Eagles In Vermont

Assuming they arrive safely in the mail in the next few days I will then have all 38 dates of issue for the Silver Eagle so far. Some dates I have quite a few of. Most are NGC in MS 69, a few nice in MS 70 and some nice proofs, most with COA's OGP. Half a dozen of them are PCGS, but my preference remains NGC. Anything else I acquire is on the wish list, as time and expense allow. Took nine months to complete the dates! Yikes, I slightly underestimated what I was getting into! But I love doing this regardless, and will keep on. Happy coining all.

In either case I got myself an FDI Eagle 2023 10X with the new first year X label for the heck of it. Why not? I think the new system needs time and perspective, but yes, I am well entrenched with the 70 point and feeling iffy about that myself. Time and perspective, like I said.

My latest additions are the 2021 proof type 1 from the West Point Mint in OGP with COA (and velvet box with eagle), my 2003 (in great condition) and a 2004 that is probably over-graded, but what the heck I have the date; on the other hand the detail on that 2004 coin is incredibly fine and clear. Maybe that's why it garnered an MS-69 with NGC even though there is a very noticeable divot directly on the sun on the obverse- but it is a nice coin otherwise. That leaves just six more dates to go. After that I can focus on my wish list and variants like the burnished, or reverse proofs, etc. I love doing this, but it is somewhat costly. I was aware of that potential cost when I got into this however, so I guess I shouldn't complain. I am well on the way to having a pre-eminent collection of silver eagles.

Today I received my proof type II silver eagle and it is gorgeous, encapsulated in it's OGP with certificate of authenticity, from the West Point mint. I now have proofs from both San Francisco and West Point mints. I am happy with my collection overalll and have just eight more dates/years before my collection is complete in terms of years of issue. After that will come variations thereof, but a lot more slowly! I spent a lot of time and cash to get started but I feel I will have something worth my while and maybe even more much later down the road.

Eagle RJO: I think it's probably somewhat disproportionate that it's one in four- probably because so many came from e-bay when I first started and I wasn't as scrupulous as I am now, I am not sure. It also could be because they shipped in the New England winter cold and then came into a warm house, I just don't know. Some of them are only barely specked, the other spotted ones have small clusters of little ones that look like faint water- color paint brush drippings- but two or three have vivid single spots the size of BBs. I got a FYI type 2, 2021 delivered last month and it was fine for two weeks- and then two days ago- sigh. Not terrible, but a couple of them are starting to show. The most of them seem to be on dates struck after 2010.

Coinbuf...Sweet! I figure my brother and sister will get mine or some smelter haha. In the meantime, I am enjoying them while I can. When I think about it, it's not so bad- I average between 45 (most of them anyway- a price low!) to 100 (a few- rather high!) per coin; I am buying them slabbed and graded. I am getting while the getting is good, as they say. My cost is on average about the spot price of silver and the cost of the grading and slabbing- but of course the spots reduced about one quarter of the total to pretty much spot value anyway. But the rest are not bad- two 2022 proof 70 UC, (one of which I paid 200 for- early release- fifty bucks too high lol) a proof 2019 W and two proof 69 (type 1 and 2, 2021) and a couple of others; two 86's in pf 69 and 65. Assuming of course none of them are outright fakes, there's about 900 in silver. If silver goes up to over forty (as it did in 2015) I could dump all my 69's and not quite break even. Yeah, I figure at least for a while most of the dates I have left to acquire can be done fairly economically. That will change eventually I am sure. Here's a photo of mine....

Coinbuf- thanks for the comments. Yeah, I am taking a bit of a hit there- not too terrible, but enough to be somewhat annoying and will eat up probably half of my tax refund, haha!. I'm still managing to get what I want in a relatively safe price range for me, but not always. (The real issue is arguably that I am buying too many and I should slow down!) I was aware of the spot issue at first, and I did take the risk to begin with, knowing I would probably get some spots here and there one way or the other. However, assuming a few of the good ones- and there are a few, to be sure- stay spot free, it might work out that some of them will offset the others in potential value and/or collectability, at least with the passage of time. At least I have the melt value of the silver. In the meantime, I do thoroughly enjoy the collecting and studying of my ASE's, so that does indeed count for something. (I'll probably end up knowing more about these things than my own diet ha-ha.) Take care and Happy coining!

The old white spotting issue is enough of a turn off to almost make me want to rethink what I am doing with collecting ASE coins. But, on the other hand my entire collection will be slabbed and graded- a lot of them are not the given grades because of this damned spot issue. Collectors don't want 'em. I bought a type 2 FDI from a large and reputable bullion dealer and when it arrived it was fine. Perfect. Fast forward two weeks, and now presto! White spotting on the obverse, lower right. Maybe cuz it was shipped in winter? It looks more like a wispy cloud but it is there. I am also beginning to understand why folks are unloading them on e-bay, trying to recoup their losses. Although many of my purchases have been great, both from e-bay and from large bullion dealers, I dislike worrying about when "guess what, white spot time!" is going to happen. I am far enough in to this I might as well finish, and assuming no spots appear I do have a few gems in my collection, especially the proofs, which (so far) look just terrific. My goal is simple- collect every date in as many mints as I can. I now have six first year of issues, and so far they at least all look great.

