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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64
    this set just keeps growing...
    I finally got enough time to go by the post office and pick up some packages..among them were my submissions to NGC. A great turnaround-exactly 10 days, just as listed for the tier on World Coin submissions. Just a fabulous group I sent this time-with coins from Andorra, San Marino, Iceland, Congo, Ghana, Somalia etc etc..since I purchased the Krause catalog I have found dozens of coins that fit my signature set of sailing ship themed coins.
    Now comes another great part of the hobby that my little niche provides-and that I love { I am a bit of a history geek}--researching either the ship, the navigator/explorer, expedition or discovery of the place that the coin commemorates.
    I am not the greatest photographer but I try and take photos that accent the details of the coin or create a white on black effect for deep cameos.
    This set is quickly nearing 100 coins and now I will start the next phase..researching my returned coins for info to add to their descriptions, while shopping/hunting for the next batch to mail away..and then it starts again as those get graded/returned and the next treasures are discovered..I really love this hobby.
    Here is a photo of one of the latest returnees--a heavy, bi-metallic, silver with gold inlay,interesting shape, Bermuda $2 coin celebrating the arrival of a new Millenium..just gorgeous...

  2. jackson64
    coins are not easily liquid
    I am foremost a collector....
    Having said that, I also try and buy with a respect to the idea that coins, unlike my other major hobbies of fishing, boating and vegetable gardening, have a definite monetary return potential. Well I don't have to tell most of you that we as a country are going through some tough economic times.
    I have seen many mentions here in the journals and also on the chat boards of people who have hit rough times and have had to sell some or even most of their collections. I have been blessed because my wife and I are both in the medical field and are mostly recession proof in our jobs ( unless, of course the government takes that over and screws it up like they do everything else). I won't get started on that..but I did want to mention a major error in my thinking.
    I've always thought that my coins would be easy to liquidate...this may be true to a degree, but only if you are willing to lose a great deal of money. I have seen several collectors needing a quick cash infusion and losing their shirts on sales recently--especially on modern issues. What have I learned?
    I have learned that older coins retain value and slowly increase over time.
    I have learned that moderns, unless you are committed to getting a #1 ranked registry set, are best purchase in MS&PF 69.
    I have learned that to truly "profit" from coins you really need to hold them for at least 10 years and ideally 20+ years.
    I have learned that buying coins, then re-selling those to buy other coins and then changing your taste and selling those and starting a different set only profits the auction companies( who charge both to buy and sell), the post office and possibly grading services as some people crack out coins or re-submit for a shot at higher grades.
    I recently saw a board member mention he was selling a complete set of state quarters--silver and clad--in PF70UCAM for $21,000...that may be the "list value" for the entire set, however I did some research and hunting and found that I could assemble the entire proof 70 set, all 100 coins, for between $4,000-5,000 !!
    I recently tried to sell a few coins quickly ( doubles and random coins not in sets) because I wanted to put a downpayment and reserve a $2000 coin that I didn't have the full amount for at this time....the result? Nobody is really buying--even at half the list price !!
    So I've determined, that unless I want to practically give coins away, the best bet is to send my coins to a major auction house when I'm ready to sell some. It may take a lot longer to get the money in my account..but coins are not the potential source of "quick cash" that I thought they were ( if needed), especially when luxury items like a coin collection get pushed to the back-burner during recessive periods.
    Just some thoughts and I hope I didn't bum some of you readers out...on the bright side? I have been able to purchase some beautiful coins, like this Dolly Madison, already slabbed and graded, for less than the cost that the mint was selling them for raw...

  3. jackson64

    Sleepers

    By jackson64,

    still here and still loving the hobby
    Hi all who enjoy the journals. I know that I'm not as active on the chat boards or journaling but I am still visiting auctions on-line, and am always on the hunt for deals and coins that have that look that I love.
    As many of you may remember, I get a special thrill out of roll hunting and lot buying. Not the typical "roll from the bank" hunting but mostly ebay roll hunting. I try and but rolls from the Walker half or mercury dime series as close to bullion/melt cost. Then I'll search through for varieties, semi-keys or higher grade coins. I pick these out and add the remainder of the rolls to my silver holdings ( or I'll replace the coins I found from my holdings and re-sell the roll so I can buy more to hunt through). It's not for everyone and there are lots and lots of junk silver rolls out there but the hidden gems is what makes it a thrill.
    Well I finally got around to submitting a few of the nicer scarce date coins I've found-- along with my 2 25th Anniversary Silver Eagle Sets. The silver Eagle's didn't do great-not bad, just not great. One set got 3 PF/MS 70's= the reverse proof, the regular proof and the "S" coin...the other set was all 69's. ( For what it's worth-excuse the spam but if anyone is interested, I'll sell the complete 69 set-they are in PCGS Secure Plus slabs all with the the 25th Anniversary Set connotation-$700 flat-contact me).
    Anyhow, the good news was 2 of the "bullion" coins were a 1920-D and a 1919. The 1919 got a VF30 and the 1920-D got a whopping XF45 !! Not bad for melt value.
    I feel like I rescued these coins too. They were in the hands of someone who inherited them or had them for years in a shoebox and had no idea of their scarcity.
    I looked at POPS and I was extremely surprised to find that the 1920-D is the lowest pop graded coin in the whole series with PCGS grading just 541, the next lowest was the 23-S at 630. The low mintage 1921's all had 1300+ graded ( probably because even an F12 is worth quite a few bucks). For what it's worth--it also is quite surprising to find that the lowest short set pop is actually the 1942-D for total graded and least graded in MS.
    I've added 4 or 5 Barber Halves to my "Fine" set- all coins being F12 to XF45. I also sent away an 1854-O Seated Half I bought raw and got a nice XF40 grade for it. Not going to be worth a lot but I was just happy to see it in a slab since I got it raw.
    So now with silver having been manipulated down by Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs etal..it is buying and hunting time for more rolls!!
    May all of your hunting trips also find an occasional semi-treasure. Happy hunting everyone.

