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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64

    A Lesson Learned

    By jackson64,

    sometimes a hasty buy is worth the lesson learned
    Early in 2005 I had a Jefferson nickel proof set {1965-date} that was ranked #1. When the final 2 westward journey nickels came out and were appearing at auctions and ebay in PF70UCam I bought them to update my set. By July those coins were selling for half of what I paid..{and now even less}. I only collect a few modern sets now-and none of these are top-registry grade sets.I have learned the lesson, however, of waiting for that newly minted addition.I wanted a 2006 PCGS PF69DCAM Sac$1 to update my set and checked the ebay prices early this year when they started popping up...price around $40....I decided to wait. By June they were going for between $25-30 on ebay....waited more....and last night I could wait no more, for $14.25 I now have my update to my complete PF69DCAM PCGS set.....They say that insanity is making the same mistakes and expecting different results...maybe I'm not as nuts as I thought..
    MVC-928S.J
  2. jackson64

    A Lot Harder Now

    By jackson64,

    Filling holes in classic US sets is a tough registry task.
    I suspected that the change in policy by NGC to not allow PCGS coins would make registry participation harder. I primarily collect classic US coins and was just finishing up an SLQ one-per-date set and an 1890-1909 Indian Head Cent Set.
    With just a few holes left in each of these sets, it seemed relatively certain that I would fill these shortly and could start thinking about which series I'd like to pursue next. Most often I have to consider key dates, the grade range I will shoot for and whether I will collect an entire series or break it up as a "short set" ( like I have done with the 1900's Barber Halves, my Indian Head short set of 1890-1909, Walkers, 1930's Buffs and Mercs.)
    However now I have to also consider if the coins simply exist in NGC holders. As an example, my Standing Liberty Quarter one-per-date set has been named "The Almost Set" as I made the criteria for AU grade coins only. A quick perusal of auction histories and Ebay will show that 80% of SLQ's for the final 3 holes I need are in PCGS holders---and it may be just as high for Indian Head cents in the MS64/65 grades. I have looked at the few that have been available in NGC holders and they just didn't have the nice PQ look to them for the grade that I have been assembling ( although they appear to be technically graded accurately for the most part.)
    What is more frustrating is the fact that I have seen an acceptable PCGS slabbed coin that would fit. I even bought a nice 1919 SLQ that was too nice to pass up. This leaves me with the choice--move my sets out of the registry and into the wastelands of the seldom-viewed "Custom Sets" so that I can complete them with the best coins or play the long game and eventually find the final few pieces in the proper, acceptable plastic holder.
    It is what it is and I usually just remove the classic sets from the registry as I complete them anyhow ( except for one set which I leave that won a presentation award).
    As an off-topic aside, I renewed my membership in November at the Premium level to get the $150 credit for submissions. I have LOTS of coins that have been waiting to be slabbed for quite a while. In early February it dawned on me that I had not received my membership renewal pack in the mail. Now I know that we no longer get a free coin in an NGC slab, a nice NGC pin, notepad or pens and classy folders with glossy paged price list and submission forms anymore, but I thought we still got the envelope with a welcome letter and coupons. I called NGC and they said they don't send anything anymore, that when you join or renew that you just get a credit when your submission is sent--not even a thank you or welcome back anymore. I guess I'm getting to be a dinosaur and the impersonal businesses of the 21st century are the new norm.
    Here's my 1919-S SLQ AU55---thinking of starting a custom set called, "The Isle of Misfit Coins" for the nice PCGS coins I buy.....

  3. jackson64

    A Lucky Nick On My Coin

    By jackson64,

    I never thought a contact mark could be a good thing
    Yes you read that right...I never thought that I could conceive of a scenario where a nick or contact mark on a coin would be good. Well, maybe not good for the coin but it works for me.
    As I mentioned in a journal entry several weeks ago, I have started a Mercury dime short set. It has been several months and I just picked up my 5th coin of the 15 coin set. My target grade was MS67 and I hoped to get FB's on the coins where the price difference was nominal.
    Which brings me back to the "tick". I had my eye on this super 1944-S. It had the basic criteria I'm searching for..minimum graded 67, clear face on "mercury" without any contact marks on the cheek, none of the splotchy brown coloring that some get, and of course I love the "flowlines" in the luster that is a trait of these little beauties.
    The reverse had a great strike and about 95% FSB's--the other 5% of the band that did not qualify was due to "the nick". I could easily lament of how much this coin would be worth had there been no nick---an MS68 lists at $230 and an MS68FB ( no "tick") lists for $5,500 !! However the truth is, that without the nick, I could have never afforded this coin. It would be sitting in the vault of some high end collector or gathering mucho registry points in a top ranked set here at Collectors Society.
    So as nuts as it sounds, cheers to my nick and my new addition to my collection which now has 5 coins---3 MS67's and 2 MS67FB's. I may never win the prize for #1 set...but if I continue with my patience, my standards and some frugality...I think I can assemble a superior set for the cost that will have similar quality/strike/luster and eye appeal...wish me luck, this may take a while....as always, happy hunting to e1

