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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64
    Well my Mercury Dime album set has been a lot of fun to assemble. I have ( for the most part) avoided my usual trap of assembling a set and then "just" upgrading this coin and that coin for another with a little more luster/detail/tone etc etc.
    I have upgraded about 3 coins of the teens and early 1920's for coins that have a touch less wear. For Page 1 of my Whitman, the general goal is full rims and dates--Page 2 I'm looking for some fasces details/lines and Page 3 ( the late 1930's and the 1940's years) I set AU/BU standards.
    I just purchased a nicely detailed and problem free 1921-D. The coin is in an NGC slab so I'll have to crack it out for my album. I usually am averse to doing this but since the coin is very solid for the grade and problem free, I have no issue with liberating the dime.
    Of course that leaves me with just the 1916-D. I have $600 set aside in paypal.  I had some unexpected expenses recently but managed to raise the funds for the repairs and left the remainder for the "coin budget." I'm hoping to find a higher detailed G6 or VG8 in that range ( or a little more), which would fit nicely with the min standards for the coins on that page of the album. I never really liked having a bunch of VF/XF quality coins on a page and then a lone G6 which stands out like an ugly eyesore ( even if the G6 is more pricey than all of the rest.)
     
    As a side note, I left my Indian cent registry listing up for now although I also created a Custom Set for the series. This enables me to continue to work on the set and have TONS more options for quality coins. I'm not gonna beat a dead horse but there are probably 9 PCGS Indian Cents for every NGC coin and as a collector, to limit myself to a particular plastic holder in lieu of collecting quality coins would be silly. I recently found an 1890 cent MS64 BN that fits my strict parameters and also has the look I love so this leaves me with only the 1892 and 1894 to finish my little indian short set.
    Happy hunting everyone---collectors adapt and the journals will always be a useful place for me to archive my collecting over the years ( although 10 years of my past journals have sadly disappeared  since my registry name and chat board names were sl8ightly different--very disheartening.)




  2. jackson64
    an arduous endeavor nears its end
    First of all, congratulations to all of the registry winners- each and every award is well-deserved and don't let anyone else's frustrated words detract from your moment of due recognition. Your passion for the hobby is evident in the sets assembled by some and the presentations done by others. I have had less fervor this past year myself and have taken a more subdued direction in my collecting. Maybe 12-15 coins added and half of those were upgrades to existing coins within my sets.
    Which brings me to the title of my journal.
    Several years ago, the primary focus of my collecting was my signature coin set. The High Seas sailing ship coin set is a Topical/Thematic coin collection I have assembled and then tucked aside for about 2 years now.It was the first topical winner of the Most Creative Signature Set -as the custom sets were called back then. That was the primary niche that my fellow collectors identified me with, I believe. However late in 2007 I started assembling a Walker Half Dollar Short Set as a sidelight set for distraction. The only criteria I had set for myself was- and this is a direct quote from the original set description-" to find the nicest and highest graded example I can for each coin for under $100."
    Well if you look at the set now you'll probably wonder what the heck happened ( or maybe I'm the luckiest collector in history for finding so many high grade coins for under $100.) What happened was a simple trade with a friend at Tradingslabs. I forget what I traded my friend rons but in return he agreed to send me 3 short set Walkers graded MS65. All 3 of these coins I added to my set but that quickly created a problem for my mildly OCD affected mind--there was an uneveness in the set now.
    As only a coin addict could reason, the proper solution was to upgrade all of the other coins in the set to MS65 also. Well eventually I added an MS66 and started upgrading again. Then came my first MS67 and a new target-- a Top Ten set and the highest graded and most PQ, eye-appealing coin I can afford for each slot-- this is sure a long way off from " nicest coin for under $100."
    So finally, after changing criteria and objectives, upgrading over and over and re-selling prior purchases ( usually at less than I paid originally ) I am nearing the end of the road- for real this time. There are only 2 slots left that I can reasonably afford to upgrade- my 1945 and 1943-D can both be bumped to MS67's when I find suitable examples. The other MS66's will stay as is-- My modest middle class station in life will not afford me the budget to acquire an MS67 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, or 44-S ( there may be an outside shot at a 45-S if I saved several months and happenstance brought a reasonable priced one to the market while I had the funds).
    So, here is the most recent addition, purchased about 8 weeks ago but I never posted it. I'll actually be keeping my current MS66 though since it is one of my favorites. A simple 1941 common date, but I think you'll agree- not so common appearance.
    I wish everyone a joyous New Year and enjoyment with your numismatic endeavors..happy hunting !

  3. jackson64
    and "hoard" may truly be the most apt word for this collection
    I have written over the years about several large coin collections that have fallen into my hands to convert to spendable money for the inheritors. Once also, a friend's parents from my church asked me to estimate-and then ultimately purchased several cardboard boxes of mixed circulated coins.
    Hoard one had 4 large rubbermade toolboxes and I shared great deals with my old friends at Trading slabs--rons, sam/coindude, antthe, monkeyman (rest in peace chad) matt and matt, walt etc etc...the rest I listed on moneymarketplace and finally ebay with the stragglers. Ultimately I did well for my friend ( whose brother had died) and the funds I generated from the sales enabled him to repair his brother's home and sell it at a nice price.
    Hoard 2 was just a bunch of shoe boxes but had nicer coins--common date AU/BU morgans, walkers and peace dollars. I selected about 20 higher quality "feeler" coins for a submission. They came back with modest grades and after I did some math, it turned out that it was not worth the time or effort to submit any more for the modest increase in value slabbed did not really offset the slabbing, shipping and selling costs.
    This last hoard is massive--55 cases of coins--unfortunately it is all moderns. It appears there are examples of every modern issue and special packaged mint set/proof set the mint has made since 1982.
    I say "hoard" because it is not just 1 of each state quarter proof set-- it is 5 to 10 of each state quarter proof set in both clad and silver, 5 to 10 of each complete proof set clad and silver, a P and D roll with mint wrapper of each state quarter--and yes, even $25 canvas BU bags of each state quarter P&D. ....and this is just state quarters, there are rolls of mint packaged/wrapped kennedy halves BU, prezzie dollar BU, westward journey nickel BU..etc etc etc.
    So I started by cataloging all of it in 2 notebooks--one book with proofs, proof sets and special mint sets and packaging ( like legacy sets, lincoln 4 coin and dollar sets, westward journey set with the $10 buffalo bill)...the second notebook is full of MS rolls, MS P&D sets, single coins and misc foreign coins. It took a few hours every night to finish this ( and also was getting an idea of how to break/group these items into saleable lots.)
    I sent away 40+ coins for slabbing--some of the choicer modern commems like the buffalo silver dollars,the handful of $5 gold commems, a run of 1/10th oz gold coins from 1990 to 2003 and 1/10th platinums proofs from 1990 to 2005, 2008 proof and unc buffalo gold 1/10th's, 5x 1996 ASE's and 1x 2006 silver 3 coin ASE set-- etc
    All of these will be for sale once returned and I'm hoping for a decent amount of 70's since all were still in mint packaging and left there.
    I may do a few more submissions since so many of these mint state envelopes of P&D sets are pristine. Maybe I'll get some top pops of tougher dates, some full steps, full torches, or even a MS68 Kennedy or IKE or 2 would make the submission well worth the costs.
    Also I'll probably do one foreign coin submission since there are boxes and boxes of those $20 silvert canada coins, canada proof sets, 15 different dated mexico uno onza angle coins, brittanias and maple leafs--I'll have to check and see if the values would increase enough if they received good grades or if there is a market for these foreign bullion pieces in slabs.
    It really was a joy and exciting to sort through all of these plastic cases--never knowing what I might find next ( I'm sorting through some proof set runs and at the end of the box are 1x each of 1957 through 1967 envelope proof sets-fun stuff).
    I will be posting an on-going thread on moneymarket place on the boards to sell all of this--foreign, rolls, sets and slabs..I'm waiting for the executor to give me the go-ahead to begin selling ( it ended up being my oldest daughter as executor which is a long story) what I can't sell here I'll probably list on ebay or purchase myself and set aside--I'm confounded as to what to do with $25 roll of P&D of each Sac dollar, each prezzie dollar etc etc--I can't sell on ebay because fees and shipping will probably leave me getting less than face value...we'll see.
    Here's a picture of what used to be my office...