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  4. jackson64
    after 2+ years of trying
    I really enjoyed reading the "Confessions of a Coin Addict" series which ran last week. I was grinning ear to ear with many of them because I can truly relate...I mean, a day without a new coin is like a day without sunshine.
    I particulary liked the 3 stages outlined...although I feel one underlying theme was missed. The Obsession.
    I love the rush from winning an auction, I love the rush of finding something new for my set, I like watching my set jump a slot or 2 in the rankings, I love opening the mailbox and seeing padded envelopes or the little orange card ( meaning I gotta sign for one)...but the biggest of all rushes for me was the one I got last night.
     
    My search for this coin, ( a 1927A Weimer Republic-Bremerhaven) has been over a 2 year odyssey...I first spotted it in a Krause catalog and noticed it was a bit pricey. I looked on ebay and there was one in a seller's BIN/store. The price for his 5 MARK example -$2700 outta my range 99% of the time. So I waited....on only 2 occasions has one come up on ebay since..about 6 months ago the 3 MARK version was available but I stopped bidding at $800...and last night (saw it 6 and a half days ago--talk about obsession). Anyhow, I also saw 3 at the recent Heritage World Coin Auction..1 was a 3 Mark and 2 were 5 marks...not to bore you with all of the details but they got bid out of my range--WAY outta my range. This was very discouraging because I started to wonder if it would be 10+ years before I could find and afford one.
     
    About a week ago I saw a superb 3 Mark on ebay and the bidding was only $130 !!.. I placed a low bid of $135 so that it would be on my bidding list. Going into last night it was still only $138..I watched and watched, sure that there were 3 dozen others doing the same thing ready to snipe my coin. Finally with 30 seconds left I couldn't wait ( what if the computer crashed?--what if our power blipped?) I placed the maximum amount I was willing to pay-$411.51 ( I know an odd number but that 51c has won me a few auctions)...I was AHEAd..and at only $190 with 15 seconds left...I hit refresh...$200 with 7 seconds..and finally I had won at a price of only $219 !!!
     
    I scared my wife with my whoop and I jumped out of the computer chair and did my best EndZone dance !!!...now that was a rush...
    By the way, what's the number for that help line?
    Here's a picture of my prize..I know it's not the taste in coins many of you prefer, but for me this is HUGE-the equivalent of a 1995W Silver Eagle in PF70DCAM !!!

  5. jackson64
    got all three coins of the special 3-coin san francisco mint issued American silver eagles for 2012
    Okay..the title is a teaser. There really are 3 ASE's issued by the San Fran mint this year and I have matching labels and First Strike designations for all 3--but they are not a "mint issued" 3 coin set--just a "Jackson assembled" 3 coin set.
    Overall, I think they sure do look like a set that was meant to be as one group, even if the 2 proofs were issued together and the MS coin minted at S was a seperate entity. I was just browsing for some good deals on some bullion rolls and ran across the 3rd coin. I threw in a $40 bid considering it was ( $31 at the time melt) and already slabbed. I got lucky and the bid held at $38.35--I guess there is not much of a market for the 69's. I also got the 2 proofs for under $180 so it appears that registry collectors of the 70's have created quite a large divide seprating the cost/demand of 69's vs 70's....that's okay, I just want one example of each as cheap as I an find them ( I'd have bought a 67 or 68 if I could have gotten them even cheaper).
    Happy hunting e1 and I believe this is it for me and the ASE's for a while--unless of course there is another special issue reverse proof set

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

  7. jackson64

    Massive Coin Hoard

    By jackson64,

    not mine, but I get to catalog it..
    Yes it is true..I am lucky enough to be the first person to go through this stash/hoard in around 20 years. If I may, a little background first......
    One of my fishing buddies K*** is independently wealthy, I've never asked what he did for a living or where it came from, but he is nearing 50 and has been "retired" for as long as I've known him. One of our long-time friends is B**, an older gentleman who used to teach sailing classes and navigation using astrological charts ( a lost art with GPS). He is around 70 and retired to the Florida coast 5 years ago. B** does sail up to Maryland every spring however and spends his summers docked at K***'s boathouse and visiting friends and family. Unfortunately about 3 weeks ago B**'s brother died and he has been handling all the affairs since he is also sole beneficiary...and here's the part I'm sure everyone would like me to get to...his brother had a stash !!
    On a recent day catching some Rockfish ( striped bass to you non-Marylanders) and Mackerel, B** said "are you still doing the stuff with coins?" I told him yes, whenever I could..and he told me that when we got back to K***'s house that he had some coins he wanted me to look at that he had gotten from his brothers garage.
    I agreed, however I must admit that I've heard this enough to already envision a tin can or two of worn mercs,wheaties, mixed foreign coins and maybe a 1921 Morgan at best.
    When we went into K***'s basement (where much of the contents of B***'s late brothers house now resides)..there were 5 jumbo tool boxes with padlocks. I went to lift one to put it in the middle of the floor and nearly threw my back out !! After unlocking and opening just the first toolbox I think I stood there stunned, motionless and holding my breath for at least a minute...finally with an explosive gasp I just said WOW !! Thousands of coins of all sizes, denominations, mintpacks, flips, 2X2's, ..
    So we sat down and decided to talk first about what to do with them....
     