  4. jackson64
    Does the Wall Street "spot price" even matter any more?
    It just gets weirder and weirder by the day. Silver value as reported on comex/wall street -etc keeps dropping down toward $20 an ounce--dipping toward $22 today.
    Yet strangely, physical silver sales are hard to come by and in order to grab some physical silver the costs are closer to $30 an ounce--which is about a 25 to 30% fee per ounce!
    I understand that the big bullion dealers are trying to cut losses by making up for the drop in comex value with ridiculous mark ups--but this is insane.
    I'm not 100% sure of how it all works- but I know enough to see that silver (and gold) has been intentionally manipulated to supress its value. JP Moirgan should be under criminal investigation for their antics. Announcements were made for a week ahead of time among the big paper silver holders that a giant sale of shorts was coming up. It was 100% orchestrated and easily provable--yet nobody will even consider anykind of charges against the "too big to fail" crowds...they are now above the law.
    I won't enter into any postulating or hypothesizing as to why it was done--simple greed is often enough for those folks ( after all, Wall Street continues to set all-time records while on the streets we are seeing all time record homelessness, poverty, food stamp dependence and government dependency just to eat and live by tens and tens of millions of Americans.)
    Anyone want to explain why it is even legal to buy 5,000 ounces of paper silver for a fraction of the cost? Why can banks sell silver to investors that doesn't even physically exist?...
    So which one is the true value? On ebay people are still gobbling up silver at around $30 an ounce plus shipping---dealers are back ordering for weeks and weeks the shipping of larger quantities until they can get some in hand. The US Mint reported record silver sales in January and had to even temporarily suspend sales---even I have an on-going ad on moneymarketplace offering $27.50 each for a roll of ASE's ($550)-- that's $5 an ounce above the "spot" price --yet not even a nibble.
    Things are really, really starting to stink--if it's not Libya lies and scandal, wiretapping and phoneline invasions of the media-Associated Press, the IRS targeting groups to abolish free speech and grassroots patriotism, then it's phony Dow numbers created by the Fed injecting $85 billion per month from the printing presses to Wall Street coffers--(money that the US taxpayers are indebted for)---
    Sorry, I didn't mean to make this political and I never push for either the red team or the blue team--divided we fall--but all of this madness seems to be getting more inter-twined. We get our daily dose of "Everything is getting better" while 99% of us aren't keeping up with the rising cost of living.
    As the dollar devalues it was thought that physical holdings might add some mental and financial security--if not to make profit, then at least to tread water against true inflation of 14% the past 3 years-- yet even these safe havens are being manipulated...
    Okay, vented my frustration, confusion and yes-even uncertainty enough...I know, I know..."Here's a quarter, call someone who cares....." right?

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  5. jackson64
    and a few in sight...
    It's a rainy day here in Maryland..which means that my "summer hobbies" of sailing, fishing, and vegetable gardening are postponed for the day.
    So this is a perfect day to enjoy my collection. Often when I visit my coins it is simply to browse through the sets here at CS..however it sure is nice to pull out a few slab boxes and look at them in hand.
    I'm getting off track here..what I wanted to record in my journal is that I recently reached a milestone. My High Seas signature set recently surpassed 5,000 views !! This is a pretty amazing # to me because it is a true reflection of how many visits the set has had from other collectors ( the view count on my sets doesn't change when I look at them).
    I ran a contest when it reached 4,900 views on the Chat Boards here at NGC. The person who was the 5,000th viewer simply had to copy the webpage showing themself as the 5,000th viewer and I sent them a package of coins. Congrats to EZ-E who won the contest and got a 2009 SAE, a 1 ounce Cuba sailing ship coin and a handful of other coins with sailing ships...the contest was a token of my gratitude to all of you here in the community who have supported my odd little niche in the hobby with Nautically themed coins..and a special thanks to all who have sent me links and heads up when you've come across Sailing Ship coins or dealers who sell them ( a few of you have actually even bought the coins and sent them to me for free !!)
    It is generosity and kindnesses like these that keep me always willing to "pay it forward" to the next guy who needs some help or has a last slot/hole to fill in a set.
    Thanks again to all for making me feel part of this little community of individuals who share the love of numismatics.
    Here's a picture of a nice Australian sailing coin...sent to me by RareSov, all the way from Australia...he charged me only mint cost!!..he paid the slabbing and the cost of sending it insured overseas..gestures like this are very humbling...

  6. jackson64

    A Month in the Waiting

    By jackson64,

    at least it kept my impulse buying in check
    Well it's official-I finally won another addition to my set of mid-range Walkers. As my collecting has evolved I have become more like my friends LowBudget, Yevrah and Izzysdad...I'm buying fewer and fewer coins but not really spending less annually. What has happened is that I'm more focused on just a few sets and buying only upper/top grade coins.
    So several weeks ago I saw a couple of nice MS67's that would be auctioned off on Feb. 12th at a Scotsman auction. I really had my eye on one in particular. It was a 1936 MS67..an easier date but scarce in MS67 and of this strike quality. Well I placed a bid and checked in on occasion to see how well my bid was holding up. Just 2 days before the live auction and the end of internet bidding someone bid just $25 short of my High bid--only one increment.
    I had held off on any new purchases because I had an active bid and didn't want to overstretch myself ( I never use credit cards to buy coins). Anyhow, I upped my bid another 2 increments and decided to let the chips fall where they may. Fortunately the price did not increase and I won with my original bid..so after several weeks of waiting I have won the coin...add a few more days for shipping and I can add it to my set !!
    On another note, I too get a bit frustrated at times with the registry but for different issues. I have no problems with PCGS coins in our registry--unless it is one of those Last Minute Registry Participants from the PCGS registry whose entire set is all PCGS coins. I slowly built my set all year of Walkers and cracked the top ten--a nice accomplishment for this popular series. and GM Chow battled all year with Lantern for the #1 spot..then the last 2 weeks or so--TADA !!...two outrageously highly valued sets appear in the #1 and 2 slots..that would have sent me into fits..
    Anyhow, my biggest registry complaint will always be how points are assigned. Within the sets themselves there is no problem as everyone works off the same point tables..however when one compares series to series things are seriously skewed..
    Let's take a look at 2 series and compare some numbers shall we?
    A twelve coin set of PF70 Prezzies is worth 10,000+ points !! There are currently 71,084 NGC PF70's alone ( not counting the tens of thousands of PCGS 70's) for the 12 coins that have been issued so far in 3 years.
    By comparison, since I collect them, the Canadian proof dime has had 33 different issues in the 30 years of the series. In the 30+ years of this series there have been a TOTAL of just 16 coins graded PF70 !! Three of those years have 2 at 70 and Ten years have only a single PF70...and 17 years have no coins graded at PF70 !! Talk about Rare !!..However if I were to assemble an entire set of all 33 coins..with the ultra-rare PF 70's for every year available and 69's in the other 17 slots...technically the finest known, TOP-POP coin for EVERY YEAR FOR 30+ years..the total registry point value would be 8500 points...if you assemble the 12 prezzies in PF70 from the 71,000+ NGC coins you get a whopping 10,896 points...
    I understand from a business standpoint why NGC does this..they make more money grading prezzie submissions and higher points mean more registry collectors seeking out these coins for points..but as a collector...well it's frustrating..
    I have single coins that cost more than an entire Prezzie set that only get 200-300 points...I guess in the end I'll just be satisfied with the knowledge that if I need to sell that my 300 point coin will get $800...I'd rather have that than a 10,000 point set worth $300..
    Oh well, my vent is over..and by the way Jay..I can't believe your 1953-67 PL set is only worth 2700 points total..some of your top-pop coins in that set sell for near $500 or so..An amazing set you've assembled..
    Here's my new addition..NGC MS67 Walker 1936..fantastic strike and just enough color to make the coin distinctive..