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  4. jackson64

    Another Kind Gesture

    By jackson64,

    Q David Bowers....
    There are certain names in our hobby that will always draw a certain respect/admiration...Eliasburg--Reiver--and David Bowers is among those.
    Today I received in the mail a free copy of Q David Bowers latest book on Lincoln Cents--along with a nice personalized inscription and signature. The reason he sent this to me was because in the last issue of The Numismatic Sun's trivia question section there was a wrong answer. I happened to catch it and sent a polite email asking "isn't the correct answer???"
    I received an very friendly email directly from Mr Bowers that informed me that I was indeed correct.
    Not expecting anything more than maybe a mention in the next issue of the magazine, maybe a "thanks to alert reader/subscriber Jackson M. for pointing out the correct answer to last months trivia was actually...."...but instead today I received this nice gesture.
    This is not the first nice gesture he has done for me either...while he was writing his book on shield nickels I found out that he was accepting contributions/info. I submitted a few pages on the 1866 with rays proof variety...although it was never used in the book, I still received a free personalized and autographed copy when it was released...
    It is always nice to know that in a hobby where there can be a bit of snobbery by some ( not popular to say but true nonetheless) that a giant in our hobby can be so nice and genuine.
    As my first journal entry of 2008...I want to wish all of my friends and fellow collectors here at the registry a wonderful year enjoying the hobby we love.....
    I just got back 9 new sailing ship themed coins for my set...here's one of them, a dollar sized coin from Portugal with some nice golden rim toning and a chinese junk on it ( the coin is a tribute to the Portuguese involvement in Macau)

  5. jackson64
    3 recent whistleblowers have come out from Wall Street
    As I continue to see the gradual slide of gold and silver values from what were highs of $2000+ for gold and $50 for silver ( recently-not just 1979), I get filled with mixed thoughts.
    First is the feeling of anger that the precious metals I have stowed away have been intentionally manipulated out of their value. We all know that Wall Street is a bunch of crooks but when the occasional whistblower comes out--like Greg Smith from Goldman Sachs or Andrew Maguire has from JP Morgan and lets you know the details of how they trend these markets at their whim to sell a bunch to investors and then they pull their own money back out when the price goes up allowing for quick millions in profits--well that's when I get ticked. On top of this, the "too big too fail" banks that got billions/trillions in our tax money and 16 trillion from the Fed ( yes, that is true-16 trillion that the Fed gave to Wall Street in secret loans during early 2009)-on top of the manipulation they already of a huge advantage. A company like Goldman can buy thousands of ounces on paper of silver with just a small percentage% margin required !! I think that it was in March or May of 2011 that Comex raised the cash deposit to acquire rights to 5,000 ounces to $16,000. This increase was followed by silver dropping from near $50 down under $30 within a few weeks.
    It's still not a bad deal if you're a Wall Street bank because at $30 an ounce that is $150,000 worth of silver for just a $16K deposit. I always wondered what would happen to the price of precious metals if everyone who owned PAPER silver suddenly called their brokers and asked them to go ahead and mail them their physical silver. It would be the same as if everyone at once decided to withdraw their cash from their accounts--chaos. Obviously their are multiples and multiples of electronic money compared to actual physical currency and one of the untalked about subjects concerning precious metals is that they are buying and selling more than actually exists.
    When JP Morgan buys 50,000 ounces of silver for their $160,000 cash deposit, you don't really think someone ships them physical silver or that there is a ginormous vault somewhere where they place big signs on giant stacks of bars with "Reserved for JP Morgan" on it do you? No, they sell what they don't have possesion of and quite possibly doesn't even exist.
    Having said all of that--and I can send you links to verify this info and also about how the manipulations of market values are done, just PM me- after venting I also must admit mixed feelings. You see, I buy precious metals for one simple reason- they are a great hedge against the devaluation of our fiat currency.
    Unlike some who have posted here and urged others to buy precious metals "cause they're going up and you can double your money" I'll never say that. If precious metals double in value it's a good chance that gasoline, groceries, clothing and keeping the lights on and air conditioned at home is gonna double in cost.
    I always liked the analogy: in 1913, 100 years ago, a finely taylored suit would cost you $20 cash or a $20 gold piece. Today in 2012 it would cost you over $1,500 in Federal Reserve notes to buy that custom taylored suit-or you could still buy it with that same $20 gold piece. Salaries are no longer rising at the same rate as inflation and the devaluation of our currency- so I buy what little I can as part of a diversified retirement plan.
    Note: I'm not talking any financial collapse or anything along those lines--just that if we can somehow figure out a way to continue our debt-based monetary system, and creatively find ways to prolong the inevitable indefinitely--well it seems obvious that inflation is going to continue as it has for the past 100+ years. It just doesn't seem to hurt as much if I can turnsome paper into metals that may keep relative pace with inflation.
    So although I'm a bit peeved to find out about the precious metals value manipulation, at the same time I'm looking at this as an opportunity. I'm going to start buying bullion again. Silver may be headed for $20 an ounce and gold could drop under $1500..my guess ( and it is just that-a guess) is that 10 years from now I'll probably not be kicking myself for buying at current prices-I'll probably be kicking myself for not buying more.
    Here's a nice little item I picked up recently. The 2012 new design British Sovereign. Gold will have to rise quite a bit for me to make any money on this one as bullion-but I didn't get this one for bullion, I loved the design the second I saw it.....Happy Hunting all