    This is running a bit long so I will update you on my progress in cataloging the hoard in a day or two and what B** decided to do with them...for now, to whet your appetite and show that I am not exaggerating...a picture..
    The first pic is just the top tray in one of the tool boxes, the second pic shows the stacks of tool boxes filled with to bursting, and the final/bottom pic is my feeble first attempt at just sorting the first few hundred BU Silver Dollars...
    PS: if anyone from NGC reads these, I hope you have bulk rates....

  8. jackson64
    almost 3,000 ebay transactions, never a negative experience
    Far be it from me to defend ebay. I was not pleased with their paypal only stance and definitely not with the blind eye they turn to Powersellers who live by a different set of rules.
    However, if you're gonna complain, at least complain about the right things...
    First, ....99c listings. Are you aware that it costs extra money for varying increments, once a start bid is above $1 for a seller? The 99c start bid is very easy to explain, the seller is not trying to insinuate that he's selling for 99c--they are simply setting the highest start bid without paying an extra fee--just plain smart business.
    Secondly, "who bids on 99c items?" Actually, I do. Not that I hope to win an item for 99c. What my bid does do however is put the item on my active "Bidding" list. If you set your preferences correctly, you'll even get emails letting you know that an item you bid on is ending soon. I can't tell you how many times that I used to put items on my watch list and forget to check and then the auction ends and the coin sold for well less than I was willing to pay...so again, a small, low-ball bid to get updates and notifications about an item you'd like to win at the auction's end is SMART business.
    Now, thirdly...I list any sale I make with free shipping..but it doesn't preclude me bidding on an item that charges shipping..I just subtract the shipping cost from the max I'm willing to bid..same difference. Let me ask..how much do you think it costs to mail a proof set?
    Well, the small USPS Priority Mail box has a Flat Rate of $4.95. I also have invested the time for labeling, the cost of bubble wrap and an 8-mile trip to the post office each way here in the country..add a few more bucks for gas...and if someone has a complaint about a $3-4 postage and handling fee they are kidding themselves.
    Most auction companies charge $10-20 to ship an item that they already charged you a 15% buyers fee on. Heck, even NGC charges $20+ to RETURN a little 5 coin submission..this is after you had to pay to mail it to them--essentially you pay both ways..
    I've had over 3000+ buys and sells on ebay. I've never not gotten an item and the few times that I was not happy-I've always gotten a refund or offer of a partial money return and keep the item. My sellers feedback is 1297 with 100% positive. I treat people with respect. If they are unhappy for any reason--even buyer regret--I return all of their money without question. In fact, I often throw in small bonus coins or nice notes of thanks.
    Some tips for ebaying,
    I have a growing list of "Favorite Sellers", people who have treated me well, sold me better than I thought coins, or just had good communication..this helps a lot to avoid getting involved with shady dealers..but in the end, we must be educated about our hobby. Don't bid on grainy photos..read the return policy..don't buy from overseas sellers..if a great coin is selling cheap, you probably missed something that everyone else picked up on..check feedback..look at their auction history...lots of common sense tools
    Good luck on your bidding everyone, I hope this helped alleviate some of the "feeling insulted" some expressed..now that you understand that there is no alternative motive--just simple tricks to avoid fees and tools for remembering coins you'd like to win..
    A recent ebay win..I sent the seller a note and he chopped off $50 from his BIN price, then I used $80 of ebay bucks/coupons so this $350 coin cost only $220..MS67FSB..I'm sure it would be a star too if it were in an NGC slab..

  9. 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..

