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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64

    Too Many Coins?

    By jackson64,

    my "set" is too big
    It's hard to believe but I may have too many coins. My signature set called "High Seas" is a themed set with nthe only requirement being that the coin must depict a sailing ship. I currently have 148 coins in the set listing....3 coins that need to be added...and 51 coins that will be sent for slabbing/grading on November 1st.
    This will enable me to reach my goal for 2008, which was to break the 200 coin mark for this collection. Unfortunately, signature sets only allow for a maximum of 150 slots. I sent an email to Collectors' Society and Amy (joiseygirl) was most helpful as always--however my options at this point are limited to starting a new set ( High Seas Continued?...or High Seas Also??) or maybe I'll only display my 150 "favorites".
    The hard part with that is that I really like them all. Not that I'd sell the coins I couldn't display-but I feel that my on-line display would only be a partial collection. I'm still up in the air on my decision--I'm also waiting to see if Amy can talk someone into simply adjusting the maximum number of slots allowed in a set. ( I seem to be the first person to run into this conundrum of set size so there has never been an issue until now).
    November is always a big coin month for me--I get an annual residual payment every November for some work I did years ago and I usually use most of it to get my sets/collection in order. I'm going to submit about around 60 coins ( my largest submission ever by far) and I have my eye on 1 big purchase (big for me). It may not be the greatest time with our national economic situation a bit uncertain, but then again it may be the perfect time to purchase a key-date coin. Prices for collector quality coins seem to be dropping a bit as some people are selling off due to financial hardship and others don't have available funds to bid on coins right now.
    More coins on the market and less potential buyers means better deals can be found. This may be the perfect time to snag a $2000 coin for $1200 or less--we'll see.
    Here's the latest piece for my Mercury dime short set. I prefer a blast white/lustrous/flowlines dime...this one just jumped out at me however with her beautiful amber rim toning...1942-D MS67FB...

  2. jackson64
    two of my top "want list" coins are available
    First of all, hello to all who read these and especially to my friends here at CS whom I correspond with. Another "Numismatic year" has drawn to a close and this will be my first journal entry of the new year. I hope that everyone had an enjoyable year with the hobby and that next year is even better.
    Okay, here's what compelled me to write again.....
    I have been drooling over a particular coin in a seller's ebay store for over a year. The price seems outrageous but I had actually reached the point where I was trying to figure out how I might swing the cost. ( I have it on my watch list and have been clicking/re-visiting this coin over and over and over) Recently I discovered that an example of the same coin will be sold at a particular upcoming auction.
    I expect it to sell for quite a bit but still far less than what the ebay seller is asking for his. I really can't justify spending a large amount on myself during the Christmas season so I went through my "strays" (coins that don't fit sets) and sold a little under $1500 worth of them to raise money for the coin--problem solved......not quite so fast.
    Today, while browsing upcoming auctions at other sites, I discover one of the few remaining Walker halves that I need to finish my set. The coin is gorgeous and meets my criteria for the set...unfortunately it would cost enough that I wouldn't have enough "coin money" left to purchase my long sought-after prize......
    I really am bad at these kind of decisions. I clicked off of the Walker pictures and called up the images of the other coin. It took me about 2 seconds to make up my mind. In the end I decided to try for the grand prize and just hope that another handsome Walker example of the date I need pops up in the future.
    I will post a picture of the coin in a future entry, if I win the auction.....for now, here's a picture of one of my favorite coins from my signature set...good luck hunting e1 and I hope Santa brings you all that your hearts desire..

  3. jackson64

    Triplets !!