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  6. jackson64
    crowded due to Veterans Day Holiday?
    I had a great day. It was Veterans Day and the start of the Baltimore Coin Convention and I was off of work, and off to Baltimore{about an hour north of me here in Calvert cty Maryland}..A beautiful 75 degree day, the last of the fall leaf color changes..just glorious. I parked a few blocks away and enjoyed a pleasant walk to the convention. The place was hopping..and huge..tons of tables and stuff to do. I checked out the pre-viewing of a few coins in Bowers and Merenas auction..I took the time to hold the finest known 1913 Liberty nickel{how cool is that} walked the bourse for 3 hours looking for a final coin I need for 1 set that I've been working on-with no luck. I did see 2 of them, both at too high a grade/price tag..$10,000 is not in my coin budget..finally, after a few smaller purchases of 4 xf-au standing liberty quarters for my circulated album set..and a couple of full liberty Barber quarters that were too nice to pass up, I ran into a nice woman{still don't know her name} who also had a table at the Ocean City coin show in October. We recognized eachother, chatted a bit and I asked if she had run across the coin I was searching for..she hadn't --but she showed me a nice NGC MS63 1917-D Obverse Walker that would make a slight upgrade for my set.We worked out a deal{my 1924 $20 St Gaudens MS64 which I had brought for this purpose and $500 for a swap....done!!} So I did not get my final coin I needed/wanted but I did get some nice fillers, a nice upgrade and some pleasant coin talk which I love.
    PS: NGC needs to get some different people at their on-site grading booth. I was a little disappointed that the NCS person essentially wouldn't even look at any coins, and didn't seem to know anything. I was twicw sent to one person by another and then back again..plus they were short with you and borderline rude. I had brought 7 coins for regrade check and around $8,000 worth of coins to be conserved and then re-holdered since they have been toning in the NGC holders. Well thats around $900 they didn't get today from me..and may never get.The workers seemed tired and aggitated and it was just the morning of the first day....they need new jobs away from the public
    MVC-915S.J
  7. jackson64
    After some recent frustrations with registry sets slots, I have decided to take a hiatus from Grading coins, submissions, NGC vs PCGS and even removed almost all of my Registry "competitive" sets.
    The frustration has long been building with the politics in the hobby and not just with trying to get through the myriad of confusion associated with collecting any modern series and their innumerable annual issues. Whether it is SP's listed as MS or as PF's, multiple slots for the same coin but with different names, incomprehensible points assignments ( 2000 points for some $50 coins and 300 points for some $1000 coins) or Pop report/census that only even lists about 25% of an entire series--the fun in registry participation has been sapped away.
    However my love of the hobby remains. This is why I have gone back to my roots--album collecting and raw coins. With my coin cabinet and chests with their velvet lined drawers allowing for better viewing, displaying and the weighted feel as I hold the coin in hand, I wonder why I waited so long. I think it was probably half because I enjoyed the sets listed on a page where I could add photos and had easy access to see which slots were needed no matter where I was. The other reason I stayed was the camaraderie among several members here that I PM on occasion, buy/sell/trade with and have been messaging with for years.
    Most recently I found an old Whitman Mercury dime album with about 12 coins in it. What fun the past few weeks have been !! Although not as challenging as the old days when I tried filling albums with just the selection from the 2 local coin stores--it is still a lot of fun searching for a certain look, a minimum standard ( full reverse rims and some vertical fasces lines) and hedging on some coins to hold out for a little nicer or a few bucks cheaper.
    I have re-discovered the thrill of passing up a $12 AU coin which I almost bought, and then later uncovering a $10 BU coin instead--saved $2 and a nicer coin, WIN ! The only downside is that I'll have to learn some improved restraint. As opposed to slab collecting where I may buy a pricey, graded coin once or twice a month- with the album collecting, I can add dozens of nice, quality coins for the same or less the cost.
    My most recent exciting purchase was a very nice set of Merc BU coins with "several toned" coins from 1940-1945 all PDS complete. The listing was vague and the picture so-so of a single, torn out page from a thumb buster. I won the "page" of toners for just $30 ( barely more than melt). Once in hand- WOW what excitement to find that most had glorious colorful tones and 75% were BU. The 1945 even has strong separation of the midline although not complete. I picked through and have mixed and matched with some "pristine white" coins and interspersed several of the toned beauties ( the rest I carefully removed and put in flips in my coin chest to enjoy.)
    Unfortunately, I am down to the 1916-D and the 1921 and 21-D to complete the set. Most of the teens and early 20's are in F/VF quality and all of the 1935-1945 coins in AU or BU. I feel at liberty to change parameters or grade limits per page in the album as I please so I've kept every coin pretty cheap to buy.
    I've never collected a shield or liberty nickel set and think I might start that next with mostly "readable date" and " problem-free" coins in lower grades but with honest wear. After that maybe a Morgan "short set album of XF/AU grades--who knows it sure is a lot less complex now and no disappointments for bodybags, perplexing grading results, massive shipping both ways or 17 to 20% buyers fees!
    Some photos of my recent assemblage which has reinvigorated my collecting passion. Happy Hunting E1......