  7. jackson64

    A Nice Little Bargain

    By jackson64,

    small deals can be big thrills...
    One of the thrills I also get with the hobby is when I find the occasional bargain. Recently I was scanning through the lesser viewed pages of an on-line auction site that has been dying out.
    Listed at auction and ending in less than 1 hour was a 3-coin, graded PCGS Congress 1989 Commem set. Opening bid was at $280 for the half, silver dollar and $5 gold coin ( 1/4 ounce). I did some quick math in my head...15% fee would be 28 +14.... = $42..$322 total for a $280 bid. 4x 322 is $1288 which was almost the exact amount of gold at the time..so I did a little more factoring.
    If I could sell the half and silver dollar for around $40--that meant I could bid $320 max bid, resell the half and dollar to cover the buyers fees and get the gold coin for roughly melt cost.
    So I bid the $320 and let it ride. A few hours later I checked the auction to see the results--good news!! The 3 coins hammered at the opening bid of $280. So I'll still sell the other 2 coins since I don't collect them and the 1/4 oz gold coin will be bought at the $280 or $1120 per oz rate..not a bad little deal.
    I'm not making a large score when I find these small deals, but it is always nice to find a purchase that you know can be liquidated in the future for a small profit if I'm ever in need of some funds ( instead of small losses which most of us take when we resell and are paying fees and shipping costs on both ends.)
    Anyhow, just thought I'd share the story in a journal so that I can re-read it in the future and remind myself that some of the time I spend perusing websites and auctions can actually pay off into real vbalue...happy hunting e1 and may you all find a few bargains on occasion.....

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  8. jackson64

    A Nice Score !

    By jackson64,

    I have certain rules that I always (most always) hold on Ebay purchases but none of them are fully iron-clad. I do on occasion buy coins from sellers with low feedback numbers if it "feels right" that a small lot or group of coins really does look like somebody's cigar box collection.
    Sometimes I will purchase coins from overseas. I avoid Chinese fakes and those with export/import issues, but I have gotten some nice coins at pretty good prices from Portugal, Spain, the UK etc. One must always factor in the shipping costs and don't buy from Europe or Australia if you expect the coin in a day or three.
    I almost never buy coins when the pictures are hazy, look photoshopped, altered or enhanced. It is this last "rule" that I broke when I purchased my recent addition-and it paid off. The images were dark, grainy and slightly out-of-focus. The darkness of the pictures lent the impression that the coin was darkly grey with mottled black areas.
    However with my inept photography skills, I have produced the same results from coins that had far different in-hand eye appeal. What I guessed had happened was that some darker cobalt blues appeared blackish and the overall patina was being subdued. Also, I felt that the strike was very good and although not FH, it was close with pretty distinct head details if not full.
    Chalk this one up to experience as I was right on the money! ( and then some!) The darker areas that appeared black and grey were indeed spatterings of cobalt mixed with specks of lavender and even a few emerald specks. The overall fields were a nice rose blush. The strike of the head has some flatness but far from the worst I've seen. Also the coin is a true Slider. I could see the graders struggling over whether this coin was an MS64 or AU58- fortunately for me, my set parameters and my checking account, they opted for the AU58 grade.
    So my nice little 1920 AU58 leaves me with just 2 coins to complete the registry set of SLQ AU's. I try and get nice eye appeal coins for the easier dates like the 1920 since there are more available and I can be even pickier than normal. Throw in the fact that I got it ( I'm sure the shoddy photo helped) at less than 50% of list and this was a nice little score.
    Here are the early, quick pics I took and then the images from the sale/listing......




  9. jackson64
    Fellow collector's looking out for each other
    A nice side effect of being in this registry community is getting to know each other's sets and interests. I have given a head's-up to a friend or 2 here when I've seen a nice coin that I knew they collected by theme, type or specifically were hunting for.
    The forums and journals are nice ways to share interests and the beauty of it is when the sharing comes full circle. You share with others your enjoyment of your niche interest in the hobby and in turn someone may share a nice "coin lead" with you when they see something.
    My latest slabbed addition to the bear themed set was a heads up from BRG-he of the amazing horse themed coin set. This was an extra nice tip in that the coin is already graded and encapsulated by NGC so that I can add it to the set without the issues of "is the added cost of grading combined with the coin purchase price too much more than the value and worth it for the collection?" A singular price--and that at a discount after I made a respectful offer near the asking price- netted me my Ursus Arctos-the great brown bear of the Black Sea region and eastern Turkey.
    Thanks again, and to all of my other fellow collector's who've given me these great leads in the past also, my warmest appreciation. Happy Hunting-------
    PS: as an added benefit, the coin is coincidentally very similar to the coins which inspired the set. The Canadian $2 Polar bear coins are also of the same diameter with bi-metallic rings of gold colored metal inside and a white metal outer ring..

