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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. 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..

  2. jackson64
    a 99% FH or FB coin can be a fraction of the cost
    I remember reading a piece written by David Bowers on the "Full Head" Standing Liberty Quarters.It essentially raised the question that I have been struggling with this week. The November event in Baltimore has several coins that interest me, a few of these are SLQ's. One coin in particular does not have an official FH designation on the slab, however it does have a fuller head than many I've seen slide by. In addition to the 99% FH, as David Bowers pointed out, it has other elements that only a super strike has...full rivets on the shield, a strong shield emblem with lines both horizontal and vertical...strong eagle feather definition all the way up to the under edge of the right wing. My point is, how did the head become THE MAJOR determining factor?..even so much that an MS66 of one coin valued at $2000 can be a fraction of it's lesser MS65 FH sister valued at $15,000? One coin is superior in every aspect except the head and is of far less value? Who decided that the head was the most important and that much so? For my money the MS66 with 99% FH at less than 1/7th the price would fit my collection very nicely. And just a quick word on Full Band Mercury dimes. Check out the price difference on a 1918-D MS65 and 65FB.....$750 compared to $42,500!!! Many of these coins that narrowly fall in one group or another are so close to being FB or not that it becomes almost a judgement call.Out of 9 people 4 may say yes and 4 may say no and then comes the $42,000 opinion of 1 person....hmmmmmm...those 2 little letters, whether FH or FB can be awfully costly, and they may not even be right...
  3. jackson64

    Gamble Payed Off

    By jackson64,

    wary of overseas ebay sellers
    With good reason, we should all have a healthy suspicion of overseas ebay sellers. I personally would never bid on any coin where the seller is from China, hong kong, singapore etc...However I do consider coins that are being sold from Europe.
    I have been burned once or twice but I have also had it pay off. I have gotten coins at great prices at times probably because other potential bidders didn't want to chance it. I guess the safest method is using Paypal so you can have a bit of "buyer protection". I thoroughly check their feedback and see if some of their feedbacks are from happy US buyers also...if so I feel much better.
    Even with all of the checking and covering my butt I still would never "risk" more than $100 --even if the seller is honest, packages can get lost when traveling half way around the world.
    Here's a photo of a handsome coin I just got from Germany. A 1938 Swedish 2 Kronor coin that is even nicer than the photos. A nice old crusty look, hints of rose an overall golden color and still lots of luster popping out--and I got it for $5 !!!!! Sometimes in life you just have to take a few chances....

  4. jackson64
    Article from the Journal of Metallurgical sciences..
    A recent article in a reknowned Scientific Journal reports that researchers have uncovered a complex stoichiometric formula that can transform higher grade bauxite metals into 24 carat gold. The process which involves an intricate operation enables bauxite to shed up to 3 valence electrons thus changing the polarity of the bauxite. The result is a change in the density of the mass of the metal, giving it the same electrical compatability as gold-but still without the "golden" color...essentially white gold.
    The US government has not yet determined what they will do about the discovery-and no official report is expected until a study is done on what the effect on the world economy might be. As it stands, this may cause all of our gold holdings to become no more rare than common lead...
  5. jackson64
    It's been a while...
    Yes, it has been a while since I felt the higher energy level from coin collecting. Lately it's been lower dollar coins ( around or under $100) or empty searches for the higher grade sets I'm trying to build....
    Last night was quite different ! Not only did I get home from work and find out that my internet bids had been enough to land me 2 additions to my Walker collection--- I also sat down and enjoyed the live bidding since I was registered.
    Watching coin after coin sell for more than the worth of my entire collection is both humbling and jaw-dropping. Bids starting at $2,000 quickly jump into 5 figures...and much of the early gold went for $100,000+....to think that I could destroy my credit and need to re-finance my home were just a mouse click away !!
    Seriously though, it was exciting even just to watch--especially since I had some " house money" to play with. You see I had consigned some lots that had sold earlier for a little under 5 figures ( total-not each)...I even threw in one bid on a $3 Indian Princess gold Proof for $3000---it eventually sold for around $30,000 so I was never in any danger of actually winning but it was fun to throw in a bid !!
    Anyhow, here are my 2 wins...a nice 1937 Walker MS66+ and a "lateral" move with another MS66 1943-S but much more attractive and distinctive-- yes, I do even "upgrade" my sets with the same grade on the slab--just much nicer coins. I hope you Walker lovers enjoy these...