  8. jackson64
    Power held out long enough to get in an auction bid.
    Our power at my house goes out for hours with a thunderstorm and has been out for a week or more 3 or 4 times in the past 3 or 4 years. We've had the 5 to 6 feet of snow 2 winters ago. A tornado hit Chesapeake beach 2 summers ago, hurricane Irene was pooh-poohed by many as a fizzle but we had no power for a week and many fallen trees here in Chesapeake country. We were down for 3 days during the "derecho" and have had numerous one or two day outages from particularly strong winded t-storms. ( At least last year's earthquake did not kill our juice !!) So needless to say I am well practiced and prepared.
    I have a smaller generator that keeps the food in the freezer from thawing and leaves enough juice for a few lights and to run the TV and DVD for a "storm party/movie night". We are on well water and I have mastered storing water bladders in the tub for potable water and clean, empty trash-cans for pouring in the toilets to flush. No showers and no tap water but it's livable. Coleman stoves, plenty of charcoal, board games, books and family--like I said, I'm old hat and living a week without power is now only an inconvenience.
    One thing though that I lose and can't prep for are on-line auctions and coin transactions. One of the power outages happened while I had a few dozen ebay listings and couldn't answer questions from prospective buyers. This time I had my eye on an elusive piece of eye-candy with a low mintage and nearly 100 years old.
    Usually my strategy is a low opening bid to get an item on my watch list and then readying to bump or snipe at the whistle if need be. This time the strategy had to change. Sure that by 7 or 8 oclock last night that I'd be without power, I had to go "all in" on my first bid.
    I actually saw the bidding stay at $200 under my max bid until the darkness came. This morning I went to work itching to find if I had won my elusive coin to fill the 2nd most challenging slot of my Barber "short set" ( 1900-1915). I immediately logged into my account and checked--huzzah--I'd won the coin although at the max bid I'd made ( I always end up winning on Teletrade at my max bid??). Either way, I felt it was a fair price for a challenging date. The coin is an attractive color, problem-free 1914 with good strike details left. It's very close to an XF40 in details, maybe just lacking the required hints of original luster around the devices--fortunately the price is significantly less in VF35 than XF40 I suspect. Either way, I feel it's a good deal for a really quality Barber- a series that has far more dogs, cleaned and altered coins than solid circulated examples.
    To top it off, I actually got home to find my power is already back on. It's still raining and the weekend will be just a big clean-up with the chainsaw and rakes, but overall I feel like I dodged a bullet here. My prayers to everyone else who got hit hard and for those getting buried under the feet and feet of snow in Western Maryland, Virginia, W Virginia etc. And also my prayers to the dozens of families who lost loved ones from this freakish storm...keep safe all and happy hunting...

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  9. jackson64
    too large for slabbing
    Since the start of the signature sets here at Collectors Society my ship-themed coin collecting has gone overboard. I collected coins with ships before the signature sets started but I kept most of them raw and was planning on building some sort of presentation case for them..now I get them slabbed to include in my High Seas Signature Set. Sometimes the cost of slabbing is greater than the value of the coin, but I want it as part of my collection because of its uniqueness or overall beauty/eye appeal.Recently I have even started buying silver bullion bars with ships on them and oversized coins-2-5 ounces-that fit my collection..I hope that someday NGC will make a way that I can include these jumbo coins in my set. If they can make a large holder that can hold 5 coins at a time {multi-coin holder} maybe someday I will be able to add some of my other coins to the set that are too large..or maybe I should just pull out those old plans for that presentation case...
    MVC-915S.J
  10. jackson64
    feeling my collecting roots...
    One of my favorite gifts at Christmas are always gift cards. I know that a well thought out personal gift is supposed to mean more, but for those who know about my thirst for knowledge in so many subjects--a gift card to a bookstore is a great gift for me.
    Today I had a "date" with my wife. We went to Annapolis Mall and enjoyed a peaceful lunch together (no kids). Later we went shopping with some of our gift cards. I stopped in the Borders and went straight to the hobby section to look at coin books. I wasn't intending to, but one of the items I selected was a Presidential Dollar album with both the P & D mints.
    As I've mentioned before I still enjoy albums. It always keeps me a bit grounded in this sometimes crazy hobby--where I can get caught up in the chase for points and rankings just like anybody else. I have a complete (so far)collection of BU statehood quarters. These are in an album and I'm proud to say that every quarter was plucked from change. I have gotten a handful of prez dollars at my bank at each release and I have a friend who lives in the Western USA whom I send 1 or 2 to him in exchange for my P mint coins he sends me 1 or 2 D mint coins..
    I really like collecting like this in addition to the registry...like I said, it keeps me grounded and focused on the coins themselves...but it will always be a tie to my collecting roots and my early "fold up" albums.
    I'd also like to congratulate all of the registry winners this year--and although I got completely skunked I can live vicariously through many of you. I was very pleased to see the journal awards go to the "newer" collectors who add so much to my collecting experience with the contageous enthusiasm and genuine love of the hobby. I was also glad that all 4 of the winners are on my friends list and have talked to me over the year via emails too.
    It's wonderful that we have become a true community in that we all share a common passion for our hobby...I look forward to this next year reading and sharing our experiences...and to all of you, Happy Hunting..
    Here's a coin that I received today...a beautiful $10 coin from Barbados with Poseiden--I want to thank my friend Ant who included this coin as a Free Surprise in a trade we recently made...Ant, awesome coin, thank you-I love it !!

  11. jackson64
    I'm really enjoying building my first serious type-set. In the past I have made a Half Dollar type set and a 5c type set but both pale in comparison to the fun and increased knowledge I'm getting with my 7070 set.
    I have gotten some bust coins for half dime, dime and quarters which I've never owned. I also added several of the varieties ( so far) of the half cents and large cents.  I've never owned a Seated Dollar or 3-cent silver so I've had fun reading up on them, figuring out which coins I can afford in higher grades and possibly instead opt for a lower grade but of a scarce date.
    This last slot decision- high grade common date or lower grade of a tougher date- is what I faced with the 20c piece. There were several dates that I could have bought in nice AU or even patiently waited for a low-BU deal, but in the end I opted for the Carson City issue in F15. Two main reasons directed my choice. First was, I wanted the set to be a bit more encompassing than just AU/BU quality coins. I actually enjoy a 150 year old coin that somehow has honest wear but keeps a nice patina and has made it through the decades without any dings, scratches or tampering. Secondly, I wanted at least 1 issue from Philly, Denver San Fran New Orleans and Carson City. Since I already added my "O" mint issue via the Morgan slot, the 20c piece gave me one of the few remaining chances for a Carson City coin in the set. The 1875 and 75-S both run about the same value in AU50 as the 75-CC does in F/VF so my path was clear- find a 1875-CC, a 140+ year old coin with just 133,000 minted,  in untampered, natural patina, undamaged/dinged/scuffed/scratched/hairlined/cleaned F+ condition... Just the kind of hunt I love.
    Well I found a nice one-- I would have liked a bit more obverse, lettering detail but overall I really like the tale this worn old coin tells so elegantly... Happy Hunting everyone