    By jackson64,

    octomom better look out......
    I haven't written a journal entry in about 6 weeks so this is overdue--and no, octomom has nothing to fear from me. In fact, my "triplets" consist of my recently added 1942-P Mercury dime that is a well matched coin for my 1942-D and 1942-S. For those who may have read my journal entry from a few months ago titled "twins"..I have been looking for a 1942 to match these other 2 coins with their handsome rim toning.(you really need to take a closer look at this coin in the gallery for the set to get an appreciation for it)
    I know it probably seems strange to some, however I actually passed up an opportunity to buy a nicely discounted 1942 FB which is worth more than 4 times as many points !!...since my goal for the set was not to build a top ranking set but just an MS67 set with well matched coins..it was worth waiting for this little gem.
    My enjoyment of and passion for the hobby has been as satisfying as ever....although I have not been adding as many new coins to my collection, I have been enjoying numismatics in other ways; reading journals and forums, email correspondence, working on better photo taking, I read David Lange's books on Mercury Dimes and Buffalo nickels and also read the "Collecting and Investing Strategies For Walking Liberty Halves". Of course I also have been enjoying the hunt !!
    My slowing of additions is not so much that I have been hit by the "economic crisis"..it is more a case of cautiously getting my "house in order." I've been paying off the last of my debts, stocked up on 6+ months of non-perishable food items, stuffing a few extra dollars in the mattress.. not because I'm forseeing any kind of collapse or chaos, I just feel that as a husband and father that I should be better prepared for any eventuality.
    All right, enough of that talk..my head already hurts from hearing all of the doom and gloom and my hobbies are an escape...( can't wait for spring and starting my vegetable garden)
    Anyhow, I'm down to needing just one last mercury to finish my set..one last Walker to finish that set..I've added 6 new Canadian proof dimes to my current registry set, and I started my Canadian $2 bi-metallic proof set with 4 purchases ( only 2 slabbed so far. So looking back on my 2009 goals--I'm well on my way and still focused and not straying from course.
    The Whitman coin expo is coming to Baltimore Convention Center in a few weeks and I have a few hundred put away to spend there. I won't have enough to buy the Walker I need, and highly doubt that I'll find any additions for my Canadian sets..but I might find that last Mercury dime I need in an NGC slab...also I'll kill a lot of time at the World Coin dealers looking through junk bins and cases for sailing ship themed coins..that set will never be finished and always provides plenty of options for new additions..
    So that's what I've been up to and the direction I'm going...here are pictures of the "Triplets"..1942, 42-D FB and 42-S in order...I'm thinking about a multi-holder for them...happy hunting

  4. jackson64
    the "facts" used as an example are not even close to the truth.
    I have only once ever replied to a journal entry, I try and keep the spirit of what the journal was intended for--A place for us as collectors to share our experience ( joys, frustrations and memories--thank you DM Merrill, simply awesome journal as always).
    I'm going to straddle the line here by clarifying some really bad misinformation, share an opinion and also share my most recent exciting addition to my collection.
    First, concerning some recent strange numbers posted during a venting about the 1941-S Walking Liberty Half. It was reported that there are thousands graded in MS66. The actual number by NGC is 216-- top Walker authorities and publications estimate that the true number is closer to 100 since many of these MS66's were submitted multiple times hoping to hit a "jackpot" of a price jump in MS67. As far as MS67's--there are not "hundreds of 67's and 68's" as you were told, there are 17 graded MS67's and not a single MS68 has ever been graded.
    Next, to complain that the prices/values aren't fair in comparison to other series ( in this case Franklins) is silly. The values are exactly what they are worth-period. Walkers are worth more because they are more popular and ultimately value is determined by demand-period-economics 101. The value of an MS66 is $1900 ( almost exactly what I paid for mine) and the jump which entices so many 66's to try for 67's is a $19,000 pricetag for an MS67. The last MS67 I saw sell at auction went for $42,000 so if anything the priceguides are undervaluing what the coin is selling for. ( PS: you can't compare rarities also of a series like Franklins with a designation (FBL)-vs a series with no designation, if we had FST-Full Seperate Thumb, there may actually not even be a single 1941-S with the designation, consider that !!)
    So the numbers of the pops are way off, the gripes about the price guide value is accurate if not conservative, and if a coin I spent almost $2000 on is not worth the 2500 points it gets--then let's just fix the whole point thing the easiest way...one point per dollar !!
    The point value for moderns in the registry is easy to figure out also. The registry is owned/operated by NGC- a business. NGC is by far the leading slabber of Modern Coinage and makes millions a year doing it. Dealers and collectors send in submissions after submissions hoping to win the coin lotteries and bring in a bunch of 70's. The dealers know that registry participants will pay 5-10x value of a coin if it is in a capsule that says 70. The skewed points system simply creates/fuels the drive and market by triggering these collectors innate competetive sense. ( And YES- I said collectors, because whether the coins are cuni, whether someone collects used stamps, beanie babies or empty beer cans from world breweries--THEY ARE COLLECTORS, value has nothing to do with this..and to say someone is not a collector because their coins are modern is snobbery. Conversely, if you purchase with value in mind or its long-term increase or profit margin, sad news-you are primarily an investor.)
    Okay, so that is the clarification on the misinformation about the 1941-S Walker--my opinion ( which will always be collect what you like and enjoy it--it's a hobby not my source of income)..so finally, my exciting new addition.
    I recently upgraded 2 of my Short Set dates--I bought a 1947 MS67 ( I can't seem to get a decent photo of this coin which is spectacular in hand but I can't capture the colors, strike, etc in a single image). I also just added a 1946 MS67 Walker. This coin cost me a pretty penny but with a pop of 38 and actually even 1 finer--I may not see another like this coin for a decade or more-if ever...so I snagged it--and yes, for the right coin with a unique look I will even pay well above list or priceguide value--because I am a collector trying to assemble the nicest set I can for my middling income level. I am also very grateful and humbled by the fact that I now have the means to spend over a thousand on a coin when so many of my fellow collectors may only be able to afford the latest in the Prezzie series--but I'm sure that if they love the hobby and collecting as much as I do, then that Prezzie gives them the same joy and excitement when it arrives in the mail and is added to their collection--let none of us squelch that joy of a fellow collector.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  5. jackson64

    Twins !!!