I do appreciate all of the advice- I would rather make friends here than otherwise. I don't know if everyone's comments and replies are generally visible, but in any case I'm here because I love this hobby- something new for me as I approach the big six oh. I also admit to looking ahead at the investment potential, but mostly my goal is to collect every issue of every date of eagles, then start on peace and morgan dollars- I only have a couple of those but about 60 graded eagles so far. I like the type two eagles and I am getting all I can while the getting is still pretty good in FS, FYI and FDI. Anyway, I do trust the views of experienced collectors and as always I am open to discussion and helpful hints, etc. Thank you!

Of course I don't expect perfect! I'm trying to get an idea of how coins are graded, how strict the standards are, etc. If any of these someday go up for sale at auction these little things would probably get noticed. As a rule I put all my coins under high mag to examine the finer details for my enjoyment and because I am simply trying to find out what to look for and what exactly are the factors considered when grading and or possibly selling. I am quite happy with all my coins; I enjoy what I am doing. My collection is growing fast and I know I have some pretty darned decent ones in there. Sarcasm is all fine and well, but I am trying to ask legitimate questions that I feel I should ask. If I can't get decent answers here I will ask elsewhere. I have purchased the pre-eminent guide to silver eagles and I foresee the day when I will be quite knowledgeable about these coins. I am already quite a way along that path. Some of you can go ahead and enjoy the sarcasms, but you should know too that I am a serious collector, and who knows? Maybe sometime I will be the person with the answers and not the other way around. Thank you all for your replies.

So- I bought this 2015 W ASE. It is labeled as MS 70 but on super close inspection I found what appears to be the tiniest little indentation. Under high mag it almost looks like a dust particle from outer space struck and dented it. To my eye this means it's not a 70 but a 69. I did the best I could with my phone cam. You can see a dot above the T in LIBERTY, to the left. It's a beautiful coin - (I think)- otherwise, and star label, West Point; supposedly low mintage there. I can't presume to be a professional grader- not yet anyway ha-ha- but I honestly don't know if I'm being too harsh in my assessment. I still say this tiny mark makes it a downgrade; it checks out in the registry but any photos of it are probably ones I will add.

I also bought these things- supposedly only 25,000 were minted of each type; 'antiqued' and straight bullion stamp. Interesting in light of all the UFO and UAP interest.

The CSM rocket is number 4169, the crew profile is number 4864.

I wanted to ask two questions- first does anyone recognize these silver bullion rounds? I bought them because there are supposedly only 5000 of each that were made. These have their numbers inscribed in the edges. Apollo 11 50th anniversary commemoratives, .999 silver. Second- can I get them graded and slabbed with NGC? Thank you.

Eagle RJO: It's an NGC. Awaiting shipment now. Yeah I might post it and ask when I get it. TY.

Thanks again for the great info and even encouragement from several of you. I won't give up on ebay entirely but there are a few sellers I won't repeat buy from, thanks in large part to some of this advice. I got some pretty good coins too and I'm getting a good eye for lettering, numbers, angles in photos, shine, etc. and photo comparison. My eye so far tells me at least five of my purchases are questionable and even stupid haha but instinct and my eye also tell me I scored a few good ones- even a couple of EXCELLENT ones. I am into this and I figure stupid folks don't ask these questions soon enough at risk of looking naive; the smart ones do and I am trying to be smart. I have another question: I bought a coin with a notation in parentheses near the grade, and it reads (023GCM). I am guessing this probably means some sort of cleaning, flaw or depreciating defect but I keep searching what is GCM and can't find it. Can anyone help? (I at least only spent fifty bucks, haha.)

Well, that will probably put an end to my ebay spree for silver eagles, haha joke is likely on me. I gambled there and I knew it, to be fair. I strongly suspect the authenticity of my so called 1986 gem proofs from ebay already. They shine just a little too brightly. I did get one 86 that matches very well with the registry here and that at least seems to be something. I/ve bought quite a few others from a large bullion site though, and they are probably OK- I hope. I did find a pcgs from there I bought that did not hit with their verification site. I sent it back. Most of my NGC's seem to be hitting ok with pretty well matching photos (even most of the bay ones) but that doesn't mean they are legit, I know. I did the ebay thing because I figured a few would turn out pretty well, hopefully enough to offset losses I undoubtedly incurred- fortunate I guess that its early in the game for me and spent around 1500 total. I simply tossed the dice in the air and held my breath. Foolish I know, but I wanted to do it anyway. I do really VERY much appreciate the advice- I will probably bite the bullet and submit a few of them all for verification and regrading by NGC.. Overgraded coins seems to make the most sense to my thinking. The proof eagles from 2022 seem pretty decent on close inspection and the photos seem to match up pretty well, but oh well. Guess I will have to wait and see. Caveat Emptor as they say. Thanks for all the info and the link. Again, Much Appreciated!

Thank you all, it sounds like good advice to just leave the proof as it is and keep it safely put away. I also wanted to mention that I will be collecting ASE's and Morgans almost exclusively. My profile name has been updated to the title Eagles in Vermont. Thank you for your answers. I've delved into this "hobby" whole hog, but not without doing some extensive and careful research, and not without understanding I will probably have bought and will buy the occasional forgery. However, it seems all good for the most part so far and I've been a very careful and meticulous buyer- with a few "ow what the hell" buys tossed in there, haha! Anywho: Good day (or night), and best wishes and thanks all very much for taking the time to answer my questions.

I wanted to ask: Is it worth the time and expense to have a proof from the mint (boxed, newly bought, with a COA.) graded and slabbed? Or does the original packing and protective round the coin is presently encapsulated in deem this unnecessary?

There seems to be a number with a decimal then a backslash on my pcgs graded coin. As a newbie, which is the correct catalog number? Thanks!