  12. jackson64

    Busy Coin Week

    By jackson64,

    I actually added a registry coin !!
    I'll keep this short..it's been a bit of a busy coin week for me. I sent away 8 of my Walkers for photoing by a friend who is very professional and skilled at coin photography. I have to laugh because although I have seen evidence of his talents by looking at some of his other work, he explained to me that he didn't have a lot of experience with this series.
    What makes it funny is that even someone with his skill level, could still run into the same issues I was having with my modest photo set up. Problems like trying to show the luster but not have the brilliance/shine obscure details..highlighting details/strike without having every tiny nick look like a gouge..etc etc..
    In the end his results were spectacular if I may say so...
    Also I finally broke down and decided which set I'd work on next. I finished my MS67 Mercury dime short set in April and have been deciding on which registry set to pursue. The finalists were: a Buffalo Nickel short set, a Standing Liberty Quarter one-per-date set; an MS63 Peace Dollar set (decided to do an album of these instead)..in the end I decided to stick with the Walkers and just go with the Mid-size set.
    This set, for those unfamiliar, runs from the 1934 coins all the way to the end of the series. So the 1941-47 short set has 20 coins..and now I'll need an additional 20 for the mid set. I bought my first one last night..a nice 1940 MS66 with attractive russet toning and well struck...it's the easiest date for this part of the set but you gotta start somewhere..
    Here's one of the fabulous photos that Sam (Coindude) did for me..some of you may remember my futile efforts at imaging this coin..finally, pictures that show what the coin looks like in hand !!......NOTE: because of shrinking the imagesize per the requirements for this board the images lost some clarity..but they still look great Full screen on my computer...

  13. jackson64
    It's been a busy few weeks to end the numismatic year.
    Since joining the registry I've come to think of my collecting in more of an "annual progress" way. Each year I have goals that I'd like to achieve before the numismatic year ends. I also tend to view a numismatic year from Dec 1st thru Nov 30th as this coincides with the Collectors Society/NGC's dates for registry inclusions of coins to be added into the sets for their yearly awards recognitions.
    While I didn't aspire to compete for any of the coveted annual awards here at the NGC registry this year, I definitely had some set goals--most which I progressed on but fell short of completing ( which is fine by me.)
    One of my goals for the year was to finally get the 2 Canadian coin sets that I collect in order and up to date-if not fully complete. The 2 sets are the Bluenose Schooner 10c proof series and the $2 "Twonie" polat bear coins with the silver outer ring and silver with gold or gold gilt inner ring.
    I love both of these sets--the 10c with the sailing ship since I have been an avid sailor here on the Chesapeake for years and have long collected themed coins with ships on them. The $2 polar bear coin set was started just because they are just such beautiful coins.
    Which brings up the issues that myself and NGC together have been having and working to resolve. It seems that various books and publications have had errant info about the issuances for these series in proofs. The massive variances of issues by the Canadian mint did not make it easy to get the correct info either.
    I will give you a brief example of a partial explanation of the $2 proof series and you'll see how confusing it was for NGC to have the proper slots and for me to try and explain to them.
    Ex: The series started in 1996 and the 1996 and 1997 proof issues were Cuni with also a piedfort silver 1996 issue with gold gilt center and a seperate 1996 issue which had the center of 22k gold throughout and not gilt. In 1998 the proof sets began to make all $2 coins of silver with no more cuni-again with gold gilt centers. In 1999 there were 2 $2 designs with a silver gilt 1999, a "nunuvat" commem silver gold gilt and a 1999 Nunuvat silver with 22k solid gold center ring. In 2000 there were 3 issued--the regular silver gold/gilt polar bear, a millenium polar bear with cubs silver gold/gilt and another silver with 22k solid gold center.........etc etc etc....
    You get the point of how confusing this series was for everyone to correctly list with the bi-metallic nature of the coin being the major confusion. ( A large part of the problem was extra slots being added for the same coins as "gilt" on the labels were being confused as different coins than the "silver" listed on the label, when in actuality they were the same thing, silver coins with gold gilt.)
    Major props to Melissa for correcting submissions that were denied as "not eligible for the slot"...and especially to Ali Emery who persevered with patience through this aggravating series and continued until these 2 sets are at last 100% up to date and accurate on all slots--thanks.
    My latest submission was a larger one for me personally as I submitted several Canadian proof sets to finally fill some straggler holes, also with some special foreign commems and Britain pounds, dollars and Britainnias.
    I also have my annual renewal every November for NGC membership which adds to solidify my perception of a numismatic year running from Dec to Nov. I squeaked in under the wire my usage of my 5 coin submission coupon-using it for an attempt to crossover 5 coins from PCGS slabs to add to my NGC sets--this didn't go well as only 2 crossed.
    I'll go more into the submission craziness I had and my continuing crossover fails on another journal, for now I am just pleased to have my 2 canada proof sets in order and to a point where I will need to only add the next year's release..
    Here's a picture of my 2007 PF70UCAM "Twonie"...not so popular a series in the registry so far, however now that the issues have been clarified, maybe more collectors will venture to assemble a set of these beautiful coins.....

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  14. jackson64
    to unslab or leave slabbed?
    Since I finished up my Walker Short Set I've decided to take a break from higher priced coins and registry hunting. Instead I've started 2 albums and am really enjoying working on them. A little insight into how I'm building my Barber Half Set........
    I really, really like the look of a Barber in the VG8-10 grade to VF30 range. The reason I'm not hunting for higher grades is for several reasons.
    One is obviously the money involved. Barber halves are a relatively low-mintage series with the majority of dates having less than 2,000,000 minted. In fact, the "short set" I'm building (1900-1915) has no less than 13 different issues with mintages under 1 million.
    When you factor in that these coins were actually used in circulation, the numbers of scratched, dinged and damaged ones, the melted ones, --along with smaller mintages and what do you get? A challenging set to build and a lot of fun !! With the scarcity of quality circulated coins the price jumps are pretty dramatic when you get toward the XF range ( many above $500, too much for me for an unslabbed album coin).
    The second reason I don't go above the VF grade is that once you hit XF with these the "look" of them changes. Besides the obvious increased details, often these coins become "whiter" with some slight luster even. These coins stick out like a sore thumb in my album of VG's to VF's. Plus I LIKE the color and judging the nuances between a VG10 and an F12.
    Which brings me around to my conundrum. Three of the dates in my 49 coin Barber "short Set" are really low mintage and higher in price even at grades of G04-VG8. The 1913, 1914 and 1915 all have mintages LESS THAN 200,000 !! With the increased cost I figured I'd play it safe and buy these in slabs and crack them out for my album.
    I just bought the 1915 P about 2 weeks ago and got it earlier this week. Housed in a PCGS VG10 slab I got a decent deal at $160. I really like the look of the coin--nice color, ding and scratch free..the only problem is that the coin is closer to a borderline VG8 details. I really don't like to crackout coins that may get downgraded in the future--but I also want this coin to fill the hole in my album--I'll probably crack it out in the end, after all, that was the point-an ALBUM set.
    Speaking of the album, there are no "Barber Short Set" albums in production. However I was able to find a Dansco album that just says "Half Dollars" on the cover. I took the time to write the dates on little pieces of label, cut them to size and stick them in--creating my own album. (I even have an extra page more than I need for this set which I'm using for other collectible halves I have)..so that is what I've been up to with my collecting. I'm really enjoying it..I can't wait for the Whitman Convention in Baltimore--I'm sure there will be plenty of examples to fill some album holes there..