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  10. jackson64
    My one experience at buying HCGS coins worked out in the end..
    OK, just the facts...I fell for a listing for 4 Barber halves on ebay...the coins I got were not those in the photos and were not the grades advertised {and even lower than the grades assigned on the slabs}...I paid only $40 so I figured I could salvage this small monetary mistake{the blow to my numismatic view of myself would be harder to fix}.So I pulled the little piece of tape off the capsules, that hold them closed{was already coming off on 3 of the 4},pulled the plastic apart with a thumbnail, and popped the coins out of their little cardboard/felt insert.I re-sold these 4 coins on ebay...listing them as only genuine Barber halves, their dates, and a photo...and got back $35 of my money{they were sold individually by me}.I then took the 4 plastic capsules, peeled the label off the insert{again in 2 seconds since they are cheap}and now had 4 nice holders to place some attractive bust halves that I collect only for fun and do not try for certification. It is now a JGC..Jackson Graded Coin...the one in the photo is an 1838 Bust half JGC AU53 maybe artificially toned, I'm not sure because like those guys at SGS, HCGS etc...I'm not a professional...
    MVC-620S.J
  11. jackson64
    collections are soaring
    A recent posting by NGC got me surfing through some of the dark recesses of this site. The comment I read was about the new record number of registry participants this year. Maybe the economic recession is not as bad as thought?..or maybe investors see the track record of coins as a long-term investment and have looked for other options besides stocks to invest in?..or maybe there are just more people discovering just how much fun and satisfaction there is in collecting coins and building ( and completing) a nice registry set.
    I don't Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or even text message..the registry has become my on-line community of friends. I really do love when I check my email and find that some of my friends here at CS/NGC have sent me a message. It's great to have people who share a common interest and a place where we can share our love of the hobby-- even though our tastes/preferences can be very diversified.
    The Registry Record I spoke of is something I noticed while surfing around on the site. I checked the Overall Registry points and noticed that recently, a 100,000 point collection will no longer rank a person in the top 500 !! That is quite a testament to the growing popularity of our hobby, the great job done here at the registry and most of all, the time and effort we the collectors have invested in our collecting.
    On a side note, if you do not take the time occasionally to view some of the amazing sets in this registry you really are missing something. I noticed that the #1 overall set was around 4,000,000 points ahead of the second place set. I recommend to everyone to check out Yeoldone's seated half dime and dime collections--sets that are beyond words.
    Keep up the enthusiasm and please, please, please....post pictures !!
    here's a picture of a little addition to my sailing ship coins collection..a territorial quarter from the Marianas

  12. jackson64
    If you like the design, there is some way to collect it.
    Collectors have a somewhat different mindset from the non-collector. It may appear a small thing but I believe it is almost a fundamental or foundational component of one's personality. The simple definition is usually of the variety, " a collector feels a need or compulsion to place things in order" I believe this often transcends into their non-collecting endeavors also.
    As opposed to the hoarder or accumulator, collectors usually have defined criteria--often self imposing certain limits, restrictions or parameters to make the collecting more challenging as well as to create the order we so love.
    In coin collecting I often cannot collect all of the designs I love or in the pristine grades that best demonstrate the artistic designs of the series. Key dates in a series often are a factor for me, or large jumps in prices for certain dates in higher grades.
    This need for consistency within each set has led me to be a collector of short sets, date sets and complete sets but in lesser grades for uniformity.
    I collect the Walker short set in MS66/67 but a complete walker set in those grades is not realistic for me. I finished a Buffalo nickel short set in 66/67 but some of the early date keys are pricey in those grades.
    My 2 recent sets I've begun and have listed on the registry as I complete them are a MS63/^$ brown Indian cent set and a one-per-date Standing Liberty Quarter series in AU. So far I've filled most of the slots with coins in the $80 to $150 range and can probably finish the SLQ's with coins in this price range and some patience in the hunt. The Indian Cents set will probably be considered "done" by me when I complete the 1880 thru 1909 years.
    I'm glad that in our hobby we can find niches to enjoy the coins we love without the daunting task of "getting them all", having a "top registry set" or trying to find a way to fit the latest purchase in the coin budget.
    A simple but pretty SLQ addition to my set--an AU55 1927. The AU is the lowest grade I could accept with my taste in coins for this series as I feel that the detail and attractiveness is lost quickly as this coin wears...just my personal taste, happy hunting everyone

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  13. jackson64
    another "setless" purchase
    As I have posted and written about over the years, sometimes I make a purchase for the simple reason that I love beautiful coins. There is no "collecting" involved as there is no higher goal than ownership and enjoyment.
    I got pretty lucky with this purchase also. The British Virgin Island bullion coin is an attractive design and I purchased the silver addition some months ago for a small case I have with ungraded, large silver coins. The gold gilt with rhodium finish coin I saw at a few websites and with a premium for a 1 ounce silver piece. My guess is that the mintage of only 500 pieces, the fine packaging and the rhodium finish to give it a "black and gold" look is why the coin sells most often at $100 or more while the bullion piece I acquired for $25 or less.
    I appear to have gotten a bit of luck. The coin was at auction with a note that the seller would be out of country for several weeks and the items won would not be shipped until January ( this was before Christmas.)
    Maybe it was the seller being too busy out of country to schill up the price, maybe it was other collector's not willing to wait for the gratification of receiving their purchase, or maybe it was simply that others don't find it as stunning as I do--either way, a winning bid of $33 was VERY satisfying for a limited edition piece like this.
    My first new coin arrival of 2017..Britannia and Pegasus from the BVI

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  14. jackson64

    A Strange Find

    By jackson64,

    got what I deserved
    I have a funny story to relate of something that happened to me recently.
    I am a full fledged coin nut..I always check my change and recently I checked some change that wasn't even mine. I was at a convenience store, and you know those little plastic trays or cups at the check out counter? You may have seen one with a little sign..." Take a Penny or Leave a Penny". I assume they are there in case you purchase something whose total comes to $1.01 or $1.02....or conversely, if my total is 99c then I'll just leave a penny there for the next guy.
    It's a simple convenience thing, primarily to speed up the line I assume. Well, for a numismaniac for me it is a potential search.
    The other day at our local Quik-E Mart I spied a penny in the tray--facedown--with very nice wheat lines staring up at me. With all of the smoothness I could muster, after I received my change from my purchase, I promptly ( and I like to think very deftly and casually) dropped a penny in the mini-tray and scooped up the wheatie and pocketed it. When I got to the car I looked at it--nope, no early date, not an "S" mint coin...so I stuck it in my pocket and drove home.
    However, something kept gnawing at me...then it hit me !! Cosmic justice had been served !! I was trying to be slick and get myself a free wheatie for a cheapo zinc penny in exchange..and the joke was on me. My wheatie was fake !!
    I got home and double-checked the date, sure enough..it said 1943-D..however it was a copper coin !! I had finally realized/remembered that in 1943 that pennies were made of steel. Oh well, I got a chuckle out of it..and I'm saving the fake as a souvenir to remember this funny episode....
    Otherwise, I also finally bought my final Mercury dime for my set..although it's not here yet. I'll write a little about that once it arrives about how anti-climactic that turned out to be...for now,
    Happy hunting everyone..and don't take any wooden nickels or fake wheaties..

