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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64
    sometimes you have to pay a little extra..
    A friend of mine, who works for an auction house, recently said something that must have planted itself in my brain. I didn't give it much thought at the time but it must have germinated until the proper time and then his offhand remark blossomed up into an enlighting bit of advice.
    His comment? He was discussing some coin images that someone had posted and he said " oh yes, I remember that coin. I had that in my collection for almost 10 years."
    What is significant about this you may ask? Well I later started thinking about my own collection. My screensaver is a screen-wide image of my 1941 Walker that Coindude ( Sam) photographed for me. I would recognize this coin 10 years from now even if I sold it tomorrow.
    However that coin is more of an exception..except for just a few coins in my collection, if I had to sell them all off and try to re-build my collection in the future, only a handful would I recognize as a coin that I used to own.
    Really, the fact of the matter is, I wouldn't recognize any of my proof or MS70's from the tens of thousands of other ones. Even in my older-dated coins, if I had chosen to buy a white coin with good luster and good strike, then that coin would be almost indistinguishable from the masses of similar coins.
    Which brings me in a round-about-way to the Title.
    I was recently surfing auctions, rapidly clicking through listings and images...when suddenly a coin "Jumped Out At Me". I'm sure that many of you ( if not all) know what I mean. Two-three seconds per glance and then on to the next lot and then WHAM..you find yourself drinking in the detail, color, luster of some unique coin that has bedazzled you.
    Well I shook my head to break the enchantment and promptly entered a max bid equal to Full Retail Value !! I was stunned and disheartened to find that old familiar.." you are currently the high bidder, however the reserve has not been met"
    This is when the voice and comment of my friend sprouted to the surface..this was one of those coins that I would recognize ten years from now. Instead of navigating away from the page, I promptly raised my bid another 3 increments and passed the reserve. Now I haven't yet won the coin but I feel alot better about having given it a real shot.
    Sometimes the truly special coins cost more than list price for a reason, it doesn't mean that we've paid too much.
    Latest "upgrade" is actually the same grade as I already had but was too pretty to pass on..

  2. jackson64

    "Just a Big Kid"

    By jackson64,

    sometimes a winning bid or favorable grade on a submission can bring it all back
    This morning{and I admit that I am not a morning person} I checked my email and visited this sight to see how my submissions were moving along. My morning and whole days' outlook improved immediately..it read "Finalized, Imaged, Shipped". With only a moment's hesitation.....should I wait until they arrive to find out the grades??...nah, click and ...woohoo!!The first thing I notice is that they have all been graded, no cleaned..tooled..removed from jewelry..etc in the whole batch of 15!!!Then I look for the "Marianne and Rooster" 1906 gold 20 fcs{this is the third time I have excitedly found 1 of this date but the first 2 came back un-graded}and it says MS64!! I quickly scan the list and see 1 PF70UCAM and even an AU55 grade on a ship coin I submitted from the Colonial times..wow.I ran into the bedroom where my wife was still getting ready and animatedly asked her"guess what..guess what???" and she smiled fondly and said "must be something about your coins...you're such a big kid when you get good news about them".After telling her about all the grades and hole filling I had accomplished, and her nodding and saying" that's nice" in all the right places I left the room and realized that I indeed did feel like a big kid...and was loving every minute of it too
  3. jackson64
    Do you believe in love at first sight?
    I have on my computer as one of the Favorites or quick links, an article reprinted by David Bowers from a very old issue of "The Numismatist."
    The article has a wonderful old list of "The Ten Commandments of Numismatics"--I believe that I just broke number 4. I will add a link to the 10 commandment list/article when this appears on the chat boards.
    Without changing windows for reference real quick, I believe Commandment #4 relates to staying focused on your collecting goals and avoiding "straggler" coins. ( it is evident that the "box of 20" idea of non-connected but lovingly selected coins as a collection does not work for these commandments.)
    I cannot deny that the coin I just purchased and received has no place in any of my sets and will join a host of others that I own which will never appear in the registry.
    You see, my hunt for an attractive, MS67 1947-D Walking Liberty Half continues. I search national auctions, ebay, webpages etc etc..I just have been unable to find one at what I consider a fair price and with the qualities I enjoy in this series--maybe I'm being foolish and the coin I desire and the price I can afford are not compatible at all.
    My most recent purchase is a 1947-D, however it is even lower graded at MS65 than the MS66 I currently have listed as part of my set. Once I laid eyes on her however I had that "wow" thing happen to me. That thing that only fellow numismatists can understand when we glance upon a shimmering, lustrous piece of well struck coinage--one with rainbows and patina of aging gracefully but somehow maintaining its underlying radiance. The kind of coin that you leave out for weeks before finally placing it in the safe/storage/deposit box with your other coins which you only bring out for the occasional perusal and enjoyment.
    It has been 2 weeks since her arrival. I have tried in vain to capture her skirt lines and strike as well as the shimmering gold, green and deep amber adornment. Oh well, I guess I can only present a semblence for you of what I get to behold in hand...sometimes we purchase coins simply because the look stirs in us the very core reason we started collecting in the first place. That is reason enough for me.