  15. jackson64
    a new ornament for the tree
    Our family is big on tradition. Since I was a little kid we have had certain family traditions that even now I still hold onto and have tried to pass to my kids.
    For example, on Thanksgiving, all of us adults are required to find a Bible verse that mentions thanksgiving or gratitude..we then take turns reading them before the family prayer and the feasting begins.
    Another long-held tradition is buying a Christmas tree the Friday after Thanksgiving. I know it seems early to many, but I remember the fun of it as a kid. My parents piling us all into the latest jalopy ( remember those station wagons with the fake, plastic paneling and riding in the far rear in the little seat that faced backwards?)then heading out to "the country" to find a Christmas tree farm. Usually hot cider was served and we'd walk row after row looking for just the right one. Inevitably the tree looks nicer in the field than the living room where it has a striking resemblance to the tree Charlie Brown bought. ( or it was 2 feet higher than the ceiling).
    This year I kept the "after Thanksgiving" tree buying tradition alive--by myself. My wife is a dialysis RN and can't just take days off as she wishes. My daughter got home from college Wednesday night and is visiting friends who've scattered around the country ( and world) but are also back home for the holidays. So I bought the tree, did the trimming and evened out the bottom of the trunk so that it won't lean (too much.)
    The decorating is to be done Saturday as a family. I did pull out the box of ornaments however. Many are very special, reminders of Christmas' past. As I sat there deep in the nostalgic thoughts that each different ornament stirred up, I came across an ornament I added to the collection just a few years ago.
    I found this pretty Morgan dollar, nicely struck, mint state and beautifully toned...but in a bezel a few years ago. No longer worth any numismatic value..it has become a family treasure since it is one of "dad's ornaments". You see, what was once a "ruined coin" from being made into jewelry, will someday be on one of my daughter's trees and she'll explain to the grandkids ( if I'm no longer around) that Grandpa was a coin collector..so a new tradition gets started..

  16. jackson64
    2 years of searching and found it by luck
    Christmas came early for me. I finally found-and won-the final coin for one of my sets. The set is not a registry set, just a signature set that I started before there were signature sets. I started collecting a few years ago the France Gold 20 Francs Marianne and Rooster series dated from 1899-1914 {my wife is named Marianne and has unruly curly/wavy hair that I love}. The coins are mostly considered bullion coins by many people and are quite common and most sell for a little more than their gold value{ but then again so do a lot of St Gaudens}. The 1907-1914 coins are especially available as many are re-strikes minted in 1914, however the 1899-1906 coins are harder to find. If you go to ebay right now for example there will be about 50 coins from this series listed and maybe only 1 or 2 from before 1907. Anyhow, I have searched religiously for the final coin to my set..the 1899. The 1899 was also minted in proof as a first year of issue coin and I even was willing to bid $2000 for a proof version to finish my set..{I lost that bid in a Steinbergs auction} For almost 2 years I searched- googled gold sellers, called bullion dealers, and checked ebay's world gold-ADVANCED SEARCH 1899...and none.Tonight I was perusing ebay to see how the gold market was affecting the value of my set and ..behold...my 1899 !!! I sniped it too..not proud of that but I did. I waited until 30 seconds were left and calmly bid $101.51 above the highest bid..and 11 seconds later it was official!! I have not finished a set like this in a long while. It is one thing to finish a set when any of the dates can be found through the dozens of internet sites, but when I just couldn't find one..what a rush..I guess I'm hooked for at least another year of collecting... an image will come as soon as I get it in the mail..Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone..
  17. jackson64
    please...no coins
    I love the holidays...I love giving gifts and yes, I love getting them also...I love Christmas eve candlelight services, I love spiral sliced honey-baked ham, I love another excuse to fill the candy trays with chocolates, I love when friends come over with plates of baked goodies, I like decorating my mantle and front window..and even putting a single string of lights outside along the gutters. Our house is always open to un announced friends dropping by and my two teenaged daughters usually have a few of their giggling friends over-especially during the holidays. ( some even call my wife Mom)
    One thing I always tell those who would buy me a gift is, "please, no coins". The reason is simple, although their heart is true, there knowledge of our hobby is lacking. I've gotten too many whizzed/cleaned/overpriced coins in the past and it makes me a little upset to think that some shady person used the giver's desire to give me a loving gift as an opportunity to unload some damaged junk-coins at inflated prices.
    Okay, enough of the soapbox... what I have learned to do is ask for supplies and books..!!!
    There are some wonderful books I'd like to read, specialty books on series, minting processes, Renaissance of American Coinage series, VAM and variety books..reference books, cherry-pickers guides, new Redbooks, The Newest addition of Catalog of World Coins...just tons of potential additions to my coin library.
    Supplies are always needed and useful...I need flips and capsules for submissions...I'd like to try some scratch remover for my slabs, maybe a type-coin capital plastic holder..a nice Dansco or Whitman album for Barber Halves...etc, etc..
    The point is, I can make quite a Christmas wish list of numismatic items without listing any coins on it... I truly hope that each of you get what you wish for and that the coming year is a great and healthy one for e1..Merry Christmas to all and a Happy and Healthy New Year...
    This is the book at the top of my list...I hope Santa put me on the "nice" side of his list and brings it for me...

  18. jackson64
    way too much stuff
    Well this morning I embarked on a project that was way overdue. I went to the hardware store and bought a few 2" lag bolts, and a 1/2" steel bit to bolt my safe to the floor.
    I know that I've been acting on faith that my safe wouldn't be stolen. Although it weighs a lot and wouldn't be able to be picked up by a single individual and carried out of my home-- a properly prepared team of thieves could have done it together with a dolly.
    So I opened it up ( the bolts go through the inside to the floor underneath--it will take a full removal of the floor for it to be moved without the combination). Once inside I started clearing it out--insurance policies, SSN cards, wife's jewelry, passports etc...and of course, my hoard/collection.
    How much fun it was to slowly "inventory" all of the swag. I went through my stackable, silver-colored NGC slab boxes...then some rolls and tubes of Silver Eagles. I found the albums that I have assembled (reminding myself that there were a few upgrades that I've been meaning to get) and in the back was a nice surprise that I forgot I had. There were 5 nice 1995 proof ASE's that I had bought years ago, still in their boxes.
    I found other loose stuff--doubles I've been meaning to sell, about 20+ coins that I've always intended to get slabbed...
    So I guess the lesson is, that it's time again for my annual " clear out the impulse buys" sale. Sometimes I wonder if I have a touch of that "hoarder" mentality in me..but since it's just with coins and bullion nobody has deemed it necessary to have an "intervention" for me.
    Here's another of my foolish coin things that I do...I paid $15 to get a $20 coin slabbed--go figure. Oh well, it looks great in my High Seas collection...Copper coin from Cyprus with an ancient galleon on it...