  10. jackson64
    I owe all of my friends here a real journal
    A quick apology to everyone who likes to read my entries. I broke one of my standards and subverted NGC's journal intent with my last post--it won't happen again. So in response-- a special journal with a little about me and how I got back into collecting coins.
    Like many, my fascination with coin collecting started early in life with the "thumbuster" albums. Collecting pennies and nickels from change and if I had a little money from lawn mowing or snow shoveling for the neighbors-- off I went on a weekend to Coins of The Realm up in Rockville for the harder dates. In fact I still own my original penny album and the three 1943 coins are as bright as the day I bought them 30+ years ago.
    Fast-forward through years of life's distractions and coin collecting as just a memory from my youth..it is now the mid to late 90's. After years of working in Biological research I couldn't do it anymore. I won't get too in-depth here, but suffice it to say, much research is funded by grants. When the "granters" start letting you know ahead of time what results they expect so they can push certain agendas--well let's say it went against my ethics.
    So I invested with a friend, who had a nice clientelle, in his Home Improvement business. To cut to the chase..one day I was on a furniture warehouse ( not a home but we took any and all work). The owner of the building said a skylight had been leaking for years and had recently gotten worse. As I approached the skylight while up on the big, flat roof--little did I know that life was about to take a major turn !!
    The roof under my feet felt squishy as I approached--water under the surface. I figured that it was probably getting in at the skylight's flashing and knelt down to inspect the corners of the skylight....COLLAPSE !!
    The steel decking closest to the skylight had rusted completely through, and in a blink of an eye--I found myself airbourne and staring over 30+ feet down at the concrete floor of the store's inside--which was racing up at me !!
    I'll spare you the gruesome details..I got a free helicopter ride to shock trauma and a few days later when I woke up I had two broken legs ( the right leg severely broken in multiple places in my femur)..also I had covered my head with my arms and they had suffered traumatic damage being crushed between my head and the concrete. Not only were all of my limbs broken and surgically repaired with metal screws, rods, pins and staples..but my arms had severe nerve damage and my hands were now curled into useless claws.
    Recovery prognosis was not good..permanent limp probable, loss of full movement and tactile function in the arms/hands..yada yada..I didn't care..I was filled with---ELATION !! Falls from these heights are most often fatal, those who don't die usually have spinal cord injuries or head trauma leaving them paralyzed or vegetative...a limp I could live with !
    I spent 6 weeks in medical care between the hospital and Rehab..then I went home.
    There's not a lot to do during the day for someone who can't walk or use their hands..but I could use my twisted fingers to fumble my way around a keyboard. This is when I first discovered ebay while looking for books and DVD's to watch while I was wheelchair bound. While surfing the site I also noticed the large section on coins and collectibles.
    Remeber, I still loved coins and had a fascination with them..it had just been one of those "out of sight out of mind things". Now however, there weren't a lot of distractions. I decided to start collecting again. Well, with so much time during the day..I loved to surf for deals and try and snipe them ( a hard task with a dial-up internet server).
    I am not a professional, never have been-and probably never will be. What I did discover though was that if I was clever, I could build my personal collection by buying larger lots..selling off enough to get my money back, then any coins that were left I could add to my collection. Before I knew it, in less than a year ( between Physical Therapy 3x a week and Occupational Therapy 2x a week) I had turned my $5,000 retirement fund into a $40,000 collection + I still had my $5000 !!
    Mostly it was done at $10-20 at a time however I occasionally took a bigger risk--with bigger rewards !! The first big one was a 1911-D Indian $10 Eagle. I bought it listed as AU on ebay for $800 (thought this was a steal since price guides showed it at $1000). Well it looked extra nice so I joined NGC and sent the coin in for grading..it came back as MS62 and a value listed at $9000 !! I held that coin for a few years until my collecting tastes became more focused. In fact, much of my ebay activity is because of my fickle tastes..I've at one time held the #1 Jefferson nickel proof registry--then sold them..built Peace dollar albums, buffalo albums coin by coin--then sold them..and on and on..
    10+ years of fickle collecting and changing focus has really added up my ebay totals. Also friends who know that I collect have often "consigned" their coffee can hoards with me to sell for them.
    To sum things up, I have since left the wheelchair and arm braces and splints way behind. I worked my butt off in Therapy to get almost complete function returned ( I can't bend my right wrist is all). I went back to college 5 years ago as I was entering into my 40's and graduated with a degree in.......Physical Therapy !! I now am working in the Neurological Rehab center of a hospital where my job is a mix of joys and frustrations..when I have a stroke patient who stands unassisted for the first time it almost chokes me up...mostly out of joy for them, but I'm sure a little out of rememberence of that wonderful day when I first stood up again on my own feet (even if all the weight was on just my left leg.)
    So in summary, no ivory tower here, no professional seller here..just someone who had ebay play an important part in both my financial stability during a dark period and also as an instrument in re-igniting my passion for our great hobby...so my reaction to another member's post was because a nerve had been struck..my apologies to that member as well..
    My Franklin BU album..assembled over a year and a half. A few from ebay but mostly coins purchased in slabs and cracked out for the set ( I know it's nuts but they look so nice together, don't they?)

  11. jackson64

    Finished Another "Set"

    By jackson64,

    just a year set, but still a complete set
    It happens so rarely that I couldn't let the accomplishment pass without at least a quick journal to record the event. I finally finished my 1944 year set !!
    Yesterday I was perusing ebay and came across the final coin I needed -a 1944-D Washington quarter. I had seen a few before in the MS67 grade I was looking for but they were either not as attractive as I wanted or else they were way over-priced sitting in a "Buy It Now" inventory on ebay. Has anyone else noticed that since ebay re-structured things a year or so ago that there are far less auctions and far more items stuck in BIN at about 20-50% markups? I guess the sellers figure that for 10c a month they may as well give their inventories markups and let them sit in inventory month after month--heck, if they sell even one of these coins a month it can cover a year's worth of their listing fees...okay rant over and back to the point.
    So I found the coin in the grade, eye-appeal and price I was looking for and jumped on it. Now my 1944 year set is finished. It has all MS67 except for the 1944-S Walker which I have in an MS66. The only possible upgrade left is if I can find a 1944 P mercury with FSB.
    One interesting note about the 1944 year set--I actually finished #1 ranked this year. That is not what's interesting however. It seems that there has been a different #1 every year-2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and now me for 2010..so there are alot of ribbon icons next to various names in that set. Who knows, maybe next year there'll be a seventh straight different winner.
    Here's my final piece to the 1944 puzzle..it is worth noting that all 3 of my Washies in this set are now housed in old fat NGC holders-just a coincidence, but still pretty cool...

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  12. 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..

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

  14. jackson64
    Well it seems I picked a great set to build a quick and easy album. Already I am down to just ten holes. I also finished page 4- the 1957 through 1964 silver Washington Quarters in BU at barely above melt costs for these coins.
    Although I have a few scattered S mint dates of the 1930's and a smattering of 1940's, I found 2 quality examples for the series "key date" 1932-D & S coins. I was able to get the 32-S for under $120 plus a $12 discount for ebay bucks. The 32-D I got for exactly $100 but there were fees and shipping so it actually cost me more.
    I may need to do a submission or two if I wish to finish a slabbed Jersey 1/12th shilling set as they just don't appear pre-graded too much. I already have most of the series raw so it is just a matter of mailing them out. I might as well get my granddaughter's bear-themed coins slabbed too as it is easier for her to handle them and peruse through them when they are in a slab box instead of dozens of individual mint-packed boxes and cases.
    Happy hunting everyone, I hope there are some collectors still around here--the posts and camaraderie as at an all-time-low it seems.
     
    PS: the 32-S is still in a slab as I haven't cracked it out and put it into it's slot in my album yet--these darn, newer NGC slabs don't crack very well.