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  4. jackson64
    redeemable at any coin dealer/ auction as cash
    OK..so I'm a dreamer. I correspond via email with a few other collectors who recently posed this question with each other. "What would you buy if you had a $100,000 gift certificate that you could use for the purchase of any coin/s?" The answer is...I'm not sure. Would I fill holes in existing sets, buy 1 dream coin {a $100,000 coin IS a dream for most of us}...3 or 4 really nice coins in the $25K range...hmmm...so far my list goes like this{using trends/ Coin Values}..1917-D rev Walker in MS63, $2500..1917-S obv Walker in MS63, $7500...an 1877 Proof 3-cent nickel, a stunning cameo upper mint state for around $5000.....and then the nicest Flowing Hair half dollar I could get for the remaining $85,000....oh and a 1911-D $2.5 Gold Indian Quarter Eagle in MS63, $27,000...well looks like I'm over budget...maybe a slightly lower grade Flowing Hair half for$58,000?...well that's my list....I'm sure we all would have different ones...what a great and diverse hobby..
  5. jackson64

    12 MINUTES OF CHAOS

    By jackson64,

    record time for me to acquire a limited edition mint product
    As a sign of providence, I happened to have the rare day off of work on the same day as the anticipated Standing Liberty design Gold quarter ounce coin's release.
    I spent the prior hour before the 12:00 start time to review my US Mint account, make sure my billing card number was right and my current address/PO Box was also listed.
    After this, I simply found busy work around the house to kill the final 40 minutes or so until the frenzy started. I set the timer on my phone just in case...walked the dog, took out some chicken to thaw for dinner, picked a few ripe tomatoes, collected the eggs from the chickens and emptied the dishwasher......and still 18 minutes left !!
    Okay, so I logged in early and visited some of the mint's resource pages...products...news releases and events...finally, down to the final 2 to 3 minutes !!
    I clicked on the "What's New" link, opened the SLQ 1/4 oz AU page and waited for the "remind me" button to change to "place order" or Add To Cart.
    Twelve o'clock finally struck and my screen remained the same--I hit refresh and got the horror of "this page cannot be displayed". I re-logged into the website and after 5 tries I caught a volume gap and was directed to the Mint's Homepage. I opened the drop down and selected the Gold SLQ--the page opened on the first try !!--Now I'm cooking !!--NOT---
    I add the item to my cart and proceed to checkout--"This Page Cannot Be displayed" again...crud !!--I return to the prior page and the coin is still in my Cart--sweet !!
    Three more tries and the checkout page is in view! I won't drag the story through the next 7 or 8 mins of chaos--suffice it to say I had to enter my card number, match the "billing address" with the "shipping address" several times all typed out in the forms over and over and each time I got to "Place Order" the "This Page Can't Be Displayed" or some error I made in my hurried frustration prevented the final step--and when the page refreshed, all of my typed info had to be re-typed again !!
    Finally on the 7th or 8th "Place Order" click, my confirmation number was done and order confirmed-SUCCESS!
    Twelve minutes is not so much but with mega-dealers somehow scoring dozens of the "one per household" coins, I was sweating it there after a few minutes.
    I had to work on the date of the release of the Mercury Dime Commem gold coin and was unable to order one during my half hour lunch break from 12 to 12:30--eventually buying an SP69 pre-slabbed for quite a markup at $219.

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  6. jackson64
    I had overlooked the 2 1992 Columbus Modern commems{half and dollar} while working on this collection..special thanks to "the coinguy" for sending me a kind reminder that I'd missed these.Many more world coins for this set are coming soon..as soon as I get them encapsulated..Lebanon,Zaire,China,Republic of Congo,Portugal..
    This collection has really returned the fun of collecting for me. I enjoy finding beautiful coins with ship themes from around the world.It gives me a break from worrying about grades,if they have been cleaned,registry points..whether I am paying extra for the coin or a over-graded holder..phew...even decided to sell my entire Jefferson nickel collection with Heritage.A top ranked proof set{#2 in 1 category..and #3 in another}with over a dozen perfect 70's..a 71-s with pop less than 10..and SMS coins from 65-67 that really should be considered rarities in Deep Cameo Gem+ grades...well enough of this journal entry for now..
    MVC-135S.J
  7. jackson64
    got all three coins of the special 3-coin san francisco mint issued American silver eagles for 2012
    Okay..the title is a teaser. There really are 3 ASE's issued by the San Fran mint this year and I have matching labels and First Strike designations for all 3--but they are not a "mint issued" 3 coin set--just a "Jackson assembled" 3 coin set.
    Overall, I think they sure do look like a set that was meant to be as one group, even if the 2 proofs were issued together and the MS coin minted at S was a seperate entity. I was just browsing for some good deals on some bullion rolls and ran across the 3rd coin. I threw in a $40 bid considering it was ( $31 at the time melt) and already slabbed. I got lucky and the bid held at $38.35--I guess there is not much of a market for the 69's. I also got the 2 proofs for under $180 so it appears that registry collectors of the 70's have created quite a large divide seprating the cost/demand of 69's vs 70's....that's okay, I just want one example of each as cheap as I an find them ( I'd have bought a 67 or 68 if I could have gotten them even cheaper).
    Happy hunting e1 and I believe this is it for me and the ASE's for a while--unless of course there is another special issue reverse proof set

