a lawyer or a Senator or such as that.
    But in the many other award areas where five are given out, such as Journal Author of the Year or having a best presented set, these are but two award categorys of several that the average guy or gal can win without deep pockets.
    In the Jounal Author Award, one just has to post a fair amout of journal posts that are not full of controversy, but instead are a simple steady group of writings that would appeal to the vast majority. You do not have to be a great writer, as I can say from first hand experiance, having won that award for two separate years in 2008 and 2010. And I am far from being a good writer. It does help if you have read quite a bit and have interesting knowledge to share with your fellow collectors. But you can make the most of those journals about a coin series that YOU LIKE, ENJOY AND THAT YOU COLLECT ONLY.
    In the BEST PRESENTED SET category, again there are five awards handed out. And you do not have to be ranked #1 or number 10 or even 25 or 30. Again I have first hand knowledge of this because in 2010 I won a BEST PRESENTED SET with my favorite silver coin series The Franklin Half Dollar. And do you want to know what my set was ranked??? If I remember correctly I was ranked either #33 or #35. (I am now ranked with this set either in the 40s or even the 50s.)
    Having said all that, to win an award in that category, more than half of your set needs to reside in NGC Holders, You also must have good photos for each coin in your set. And lastly you have to have a fairly good description of what your set is about, some history on the set, and what this coin series means to you. And it really goes without saying, each of your coins must not only have pretty good photos, but a good description about each coin you have thus far in your set. And I think your set needs to be at least halfway complete.(But this last stipulation is one I am not for sure on. I actually hope that needing the set to be halfway complete or better is not an iron clad need, because that one thing blows me out of the water on my $10 Liberty set) Oh well. Rules are rules.
    Not to try to monopolize the Journals of late. I am killing time before I leave for NYC this Thursday for my only daughters wedding on Saturday December 14th 2013. I fly back home on Monday the 16th after seeing my Lawyer daughter and what will be her Lawyer husband off for a month long honeymoon to far east. And thank God I do not have to pick up the tab for that trip.
    But those of you out there with sets you do not think you have a chance with, know this. Each and every one of you that have a love for a set and even if that set is just barely halfway completed. And you know that series and love it and just have adhered to having your photos and your set description along with a description of each of your coins. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE A GREAT SHOT! And I want to wish the best of luck to each and every one of you from the guy who likes Lincoln Cents all the way up to the guy who collects nothing but $20 Gold pieces. All of you are in the running.
    I had thought that I may have had a chance on my $10 Liberty Gold series since I have worked so dog-gone hard on it. But I think one of the rules of a BEST PRESENTED SET is that the set MAY have to be 50% complete or better. Which I am way shy of being. And even if I collected the rest of my years. If there is a rule that requires a 50% completed set, not only will I not win for this set for this year. I will never have that many of those not so cheap 1/2 oz gold coins EVER.
    But there are hundreds of you that DO have a good shot. And I wish the very best of luck to you all, regardless of what coin series that you collect. No pics from me on this post.
    Happy Collecting and Good Luck!
    WKF
  21. W.K.F.
    WOW, I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER MYSELF!