    By jackson64,

    almost did a double-take
    I'm pretty excited at the moment..I just won an ebay auction I had been watching for 10 days. When this coin first appeared I put in a small, cursory bid so that it would be on my Bidding list. It just ended and I won by my exact high bid..by 51 cents above the second place bidder !!
    It's a nice 1942-S Mercury dime..graded as an MS67, it will make a wonderful addition to my merc short set. I have to admit to being tempted to stray from my original goal. That goal was to build a nice, inexpensive set with all coins having eye-appeal and grading as MS67. The temptation is that sometimes an MS66FB coin is worth more points (sometimes 2 or 3 times the point value). So far I have resisted the temptation to fill the holes in my set with the higher point coin...and now with just 4 last coins to acquire I should make it.
    My last 2 additions...the 1944 and 1942-S are worth quite a few points less in the MS67 without full bands than coins graded lower at 66 but having FB distinction. However it was never my intent to try and compete with the big boys near the top, and an all MS67 set will still make the first page (top 25) of the listings.
    Which brings me to my latest acquisition--the 1942-S I just won. The coin is remarkably similar in appearance to my 1942-D. Since I haven't yet filled the hole/slot for the 1942, how cool would it be to find a 1942 Philly mint coin that matched too--triplets !!
    Anyhow...here's a picture of the "Twins"...NGC 1942-D MS67FB and 1942-S MS67...

  6. jackson64
    it's the desirability
    As has been said many times in journal entries, "the demand creates the value of a coin"-and also the number of points a coin is worth. Many people wonder about how NGC comes up with the points for particular coins...how do they weigh market value, versus mintages, versus condition rarity etc etc.
    Let's look at the Jefferson nickel proofs for example: almost all of the 1980's -2006 are worth only 3 points for a PF69UCAM, which makes sense since there are tens of thousands of these graded and they can be bought for below the cost of the slab. The PF70's of these dates range from $100-300 in price, thus the 100 points is fair-there are dozens of each date at 70 and the lower amount of 70's the more the points go up.
    There are some exceptions but for good reason..the 1994 and 1997 SP coins have miniscule mintages {they are probably undervalued in the market} and when the nickel design changes these coins will be VERY hard to find.
    My main point is going to be about the heavy points for Ultra Cameo as opposed to a plain proof or SMS. In the case of the SMS coins an UCAM is incredibly rare. Take for example the 1965, NGC has only certified FIVE!!! UCAM coins-3 in 66 and 2 in 67 --if anything these coins are underweighted in point value. {PCGS populations are similar} put simply, there are over 136,000,000 non-cameo 1965's and 5 deep cameo's? The price and demand also reflect this {obviously this is not news to collectors} as on the rare occasion that one appears for sale it sells for THOUSANDS---of course it is worth more points-and it actually should be worth even higher if mathematical ratios were considered. I pay higher for a wonderfully contrasted and deeply mirrored cameo coin and it seems to be the consensus in Numismatics that these are preferred.
    All things considered, NGC does a wonderful job at assigning points and weighing all of the factors before setting the point level. I too understand the frustration of the points...My 64 may be worth 100 points but a 65 may be worth 800 points-doesn't seem fair--but the reason I bought ther 64 is because it cost $250 and the 65 cost $1500.
    There are always going to be undervalued coins for their rarity, and market and demands for some coins change--and that is why NGC gives you the option of contacting them for a Point Change. If you present a viable reason/evidence to them, they will change the point values { I know this from experience}, but for the most part they do an incredible job weighing all of the factors and coming up with a great system for points---even if it is like grading..an imperfect science.

  7. jackson64
    who do I call..how do I get it listed as a recognised variety?
    Just got my 1917-S in the mail today for my year set and as I studied my new acquisition to my amazement I found some odd things about it.Most notably was a raised area which looks like a ribbon across the neck.I have had a few clashed-die coins from collecting 3 cent nickels and this is not that...neither is it a die-break..there are no cracks and misplaced metal, this is a well developed RAISED ribbon.Any ideas on whom I should call or to whom I should submit this to?The extra ribbon is prominent when holding it, I hope it shows well in this photo...by the way, I searched{partially} through Heritage auction archives of mint state 1917-S buffs and haven't seen another yet..a one of a kind?..what would be cooler a missing leg{3-legged 1937-D} or an extra ribbon from the braid?!!! getting caried away now..anyhow..help please..never had an error/variety like this one...
    MVC-167S.J
  8. jackson64