  15. jackson64
    it has been a while...
    It has been quite a while since I have entered anything into my coin collecting journal and it has also been a while since I had good news on the submission front.
    Earlier this month I actually sent away 3 submissions at once: one was to get a variety correction on 2 slabbed gold coins--they both got the varieties and at no cost. The second submission was to use a coupon I had for 5 free photoproofs. I had no idea that NGC's photoproof service did such a great job and I wouldn't mind having one done of each of my favorite coins--as funds allow.
    The third submission was for 3 coins I had purchased and been hedging on sending in because of my recent run of bad grading luck. Two of the coins were raw-a 1942 Proof Walker, and a 1921 High Relief Peace Dollar-the third coin was housed in an ancient ANACS slab {still had the ANA & PNG logos} an 1893 Columbian commem which I cracked out to submit.
    I felt confident in the quality of the Walker proof{ I bought it from Stacks} I felt a solid 64 hoping 65 and it graded PF64 {still a great buy for $400} The 1921 Peace I got for an amazing $125 with the help of a friend at tradingslabs.com--in reality I thought maybe an AU58 {it is hard to tell on this date if it is worn or just mushy on the front design} and hoping it wouldn't be Bagged. It graded as an MS63 !! woohoo !! Finally, the ANACS Columbian from 1893 has great cartwheel rainbows but some scratches and hairlines,it was graded as an MS60 but I felt that NGC has a little leeway for exceptional eye-appeal. My hunch was right and it graded an MS64.
    Here's a photo of one of the 2 gold coins I got back- a "no mintmark" {chi} 1977 $50 gold piece with a Sloop for my Signature Set collection of Sailing Ships called High Seas..

  16. jackson64

    A Wild Ebay Ride

    By jackson64,

    cleaned out my "impulse buys"
    At least once a year I try and take the time to go through my various cubbies, drawers, safe and SDB and pull out all of my impulse buys. It is amazing how many random coins I acquire each year that don't even come close to fitting into any of the sets that I am "actively building." Not just my impulse buys but also doubles from coins in my real sets that I've upgraded, coins I purchased to help a friend out, ones I've been holding until bullion values rose etc.
    I could easily turn this into a discussion about whether we Numismaniacs actually have a "Hobby or Habit", however I'm going to try and stay with my original topic for once.
    There have been 3 wonderful advancements to our great hobby in the past 20 years or so ( although you'd never guess by some of the negativity you consistently read in the forums and here in the journals). The 3 great changes? First came the advent of Grading Services and slabbed coins..the security of having coins authenticated and assigned an "official" ( yet not always accurate) grade was huge.
     
    Secondly, there is the introduction of the registries. We all know that the point system is not perfect, heck, last week I turned down a chance to own the 12 Presidential Dollars in PF70UCAM for $299 ( just not my taste) the only thing that tempted me was the OVER 10,000 points for these coins. I have coins I've paid $300 for that don't even get 300 points..go figure. What we do have though is a great community or Coin Club whose foundation is its members/collectors, not just the NGC letterhead ( at times we can even resemble a dysfunctional family with all of our infighting and diverse personality and opinions) but in the end we all are joined by our appreciation and enjoyment of these hand sized pieces of amazing artwork.
    Thirdly, and sometimes overlooked in its huge importance to our great hobby's advancement are the on-line auctions. As a kid collecting, when I had a slot in an album to fill and my one and only local coin shop didn't have it?...I'd have to wait and hope that he might get one in the future, there were no other options for me. Now if I want a date-even in a particular grade or slab- I don't need to do anything more than surf through the 2-3 dozen auction sites, on-line sellers and inventories of dealers. Usually I even get to be picky.
    Which brings me back to the Ebay wild adventure. So I realize that I hadn't sold anything on the bay in almost a year and wasn't sure what to expect since I've been hearing how far it has fallen. I listed 24 lots/auctions last Friday of all of my doubles and impulse buys..by Sunday night I had bids on 15 of the 24 but most were just opening 99c bids. I figured I'd spent around $650 on all of the stuff and wanted to get around $800 in the end considering silver was around $11 when I purchased a lot of it and is now at over $17.
    Anyhow, to cut this short, I have now gotten bids on all 24 items and they are slowly inching up in price with the mad rush of snipers ( I hope) coming later tonight. I am no big fan of fees and find the "paypal only" rule offensive, however if you want to get rid of stuff quickly and get paid quickly..it really is hard to beat.
    Speaking of impulse buying...here's a picture of a pretty Franklin Half that I "had to buy"...as a friend of mine likes to justify his flighty actions with the phrase "it was a moral imperative"..especially since it cost only $21..
    SPAM: for those who care to follow the ebay story to its conclusion and verify that ebay still works ( and I don't make this stuff up) http://shop.ebay.com/jax462/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=

  17. jackson64
    Please do not add any "likes" to anything I post on journals ( or the chat boards). I find the whole facebook phenomenon to be a sad indictment of our self involved society. An entire aspect of modern society focused on self-centered, "hey look at me, what I did, ate, drank, vacationed" etc-- in desperate need for some petty validation by being "liked".  Thank You............
     