    Also a close up of my 1849-P Reverse...Collectors, I just read the post by audrop and it took me back to quite a few posts I have made on the same subject. audrop went on to say, politely I might add, that this is just but one mans opinion. But actually I do honestly believe what was said on the FMV and on the points system issue is the view of the vast majority except maybe the collector who has 15-20 sets of Sac Dollars with all of them the same grade (70) and done so just to garner a zillion points.This 1849 $10 gold piece does not have many more points than one of those MS or proof Sac dollars in 70. But if you asked 100 or 1,000 collectors which coin they would rather own, they would pick a piece of gold almost 165 years old rather than a piece of copper less than 15 years old. Now I am not against a collector who really likes the Sac or Presidential Dollars and more power to him or her to have a complete set in MS-70 or Proof-70. What I do not get is not only the FMV of these copper dollars, but I really for the life of me see how these coins get the points they do when there are many of thousands of them with possibly millions more that still sit in a proof set or mint sets that have never been submitted for grading. At the end of the day/line you could easily end up with 100,000 coins from a single date with a grade of MS or proof 70. Those of you who are curious, go take a look at how many just NGC has graded in 70 and then take a gander at the total points that each of these non-rare coins bring and then compare them to the coins that are truly scarce to downright rare, and the difference in the point scale, then you will see what audrop and myself are trying to get across.Those of you that are interested, scroll back through my 260+ journals and locate the posts I did on points. There are some additional details about points that most would find very interesting. It will explain what I am trying to say here in much greater detail than has been gone into thus far. Of course since then, some of the more scarce to rare coin series have been adjusted upward. But they are still way off. A great deal of work is still left to do in that area alone.Anyway that is all I am gonna say on that subject. Because with what was said today, and what I have written in the past, pretty much says it all, and then some. But under no circumstances am I knocking the collectors of these coins, or any coin sets for that matter. I would just like to see a fair way of assigning points to the Sac and Presidetial dollars, comparing them to Gold coins that NGC has only seen 164 total coins graded out of a mintage of 8,350. And that 164 coins is in all grades from F-15 to AU-50, with just a few coins higher. Just fairness is what I and many others are looking for. And that is it period.Now that I have another journal, I may as well show a closeup of the 1849-P ten reverse I just posted. It is a beauty and well worth the 1,916 points it garners here. Actually this coin is an A.U.-58 hiding in an A.U.-53 brand new PCGS slab, worth 2,591 points. But the graders looking at this $10 saw the coin as an AU-53 and not a 58. Oh well...The jury has spoken loud and clear regardless of my thoughts.Thanks for reading and please do not take this post the wrong way. There are many different collectors who collect many different series of coins. And each one of those collectors are just as proud of their sets as I am of mine. And I would never downplay a coin series that someone else likes. After all, this IS a free country.Happy Collecting!WKF
  22. W.K.F.
    The vast majority of all gold found during the California gold rush for the first few years, made its way back to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia PA to be minted into coins but some made it to New Orleans and finally the San Fransisco Mint when it was finally constructed. Along with the Carson City Mint too.
    Greetings Collectors,
    Having said all of that above, it would be nice to have one of these old gold coins speak of its history and its travels. I do believe that an 1849 $10 gold piece would have quite a story to share. maybe Doc Holiday held this coin in his hand as he was about to ante for a hand of five card stud with a group of cowboys. This is my forth and final coin to arrive in the group of four that I purchased.
    It actually came this last Friday but I was not home so I had to take my slip to the Post Office Saturday morning to pick it up. The excitement never ceases to amaze me when I am patiently waiting to open a parcel where a really nice coin is sitting, so that I can hold it in my hand and study it even more closely that I was able to before. Even with the great photos that Apmex takes. Nothing is like a coin in hand. And needless to say, this coin did not let me down one little bit.
    This ten as you can see is in a brand new PCGS slab and it is common knowledge among collectors that both PCGS and NGC have gotten much tougher on their grading standards. This date/mint had a fairly large number minted and NGC has graded a total of 924 coins in all grades from 2-coins in VG to 4-coins in MS-64. In this grade of A.U.-53 NGC has seen 138 coins total. But this piece is at least an AU-55 if not an AU-58. It looks gorgeous and I am very thankful to have acquired it for the very low price of less than $1,000.
    With this addition, I now stand with a total of 22 graded tens, which lands me firmly in 14th place in this series. (even though I will have to wait until tomorrow to attain my 1900 plus points because of the coin being housed in a PCGS holder) and maybe one day I will make it into the top ten. Regardless of where I stand I am pleased as punch to have the beautiful examples that I own. Each one was studied and pondered over very closely before the coin was bought. And out of all 20+ coins, I have, I have only returned a single coin that did not come up to my satisfaction. And that was a few years ago.