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  8. jackson64
    a stunning coin from Zaire included..next installment will have 3 from Pacific Islands/Micronesia, including a topless native girl/ship coin..hmm might need censorship
    Well I am taking my time adding the coins for my High Seas signature set that I got back earlier this week.I have been adding them in groups..first an Australian 4 coin set "Voyages into History"...now I'm adding 3 coins from Africa, one from Zaire, the Dem. Rep. of Congo, and a South African penny...and next will be 3 from the Pacific Island/Micronesia region..the countries of {and I am not making these up}Nauru, Palau,and Niue.Did some fact finding to include with the sets photos and Nauru is the smallest sovereign nation in the world and all are trusties of the US after WWII Japanese occupation..meaning we are bound to militarily defend them against Islamic aggresion, communism and Godzilla and other sea terrors....coming soon..JAX
    MVC-961S.J
  9. jackson64
    While I wait for the right 1916-D Mercury dime to become available ( and at the right price) to finish the final hole in my last album, I decided to start the next one. I decided on a relatively easy set- an 83 coin, Silver Washington Quarter Dollar, Whitman album of 1932 thru 1964 coinage.
    I call it easy for 2 reasons.
    The first reason is that I had 4 rolls of mixed-date silver quarters already in my stash. Besides 2 heavily worn Barber's, one holed Seated liberty quarter and a score of low-grade Standing Liberty's, the remaining 120 or so were all Washington's and of a surprisingly wide spread on the dates and mintmarks. I suspect that one of the rolls was from someone's incomplete set they were assembling as almost all 40 were different dates and not the standard roll which usually has 30 1960's coins and a smattering of worn and damaged earlier coins.
    The second reason I figure that this album will be easy is because there are really no high-cost key dates. The 2 semi-keys, the 32-D and 32-S appear readily available in VF+/XF quality for $150 or so. I figure I'll snatch up some problem-free coins for these 2 issues, already graded and crack them out. I usually keep the labels and tape them in an envelope or flip inside of the back cover for the cracked-out coins.
    So I was surprised to find that I already owned 58 of the 83 coins for this new album. Since I'm not going to give myself the usual challenge of a small grade/quality range or require appearance similarity--it is just a matter of finding problem-free coins with honest wear to finish this set off. Even if it is easy, it is still fun filling the slots and I still wait with anticipation each package that brings me one coin closer to completing the set.
    Here's a few photos --- my newly started Washington album and TADA ! believe it or not I actually found an Indian Cent for my collection in an NGC slab--a nice 1889 MS64 BN ( which I listed in the registry for the heck of it but also placed in my true Indian Cent Collection in the Custom page.....
    Happy hunting e1.......

     
     
     
     


  10. jackson64
    many things to consider..1990's gold eagle just sold for $36,000+!!
    I believe the time to invest in some 70's is too late.The past few years have seen hundreds of perfect 70's in population reports for every denomination..with many still uncertified I'm sure.The prices are relatively low for most though but with high pops probably won't see a great jump for a while.The 69's may increase at a higher ratio for these coins.Many coins of the 1990's have pops less than 50 as perfect 70's and still can be found for $300 or less..a great investment I would guess as not many more will surface.With increasing popularity of the registry ranking system, the 70's will always be in demand.For a non-registry coin{one I buy for owning and not points}I go with the 69's too....Kinda off the subject but am I the only one who notices that AU58 coins are more often much more eye-appealing and over all nicer coins than their MS60-62 counterparts? They may have only the slightest/almost undetectable rub and then must be virtually scratch free with outstanding luster and strike..whereas an Ms60-62 often is dull with even scratches or marks evident in prime focus areas like cheeks/face/eagles etc..and/or weakly struck...any thoughts on this from others who agree?
  11. jackson64
    I'm low in the rankings
    I just received 8 new coins that I will be entering into my registry. Two were from recent auction wins and 6 were returned from NGC slabbing/submission. ** A quick note: my Modern coin submission took exactly 10 business days just as NGC lists--always great service even if I had hoped for better grades***
    Anyhow, these 8 coins will be going into my signature set-High Seas with my sailing ship themed coins. I now have over 200 coins in my registry but only about 40 of them are worth points. I guess I won't be moving up in any rankings or winning any awards--but there are upsides.
    I never pay extra for higher grades like a 10X premium for a 70 over a 69 ( I can't tell the difference anyhow) I always buy what I like, I set my own criteria and guidelines and NGC offers a great area in the Signature Sets for us to be creative and unique in our collecting interests. Thanks NGC/CS for a great way to show our collecting interests/sets that can't be found at the other, lesser registry.
    I know the signature sets must be a popular feature since the "views" of my set alone recently went over the 3,000 mark ( and my viewing of the set is not counted).
    Thanks to all at NGC for providing great service and recognizing that there are many ways to collect coins.
    here's a picture of my latest 8-no points coins...
    PS: Clay, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family in hope that you will have a speedy recovery my friend...

  12. jackson64

    A "Pocket Coin"

    By jackson64,

    for a raw set
    In my journals I usually talk about my Walking Liberty collecting, sometimes I talk about my High Seas sailing ship themed set/s, and since I finished my Mercury dimes..not so much on them anymore.
    I don't seem to write about some of my "sideline" collections very much. One of these collections is Barber Halves in F-VF quality. I collect these raw, although one or two have been crackouts when the price is about even to that of a raw coin.
    I'm not super picky with these. I believe the Barber half is one of the most attractive coins in circulated condition. I do try and get as much facial detail and L-I-B-E-R-T-Y on the headband as possible.
    I recently took a chance on a 1910-S that I came across. It has great details and full LIBERTY..a solid F15-VF20..it also is very "dirty".
    Not being one to ever clean coins I'm going to try an experiment. I've heard some older collectors talk about carrying a coin around in your pocket for a few months if there is a surface problem. The theory is a tiny bit of wear can eliminate some things like artificial toning, uneven color, light hairlines..etc..
    So since this coin only cost me $18 and has details of a $50+ coin, I'm going to run an experiment of the theory to see if I can "even out" the color and wear away some surface contaminants naturally..Here's the BEFORE picture..in 3 months I'll post an AFTER picture..hopefully I never forget to remove it from my pocket before laundering..some of the old pennies I find in my dryer are as bright as the day they were made--and dinged up too...