  19. jackson64
    nothing like young numismatists and a big bag of treasure !!
    I recently had one of the most fun coin experiences that I've had in a while...and it was from giving and not adding to my collection.
    First of all, I must give credit where it is due.. a friend of mine from the NGC Chat Boards ( and also another coin website of friends) named "Antthe" has been buying large amounts of world coins "by the pound" and has been enjoying picking through them for interesting finds. I believe that his floor was probably gonna collapse from the weight so he graciously offered 5 pound bags to the first takers. I immediately thought of my 3 nephews and PM'd him. A week or 2 later and Antthe had sent me a 5 lb sack of neat foreign coins ( not only were they free but he paid shipping).
    Now I'm not a saint--of course I perused through them and even found a couple with sailing ships from Malta and Portugal. However the point was to keep the flame of interest in numismatics burning for my 3 nephews. ( ages 6, 9, and 11). So when I told my younger sister I was coming to visit one evening, she had a surprise for me..my favorite dish, lasagna ( she makes it like mom too !!) and my nephews got a surprise from Uncle Jackson..the big sack of foreign coins !! ( quick note: my brother-in-law works for Coca Cola and was a reservist who is currently driving transport vehicles in Iraq, any prayers for his safe return are appreciated)
    Okay, so back to the coins...I couldn't resist, I simply cleared a spot in the family room floor and proceeded to dump the whole bag !!. Clanging and jingling and a few wild rollers..the coins spilled out..and bedlam insued !! You'd have thought that a pinata had burst as 6 hands and 3 blonde heads go diving toward the pile. After I finished laughing, and suffering the half-hearted admonishments from my sister, I decided to seperate the combatants and proceed in a more orderly fashion.
    I found this part rather interesting and I'm sure that Freud, Jung or Erikson may have also...we arranged an order for "selecting" two coins and then around around they went...taking turns until the grand pile was reduced to 3 even piles--one in front of each of the boys. The youngest tended to choose the largest coins in the pile...the middle child ( who is artistic and deeply intelligent) actually looked at the designs and chose the "pictures" he liked..and the oldesr of the 3 went almost exclusively for older coins. It was enlightening..each had a little of the traits of their Uncle Jackson..
    I spent the rest of the evening helping them to learn how to find the coins in the Krause catalog..and also showing them where these countries were on a world map. I know that my sister and the boys really miss Keith ( my brother-in-law) but I think for a night they also really enjoyed having a man, Uncle Jackson, in the house...I left with a lighter step than I've had in a while...maybe I'll buy a sack of wheaties and each of them a penny album and I can do this again soon..and maybe I'll get lucky and my sister Kathleen will make lasagna again.......
    One of the coins from the hoard that I kept for myself..thank you again Ant, it all started with your kindness...

  20. jackson64

    Coins Are The Cure

    By jackson64,

    who needs a pill !!
    I'm not a big believer in all the syndromes that are constantly being invented to sell drugs to us. "Twitchy Eyelids?"...."this could be a symptom of a syndrome that some independent laboratory has determined may kill you if left untreated !!" Fortunately for us, they usually have discovered the pill or treatment to cure it before the syndrome was identified.
    As cynical as I may sound about other peoples restless legs and irritable bowels...I actually do have one of these "syndromes." I forget what it's called but I always feel a bit melancholy in the winter. Some may be able to relate--it's dark when you leave for work, it's dark when you get off...and usually grey and damp or clear and frigid during the 6 hours of daylight. My skin gets dry and itchy (probably a seperate syndrome-" Winter Skin Syndrome"), I tend to nap a lot when I'm at home and I'd rather be home than wrapping on 4 or 5 layers of clothes to go outside.
    So January and February have become my most active coin months. Nothing cures "Winter Melancholy Syndrome" like the purchase of a nice coin from Barbados, Jamaica or the Bahamas !! Or better yet- another coin with a sailing ship !! Seriously though, I was looking through my Krause Catalog of World Coins today while simultaneously scoping out some coins on ebay and another idea for a cool set came to me...I think I may build a date set of either Barbados $1, $2 or $10 coins or maybe Bahamas 50c, $1 or $2. The designs of all of these are beautiful, they are surprisingly available considering some of the mintages are less than 1,000...and best of all they are affordable.
    So, I have found the cure for the winter blues...coins from tropical islands--the next best thing to being there !! So as I sit here with virgin rum-runner in hand, my mind and eyes are focused on images of flamingos and marlins, conch shells and mahi mahi, sunrises on the beach and coral reefs....

  21. jackson64
    What a difference a day makes
    Yesterday I was bummed about the grades I received on my submissions and frustrated with the whole thing. I am probably not alone when I get feelings that my coins may not get the same consideration as someone who has submitted 200-300 coins at a time or who pays for the top tier for his 5 $10,000 coins. Anyhow, my entire attitude changed with one trip to the post office. My coin from American Numismatic Rarities came today...and it is even better than I hoped. The coin is a 1917-D reverse {very costly for my budget} NGC graded 62. I have studied this coin every time it appears in any auction for almost 2 years trying to fill one of the last 2 holes in my set and when I saw this beauty at this low of a grade I jumped. It was an on-line bid with a floor auction later and I didn't want to lose it...I bid $700 above the Trends list and fortunately I won and it didn't cost me my full max bid. This particular date is notorious for being a very weak strike in the centers..rarely do you see any of the draped flag lines across the left leg, a seperate thumb on the left hand, seperate hair/cap line and on the reverse the eagles breast and left leg are so weakly struck {on BU examples} that virtually no feathers are visible...this one has full feathers...a wonderful find and now my new favorite of my collection....I am not a good photographer but I tried to angle the camera and adjust the light so that some of the details show..but it leaves some areas darker..oh well, I can hold it and turn it in the light all I want now!!!
    MVC-022S.J
  22. jackson64
    sorry--couldn't resist adding that groaner title
    Well as usual, I have started a new set with a reckless petal to the metal approach.
    I have made the rough beginnings of my Custom Set with bears as the theme. I have discovered a few things. The size of this collection will be determined by whether I aim for a smaller set with wide variation--or whether I shoot for the broad spectrum of adding any and all coins with bears.
    In spite of my rather full throttled beginning ( I already have 8 commem coins in boxes that need slabbing)--I am hedging toward the smaller of the collections. I simply have no desire to acquire the complete koala or panda sets. I do like the koala gilt coins, but overall I'm just not big on the koala as a coin. No offense to anyone please--I respect everyone's choice in series that they enjoy, I just don't find the koala that interesting ( maybe this is based in envy though -since any creature sleeping 20 to 22 hours a day has really got quite a relaxed life.)
    As for the pandas, like many who have expressed mixed feelings on the issue of collecting coins from communist China--I also share an uncomfortable feeling. I will leave it at that since I don't feel this is the forum for any political postulating or opinions. I may find a few second hand ones from fellow collectors to add to my set--and I also like the panda bear a lot. Having lived in the Washington area most of my life, the baby panda births and watching Tai Shan grow at the National Zoo was something myself, the wife and kids all enjoyed together.
    The biggest reason I won't be collecting all of the pandas and koalas is simply because there are so darn many of them.
    What I will allow however are various bears in insignias, crests of countries and of a heraldic nature--this should balance all of those modern issues and wildlife preservation commems with some classic world coins...it should be fun ( and as the creator, I reserve the power to change my mind and parameters as my attitude my evolve.)
    My newest addition, my first non-polar bear coin for the set..a regal grizzly bear reminding us humans- we are not the top of the food chain.
    Happy hunting everyone and a wonderful new year of collecting pursuits....