    Anyway I hope all is well with all of you and these latest group of posts have reconnected me with many friends here and also some new ones as well. I will post the pics of this very nice ten after I finish this post. I have both the obverse and reverse pics cropped and edited, ready to add to my set here, in case any of you would care to see the reverse which is nicer than the obverse as far as lack of rub and luster and detail remaining.
    Happy Collecting!
    WKF

  23. W.K.F.
    Talk about Going Down to The Wire...
    Greetings Collectors,
    Just wanted to share with you all what arrived in the mail today. Three of the four coins I had been waiting on came early this A.M. And I have just entered them into my $10 Liberty set.
    Today I received two old green holders with an 1874-P in one and an 1890-P in the other. The third was a nice 1883-S in a new PCGS slab. Now all I am waiting on from Apmex is my 1849-P PCGS AU-53.
    Good luck to all of you with your sets who are trying for an award in. But there is so much more to this Hobby than awards. All they are is an added plus to something we already enjoy the heck out of.
    Below are pics of these 3 latest coins.
    Happy Collecting & Good Luck to All!
    WKF

  24. W.K.F.
    I know it has been that way for me for many many years...I have accused myself of being a whore the way I would jump from one love to another. This may not be normal, and if it is not, then I am a sad case indeed. But it has always been the makeup of my coin collecting attitude.
    Greetings Collectors,
    Thank you all so much for your kind words about my Ten Dollar Liberty Gold. I have been working on these coins for so very long, but unfortunately a single coin is 3-5 times what I use to pay for Franklin halves and O-Mint Morgan Dollars. Thus the going is very slow. Gosh I remember when I was on a tear with my Franklin halves and that was all I looked at and searched for. Then it was about a year or better when I was avidly collecting old pour silver bars. Then it was modern $5 Eagles from the Mint and even a short tear on O-Mint Morgan Dollars. And now I have sold several duplicates in the Franklin series and some of my scarcer duplicate silver bars that I can fortunately get quite a bit more for, than just the spot price of silver. That and a few trades have been my only funding of my acquisisions of the tens I have been getting.
    I look back on so many coin series that I devoted almost all my efforts and money to at one time or another, only to find a new love with a new series. These $10 Liberty's were kind of an accident to start with. I have always loved pre-1933 gold and back in 2003 and 2004 I had a real good job and was paying the same for $20 Gold pieces as I am now paying for most of my tens. Besides the fact they were gold I started looking at the ultra low mintage numbers, coupled with what had been graded by NGC and based on those two sets of numbers, I was astounded by the fair prices these very scarce to rare $10 chunks of gold were bringing, compared to their melt price. And then I would look at coins such as the 1893-S Morgan Dollar that there are a couple thousand of them+ just at NGC. Yet in the lowest grades of fair-2 up to XF 40-45 and thereabouts, yet these very well worn with some even beat up looking silver dollars were still bringing big money. Just NGC has graded in all grades 2,557 of this 1893 Morgan from the San Fransisco Mint. And there are many O-Mint $10's that have a total mintage that is far less than that Twenty Five Hundred plus population number at just one of the third party graders.
    Now I know prices are not altogether determined by mintage and populations. It also has a great bit to do, with maybe the largest part to do with the huge size of the collector base. Many more collectors collect the Morgan silver dollar and the Walker half and the Lincoln cent among other coin series than collect $10 gold coins, thus with me collecting these Eagles, I realize I am in a very small minority. But I still love these old gold coins. And I can't hardly wait on the 4-coins that I have on the way that I mentioned in my last journal. After these latest ones, I will need to do some serious "backing off" in my purchases or all my kids will get for Christmas will be a candy bar or two .