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  6. jackson64

    Golden Buffalos

    By jackson64,

    mint announcement arrived today
    One of the great things about coins as a collectible is their variety. Many of us collect by certain series, some by themes, some by metals, some collect moderns, some collect pre-1900, some only certain denominations etc etc..there are tons of ways to collect them.
    I realized recently that I don't own a single slabbed coin with a president. I have old penny and nickel albums of Lincoln and Jefferson that I only fill with a coin I get from change...no ebay hole fillers. I realized that my eye for coins is more attatched to the artistic beauty of coins. Personally I feel that it is time to do away with the dead presidents of our coinage and go back to using symbols and images that represent what our country stands for and believes in. Liberty, justice, eagles, flags, fighting for freedom...
    I got a post card from the mint today announcing the gold buffalos for 2007....I am not a high roller and don't buy bullion coins. I would rather put $700-800 towards a high grade walker, slq, or even a common date Saint Gaudens or $10 Indian..this is just my preference and I know that there are many who will get a lot of enjoyment from assembling a handsome set of these 1 ounce buffalo gold coins. I do think that I will start collecting the buff golds but in a smaller denomination, probably the quarter ounce {large enough to do the design justice but still affordable}
    Although I don't collect moderns I am glad to see the Walking Liberty design on the SAE's, the Gaudens on our gold coins,and the buffalo return. I only wish that our generation could return to an artistic approach to coin design that balances a 21st century approach with classic American ideals...again, this is just how I feel...but 100 years of Lincoln on the cent is enough tribute..
    Here is one of my favorite coins of my collection, and also one of my favorite designs..these coins are not pretty when they get worn but an MS grade coin is a true work of art and testament to America...Standing Liberty Quarter-1917-S type 1 FH {barely}

  7. jackson64

    Golden Grizzly

    By jackson64,

    this little coin may turn into a collection of the whole series.
    I added my first gold coin to my granddaughter's bear-themed coin set. It is quite attractive in design and surprisingly well detailed for a 1/10th oz coin.
    When looking through the other coins of the O Canada wildlife series coins, I really was taken with the other coins in the set- cougar, bison, bald eagle, wolf, beaver etc. I think the small coins wouldn't be too much of a stretch in budget to assemble, even though the smaller a gold coin gets the larger the percentage of cost over its gold value.
    Here she is--my golden grizzly and it looks like time for another submission for a dozen or so new bear coins.

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  8. jackson64
    would probably be a hung jury
    Well I pulled the trigger today on a deal I found a few days ago and have been hemming and hawing over. It's the classic coin collector dilemma--on one hand, I'm not sure I want to collect the series--yet on the other hand, if I ever change my mind then they may never be this cheap again.
    The series in question was the proof presidential dollars. In general I usually collect moderns in albums, I won't go into all of the reasons why I do this but 2 big reasons are that I enjoy album collecting--and secondly the market is very highly skewed for what the value of these massive mintage coins will be worth in 20 years.
    It is this second line of reasoning on my part ( and I could be wrong--moderns may increase in value if a new generation of collectors come flooding into our hobby), that led to the hemming and hawing.
    You see, I bought all 4 proof sets in PCGS multiholders for $99 plus $5 shipping, $104 total. Part of my brain is screaming, " you just paid over $100 for $16 worth of face value coins with massive mintages and a small collector following !?!" Yet the other side of my brain says, " what a deal ! These coins are near $20 a set raw from the mint and if you add grading fees for 16 coins plus shipping is around $300--it's a steal !!"
    The sets are nice--and they are historical, so I will enjoy them. Yet now I'm committed to another set to build and will also have the added task of trying to find them in the multi-holder for uniformity. One thing about PCGS multi-holders is that they don't have individual cert numbers for each coin so I won't be adding a registry set. I'd never be in the top 100 anyhow with a complete set of PF69DCAM's--yet the 2500+ points for a $100 investment is enticing...
    So, in the end I'm still unsure of whether I got a good deal or bad deal but I know one thing for sure--the collector in me is alive and well. Now I need to find the "D" mint prezzies for the holes in my album set..

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  9. jackson64

    Good News !!!