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  23. jackson64
    Not all coins start at a 70 point scale
    I just got back 6 coins from NGC today--on a quick note, the $25 registered mail postage I paid NGC to return my coins took 10 days and the $8 USPS priority mail/fully insured took 2-3 days for them to receive them, go figure.
    But to my point about grading, it is very complex and the more I study it-through books and hands on looking at coins and trying to figure why they were attributed the grade they were, the more I feel I may never get it--although I am good enough to be very close usually. According to ANA Grading Standards there are Four Main Considerations: 1. Contact Marks-depending on the number, the severity AND location these can really drop a coin. I have learned that a contact mark on a prime focus area like the face can be as heavily graded as 2 or 3 in the field or near a rim. 2. HAIRLINES-these can be hard to see without rotating the coin or magnification. Most are caused by mishandling, like being loose in a flip or in an album with those plastic slides. 3. Luster-original mint frost or bloom. This takes a bit of experience to recognize not only if a coin has been improperly cleaned, but as I get better I can even tell the difference in the shine of a dipped coin versus one with original mint luster. 4. Eye Appeal-one of the reasons that coin grading is an imperfect science. To one person toning is attractive, to another the whiter the better. I think this is why I am often unhappy with my grades, to me-if I bought a coin it was because I found it attractive, those grading it might not find the beauty in the same coin that I do.
    NOT ALL COINS START ON THE 70 point scale !!! I was surprised to learn that strike was not one of the 4 criteria looked at for grading. Having said that, there is an unwritten rule that a weakly struck coin should never be graded above a 65. For example, many D and S mint coins from the 1920's were very weakly struck for various reasons. These weak coins could have been perfectly handled, never touched, not a ding, scratch hairline, lustrous-in other words perfectly preserved from the moment it was struck--and not grade above a 65 !! This explains the almost complete lack of 66's and above for many of these dates in the 1920's and other years.
    yes, grading is complex-and all I really want is consistency. My 6 coins back from NGC today were a mixed bag. I got an MS62 on a brand new Britannia-still in its mint capsule. When I saw the grade on-line I was mad. Now when it is returned I reluctantly have to agree. The mint capsule had rubbed the cheek and jawline of the Queen on the obverse {it looks worn in that area} the reverse is perfect, however I couldn't have argued if they had graded it an AU58, wear is wear even if it was "Uncirculated". I sent in 3 proofs, taken straight from the felt boxes {never touched the coins} and got 2 68UCAM's and 1 69UCAM. I am still waiting on the day when I actually get a 70 on a submission. Considering the fact that I have sent dozens of coins straight from their unopened boxes I think that I am over-due.
    I won't start this again, but if you remember about a month ago I was upset about a Roanoke half that got bodybagged for artificial toning? Well now it is graded a gem+ and slabbed in an NGC holder {they do make mistakes and if you are confident in being right-have them fix it}
    The final coin baffles me, to put it simply-the coin is perfect. There is not a mark anywhere, none, zilch, zippo, nada. It is a So-called $1 released along with the 1938 Deleware Commem and Sweden also released a 1938 coin {2 kronors} with the ship Kalmar Nyckel on it. I bought this coin, perfectly preserved-with the original program from the ceremonies where the celebration was held and the coin was distributed !!! Don't think I'm greedy-the coin graded as the finest known example ever graded an MS66!!- but is there an unwritten rule that 66 is a perfect coin for this issue?..anyhow, look for yourself..I am excited to include this in my High Seas signature set. I already have the Delaware commem from the US and its Swedish counterpart, and now I finished the hat trick.

  24. jackson64
    could be a lifetime quest to become adept
    I have always loved the Early Half Dollars and have a few nice coins that are mostly for "type" purposes.I have considered collecting die varieties for the excitement of possibly finding a rare die variety/marriage that may be unrecognized by the seller and selling for $100 or so.Well, I had no idea...I just received a copy of the fourth edition of "United States Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836" {the Overton book} and it is a TOME!!Almost 800 pages,there is no way I can memorize this and I don't picture myself lugging this around to flea markets and yard sales. I have already been studying the halves for sale on ebay and other sites that have good photos and I find this alot of fun..even most slabbed coins don't have the die varieties attributed. This may be biting off more than I can chew...oh well, it may take alot of studying before I actually start buying any more of these but it will be a labor of love..
  25. jackson64
    Am I the only crazy person I wonder who would crack out a $300 coin to fill an album hole?
    For a while now I have slowly been working on a nice VF-BU Buffalo nickel album.Many of these coins were throw-ins in big trades, bulk purchases, or found at flea markets or part of a larger estate buy where the focus was on some other coins.However, as I have gotten closer to plugging all the holes in my little green fold-up I have actually started pursuing the last 8-10 more elusive coins. Having gotten down to the last 4-5 I have had to resort to more drastic measures..cracking out coins from their encapsulation from the "big three" grading companies and sticking them in this $5 album...seems backwards.It's one thing to do it with a VF20 1918-S I bought for $80...but when I cracked out a $300 1921-S I have to question. Oh well, the deed is done and wonder of wonders..it looks very nice in its pre-arranged little spot staring up at me with all of its brothers...now for the 13-S and a 14-D to finish this madness....