    Unexpected Bonus

    By jackson64,

    ordered 4 gold sovereigns and received 4 differing busts
    I admit that I buy a little gold "for a rainy day." I don't buy it at speculation or investment level-and I always buy physical gold over paper gold. I'm a firm believer in that old analysis.....
    "100 hundred years ago a man could buy a quality tailored suit for $20 currency or a single $20 gold piece. Today a man may buy a nice suit and have it tailored to size for $1500 currency, or roughly 1 $20 gold piece." Give or take a few bucks in either direction, it doesn't matter-the point is the same, currency continues to decline in purchasing power drastically.
    No, I'm not lauding or pushing people to be "goldbugs" or try and get rich quick with PM's. We have had many people on this board pushing others to buy precious metals. I remember one journaling member reported almost daily on the rising value of silver and the need to keep buying--even as silver reached $45, then $48, then $50 an ounce--"I expect it to hit $100--keep buying, the gold to silver historic ratio...yada, yada, yada..." In the end when silver dropped back under $20 an ounce I heard nary a whisper from that guy ( or even apologies in case anyone listened to him and lost their shirt.) He did post about selling many of his pour bars a few months ago--probably at $25 an ounce--but never mentioned that most of them were purchased at 50 to 100% of what he was reselling them for.
    So, what little I buy is hopefully for the long haul holdings--maybe to liquidate for some living cash in 20 years when I retire
    My small amounts are almost always limited to 1/4 oz to 1 ounce and hopefully they also have some numismatic qualities that I can enjoy. It is actually unusual for me to buy 4 at a time of the same type or denomination. I like to get a rooster, an angel, an old napolean, a maple leaf, krugerand, AGE etc...one 1/4 oz piece of different designs ( raw also most often--I like to handle the gold coins.) I still want one of those 50 peso gold mexican coins--just beautiful--and I never purchased the $20 High Relief gold eagle and now it will cost me quite a bit more to have one.
    I recently watched a BBC or history channel show as an informative piece about gold mining. Currently, it costs the larger mines in China and Africa around $1200 an ounce to mine, smelt, test, pour, ship and sell the gold they dig. This got me thinking that now might be the time for me personally to add a little more--get it while the gettins good.
    So I place an order with Silvertowne. I use them often because they are always having various sales on "Hot Items" that are near melt costs and if you can find a Hot Item with a free shipping category, then you can get even nicer bargains. So I order 4 sovereigns-roughly 1 ounce total of gold--and to my surprise and enjoyment, they selected me 4 different busts.
    It's pretty cool that they did this--just shows some extra customer appreciation, which in a day and age where waitresses sigh at you, fast food cashiers roll their eyes when you order food and grocery clerks stare at the size of your grocery cart and shake their head when you enter their line---a small sign of customer appreciation is very welcome.
    Not any beauties and not numismatic quality--but still fun for me to have 1 of each type--2 different victoria busts and a R facing and L facing George sovereign---almost makes me want to start a sovereign type set---almost.
    PS: I don't want anyone to think that I am asserting that gold can not drop below $1200 an ounce in the future--demand, inflation, deflation, govt policies about individual holding rights--lots of things could affect the value. I only was reporting what the documentary was stating about the costs for large mining operations and deep digging... happy hunting e1

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  9. jackson64

    Waited Too Long

    By jackson64,

    coins will be late for the registry deadline
    Well it seems as if my impatience has turned to resignation. I finally got around to making a submission to NGC on Nov. 6th...and my coins were received on the 10th....The current turnaround for World Coins in my tier is listed at 10 days so I figured I'd have plenty of time to get them back, take photos and add them to my listings before the Dec. 10th, year-end cut off. Well Monday will be December 1st and my coins are still stuck at "Scheduled For Grading"...at this point I am resigned to the fact that there is no way that they can graded, encapsulated, mailed via registered mail and arrive to me before the 10th.
    Really there is no big deal or hurry, the only hitch is that 9 of the coins were for a set that would have pushed me up to the #1 ranking...oh well, stuff happens and in the grand scheme of things it is not a big deal--no ribbon icons for me this year.
    On the bright side, I think I've found a new interest for collecting. I'm not sure I need a new interest with 1 Walker and 5 Mercurys still to buy to complete those sets (not to mention looking for upgrades)...however it is always fun building a new set.
    The series I'm infatuated with is the $2 Canadian coins (called twonies). The design with the polar bears is very attractive......they are bi-metallic....there are special issues that are more elusive (adding the challenge of the hunt)...for instance, the 2000 proof comes in 3 varieties--a base metal coin(cuni & gilt), an issue made from silver and gold plated center and a silver with a solid gold center ( a bit pricey and small mintage of only 5,000). There are also a few commems in the series and dual dated 10th anniversary coin in reverse proof ( with reverse metal also/ gold outer ring and silver inner ring)
    Anyhow, I'm sure that it's obvious that I've been doing more than just passively thinking about collecting these.....
    Here's a picture of the coin that got me hooked on these $2 coins...not yet slabbed, my 2008 gold edition from the limited edition proof set ( it had the silver/gold Champlain and sailing ship coin in it)