    Now to you, journal....
    One of my strategies I've had with collecting is to keep several sets in the process of building simultaneously. Often I will have a world set or 2, a themed "custom set", an album of thumbuster grade/quality coins, and a few US coin short sets. This strategy has worked well since I have many items to look for at each premium auction or when my coin budget is flush. I never feel like I have not added any additions to my set and am then  never tempted to overpay for a new hole-filler to sate my collecting desire.
    With several sets going at once ( but not too many) I can usually find a few hole fillers for different sets, then I simply weigh which one to purchase ( factoring scarcity, a good price, PQ quality, likelihood of finding another etc) based on the varying factors.
    With my 2 US coin sets down to the final 2 or 3 slots needed and pickings slim, I looked toward my themed sets and world sets. I snagged 3 really nice coins for my Bear themed coin set. A 2017 polar bear coin with diamond dust sprinkled to make it look like the snow and ice sparkle--very cool coin. The second bear coin was one I've been watching for since Gary posted his ( he got it because the obverse is an allegorical female, I bought the Greenland coin because of the regal beast which is on the reverse.) The 3rd bear coin was a clever geometric configuration design which forms a swimming polar bear and cub under the northern lights...all 3 are already on their way to Sarasota with a few others.
    I did find a few coins to add directly to registry sets however--my Jersey 1/12th Shilling set is a cool set and I just like the series. The series encompasses 89 years from 1877 until 1966 but only has 23 coins in it. There are several combinations of the reverse shield ( lion design, pointed or rounded shield, size of shield, lettering, etc) along with 9 different busts of monarchs on the front from younger Victoria to the youthful Elizabeth II and all of those between. There are no extremely scarce or pricey issues but they are low enough mintage to make it a challenge--especially if you are going for BU quality coins. I added a 1923 Rounded tip shield and the 1937 issue--pictured is my newest addition the 1937 with Georgus VI..............


  18. jackson64
    I'm not going to make this journal overly wordy. It has been, amazingly, over a year since I last posted a journal entry. I have been busy collecting though. I won't go through all of my activities of the past 12+ months but I will say that I am building, piece by piece, a highly-discriminatory 70/70 type set.
    The type set building has been the most fun I've had in a while for collecting as I get to acquire examples of so many different coins, have lots of hunting opportunities and even have bought my first coins of certain series that I've ever owned!
    On to the point-- I mostly presumed that I had completed my Walking Liberty Short Set as high quality as I could achieve without spending above my pay grade for coins in MS67 for the 41-S, 42-S or 44-S. I have swapped out coins when I found equal grade coins but a newer example was of superior strike or eye-appeal.
    The one exception was that I have been looking for a 1947-D in MS67 to replace my MS66 - as an aside, I truly believe that my MS66 could/should be an MS67- especially after the 67's I've passed over the past 3 years. I guess I could get a "+" symbol on it and a CAC sticker and double its value but I rarely go to such effort for + marks or to validate my own discernment.
    So I'm perusing Seated Dollars on ebay and just as a whim I decide to check for the 47-D MS67. There are several there ranging from attractive $3,000+ coins mediocre MS67 white blah coins for near $2000 and a few uglier examples around $1500. BUT LO and BEHOLD! The most attractive of the 6 or 7 examples is also one of the cheaper! Under $2000 for the eye appeal and dazzling toner that I'd hoped to complete the set with.
    After 3 years, ( over 10 years total to finish this 20 coin set) I finally acquired the last piece....what a great feeling for a collector.....


  19. jackson64
    I will always be working on 1 or 2 album sets
    Like many numismatists I started my collecting with an album/folder. It was actually 2 seperate folders for lincoln cents, one with dates from 1909-1940 and the other with dates from 1941-present {which was about 1975 then}. I can still see my youthful -script of putting the dates under the undated holes for the late 70's years as they were released.
    I am an enthusiastic registry collector...in fact it has revitalized my passion for coins. I love the community feel, reading the collecting experiences of others, looking at some incredible sets and the various and creative signature sets that people assemble. I send away between 10-12 submissions a year with varying amounts of coins each time. I will even, on occasion, submit a coin that has a value lower than the slabbing cost...just so I can include it as part of my "registry collection". Some may think that's nuts but I'll collect what I like, the way I like..and anyhow, that low-value coin may have a higher value to me than the "list price" says its worth.
    Having said all of this about the registry and certified coins, I still love assembling an album collection. I usually try and have a primary registry collection I am building, a fun signature set, and 1 or 2 albums to work on.
    The albums are great...I get to hunt through cheaper, raw coins without any concern for points. If it is handsomely toned I can put it in its hole without worrying about body bags. I can use hole fillers to finish a set and upgrade later or start another set. It is casual, fun and I still get a thrill when I fill that final spot.
    For the most part it is inexpensive, although most series have a few semi-key and key dates that will cost more or I can just compromise with a lower grade example to fill the spot.
    One of the things I love about album collecting is I get to actually HOLD the coin. I love the weighty feel of an old silver half or dollar in my fingers, not a plastic case between. I also love to open a page of the album and look at all of the coins sitting together with their older and younger siblings..nice neat rows and hopefully of similar quality.
    I found out today why the water in my house has been murky lately---our well is drying up!!! Well that's gonna be an $8000-10,000 expense I hadn't counted on...so it looks like I may be collecting a cheap album set for a while...I think I'll start a Mercury dime set, starting off just trying to fill all of the holes, and then replacing the more common dates with nicer coins sometime later. This way I can still enjoy collecting during this tight spot.
    Here's my newest replacement for my Franklin Set {I've already finished it, I am just trying to make it a more matching set now} Fresh from its cracked open PCGS holder, I have a great home for him..right next to all of his shining brothers...

  20. jackson64

    All my bids lost...