    By jackson64,

    heard from a missing friend
    Well it has been a tough year in many ways for some in our little community. Economics has been tough on many-- Several have had to pause in their collecting while others have had to sell part or all of their collections to pay for more pressing issues. Some of us have had medical issues and some have had to deal with the hardest things one could face--death of loved ones.
    I did get good news from 2 people, I know that a couple of the people that I send messages to on occasion have asked about them so......
    Michael Cooper, having already been hit with one tough blow, had a very serious emergency surgery. As expected from Michael, he is quickly on his feet and his spirits are very high.
    Clay, who we haven't heard from since July when he announced that he was going for a heart surgery...is struggling with some continuing medical issues but is still active building his impressively massive set. He may not be keeping us abreast of his latest acquisitions in his journals but he is as an enthusiastic collector as ever.
    So I got these bits of good news recently and thought I'd share...
    On a personal note, I have officially started "High Seas chapter 2"..the continuation of my sailing ship themed set....the original set recently became only the 5th set out of over 1,100 signature sets to have over 4,000 people take time to look at it.
    At the risk of running long, a quick story......
    I got an email a few weeks ago from an ebay seller who also has an on-line coin store. He was running a special sale on a coin from China. I usually just glance and delete but this caught my eye..the pictures looked familiar. As I continued to read, it turns out the advertisement not only was using pictures from my "China Empress Ship" coin, but the description was verbatim from my set also...I sent them a little email mentioning that I was flattered and wouldn't mind a little kick-back from them for making their job so easy by writing their ads for them..Needless to say, I have yet to receive a response...
    Anyhow, I hope everyone has a wonderful 2009..Happy Hunting.......
    A wonderful coin from Iceland..the reverse has a fishing ship but I just love this obverse..

  10. jackson64
    I just added another MS64 Brown Indian Cent to my collection. This 1892 leaves me with just the 1890 and 1894 to complete my self-styled Indian Short Set 1890-1909. I'm wavering but I think I'll go ahead and expand it to the 1880's as well since most of that decade can be had at a reasonable price and there are no key date, expensive issues that will be needed.
     
    If you wonder why I decided on brown instead of the (usually) more coveted red or RB coins--I just feel like the brown coins come in a wider variety of looks and include some beautifully toned items. Red coins are pretty much just red ( or shades of orange/red).
    My latest addition......added to my Custom Set.


  11. jackson64
    Got back 5 PQ+ coins from NGC today that I sent in for upgrades and nothing...Trying to upgrade a set but my coins are nicer than the higher graded coins I see at auction!!!
    I get a bit frustrated at times when I look to upgrade a 64 to a 65 or a 63 to a 64 or even a 66FB to a 67FB and find that my coins are superior in strike, luster and cleanness.I recently sent 5 coins away for an upgrade/{grade correction!!} and got them all back with the packing slip I sent them with,the only difference was the box......I have no way of even knowing if they were closely looked at...perused..or even looked at at all{{I'm sure they were but I can't know that}.To anyone who reads this look at my 1917 year set...I sent in a 1917 Buffalo nickel MS64, 1917MS65FB Mercury, 1917 T1 SLQ MS63FH, a 1917-D T1 SLQ MS64FH and a 1917-S SLQ T1 MS62FH..now go to the current auction at "H" tage..and look at every one of these coins but 1 grade higher..MINE are nicer....some by even 2 GRADES..and I have 6 auction sites on my favorites list and see this at them all..thanks for letting me vent...here is a "65" Maryland commem photo with a beautiful bronze toned bust and fully struck..CLEAN..go to the big signature auction and check out the 6 different 66's and tell me if you think ANY of them are nicer than this one...do you buy the coin or holder?..for me I'll take my PQ 64's over the ruddy, scratched, weakly struck 65's I see any day
    MVC-982S.J
  12. jackson64
    Thought I had filled a slot with a key date except for one small detail
    There isn't a collector among us, who I'm sure owns at least one coin that they feel is undergraded. I feel the reason for this is due to one primary aspect of grading--that is Eye Appeal. Unfortunately grading-even by the 2 big TPG's- is always going to be subjective.
    All of us with any experience in the hobby understand the main criteria used in grading-contact marks, hairlines, luster, wear on circulated coins. However this will get you to a technical point for an iffy range--then everything gets thrown out practically as "eye appeal" is then gauged.
    As a Walker collector who has looked at thousands of this series I'll use them as an example.... A coin may be very clean/clear of marks ( virtually pristine) average to well struck for the date and mint and with frosty luster and this coin is likely to get an MS66 or 67. They just don't give the "white" Walkers higher grades than 67 simply because there are thousands and thousands and they don't catch the eye as much-even in near perfect condition.
    However I have seen repeatedly coins with weak strikes--flat head on Liberty, no discernable thumb and incomplete skirt lines ( and not just S mints)--I have seen such coins even with chatter in the fields get that same MS67 grade if the coin has some attractive rim toning or satiny luster. Now I'm not saying anything is wrong with either, it's just the way it is. If one is a collector you must understand this subjectiveness or you'll pull your hair out wondering why your obviously superior technical coin is lower grade than that scuffed, weakly struck toned coin. ( not to mention it may cost you a few bucks if you start fruitlessly sending in your coins for regrade.)
    Well I've gotten way off of track from my original journal intent-- which I tend to do-- it was not meant to be about the subjective and eye appeal aspect of grading and how HUGE it is ( when a single point in grade can mean $500 or $5000 value-it's pretty huge).
    I also wanted to mention the human aspect--which is sometimes things just get missed. It is an effort to failsafe this by having 3 seperate graders look at each coin--but I've studied enough about the human brain to know how easily it fools itself. So it is not surprising that just plain old errors occur.
    I had recently purchased a 1914 Barber to fill a slot in my "Fine to XF Only set". I ended up being pretty disappointed when I had purchased a coin that was suitable in quality and in a middling grade that wasn't too expensive, only to find that there was one detail that ruined my deal.
    The 3 graders at PCGS had missed it, the consignor to auction missed it ( giving the benefit of the doubt) and the auctioneer missed it-- but the 1914 I purchased when viewed under magnification was actually a 1914-S with the S either altered or abnormally worn to the point of being barely visible to the naked eye. It is one of those things that once someone points it out to you it is obvious however I can see how it was missed. Especially if the submitter had entered 1914 on his invoice and the 3 graders weren't looking very closely for it. ( you do know that the vast majority of coins get 3 to 5 seconds of perusal for grading by each grader, right?) I can see it now............
    Grader #1: Barber Half 1914--hmmmmm, uncleaned, no enviro damage, dings or gouges.....obverse has all letters of LIBERTY legible and reverse has full shield/lines..VF20...NEXT...( passes it to grader #2-repeat...
    Well, I'm starting to really ramble. I'm not going to mention the TPG or Auctioneer by name--after all, to err is human I do want to say however that with a single phone call the transaction was voided and an assurance of refund was given to me. A tiny little error for a tiny little worn mintmark but the value of the 1914 in VF is $500-600 and the 14-S is $150-180..happy hunting