  10. jackson64
    Got to combine my 2 greatest hobby/interests...sailing ships and coins...
    Here in Maryland we have a long great history in both numismatics{ever heard of a guy named Eliasburg?}and ship/sailing.On saturday I went to the annual "Tall Ship Festival" up the road in Annapolis and was delighted to find that along with the Schooner Sultana..Delawares Kalamar Nykel...the ship depicted on the reverse of the Deleware 1936 Commemorative Half..was also docked there. To make things even better we were allowed to board the ship in small tours and learn a bit of its history and use.Although the only thing that would have been better, a ride down the Chesapeake towards the Atlantic with sails billowing, was not in the offering...it was wonderful just to walk those old timbers.When I got home with my family I pulled out my 1936 Delaware commem to show my wife and daughters...and I think that they understand the beauty and history I see in my coin collection a little better and appreciate them a bit more themselves... PS: for anyone who might read this, I have a signature set in the "topical" section called High Seas...all coins with ships, which is worth 5 minutes of any coin collectors time to view the photos and history of the coins in it..enjoy..Jackson
  11. jackson64
    I'm not sure of the criteria
    I finally received my 3 coins back from NGC that I had graded and they are even nicer than I remembered. For about a month they have just been typed letters in the "order status" section of the registry. I must admit that it is exciting when I get them returned-maybe even a bit more than when I first bought them, presented beautifully in their new unscratched plastic holders.
    I was studying them as if it were the first time I had seen them and I now remember that I had harboured a wild hope that my Walker Proof would get Cameo. Walker Cameo's are extremely rare. I am sure that they must use a different criteria for Walkers than other coins because the mirrors and contrast of frostiness are just as good if not better than a lot of Franklins that get Cameo designation.
    After some study and thought I think that it's because some of the devices never seem to be cameod. On the obverse, lady Liberty is often cameod but the sun and rays do not have frostiness. Often some obverse letters also are just mirrored instead of frosty. The reverse however is a different story--and mine looks like a full cameo reverse to me, even dare I say, close to Deep Cameo !!
    Now as I aspire to slowly finish this challenging 7 coin set I hope that I can find similar light contrasted coins to fill the slots. However at the cost of the early dates of this set I may just settle for "not ugly"
    Here's the reverse...not the greatest photo cause I tried to move the light to show the contrast and lost a lot of the details..I will add a better photo when I finally add it to my set listing..

  12. jackson64

    What A Haul-27 Coins

    By jackson64,

    finally got my submission back
    Exactly one month after it was posted as received I got my 27 coin submission back. I must admit to some impatience--they seemed to sit in "received" for 3 weeks--but I'd rather have the feeling that they were taking their time and really looking at the coins they get instead of just whipping through them and mailing them back. Plus I was told that the World Coin grading was a bit longer right now and throw in the fact that it was a really mixed 27 coins--and I have no complaints with the expeditiousness of NGC.
    Concerning grades there were highs and lows---ever the optimist I will look at the highs first. The big one was a raw SC$1 I bought from Heritage as an AU58--graded as an MS63 !! ( I really thought it was mint state all along and am glad the pros agreed) This is especially nice that it got a good grade because it was easily the most expensive/valuable of all 27 coins..My 1933 China "Junk Dollar" is not only authentic but got an AU55...very good news...My 1948 St Pierre 2 fcs got an MS62 and my Israel sheqel got a 66...I was worried cause both had a touch of milkiness..my 2 ANACS crackouts came back as the same grades (one even got a cameo)
    OK, the downers or mild disappointments--first I sent in 7 Canadian silver dimes (with the Bluenose sailboat) all still in their mint cellophane, got 2 67's 4 66's and 1 65...not bad judging by the pop reports on these coins--but not great ( I have no complaints regarding the grades since I couldn't get a good idea of the condition in the cello)...I also tried for a *star designation on 1 coin that I find exceptionally attractive with a lavender tone--they didn't agree. I still am being shutout on my tries to get a *star. I also am still being shutout on my efforts to get my first 70 on a submission. I sent 7 coins in their original mint capsules-3 were sent with the complete packaging (minus the COA) hoping this might help sway them to my side (I doubt by the time it gets to the graders the coins were still in their packaging, but I'm getting desperate seeing evryone else getting 70's) In the end all 3 packaged coins got 69'UCAM's and the other 4 in mint capsules got 2-68's and 2-67's. Although I may not be completely in agreement with the results--the shaking of my head is mostly directed at the packaging of these foreign mints. Many of the coins are free to rattle in the plastic and some get rim bruises...oh well
    I'm really excited to have them back...I'll spend weeks adding images, researching the history and after I get them all listed and up to date-then I'll move them around within my High Seas signature set (example-putting the 2007 Tall Ships series coin with the 2005 &2006 )..
    For those who haven't looked at my set for a while, I have been upgrading my imaging skills and replacing the pics...I'm about page 4 in the gallery. It's a lot of fun working on other aspects of my hobby: pics, research, reading etc... and it saves me money also since I am not constantly in the "buy more" mode
    With so many to choose from, I can hardly decide which coin to include a pic of with this post--here's something a little different..from North Korea--a dragon ship