  15. jackson64
    some trial and error
    Well I've reached an impasse in my Walker collecting. The remaining slots in my mid-date set cost 4 figures+ in the grades I want. I don't have the continual funds to be shelling out whenever a hole-filler arrives and at the same time I don't want to keep buying lower grades which eventually get replaced in the future.
    I've decided to take a more "relaxed" approach to my interests for a while. My Barber Half set is the perfect medium for this. You see, I actually like the circulated look of these coins--and this may sound nuts or like justification for my limited funds, but I actually prefer them to blast white, pristine BU Barbers. I'm building a set of F12 to XF40 grade coins. The only criteria is that they can't be too white and can't have "acceptable damage" ( sometimes the TPG's allow a bit of scratches or dings in the much older coinage). So essentially, problem-free and worn surfaces but with nice detailing still.
    Another added benefit of choosing the Barbers ( besides my love of halves) is that I won't have to worry about the temptation to get competetive with this set in the registry. The top sets in the category are worth hundreds and hundreds of thousands ( millions?) and single coins in those sets are worth more than my entire collection.
    On another side note, I have been picking up the occasional seated half in XF quality. Once I get 5 to 6 of these I may actually list them in a Seated registry set as a long-range goal. So now I have plenty of coins to search for at auctions and websites that may cost $200 or less and I can get the enjoyment of the hunt as well as adding a few coins a month--instead of 1 coin every 2 months if I stayed with the Walkers.
    Here's an attractive 1908-D VF35 I recently added. My set is now listed undewr Barber Halves if you'd like to take a look. I have 20 coins so far, all have pictures and hopefully you'll get an appreciation also for how nice this design still looks even with Fine level of wear....

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  16. jackson64

    The Hoard...Part 2

    By jackson64,

    fun and frustrating..
    When I last left off, I had sat down with B** and we were discussing what to do with the 5 toolboxes of coins. He has decided to leave them all to K***'s 15 year-old daughter for her college fund.
    My part is to separate out the coins that will potentially get more money if certified..and to sort/catalog the remainder...here are some of the finds in the first 4 boxes:
    --700 silver dollars--most BU of common dates ( $25-50 each in 62/63) and the semi-key and keys are almost all worn
    -- over 300 ounces of silver-- including many mint rolls ( with green caps) of Silver American Eagles
    -- about 100 xf/au Indian heads...
    --1000+ worn walkers and Franklins..no key date Walkers and the entire group is at or near melt value
    --a few hundred Buffalo nickels, many semi-keys in the AU range and worth a few hundred for a few..many BU common dates not worth slab costs and lots of partial dates
    -- rolls and rolls of orignal Roosevelt dimes dated from 1949-1956..all pristine with highly toned end coins( unless they're MS68's not really worth the slab cost for a $50-75 coins)..
    -- about 2 dozen XF 3-cent nickels
    -- about 50 total Seated coins from half dimes to quarters, the few harder dates being more worn and the xf/au coins being easier dates but still in the $80-120 range
    -- a hundred or so Barber coins, almost exclusively in the solid VG/F grade with partial to full liberty on the headbands
    -- multiple proof sets of every year from 1956 through 1981...none of the pre-1970 sets display cameo, although there are some fabulously toned coins and pristine specimens
    --sacks & envelopes filled with Washington Quarters, another with wheaties, circulated mercs and wartime nickels
    -- a complete Capital Plastics displayed set of mixed grade Washington's..the 1932-D and S would grade VF and F conservatively
    --filled penny albums, miscellaneous modern commems from the 80's including the 3-piece ( with gold coin) Statue of Liberty, Constitution and Olympic sets--the only gold I found
    --Canadian silver commems and a roll of Mexican onza bullion coins.. and on and on...
    There were a few good finds mixed in:
    ---11 GSA Morgans, including 3 different Carson City dates
    --- an 1864 L Indian cent with nice details but some reverse pitting ( NGC details grade for this one)
    --- a beautiful BU 1934-S Peace Dollar ( also a lustrous 26-S)
    --- an 1854 with arrows Seated Quarter in AU/BU slider
    --- 5 Type 2 1979-S proof sets
    --- a worn 1893-O Morgan
    --- an 1881 shield nickel in au/bu and 3 highly worn 1912-S Liberty nickels ( there were a lot of Liberty nickels)
    --- a very pretty 1859 Trime, toned and in xf/au
    In the end, the vast majority were sadly worth little more than their melt value. There were about 200+ coins in the $50-100 value range which makes them not worth slabbing. Maybe 40 total coins worth encapsulating because of their scarcity or they could grade high enough to be worth it.
    In the end it was very fun to sort through them all, the anticipation that the next coin may have a 1942/1 or that 37-D might have 3 legs..kept it exciting. I must admit to a degree of disappointment in the end for not having found a few $5000+ coins or low mintage rarities..............HOWEVER......
    Before everyone gets the impression that I wasted my time, B** did mention to me that his brother's safe is full of coins that he kept seperate from the rest of the hoard..so the dream remains alive !!
    Also, don't feel too bad for me..I told him to hold onto the bulk of the coins for now while the market is down and just slab the choice ones..however when the market picks up he has asked that I help liquidate them and has agreed to a small % of the proceeds for me !! With $25,000-30,000 in coins and bullion so far, my efforts for my friend may yield me enough to purchase one High Grade addition to my own collection...
    I'll update you on what is in the safe ( I'm going to inspect the contents Wednesday)..in the meantime you'll pardon me please if I dream about Bust coinage and Trade Dollars....St Gaudens and key dates.....