  13. jackson64
    after 2 straight times of being sniped........
    At 2 of the most recent big auctions I have gotten painfully sniped. In one of them, there was a gorgeous 1934-D for my mid-date Walker set. The coin had beautiful, distinctive toning and a full strike of the head area of Ms Liberty. For those familiar with the Walker series, you'll know how flat the 34-D head strike is and how prized a nice strike is. Well I had the high bid for a whole month prior to the sale. The night before the sale I even bumped up my bid by another $100 because I was leaving for vacation on the next morning and would not have internet access for the live bidding on-line.
    So I checked the auction a few days later, confident that I probably hasd won the coin, only to find that I had gotten sniped by 1 bid increment. There is nothing like losing a coin by one bid increment to really make you anguish over the loss.
    In my mind this coin has turned into a "once in a million" chance to fill the slot in my collection with " a unique and stunning dazzler" only to have gone by the wayside because I held back another $100 that I probably could have afforded.
    A few weeks later another 34-D showed up in a numeric grade of MS66 and was also distinctive in its rainbow rimmed glory. This time however I was the high internet bidder but lost the live auction to a bid of over $2300 which is well more than I could or would have bid. Losing by $600 does not sting as bad as losing by $25- that's for sure.
    So tonight I remebered that the Goldberg auction for a nice upgrade for my short set- a 1941-D MS67 was scheduled. I had entered in a modest internet pre-bid with hopes of sniping it on the live bid ( if necessary). By the time I got home and got online the auction had already passed the lots that I hadf bid on !!
    Oh no, not again! However it seems that my recent little run of numismatic luck continues. I had 4 coins with modest bids on them and I actually won 2 of them !! One is a crusty 1912 Barber Half in XF40 for my "One Fine Set" Barber collection which has all coins in Fine to XF range.
    The second win was my 1941-D upgrade for my Walker short set. I barely won by bidding between increments with my on-line bid, so it was nice to win an auction by just $11-- it helps alleviate some of that anguish of losing the 34-D. I have to say "some" because that coin will haunt me for a while.
    So here's the auction photo of my newest prize. I can't wait to get it in hand with my 20x loupe. It shows some dazzling hints of colors in the recesses and should be quite beguiling to drink in when I've got it in hand and can delight in all of the subtle swirls and highlights........

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  14. jackson64

    A Busy Coin Day

    By jackson64,

    21 "new" coins
    It has been a busy day with my collection...I love it !! I got back my NGC submission today and now it's time for the other parts of the hobby I enjoy.
    It is definitely about the coins, however I really get a lot of enjoyment out of taking the pictures for the sets & listings...also I really enjoy learning new stuff, so researching info for the desciption is a lot of relaxed enjoyment also.
    For pictures, I still have my Sony Mavica 10x zoom. This camera is so out of date, but it's easy and takes nice pictures. I simply slide in a floppy disk (told you it was old)...take the pics and then download the pictures into my computer ( I had to buy a seperate Floppy drive that plugs into a port because my new computer doesn't have the archaic technology of a floppy disk drive)...anyhow, then it's just a matter of cropping the pics to the uniform size I use for all of my sets, a little tweaking of the light and sharpness, and they are ready for the registry gallery.
    The description hunt is not as smooth, mainly because I get distracted. With my Signature Set of sailing themed coins there are several choices for the description. So as I look up and find info about either the country of the coin, the explorer on the coin or the actual ship on the coin...I get wrapped up in reading and learning. Many of the tales of the lives of the explorers/discoverers are fascinating..as are the cultures and nautical histories of some of the obscure countries they come from ( today's group includes coins from Nicaragua, the Turks and Caicos, Togo, Bulgaria and Caymans--told you, obscure !!).....I know many of you would rather schedule a dentist appointment than do this, but for me it is another aspect of my collecting.....
    So, as the December financial crunch hits me...I still have at least a month's worth of hobby enjoyment ahead of me...even if I can't actively add any new coins..I will still be "working" on my sets...
    One last thing...since I reached the maximum number of coins allowed in a Signature Set with the High Seas set, I'm taking the advice of some friends from here in our community and just starting "High Seas Chapter 2"...and the first 12 coins are already here and waiting to be the first additions, but I think I'll take my time and enjoy finding out more about them, where they are from and what they represent..
    here's a picture of the 12 new ones...( I also got 9 Canadian proof dimes back also for another set)