    By jackson64,

    I had bids in with 4 different auctioneers...
    well, the Long Beach event has come and gone...and since I'm not able to go to many ANA events out of the state, I am reliant on internet bidding. On 4 seperate items being auctioned by 4 different Auctioneers I was the leading/high bidder entering the floor auction....the results?..a big 0 for 4...sigh...two were coins that I had placed modest bids on, hoping to win and upgrade my sets without investing too much. One bid was for a hole in my set that I can't fill with anything above an MS62 because of a huge price jump in the 63 grade and above....unfortunately MS60-62 graded coins of this date have an even lower population than those 63 and above..go figure..anyhow, I bid Trends list value, was high bidder until the floor auction..and ended up not even being close to winning...finally, a coin I have now seen twice at auction, I felt I had over bid on and was feeling foolish for being willing to pay that much for it...well I lost that one too...and for once didn't wish that I had bid a little higher.....Maybe I'll just save my money for the Fall ANA Convention in Baltimore, go there in person and I won't have to get those dissapointing emails.."You Have Been Outbid"
  21. jackson64

    Alphabet Soup

    By jackson64,

    if you think there's any good
    I usually restrict myself to only using the journal as a place to record my experiences and thoughts as a Numismatist. There are plenty of coin chat boards for discussions on various issues. Having said that-I'm breaking the rules!!
    The preponderance of self-slabbing by anyone who wants to buy some slabs and a label maker can in no way help the hobby.That few dollars one might get a decent deal on is going to be off-set in the long run by the de-valuation of a lot of coins...let me try to briefly explain.
    For many new collectors, you may not realize that the market is very volatile--being huge in the early nineties and then prices for almost all coins plummeted after many people quit collecting due to various scandals, not the least of which was the over-valuation of silver due to the Hunt bros. It was not until the state quarter program that a wonderful rebound occured.
    Do not kid yourself into thinking that this market is strong enough that if there is an exodus of collectors that the coins you buy now for $200-300 could be valued at $20-30 if this happens. Really, how much is a silver quarter worth? If the slab says 70 it may have a value of $200 only if there is demand for it..otherwise it is worth only about $3-4.
    The biggest danger that these self-slabbing criminals at sites like ebay pose to the hobby is the potential to push away collectors and stymie the new found interest in our great hobby. If a newbie bought some of these junk coins in phony slabs and thought he was investing wisely, only to find out that the coins were over-graded garbage-if he were smart he would quit the hobby.
    I fear that if ebay doesn't start policing themselves, or NGC and PCGS don't step up and stop people from using their names and price guides to sell this junk..we may see another exodus from the hobby when the state quarter series is done. Then all of these coins we are paying hundreds for in Legitamate holders of real TPG's will be worth fractions of their current value.
    One thing I read is true--we the collectors set the value of the coins--and if something is not done to shore up and eliminate the fraud that goes on everyday--there will be far less people collecting and lower values of our holdings for everyone..
     
     
  22. jackson64
    Missed out on getting one and feel like venting
    OK, I will admit off the top that this is purely sour grapes but what else is my journal for if not to write my thoughts on my hobby.I do not like the constant bombardment of special LIMITED sets....it creates false rarities in my opinion. In 1995 the mint made a Proof American Eagle Silver coin with a "W" mint mark as part of a 10th anniversary set...recently a PF70 sold for $32,000 at auction!!!!...an 11 year old coin selling for more than most mid-grade 100+ year old coins...and why? An intentionally small limit on production...if these anniversary sets were truly for the collectors like I hear, then they would be available to us from the mint, not at second hand mark-ups from dealers who are allowed to buy multiple amounts of limited sets to start. Why not start at 1 set per order and later offer multiple sets if there are some left? Anyhow, I guess that the frustration is due to the fact that I can't keep up with them all....Anniversary Gold and Silver Eagles..MS and Proof Silver Eagles..MS and Proof Platinum Eagles of various denominations..MS&PF Gold of all denoms....20 state quarters{P,D,S-clad, S-silver..oh and Satin finish} ...lincoln cent MS&PF, new Jefferson nickel design MS&PF, Kennedy Halves MS,PF,SATIN,...Sacagawea...MS,PF,&satin...Franklin Commems X6...San Fran mint Silver dollar and gold $5 commems..Legacy Sets...Minnesota quarter die varieties...Golden Buffalos...my head is spinning, somebody please hand me a few aspirins, some rolls of Lincoln cents, and an old Wheat penny fold-up album please...thank you........................pictured is a true scarcity..a 1917 McKinley gold $1..mintage of only 5,000{probably less} and then finest known of this 90 year old classic, an MS67, has a Numismedia list of $10,000... or you can pay $32,000 for a 1995 Silver Bullion Coin...
    MVC-622S.J
  23. jackson64

    An Old Favor Pays Off

    By jackson64,

    sometimes even the good things you do come back to you..
    We've all heard the old theme said in lots of different ways--"What you do comes back to you" or "what goes around comes around" or to borrow a verse from the Good Book, "As you sow, so shall you reap". No matter how it's said, I've found it true in life that the things that we do, do indeed come back around full circle. The good things as well as the bad.
    Coincidentally I had 3 events this week that came up. I've shared before that I'm not shy about letting people know that I'm a coin collector. Some people hide their numismatic interests out of fear that it will make them a target. Now I don't tell people the value of my collection or where they are locked away--yet most people who know me are aware of my hobby.
    I can't tell you how often I get the old, " Do you still do that coin stuff?" or "I have a friend/family member who has some old coins, would you look at them?". In fact, as I stated, twice it happened this week and I also heard back from someone I had helped out about 2 months ago.
    The first incident was my wife texting me that a co-worker of hers had some old coins for me to look at. When I got home she handed me a reasonably heavy Ziplock bag. Inside were a $10 silver (1 oz) gaming token from a Vegas casino, some circulated Buffs of common dates, some circulated silver rosies and mercs, 2 dinged up Frankies, one 1922 Peace dollar, one 1886 Morgan, a 1986 ASE and the "find" of the lot, an 1878 CC Morgan but with barely full rims. I dutifully made a list with rough values on a sheet of paper for her co-worker and also an offer for the lot....she'll "think about it"..( everyone has a secret hope that those old family coins are worth thousands...sigh)
    The second incident was a gentleman from my Bible study group. Fortunately his house is on my way home from work because the coins he wanted me to look at would not even have been worth the gas...bicentennial quarters taken from circulation, some wheaties, and silver picked from change--maybe 8 dimes and 3 quarters. Also he had some old military notes but were folded and ragged. I made him no offer and told them that it would make a nice gift for a young collector or grandson to pique an interest.
    And finally--the callback. In late August/early Sept I had helped someone go through an "inheratance shoe box". I had given the usual free estimate ( I always do this for free, after all, I love looking through coins and maybe finding a treasure that has been packed away for decades-even if it's not mine to keep). The total number of coins was about 30 however several were nicer coins and I agreed to list on ebay some of them since I have a high feedback and total transactions. We figured that buyers would bid more confidently with me. Mostly some common date but nice Morgans, some Barber coinage and he even had a 1928 Saint Gaudens. Well he decided to keep the Saint and I talked him into letting me submit it for encapsulation..it came back as an MS63.
    Yesterday I got a call from him and he asked if I could sell the Saint. He mentioned that gold was dropping and that he was also really pressed for cash. To cut to the chase, I offered to buy it directly. I reached an agreement which is less than what they are selling for at auction but also more than he was asking for ( I have to live with myself-I wasn't going to pay him spot even if that's all he was asking).
    So, although I wasn't really in the market for one--I now am the proud owner of this incredible piece of numismatic artistry--not my first one, but I'll never get tired of looking at these coins..1928 St Gaudens $20 Double Eagle NGC MS63--a reverse shot of the eagle in flight !!