  17. jackson64
    My most recent submission is worth at least 3 separate journals after some issues I had, some newly discovered info, to discuss the coins and overall grades ( 8 of the coins were for custom sets) and of course, the completion of 2 of my Bahamian Silver Registry Sets.........
    The Bahamas Mint State silver coins had a relatively short lifespan. There are just 6 years of these issues with quite limited mintages ( it is a smallish island nation so 10's of millions would have made no sense.) The first issue was in 1966 with your 8 coin sets and the 50c, $1, $2 and $5 coins being silver. The $5 coin has an ASW of almost 1.3 oz's and the $2 coins are well above the silver content of the US silver dollar, so these are large and heavy silver coins.
    After the 1966 issue, no new sets were made until 1969 and then they were produced yearly for 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973--after 1973, only the proof sets contained the 4 large silver coins ( and some SP sets and commems also were silver) but the mint sets had switched to cuni and alloys.
    I started collecting these coins originally because of the beautiful designs and the fact that I could sometimes even snag them below silver cost as it seemed 10+ years ago that not many people realized the ASW of nearly 3 oz's in each mint set. I have also fallen in love with the finish of these coins which appear almost burnished- containing an "inner glow" as they have a simmering sort of shine which does not reflect as much or cartwheel like the very light reflective silver. Who knows, maybe they are burnished in some part of production-much like the burnished silver eagles which have the planchettes spun in a tumbler with fine sand or tiny metal beads.
     
    Anyhow, with the wonderful additions of the 1971 "Dancing Marlin" 50c and the 1973 "Flamingos at sunrise" $2 coin, I have now completed 2 more sets. I recently got some free photography lights so I may try and improve my pics ( or at least make them all uniform.) now that the sets are done--and with just 12 coins to photo/crop/size it won't be too big of a project.
     
    Here are the pics, what do you think? Burnished finish?




  18. jackson64
    each coin is different
    I had read recently of someone who was not happy with a coin's "in hand" appearance as compared to auction photos. Personally I tend to give a bit of leeway as to whether the auction company intentionaly "doctors" photos to make a coin look better. On occasion I get a coin that has a spot or hairline that was not visible when photoed at a certain angle but shows up if the coin is tilted or turned when holding it.
    I also sometimes get a coin that thrills me to no end when I actually receive it..the auction photos didn't capture how stunning the eye-appeal was in hand ( I guess in those cases it would be the seller who was not happy).
    Which brings me to my latest joy and frustration. I recently got an upgrade for my Walker set..a very attractive 1941 ( a common date in high grade) that turned out to be fabulous when I got it in the mail. Another bonus, the coin was housed in an old NGC fatty holder..and the auction photo showed some light golden tone on the obverse near the head and around the reverse rim. When I got the coin I was excited to see that the "golden brown areas" were actually complex rainbow colors of red/fluorescent green/neon orange and gold... a major score !!
    I had bought the coin for its fabulous full strike and now had gotten an elusive well-toned Walker !! That was the joyful part....now for the frustration !!
    I wanted to take my own pictures and highlight the great strike and the colors. However when I turned the coin to accent the skirt lines and full thumb, the colors would darken...when I tilted the coin to show the rainbow the skirt lines look flat or the thumb disappears..I tried additional lighting...I tried taking them outdoors..I tried photos with halogen light and with a 150w grow light..and even tried a combo of lighting, tilting, angles and rotating the coin...utter frustration !!
    Anyhow, if I find a formula that works I may try it for all of my Walkers to make the set uniform...but then again each coin has different aspects I'd like to highlight so this may just be wishful thinking...
    Here's a picture of the coin that started this quest...too dark for a final inclusion but I really like the way this angle of light makes the suns rays and skirt lines pop out..the light and shadow play are kind of like actually facing the sun..

  19. jackson64

    Finished A Set !!

    By jackson64,

    finally broke down and filled the last slot..
    I remember reading some advice in a book once. It was written by a highly respected, giant of our hobby. He wrote in his book, "buy the key dates of a series you're building first. They are the coins that will continue to gain or hold in price, while the easier dates rise much slower or often go up AND down."
    At the time I thought this was a no-brainer. I was sure that I would have figured that bit of logic out on my own, after all, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that what is harder to get and more highly prized will increase in value.
    Well I may have understood the concept but I didn't follow the advice. Sadly, the primary "key" coin of my Walker Short Set was the LAST one I purchased. In my own defence there are a few reasons for this. Without boring everyone to death, the two big reasons were cost and my own pickiness.
    It is a bit of an expensive coin in the grade I wanted for a man of my middling means. The big reason though was that I wanted a nicer, eye-appealing coin if it was going to cost more than 5-6 times what other coins in the series cost combined. So I waited, always with a different reason to pass on the one's that became available--"this one's strike is weak"..or..."this one looks dipped"..." the luster is a bit, lackluster"..or " that ding keeps drawing my focus"...etc etc..(I'm sure you know the thoughts)
    Anyhow, almost 2 1/2 years after starting this little 20 coin "short set"..I have finally added the last remaining coin, my 1941-S !! WooHoo..here's a picture of the lustrous reverse, busting with shimmery flowlines and with the proud eagle--defiant in defence of Liberty and freedom
    NGC MS66