  15. jackson64
    2-first time events....
    I am still active in my collecting, for those wondering where IU've gotten to...just working on my Barber Half raw set and keeping my eyes open for any additions to my Walker Mid-date set (really nice 1936-S CBC, by the way). Nothing has really come up for auction that has jumped out at me so I am being patient. I did find a 1945-S MS66 that was really nice so now my entire 20 coin set from 1941 through 1947 is now MS66 or MS67.....
    Okay, enough of the boring stuff....two unusual events...
    First: My daughter graduated college about 2 weeks ago and I was out oof town for 3-4 days to attend her graduation. I never even went near a computer even though I had 5 or 6 things selling on ebay. One item was a double of a Walker half that I had upgraded and I was selling the old one. I had listed the coin and put a modest reserve, --I expected the reserve to be met but was still protecting myself from the coin going too cheap. When I left to go away the reserve still wasn't met. However when I got home that Sunday night--the coin had sold. What really was amazing though was that my email had 4 messages from the buyer. It turns out that after he had bought the coin ( and paid via paypal) he tried to register it. Being out of town I had not even had time to un-register the coin after it had sold. Each email was progressively more angry and offensive !! Away from town from Friday to Sunday and this guy was blowing a gasket and using profanity because he couldn't register it?? I understand being upset if you have the coin in hand and it has been days or weeks ..but 3 days? And he didn't even have possesion of the coin..... Anyhow, I ignored the rudeness, unregistered the coin and went ahead and mailed the coin to him without any retalitory words...life's too short to let people like that get under my skin.....
    And the second weird "first": I recently bought a nicely detailed ( by the photo) 1913 Barber Half. I got the coin at only about $60 for a VG+ worth $100 or more...so when the coin arrives the front is great, original and problem-free. When I flip it over and look at it with my X20 loupe--well the coin was a 1913-S and the S had been rubbed off and a convenient small scratch was there to try and hide the deed. A 1913-S is worth about $10 and the 1913 over a hundred. I had not even considered that coins of this level of value would be doctored--but here it was !!
    So I give the seller the benefit of the doubt, assuming that maybe he hadn't seen it or noticed it. I sent him an email and mailed the coin back for a refund. I never got a response from him. I sent another email--unanswered and finally contacted ebay/paypal resolution center to get my money back. He finally responded to ebay that he would refund the money, but never has--2 weeks ago. So now I re-contacted ebay myself and told them to give me my money !! Still waiting--but in the meantime, I have left my first Negative Feedback for a seller. Maybe I've just been lucky all of these years--when I've not liked a coin, I've never had an issue with a return and refund until this guy..
    So, a few "firsts" for me.
    Finally, as of today ( friday) my coins at NGC have finally been graded and reached quality control. Grades should be posted soon. Does anyone know if NGC gives partial refunds for very long service? What I mean is, I mailed them away for EarlyBird grading and now they have had them longer than the economy grading scale. I'm not being flippant--I wonder if NGC offers partial reimbursement for when you pay extra to have them graded quicker and they still take the length of time of had I sent them economy and saved $12 per coin.....hmmm..maybe I should call..
    here's a nice new pick-up I made for my album. A 1912-S which looks to border on VF30/35

  16. jackson64
    Stickers have no place near coins.....
    There are many things in this hobby that can get under our skin. I believe the reason that the small things irk us is because we truly love the hobby of numismatics. Some of the things that we are troubled by are more personal pet peeves and others are because of bigger trends in the hobby.
    I will admit--and I know it is a controversial subject but it is just my own personal feeling ( and for now Americans still retain at least the right to hold personal opinions) but I never liked the green stickers/CAC -money generating business. We already have a dealer with an opinion of a coin's grade, the buyer with an opinion which concurs if he is buying the coin and 3 professional graders who have reached a consensus on the grade and slabbed the coin--
    Do we need a 4th party grader to put a little green sticker on the slab to say in a god-like fashion, " yes, we coin superiors have deemed that the previous 5 individuals were right about the quality and grade of this coin-it is now deemed worthy of a green football sticker."
    Which brings up what inevitably happened--and the extremes of this.
    Irksome sticker thing #1:..I recently was perusing websites and came across a 1942 Walker Half grade PF64--listed right under a 1942 Walker PF67 and PF65. The PF65 was roughly $500...the PF 67 was near $900..and the PF64??..Priced at near $1200 !!!..oh, I forgot to mention that the slab had a "gold sticker/football"...I kid you not. I won't mention the dealer because I don't want to cause any discord to the dealer, they are free to charge as they see fit--but really? I know I don't have to buy the coin so why should I care right? Sorry but it just feels ethically wrong and bad for the hobby as a whole ( try explaining the grading scale and TPG's to a new numismatist and then explain the power of a little gold sticker to make the coin more valuable than others which are 3 to 4 grades better...
    Irksome sticker thing #2: This is very minor but irksome nonetheless. Has anyone ever gotten a winning coin from auction in an old generation slab with fatty plastic or green writing or rattlers etc etc...and placed right on top of the old hologram on the reverse is an auction lot number sticker? There is no way that sticker is coming off without peeling away the hologram also.
    Oh well...enough about stickers ( thank goodness auctioneers don't using stickers on Rembrandt's or Picasso's)...I have enjoyed some recent journals that have been posted. It appears that there is always a glut of coin journals at the time of year when the awards are near ( I remember a few years ago there was one journaler who so desperately wanted an award that he posted every day from Thanksgiving to the new year--it worked too as he won his second journal award even though he only had 13 coins in his entire collection.) However for the most part people have posted great thoughts on collecting and not about awards, awards, awards..I particularly got to thinking about a great journal on FMV's, registry points etc. Although these topics have been discussed prior, it is nice to read fresh thoughts and also see how disparate opinions remain on this topic.
    Ultimately, coins are worth what a buyer is willing to pay for them--many FMV prices are way overboard ( especially with the modernized minting process and wonderful quality the mint consistently produces.) Yet there are always coins that will "blow the curve".
    My example of a "blow the curve" coin...the 1943-D Mercury dime is of high mintage, common in MS67 and in the top 3 highest grade with FB's...an MS67FB example can be had for about $100 or less...yet I paid over 3x that for mine...and had healthy competition during bidding...if FMV factors in all coins sold at auctions when they deduce a value--then coins like this make the price appear higher than it may be.....happy holidays e1...and happy hunting...