  13. jackson64

    What's The Rush?

    By jackson64,

    worth the wait
    I may have mentioned in previous entries that I struggle with patience. I am getting better though at recognizing when I get obsessive and/or impatient--and consequently I am becoming a better and more selective numismatist.
    I recently started my Mercury dime short set and immediately found dozens of opportunities to fill the slots in my target grade range--MS67. After one quick impulse buy, a 99% FB 1945-S for only $65 ( I got reallly lucky on this one) I decided to do a bit more study before diving in full force.
    I have found out some interesting info that will influence my buying and provide me with more insight into bargain hunting. First; most high quality MS67's can be bought for under $100-especially with some patience. Secondly; judging by the population #'s of Full Band examples in ratio with non-FB coins, the Philly mint are scarce in FB designation, the Denver mint %has a vast majority of FB vs non FB; and the San Fran mint is about 1 outta 4 FB's for most dates in the short set.
    So I have decided to eat my words on some dates--mostly the D mint coins of this short set. I will probably fill these slots with FB coins. An extra $20/30 seems reasonable to me for a superiorly struck and detailed coin. Several of the S mints I'll pay extra for the FB also since the extra cost won't be too high..but for the P mint coins there won't be many-if any-that have FB in my set. I was stunned by how RARE ( and I don't use the word lightly) the 1945 FB is in any grade-especially the upper grades.
    Well, to cut to the chase, I now have 2 Mercury's in my set out of 16..and I have passed on a few that had great prices for the FB and grade because they either lacked luster (flow lines) or had splotchy brown tones. This is not a race. I plan on being a coin collector for the rest of my life and hopefully that will be another 40 years of enjoying the hobby. It makes no sense to me to build debt in credit cards or neglect life's other pleasures because I spent all of my money on coins.--Plus, when I space out my purchases I find myself spending more time studying and appreciating each coin after they arrive...anyhow, I'm not usually this wordy but I wanted to write down the thought process I went through in preparing to start a new set...as always my numismatic brethren, happy hunting...
    My first coin for my set--a 1945-S with shimmery luster and so close to FB..

  14. jackson64
    the tough get going?
    Times are tough, no doubt, and with encouraging news about the economic turnaround like "Job Loss Rate is Slower this Month"..or "Banks Report Smaller Loss than Expected", it is no small wonder that I have read many posts about fellow collectors selling their collections or leaving the hobby...
    Chat boards are slower, less journals posted, fewer bids on items at the weekly auctions.....
    Well you may have noticed that I have been absent (mostly) for a few months. Part of this is due to my normal summer hobbies ( fishing,vegetable gardening, sailing) taking away the time from my year-round hobby, numismatics. I have not added a new coin to the registry in a few months. This does not mean that I have been absent from the hobby though.
    When the going gets tough...the smart try a different tact. As a collector I hope it never happens, however there are scenarios where I'd have to sell my collection for cash liquidity. That does not mean I'd quit being a coin collector. In the past when times were tight, I simply switched gears--into reverse-- and collected as I did when I had little money.
    This week I started a fun album collection..XF/AU Peace Dollars. I should be able to collect almost all of them for $30 or less...I can take my time finding them, in fact, I'm going to try and find them all with the same color and "look". A friend of mine recently told me that this can be fun and not nearly as easy as you may think.
    Try building a matching set of XF coins from a series...all with normal grayish color, uncleaned, no rim dings, gouges or big scratches, and comparable amount of wear on each coin...still think this will be easy? Plus, I happen to really like the look of a Peace dollar with just a little circulation....(I think I might build an AU set of Franklins next)
    So that's what I'm going to do during these tight times...as a collector I will collect..it will just be a different type of collecting and grade of coin I'll be seeking...happy hunting
    Here is a coin that I bought from the hoard..Bob let me have it for $20..the coin is a Silver Eagle that has toned incredibly. It is natural toning, the coin happened to be in this small white envelope with the purchase date still on it, however I'm sure NGC would bodybag it because it looks just too beautiful to be real...guess they would consider it "questionable toning" (I have seen a few of these in PCGS slabs at auction on Teletrade though)...pretty coin isn't it?