    I know we are not supposed to try and sell coins or buy coins here in the journals. And those of you that know me well, know that I do not do any of that for the most part. But it got me to thinking about all of the $.50 and $1.00 commemorative coins still in the OGP along with proof sets and mint sets, Prestige Proof sets, raw Silver Eagles with all still in their boxes. I have all of these just mentioned and many many more two coin and three coin sets of Silver and Commemorative sets as well. Sad to say, none of these coins interest me in the least. I read and thought it was quite cool what Rick was trying to finish putting together along those lines, which got me to thinking about another collector here that goes by # with his name being David that really needs an 1879-O ten dollar gold to complete his 1879 mint set. I am looking for him and also looking for one for myself since that is one of quite a few New Orleans Mint $Tens I still have yet to find. So if any of you can help David or myself out with that tough date/mint, I know I would be most thankful and David would be even more so. Thankful that is. If you know of one, please offer it to him first. I think I am safe to say that a fine 15-20 would be the limit on my pocketbook with David maybe being able to swing for an XF 40-45. But we both need that 1879-O Ten Liberty.
     
    I trust that you all and your families had a great safe Thanksgiving and that all of you are getting ready for the next sets of Holiday's coming up. Take care my friends and know that I will continue to Pray that all of you will find that coin or coins that have thus far eluded you. Below is my example of the very scarce 1893-O that has an almost completely cameo frosted bust on the obverse and on the reverse as well. I have had this coin for a few months now, but I am still very thankful in having such a scarce coin that looks so good to fill this slot in my ten dollar Liberty series.
    Happy Collecting!
    WKF (Kerry)

  25. W.K.F.
    Made a trade with some ungraded foreign gold for three more $10 Liberty's that are on the way. And I found a very nice 1849-P $10 on the Apmex web site to make a total of four coming my way.
    Greetings Collectors,
     
    The addiction of ten dollar Liberty gold continues with me, but may be too little too late for a best presented set for 2013. I was able to trade almost melt gold for melt gold on three of the four. But I believe I got the better of the trade. I was not able to acquire any New Orleans Mint gold in this small group, but I was able to get four nice $10 coins. All are PCGS pieces but I still have way more NGC examples than PCGS slabs in these $10 Liberty Gold coins.
    Due to the Holiday weekend all four will not be here until the latter part of next week. Well past the deadline. But the 4-coins coming consist of a PCGS 1849 in AU-53 from Apmex and the three I traded for are the following.
    1874-P AU-55 in an Old Green Holder Mintage 53,140
    1883-S MS-60 in a regular PCGS Holder Mintage 38,000
    1890-P AU-55 in an Old Green Holder. Mintage 57,980
    And the PCGS 1849 AU-53 with a mintage of 653,618
    All 4-coins appear to be undergraded examples, or at least strong for the grade.
    Total coins graded in all grades at NGC on these four dates are as follows:
    1849-P 923 in all grades
    1874-P 317 in all grades
    1890-P 414 in all grades
    And the 1883-S was the coup of the group with a total of 136 coins graded in all grades.
    19 in MS-60
    21 in MS-61
    10 in MS-62
    And the highest is 3-Coins total in MS-63 with none higher. But quite a few lower graded ones.
    With these additions, it will put me firmly in 15th place for the series where I will probably stay until a few more old pour silver bar sales on eBay when I can pay the $390 balance on a very nice very scarce 1907-S in NGC MS-62 which has a total of 346 coins in all grades at NGC #55 in MS-62 with 20 total coins graded higher, which may push me to fourteenth place overall in the series. I know I'll never make it any higher than possibly the top ten. But I could live out my life happy as a lark never going any higher than that.
    WOW coin collecting is fun. But is as strong an addiction as any drug out there I would surmise. But here on Thanksgiving there are so many other things I am more thankful for, coin collecting is just a hobby that's my favorite and one I am very thankful for.
    Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Collecting to all.
    WKF
    P.S. Sorry no pics this time, but as soon as these coins arrive next week, I'll post photos of them. They are really strong for their grades assigned and I am very thankful to own them.