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  17. jackson64
    but an old story
    I was talking with a patient of mine about a month ago ( who has since been discharged so no ethical issues involved) and the subject of coin collecting came up. As has happened to me dozens of times, he mentioned that he had a bunch of old coins. I told him that once he was no longer in my care that I'd love to take a look and let him know what he had.
    So he pops into the office a few days ago with a shoebox. We sat and talked a bit and then I perused the contents.....
    As is often the case, most of the nicer coins were of common dates..and the 2-3 coins that were of rarer dates were not in very good condition--except for one.
    He had a gorgeous BU+++ detailed 1854-O Seated Liberty Quarter. There was only 1 problem..someone, probably ages ago, had tried and scratch off the arrows !! I've heard of this being done.......
    When the mint switched the size of the seated coins in 1853, 1854..and subsequently lowered the silver content, they added arrows to identify them as the smaller coins with less silver weight. Consequently some schemers tried and remove the arrows and pass the coins off as the heavier, bigger silver coins of prior years. Little did the culprit know that he was altering a potential, future $3,000- $5,000 coin into a "damaged" specimen...all for the effort to gain a few cents worth of silver value !!
    Oh well, maybe I'll get it details graded..if nothing else it makes a neat little piece of numismatic history...but it's still a crying shame...

  18. jackson64
    didn't even spend a dime for it either...
    Ok, I'll admit that the title is intentionally misleading. I am writing this to record my own experience and so other colectors may appreciate the beautiful St. Gaudens photo.....My daughter had an art project due the other day and part of it was to pick a piece from the National Gallery of Art here in Wash. DC. I thought this would be great because then maybe I could walk down the street to the Smithsonian and look at the National Numismatic collection on display there.Anyhow time got away from us and we couldn't do both, so I was resigned to "just" visiting the National Gallery. Anyhow, to my delight and surprise the very first piece we saw on display upon entering was titled "Diana of the Tower"..a beautiful bronze sculpture which caught my eye.Looking at the lines of the figure the artistry somehow felt familiar...then looking at the sculptor...Augustus Saint Gaudens!! Since then I have been searching to see if I can find a smaller cast replica of the piece to sit on my desk where I look at my coins..but for now, here's a nice photo of the piece..
    sorry for the lack of a photo, I can't seem to get it to fit to download..anyhow the National Gallery of art website has a picture of it if you would like to see another beautiful female figure by St. Gaudens
    Diana_of_t
  19. jackson64
    trade silver and gold for paper dollars?
    I have read at least 4 or 5 recent journals where posters have talked about selling off their silver and gold bullion and coins while the price is "high".
    For the sake of a different perspective and so that visitors to our site don't think that we're all of like mind on this...
    I'm of the opinion that you haven't seen anything yet. I thought it might be of interest to some who read these journals to at least get a little balanced viewpoints ( and a little of the dire truth)
    Here's an interesting link that gives a FANTASTIC true overview of what we are facing--from a non-political or partisanship view. No finger-pointing or blaming...just the TRUE facts and numbers...
    And for what it's worth....I happen to be one of those--like Kerry and a few others here-- who is buying, buying buying precious metals...after all, the real question is--would you rather be holding physical silver and gold or paper US dollars?
    You really owe it to yourself to read this article and at least consider all possible scenarios for the upcoming year/s...
    http://www.silverbearcafe.com/private/01.10/normalcy.html
  20. jackson64
    you won't believe this one........
    I had casually mentioned on the Chat Boards that I had gotten my ASE 25th Anniversary order for 2 sets placed at around 6:00pm EST on the day of release ( 10/27/11).
    My order was immediately placed on backorder and every week or 2 I have gotten an email bumping it further down the road..EXAMPLE: your order is scheduled to ship appx 11/25..on 11/25 I'd get an email saying, " your order expected to ship 12/7..and on and on it went week after week..my latest was " your order expected to ship 01/06/12..and then as the 6th came I got another email postponing it until Jan 23rd.
    I actually called the mint after this final email and asked them if there was actually any chance that I still might receive my order- or if this random generated email would eventually turn into, " your order has been canceled" --as so many others have received after their backorders had fallen by the wayside because of dwindling supplies and their lower place on the list. The person I spoke with at the mint's phone line assured me that there was still a chance but that she wasn't guaranteeing anything.
    At this point I calmly vented a little- I also explained to her the bit of a pickle I was in by the circumstances. I really would like a set and am going to purchase one regardless. The issue is that I have been collecting coins for years and years and recognize the reality of what occurs with a high demand set like these. FIRST: a huge demand and dealers snaggging up extras, a shortage for collectors orders and prices skyrocket ( I believe some were $3000 for unopened raw sets or pre-ordered all 70 sets.). SECONDLY: next comes the over-correction ( which I believe we are in now) as dealers and collectors who purchased 5 sets try and sell off the extras. I saw a set on Teletrade I believe sell for under $800 for 69's in First Strike PCGS anniversary holders and even some perfect 70's sets at near $1000. Third: after the "extra" sets have cleared out, many of those who wanted sets and didn't have the funds at the time- Christmas bills, waiting for tax returns etc etc-- now are in the market and the true cost starts to level out as costs slowly drift back up some.
    I was/am hoping to get my sets in this window before prices rise again- either from my order or purchasing them already graded ( heck- $300 for the set + $200 for grading/shipping etc is $500 or buy on ebay for $700 already slabbed). But I fear that if I wait the 69's will be back over a grand by mid-2012.
    So to finish with a happy ending, I got a HUGE surprise of an email yesterday. After nearly 3 months since I placed my order, I got an email from the mint dated 01/13/12.." your order #xxxxxx has been shipped" complete with a tracking number !!
    Wow, I thought it was a foregone conclusion and had already been pricing sets and trying to decide what holder and grade I was going to buy--and now I am going to get my 2 sets from the mint.
    Of course it will be a few months most likely before I can actually see my coins because when they arrive I won't be able to open the box and look at them-- they'll go straight off for encapsulation ( mainly because I don't want to lose the authentication for the 3 coins that were also issued seperately).
    I won't bore you with more posts during the process about , receiving them, shipping them, their progress through grading and their grades-- do you really care if I get 70's on my coins??
    So, if anyone else is stuck in the same dilemma and getting backorder status emails--there may still be a faint glimmer of hope--no matter how dim that glimmer is getting, it might just still happen.......
    And my first journal without a coin pic-- my first grandchild, granddaughter Jade, now 17 months old--what joy !!