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  24. jackson64

    An Overlooked Coin

    By jackson64,

    A nice heads up from a fellow member
    I have always enjoyed the hunt for a coin. Whether it is a high grade coin, a low mintage issue or just some variety for a themed set, the hunt ( and find, of course)has always been a large part of the enjoyment in the hobby for me.
    I have had a recent find for a long sought issue for my mercury dime set--I'm in the process of offer/counteroffer right now but if all goes well I'll have located an affordable example of one of my top 5 wantlist coins.
    Also I continue searching obscure mints, odd websites and niche sellers for additions to my bear themed set. Lo and behold, there were several under my nose!
    Thanks to VUMC for the heads up on classic US commems. There are some with smaller/partial bear depictions and some with prominent displayed beasts.
    My purchase this weekend--a 1925-S California 50c Commemorative half-- ( in a PCGS rattler.)
    Happy Hunting everyone...and thanks to my fellow collectors who are always so quick with some directions and leads....

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  25. jackson64
    A nice little score with my ebay gambles...
    As I've mentioned before I am a bit of an ebay gambler. However now with the current high value of silver the risk is not as much.
     
    For those unfamiliar with my practices--I like to add to my "bullion" holdings by purchasing silver rolls of circulated coins on ebay. Sometimes they are total junky, bent, corroded, heavily worn etc coins that look ready for the smelting pot. Then there are the lots which have some decent coins of album quality and maybe even a semi-key. AND THEN....there is every once in a while a nice lot from someone cleaning out the old jar on the dresser, the jewelry box, grandpa's old keepsakes etc etc..and these may have some treasures.
    Well I've seen a few more coins lately of better value. Maybe it's that the word is out that old silver coins in that shoebox in the closet can net someone a few hundred, or maybe it is desperate measures for some who are trying to scrounge up gas money and/or food money with the rocketing costs we are seeing...either way, the lots I've been buying are not just the average roll of Walkers all dated 1940's with lotsa wear.
    I got a lot last week of 18 Walker coins ( not a full roll-which is a good sign it was a stash and not a dealer). The picture was mid-range showing 3 rows of 6 coins. From the photo I could tell that they were all pretty nicely detailed with full rims and legends. Also from the photo I could tell that they were original color and not overly shiny from having been cleaned, whizzed, polished or dipped. The seller had a feedback of only 110 transactions and only 3 within the last 6 months--definitely not a dealer but also a little risky. Anyhow, I took a shot--a bid at roughly $40 an ounce ( silver was only $34 on that day) and I had won.
    Now the good news, the package arrived safely in the mail with 18 neatly bundled Walkers-not even clanking together as some non-numismatists have mailed me coins before. The lot had 12 common dates from the 1940's-all in VF/XF quality.....3 coins from the 1930's dated 1939-S, 1935-S and 1937..(maybe even worth a couple of bucks each above their melt)..but then the excitement !! Three of the coins were: 1918-D in solid VF20-30, a 1920-S in VF35, and a 1923-S F18/VF20. Those are some nice snags for a bullion buy and exactly why I do this.
    I am conservative with grading also, a VF must have a fully defined seperation under the L breast and the reverse must have 2 rows of full feathers on the L wing and the eye of the eagle is defined. Anyhow, checking the values in PCGS, Coin World and NGC lists puts these coins at: 1918-D> $125, 1920-S > $270 and 1923-S at $120/150....not bad for a cost of $258 + shipping hunh, ??
    I often think of this thrill as like that the treasure hunters or metal detectors must feel when they snag a nice little find..it really is one of the cool parts of the hobby--uncovering a variety, finding a semi-key in a batch of junkers, or an error coin in change--it gives an excitement that only a fellow collector understands ( try getting a spouse or child excited about finding a quality 1918-D and see what happens).
    So I already have another batch of "ebay gambles" on the way. This was a strange auction listing. A mixed lot of silver dimes, 2 Washie quarters, 19 silver halves and 1 Peace Dollar. What was strange was that the dates were listed-- but of the 40 or so total coins there was no reference of mintmarks. So I'm guessing and hoping that a non-collector is selling this batch of coins and just didn't know where the mintmarks are located on the reverses--if this is the case then there is a chance for a nice score since one of the halves was a 1920 and the Peace Dollar is listed as a 1928 ( crossing my fingers that there is NO MINTMARK on that one). I'l let you know how I did when they arrive-holiday set the mail back a day.
    Finally...I had a bid in on a 1939-S Walker MS67 at the recent Goldberg auction but I lost, was outbid by a floor bidder. I enjoyed watching parts of the auction on-line live and boy is it tempting to click on the "BID NOW" box for some of those coins. I did actually purchase one coin at what I believe was a steal. I was able to get a 1910-D $10 Gold Indian for my gold type set ( aptly named, "little by little"). It is only the second coin in the set so far........REGISTRY GRIPE ALERT.......... my other coin in the set is an MS63 St Gaudens, list value of $2100.00 and worth 900 points or so.............okay, GRIPE OVER........
    So here's a picture of my new $10 Gold Piece, my Indian Eagle in MS62