  20. jackson64

    My Priceless Coin

    By jackson64,

    family heirlooms...
    Last night I was trying to catch up on reading all of the new year's journal entries. This helps to keep me involved in the hobby even when my funds don't allow me to be in "purchasing mode." One series of journals was discussing the NGC submission coupon and the struggle of deciding on which coins to submit.
    I had almost forgotten that I still have my 5 free submission voucher, so I immediately pulled out my raw coins and found myself in the same conundrum. I finally settled on 3 possible submissions:
    1) Make the most of the voucher value and send 5 older coins...or..
    2) Send in 5 coins that will fill slots in my sets....or
    3) send in 5 coins that I really like but their value is less than the cost of slabbing, since the grading is "free" this could be my chance to have them encapsulated without feeling like I'm being a bonehead..
    Then it occured to me, there is another coin that I have always wanted to have preserved/encapsulated. A few years ago, before I got involved with the registry and had my youthful passion for coins reignited, my mother gave me a few things that had belonged to my dad. He passed 11 years ago at the age of 59 and was buried on his 60th birthday and my mom had been going through some of his old stuff to give to us kids. She offered me his triangular folded flag from his funeral-now mounted in a nice case with his medals pinned to it, but I told her to hold onto it. She also gave me a thick book of our family tree dating back to the early 1700's when my ancestors first immigrated to America...and among other smaller things she gave me an old silver dollar that my dad had in his wallet. I remember that he had shown it to me before and told me it was from his dad ( my grandpa).
    The dollar is a common date- a 1921 Morgan- but its value can't be measured in terms of dollars. It is a link to the past, held in the living and calloused hands of my grandfather and my father and now by me. The coin is not very worn, however it has taken on a red and brown tone-probably from the stain in the wallet ( with my luck it will get body-bagged as artificially toned)...the issue is that I like holding it in my hands, feeling its weight and the ridges on the rim...but I'd also like to get it safe in a holder with a label that says "grandpa's dollar" or something
    So now I also am stuck with the submission conundrum..if anyone wants to send me a message with their thoughts I'd appreciate it..but I'm thinking that I may go with the 5 cheapie coins that I really like but have low values otherwise they may just sit in my "future slabbing" drawer forever.
    Here's a picture of Grandpa and dad's 1921 Morgan... sitting on the cover of the book (tome) of the Jackson family tree...and yes, Andrew actually was a relative of mine (although I'm not a direct descendant because he had no kids)..

  21. jackson64

    I'm Gonna Miss Ebay

    By jackson64,

    all good things must end
    A large part of my coin collecting experience has been perusing auction sites and finding hidden gems and obscure sailing ship coins for my sets. Ebay was always a fun place to search.
    Often I would use simple keyword searches ( "ship" has always been a bit of a pain because of the amount of listings that say Free Ship-because there was not enough space to type free shipping). Another way I use ebay and euro collections is by studying my Krause catalogs and then searching by country and date...this is why it has always been "collecting" to me and not just "purchasing"..because the hunt is a large part of the thrill and fun of it.
    Anyhow, ebay has decided on another set of policy changes. Due to the continuing decline in their revenue after the last round of poorly thought out changes they have hashed out another way to increase their money ( so they think)---they are not going to allow sellers to accept money orders or checks anymore. You read that right, I'm not making this up--you must either buy or sell with paypal or credit card only coming this October----and I will be making my last Ebay transactions in September.
    I will not go into the details of why I don't/won't use paypal ( the journals are not the place for it) but ebay is essentially shutting me and thousands and thousands of others out of their sight.
    Like I said, I will miss perusing ebay, but I still have about 20 other on-line sights that carry coins for me to search through---not to mention that there are almost 2 dozen I recently discovered on Eurocollections that I'd like---besides, it may give me a break from buying long enough to get some of my overdue slabbing taken care of.....

  22. jackson64

    Too Many Coins?

    By jackson64,

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

  23. 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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  24. jackson64
    what a strange odyssey
    I hope that my collecting friend "Electric Peak" forgives my play on his title. I also attended the Baltimore Show this weekend (Saturday) yet my story starts a few days prior to that.
    You see, about a week ago, while browsing a few more of the obscure coin sites on my "Favorites" page--I came across a 1939-S Walker graded MS67 that really caught my eye. The price was substantial for my modest collecting habits so I thought I'd solicit some opinions from other collectors. I posted images from the website on the NGC Chat Boards to see if others also thought it was solid for the grade. The majority guessed the grade as it was posted on the slab so I decided to pull the trigger....and this is where the Mis-Adventure begins...
    When I went back to the website to seize my prize--it was listed as SOLD...ugh !! I had hesitated and lost, however the story does not end there. So off I go on Saturday morning to the Baltimore/Whitman Coin Expo. I decided to take with me one blank check and $500 cash. Well I walked from table after table on the bourse, casually glancing at the Walkers in the cases. Most were actually in lower collector grades than I was looking for but each time I'd see one that I needed for a slot and in the grade I want to fill that slot with I would ask to see it...
    I patiently and methodically continued on...keeping in my mind the 2-3 possibilities that I may go back and take another look at. All the while I was determined to search each dealer's case before I jumped on anything ( after all, I had only brought one check). Well the best laid plans as they say......I came across a beautifully golden-toned and supremely struck 1940 MS67. The coin has a bold thumb, full trailing leg feathers on the reverse, seperated face/hair/cap lines..and nary a contact mark to be seen...seriously, I'm very conservative with my Walker grading and even I could see this coin in an MS68 holder...I flipped it over and the price was actually VERY fair...I asked the dealer how firm the price was and he quoted me another price $125 less than the sticker...I asked him if he'd take a check !! And so the deal was done--yet the story was not over !
    My newest prize tucked safely away, I figured I'd walk around and check out some circulated but slabbed Barber Halves for my Fine to Very Fine grade set ( after all, I still had my cash). Well about another 10 tables down I came across the dealer who had previously listed on his webpage the 1939-S I had wanted. It turns out that the coin was not actually SOLD at all...grrrrr...he had removed it from the webpage in order to bring it to the show and prevent the chance of double selling it.
    I mentioned to him that I was about to pull the trigger on the purchase when I discovered that it was not for sale anymore--well we exchanged numbers and I hope to contact him when he returns home from Baltimore and negotiate a deal on the 39-S..but as of now it has been very discombobulat5ed..and all my own fault because I mistrusted my own eye and sought others opinions....
    So once again I learn the same lesson again...collect what you like and even if you pay a few extra bucks it is worth it if you'll love the coin. And conversely, I shouldn't buy a coin I don't like even if the price is cheap...
    But, it wasn't a total loss...I may still end up with my 39-S and I got a 1940 that I will treasure for as long as I own it...