  21. jackson64
    low ball longshots sometimes pan out
    I know that this has probably happened to many of us at one time or another...the scenario--- ( and I'll keep it in the first person)
    I'll see a coin or a lot for auction at some site. The coin may pique my interest--yet it doesn't "wow" me for some reason. The reason can be from it not being the ideal grade I'm searching for, the "look" I'm hunting down or even that I expect that the cost may go higher than I'm willing to pay...
    So interest piqued but without the feverish enthusiasm that I get for the "must have coin"..I may throw in a long shot lowball bid. Well low and behold ( pun intended)..sometimes you get an email or letter with an invoice--YOU WON !!
    This happened again to me recently. I received the Scotsman Auction Catalog in September for the Oct 15th sale. After perusing through the Walkers and other halves, nothing caught my eye. No hole fillers in the right grades and only one date that I've been meaning to upgrade-my 1943. The 1943 along with the 1941 are the most common in the series with grades of MS67 and usually can be purchased in the $600-700 range for White examples and maybe more for unique examples with standout color, details or luster.
    The 1943 MS67 in the catalog was unspectacular yet solid for the grade. As expected for an MS67--it has satiny luster, full strike and very modest marks. Well to make a long story short--I threw in a bid of $450 figuring that the fees would make it a bit over $500-- and also figuring that it would sell for closer to $700....well, you know how the story turned out. I won for $425 and shipping and fees still had it at a little under $500. I couldn't have hoped for better for making an upgrade.
    Another benefit of getting the coin "cheap" ( it truly is a relative term) was that I've decided to keep my old MS66 which I really like with its powder blue toning. Usually I sell my older, lower-grade coin to offset the cost of upgrades but I think I'll keep it in this instance.
    So I guess the lesson is, it's always worth a shot..the worst that can happen is that you'll get outbid--and then the result is the same as not bidding at all.
    PS: I mentioned in my last post about taking a shot with a 21 coin lot of 1`930 Washies--well I struck out. No varieties and no 32-D or S...just a bunch of well worn common date coins...oh well, more weight in the silver bags.

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  22. jackson64
    I have had several of these old silver trays and bowls on shelves in my office for years. At various times I have displayed them as a sort of artistic presentation filled with world coins, Ike dollars, Sacagaweas and classic coin mixes. My granddaughter loves to rummage through the world coin tray with its strange coins of odd shapes, holed coins, different metals and strange writing. It can be quite educational for her when she selects one that has caught her eye and asks about it. I use my Krause to find the country of the coin with her ( teaching her to use research resources), explain the alphabet some ( as I am able) and use the computer to find the country on a map ( some geography learned).
     
    Lately I have been filling up an ornate and beautifully toned tray that is inscribed as being from an officer on a US Navy ship. A wonderful side benefit of working on some album sets lately has been the extra coins that don't make the album. I usually start with a few rolls to fill as many of the common dates as I can. Next I will try and plug the remaining holes to finish the album. Finally I will substitute out a few coins to make each page more uniform. One page may end up as white AU/BU beauties, the early dates may all just be evenly worn VF coins of consistent slate gray. Any coins removed for change-outs ( I won't say upgrades because sometimes I will actually remove a BU coin that sticks out like a sore thumb and replace it with a matching VF/XF example) end up in the tray.
     
    The trays end up almost as an artistic display--equal for my tastes as a collector to someone who would set a figurine or small bronze for display. Here is the latest tray I have filled ( I only spilled it over to show the depth of how many dozens and dozens of coins and the varieties these things end up with.)
     
    When I have time, I will show a couple of my "pictures" I have made with coins---I have found some old frames with ugly prints at consignment stores and bought them for a few bucks. Removing the print and adding a dark background, along with the mat and frame makes a nice display.
     
    Has anyone else used coins for artistic expression I wonder or am I just a little weird with it--whatever, they always seem to draw interest and if it sparks any flame for a future collector then that is just a bonus.............