  15. jackson64
    Will the coming cashless commerce system be the end of numismatics? Certainly it will affect the number of "business strike" issued coins but will the hobby continue to persevere with Bullion issues and the dozens of commemorative and proof issues annually?
     
    I was perusing some news headlines recently and 2 separate but seemingly related stories caught my attention---
        The first story had to do with a new record-low physical currency decline worldwide.  The global, physical currency has dropped down to an amazing 8.2% of all of the world's money. In certain countries such as Sweden and smaller municipalities in other countries, cash or paper money has pretty much become obsolete. Many other issues are causing this also. We now have the alternative payment methods of Bitcoin, Apple Pay and I even paid for a new Bose speaker at Office Depot with my paypal balance. Obviously credit and debit cards are the largest intrusion upon the domain of cash, but it is apparent that the trend appears to be that technology is grindingly eliminating the greenback.
      I read also recently where we are essentially in a "Retail Apocalypse" as  the old brick and mortar stores are closing by the tens of thousands. Coin collectors saw this happen a decade+ ago as the old-time coin shoppes of our youth have mostly disappeared and on-line webpages, weekly auctions and Ebay have made purchasing coins cash free and incredibly convenient.  Amazon and on-line ordering are burgeoning almost in direct proportion to every Sears, Radio Shack, JC Penney and Macy's that shutters it's doors.
     
      The second story I read on that same news page was also similar in that it portends the death of cash. It appears that the VISA corporation was offering several hundred businesses/restaurants  a monetary reward if they go completely cashless. Yes, the push is on to not just have alternative payment choices and credit but to actually eliminate cash.
    There can be no arguing that banks would love the elimination of cash and the ability to get a cut of every transaction ( often a cut from both buyer and seller!.) The governments of the world wouldn't mind the added revenue either as billions slip through their fingers annually when people have simple bake sales, yard sales, cash for an old riding mower or paying someone to paint your house or plant a few trees. Anyone with a cell phone could do the money transfer seamlessly. For those without phones ( yes, there are still some adults without phones) it would be fiscally prudent for governments to provide cheap phones.
      Of course this brings up many discussions concerning everything from National ID's, implanted chips to protect from fraud, the potential tyrranical implications of having all transactions monitored electronically and the ability of TPTB to "cut you off" for whatever reason ( from back taxes, child support or political leanings.) Surely this is a slippery slope but there is little doubt that there is also great upside from eliminating counterfeiting of currency, armed robberies would decline, much of the illegal street drug industry is done with cash and cash is just plain dirty.
    My personal opinion is that the days of physical money are numbered. I do think that the US Mint will continue in business as proofs, commemoratives and even a limited mintage of mint set/MS coins would be produced to satiate the demand of collectors ( as long as it is profitable to produce them.)
    I noticed that the journals now allow for polls so I'd be interested in the thoughts of my fellow numismatists......are we going the way of the dinosaurs?
  16. jackson64
    package from Australia
    Is it strange to say that someone you've never met in person is a "trusted and true" friend? Maybe in our age of blogs and chat boards and on-line hobbies and communication it is not such an odd thing to think or feel.
    Since I've been collecting I've had some wonderfully generous acts of kindness done for me. On one website that I am a member of--tradingslabs.com----we do these kinds of things for eachother frequently. If any of us spy a coin that we know another collects--well we send them a link or heads up. Sometimes a member just buys it and sends it to another without warning. The same has been true of my friends here at Collectors Society and the NGC forums.
    Since many know of my interest in sailing ship themed coins I get many heads ups from friends. The most recent was Gavin--aka RareSov who gave me a link to a new commemorative from Australia. I checked the Australian mint and wasn't able to find one ( they did have some at the Perth mint but I was unaware of them at the time). I emailed Rare Sov and told him I thought they were sold out--he told me of the Perth Mint stock but told me to wait since he ordered several and had sent them for slabbing by NGC. I told him I'd take one--no matter the grade and he gave me a price--which was LESS than what it cost him raw!!
    I received my prize today from him in Australia..my beautiful new edition for my collection High Seas...just a wonderful act of kindness in that he under charged me, had it slabbed and paid nearly $10 to ship it secured Airmail. I hope this doesn't embarrass him that I mentioned it because I have found that often these random acts of kindness ( at the risk of sounding mushy) are not done for accolades but simply out of a good-heartedness.
    I could fill several pages mentioning the nice things that fellow collectors have done for me...but the point is that we have a wonderful community within our hobby..thanks to all of you who send me the occasional message and heads up on potential additions to my collection--and rest assured that I have and will continue to "pay Forward" these acts of generosity...to all of my friends here, a heartfelt thank you..
    Here's a quickie picture..2008P Australia S$25 the Australia II racing ship--NGC PF69UCAM...PS: Rare Sov even sent me the mint packaging which includes a piece of the sail from this ship and an extra bonus coin --a twelve sided 50c piece with the Australia II