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  25. jackson64

    The Deed Is Done

    By jackson64,

    I've been waiting to see.....
    Well NGC has gone ahead with their business scheme to banish the PCGS coins from the World Registry. First let me say that- of course it is NGC's site and of course they have full right to do anything they choose with their company and registry.
    I had held off with posting a journal with my reaction until they actually did the deed. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt that they may change their minds and put the collectors ahead of the almighty dollar. Now that it is done I can say that I am quite displeased by their decision--and even more displeased by the condescending and lame explanation that they gave.
    I would have been more accepting if they had flat out said, " this is a purely financial decision". " We at NGC feel that at this time we are in a unique and strong position to establish a monopolistic dominance in world coin grading and have decided to eliminate PCGS coins from the registry for the purpose of ensuring that the bulk dealer submissions will be sent to us and that the growing TPG business worldwide will look to NGC for the lion's share of its certifications." Something l;ike that..after all, the truth is easier to swallow than when people pee down your neck and tell you it's raining. ( it's too confusing to determine varieties and attributions??? really?? just use Krause as a standard and if PCGS criteria differ THEN you disqualify the coin)
    Anyhow, this does affect many, many of us. I spent a couple of thousand last year to finally bring my Canadian $2 Twonies up to the #1 registry slot-- it is now dropped down to #4. You see, 2 of the rarer, low mintage gold coins in the series I bought in PCGS slabs--simply because they rarely come onto the market and when they do already slabbed in a 69 or better you gotta grab THE COIN no matter the slab it's in.
    Secondly, I have a #1 Canadian proof dime set that has been #1 for 4+ years and was 36 out of 39 coins complete--now it will never be complete. You see, not only do I need the final 3 dates but now there are also 2 PCGS coins that will never be listed in their slots. I won't spend $30 to cross $20 coins and neither will I buy second copies of coins I already posess--so a set that has been years in the making will never be seen as complete on the registry.
    There are other smaller sets also with PCGS coins in them--I already have eliminated 6 sets completely from the registry and am considering the removal of my 3 #1 Bahamas sets since those sets also will never be seen as complete on the registry.
    I guess I can be satisfied with knowing that the sets are complete and also, even though my7 sets my not be ranked #1-- the reality is that I'll be the owner of the #$1 set of coins in the category.
    Sadly, there will now be dozens and dozens of sets in this registry ranked as #1 that are not even close to the sets that fellow members own--of coins t5hat is. So this is a sad day for the world coin registry-- it is the day when a #1 ranking no longer means the #1 set of coins-- it only means that you have the most paper labels with an NGC logo.
    It is also disheartening that I have been so loyal to NGC through the years..even with drops and cuts in services and membership benefits just as they have raised costs and gotten lax on turnaround times. I have never complained when I sent in tokens or medals that they had previously slabbed with, "ineligible type" but then find my submission returned unslabbed but they kept my money. Also dozens of coins that were bodybagged and not graded-which is what I paid for- but again they kept the fees ( coincidentally almost all get slabbed on resubmission). Paying postage both ways on 4 seperate occasions to get mislabeled coins or damaged slabs exchanged-- never without complaint.
    I did all of this-- even knowing that my coins would have a 12-15% GREATER VALUE IN A PCGS SLAB- at the same grade. I will not spend a dime crossing my coins into slabs that will REDUCE their value-- I may have been a loyal lackey for these years but I will not just throw money away.
    There is another alternative. I COULD CROSS TO PCGS. The difference in increase of value in a PCGS slab could offset some of the costs of crossing and then I could list my sets as completed in the PCGS registry. I'll have to give that some thought though. I'm actually leaning toward selling everything now except my Half Dollar sets-- in fact, I'm taking offers on all of my World coins ( although you now can't see which coins I actually have in my collections).
    Oh well, I have no doubt that NGC will profit well from this decision and that the few dozen of us who will now be quitting the world coin registry, well we will not matter much in the big financial picture.
    For a picture to accompany my journal--here are my 2 25th anniversary silver eagles still in their unopened box. I have been struggling with what to do with them. I have finally decided to stick with my principles ( even if it resembles the old, "cut off your nose to spite your face" cliche). I will not be sending them to NGC- or any more money to them. I will send them to PCGS, even though the likelihood of getting a bunch of 70's is considerably less than with NGC...I am truly saddened that it has come to this, maybe it is time to put aside this hobby anyhow. Between the mint's ridiculous expansion of offerings, the burgeoning amount of counterfeits from China of classic coins, more emphasis put on labels than coins, "First Strikes" that aren't, sour grapes and resentments when registry awards are announced, scammers on ebay, auction houses charging 15% to buy coins, 15% to sell them, TPG's charging $30 per coin to glance at them for 3 to 5 seconds ( this is a fact disclosed by several graders themselves), paying extra for "Earlybird" grading process and then getting the coins returned at a longer wait than the "cheapo" $18 per coin submission rate/tier-BUT NOT GETTING REFUNDED THE DIFFERENCE ( isn't this just plain stealing when you charge extra for an expedited service but then don't expedite it and still keep the money???)
    I'm sick of it, it's time to enjoy my sailing, build a greenhouse so that I can garden in the winter, spend extra time with the granddaughter and reading my Bible. Maybe take that money spent on coins and take that dream trip through Europe now that the Euro is crashing and travel there is cheaper than it has been in decades...lots of things to fill thye time I spent on coin collecting. Most of them will enrich my life far more also.
    So in the end, thank you NGC for the past years of enjoyment and good luck with your new position as a hard-line, no-nonsense, dollar first company. I'm sure that you'll be very successful. Maybe this is just the incentive I needed to get my priorities back into order and reset my focus on God, family and spending my money on living instead of objects........