  23. jackson64
    found some new sets listed
    I try not to post more than once a week at most but a few things have happened that I wanted to journal about.
    The first thing I wanted to mention is that NGC has added some new listings for the Modern Canadian series. The reason this got me excited was that one of the series is the $20 Tall Ships series. I've mentioned a few times of how only about 25% of my collection is actually worth any registry points because of the obscure ( and even no longer existing) countries that many of my coins in my signature set come from.
    Well this new NGC set happens to be for a series that I already have every coin, already slabbed and photoed. I was so excited to see it listed that I immediately filled all of the slots and now am #1 !! ( actually I'm more like the only one so far)... I just thought this was fun and felt like sharing the excitement.
    Secondly, I remembered to renew my NGC/Collectors' Society membership. This is also good because I "got in under the wire" before the fees increase. Before anyone thinks I'm going to complain about the new fee structure--I'm not. Nobody likes to pay more for the same thing but I understand that it's business and NGC's perfectly within their right to do this. If I didn't like it I could exercise my right to find alternative ways to collect (going back to albums, buying only pre-slabbed coins, joining a competitor...etc) So next year I will do the same thing I do every year, assess whether what they are offering is worth the cost to me--it really is that simple.
    Which brings me to something else I wanted to say. Great post neverman !! it is very refreshing to hear some heartfelt gratitude --having traveled and served in India and Guatamala doing work, I can say that most of us Americans have no idea how fortunate we are and how much we have to be grateful for.
     
    a coin from the Tall Ships series.. very cool coins with some holograms that really work well for the theme of this set..

  24. jackson64
    coming home to a full PO Box and 3 coin packages takes some sting out of a relaxing vacation ending
    Due to some various circumstances my wife and I did not take our usual February vacation to break up the winter. We both have been at our current professions and companies long enough that we qualify for several weeks vacation per year. Our usual practice is a vacation in mid-winter to break up the doldrums and get away alone together, and then we also take a late summer trip which will include the daughters-and now the granddaughter.
    I must admit to getting pretty close to burning out since we skipped our winter trip and had not had any time off since the prior summer. I usually don't like to purchase coins before I leave for a trip and have them sitting around at the post office for 10-12 days until I return.
    Even though I live in a community where a person knows the postal workers by name, the checkout clerks at the grocery went to school with your kids or go to your church, etc etc..I still don't like filling out the Hold Mail slip and having a bin of my mail -with boxes and USPS envelopes sitting around at the post office. All of my paranoia and mistrust of my fellow humans aside, I have NEVER had a single package or coin order misplaced or disappeared by the USPS--knock on wood.
    So I get back from a really relaxing and much needed vacation with the wife, daughter and granddaughter Jade at around 2AM on Monday morning--and I'm up at 8 AM the following morning after a 12 hour drive and off to the post office!!
    Nothing except for 3 coin packages in waiting could have gotten me up at 8 AM after a 12 hour drive from the panhandle. I was not disappointed. I had won a Seated Liberty Half for my "distraction set" at the early stacks auction that occured just before the big weekend....I had gotten sniped for a 1935-S Walker by a floor bidder..and then on the final day of bidding on Stacks auctions I won a second Seated Half and another Maryland Commem ( don't ask me why I now have 3 Maryland Commems in my collection--maybe because I live here in Calvert County and am just a homer.) The Stacks auctions charged me shipping for each package and mailed them each seperately-seems like a waste--but the invoices would not let me combine the orders.
    The final purchase I had among my pile of bills and junk mail at the post office was the 2-piece 2012 San Fran proof set. I have the 20th anniversary set with the reverse proof, the 2011 set with the rev pf and my OCD, which requires completion and/or symmetry to the things I do, required me to purchase the new set with the Rev Pf ( plus at $180 shipped for both slabbed by NGC PF69's I thought the price was good.)
    So if vacations have to end, and the daily grind must return, there is no better way to finish some time off than a full day of relaxing after travel and jumping back into my numismatic hobby.
    Here's the obverse of my 1847 Seated Half...nice almost PL devices but not very mirrored fields. I enjoy the way the forest green and gold toning isolates the date--Happy Hunting e1

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  25. jackson64
    pulled a rare/key date out of an old bullion roll!!
    I am far from being a coin dealer...the extent of my sales are selling off my old coins after I've bought an upgrade or clearing out a whole set to buy a key date-expensive coin for another set.Having said that, I am not above buying a bargain when I see it purely for the sake of a re-sale and a quick, small profit.I saw a nicely toned indian head cent proof on sale at an Amish market here for $50..which I resold for over $200 on ebay. Last week I saw a listing for 40 Walker halves{2 rolls worth} selling at around their bullion price and I took a shot and bid $200 for them both..and to my surprise I won.The coins arrived today and I was pleased by the first4 or 5 I inspected as they were nice common date coins from the 40's in xf-slider bu grades...then the 6th coin I peeled off said 1938!!! Harboring a little hope but not really expecting it, I flipped it over and behold!! a bright solid "D" staring me in the face!! Ok, it's not exactly like finding a "d" on that 1916 mercury but this is a nice xf40-45 coin with original uncleaned surfaces...a hidden treasure in my book!! What a thrill, besides the fact that this coin alone is worth more than I paid for all 40 combined, the momentary excitement of FINDING it was a rush.Anyhow, I think I'll sell these others off by small lots, see if I can make my money back on them, and have a free XF40 1938-D Walker to boot...I really love this hobby..
    MVC-084S.J