  17. jackson64

    working on my sets

    By jackson64,

    a labor of love
    spent a few hours this morning adding some of the coins I just got back from NGC to my Signature set....I know that I probably spent a few dollars more encapsulating a couple of them than the coins are actually valued at. Their worth to me is a different subject though...worth every penny to slab them and become part of my High Seas signature set...Of the 8 coins I added today {half dozen to add later} I included my first 2 gold coins for this set; 2 coins from the Middle East; 1 from South America; a Polish zloty "coin within a coin" design and a few Carribean coins. The real time is spent gathering info on the coin/history/ship depicted/country etc... then I get picky with the photos....like I said, a labor of love......
    this is a photo of the just added 2006 Canadian $20 Tall Ships series coin.."the Ketch"...second coin in this series with the hologram on the reverse..
    MVC-953S.J
  18. jackson64

    Worth the Wait

    By jackson64,

    shipping from out of country can be slow and worrisome..
    Just received a coin I ordered a while ago from Canada.Sometimes I order coins from out of the US and it's always the same...it takes a while longer to get here, and I start wondering/worrying after about 10 days.Anyhow, I don't collect many complete series of Modern Issues..there are just too many to keep up with them all. I do look forward to the Canadian "Tall Ships" coin series that now has 2 coins in it....but like the shipping, it was worth the wait. It is a $20 Silver coin with the unique feature of having a partial hologram on the reverse side with the ship on it.Last year was the water, this year a thunderstorm WITH LIGHTNING is rolling in to threaten the Ketch{ a particular kind of sailer}this years featured "tall ship"...I usually wait to submit 15-20 coins at a time for slabbing with NGC but I think I'll be sending in the 5-7 coins I have now so I can add them to my High Seas signature set{including my first $20 gold ship coin}..here's a preview photo for those who've enjoyed this set,I hope you enjoy it as I've enjoyed so many of your Signature sets...JAX
    MVC-988S.J
  19. jackson64
    Bet you've never seen an AU58 with this detail..
    Bet you've never seen an AU58 with this detail, or lack thereof..lmao..I just wanted to chuckle about this and share a holiday laugh with my fellow collectors who may view this. This standing Liberty Quarter had a Title on Ebay.."Standing Liberty Quarter 1928-Certified AU58 WOW"...first of all I rarely even look at a listing that says "look" or "wow" or even "stunning"..but the price was so low I took a peek..and of course I already knew that it would be HCGS, NNC, PCG..etc etc..and this was the coin..anyhow I did some thinking..if it was at least a VF20 and I can re-use the plastic capsule {a $3 value}- they snap right open, then a $10 bid would be ok...I won it for $8...the coin appears dipped, but not cleaned abrasively..however it hovers in the vg10-F12 range{I'd give it a 12 because of a full,seperate outer shield circle...anyhow, hope everyone enjoys my new AU58 and has a great holiday season..PS: dear santa, please bring me a 1917-S obverse Walking Liberty Half in MS63..I was a Very good this year...well, maybe not that good..
    MVC-025S.J
  20. jackson64
    Older years almost all have a few"scarcer" dates/mints
    I have a few modern sets that I have finished and add the yearly new addition to it. I have 2 signature sets...1 which is complete and one which is endless{sailing ship themed coins}. I also still like to start an album or folder and fill them with problem-free upper grade coins that still have nice eye appeal.I have been working on a 3 cent nickel collection of unslabbed, AU, circulation issues, for what seems like forever.I love silver half dollars of any type-in fact one of my "dream" coins is an upper grade Flowing Hair half from 1794 or 1795.One of the types of collecting I had never done before but started because of this site was year collecting.Finishing an entire year of any date before 1940 can be a challenge...it seems that every year has at least a few coins that are either rare, hard to find, or very expensive in mint state grades.After I finish the current set I'm building I think I'll start one from about 50 years earlier-and all of the series will be different...shield nickels instead of buffalos,Indian cents instead of Lincolns, Seated dimes, 2 and 3 cent pieces...well I guess this is one of the things I love about the hobby, my newest interest/direction is just waiting for me---if I can ever finish any of the ones I've already started