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  13. jackson64
    should there be different standards for grading coins from within the same series...
    First let me say that I think the Third Party Grading system is great{meaning the top 3or4 companies of course}.They add security to your purchase, help set an industry standard, preserve these works of art, and they get the grading right most of the time{except for my coins which are all under-graded..}.I was thinking about how certain coins within a series..ex: the 1917-S obv and rev Walkers...have consistently weak strikes. Should the BEST examples of these coins be graded the same as a 1942 Walker with a strong strike...even though the skirt lines,left hand, eagles' breast feathers etc.. are missing? I have no problem with either way they decide to do it, as long as they are CONSISTENT!!..Another example for those who collect Buffalo nickels...usually the braid in the Indians' hair must be well-defined to get a gem or better grade, but I often see some of the years where there are none struck that well{look at most of the D mint coins from the teens}getting 65-67 grades.Anyhow, I've rambled enough...I'm sure I've confused a few who might read this, and for those who understand and even concur-I'm just preaching to the choir...here is a MS61 Walker 1917 Rev S...without rub, jsut a weakly struck year...by ANA grading standards...a true 61...by comparison to others from this year under-graded{like all of my coins..wink wink}
    MVC-920S.J
  14. jackson64
    to be shipped on 11/28/11
    I got my third email from the US Mint since that strange day that the ASE 25th Anniversary sets went on sale. The first email was the same day and simply stated that my order had been placed and I was on a waiting list/ backordered.
    Several days ago I got a second email from the mint which sent my hopes tumbling. In a nutshell the notice simply said that I had not been dropped from the list and would receive my 2 sets if there were any cancellations. Although others had posted how their emails the same day had informed them that they were no longer on the list and had zero chance--I still felt that my chances were slim to none ( and Slim was saddling up to leave town.)
    So today's notice from the mint is an unexpected surprise. I'm pretty stoked up and I'm not a full-fledged ASE collector per se. I do have several complete sets- just not graded sets. I have all of the key proof ASE's still in OGP/boxes, and of course you know I love the design since my favorite series is the Walking Liberty Half Dollar ( sorry ASE fans-- the reverse doesn't come close to the eagle on the Walker reverse.just IMHO).
    So I hope this is good news to a few of you who are still on the backorder list. If you haven't gotten word yet that you won't be getting one-well then there is still hope that you might.
    A couple other things while I'm already started--kudos to NGC for giving the 1915 Barber Half in VG10 grade more than 3 points. A coin whose value is roughly $150-200 deserves a few more than 3, a nice pick-up by the registry team. Not all is accolades in Collectors-Society land however. I just got my "packet" for renewing my PREMIUM membership. When I first joined NGC/CS we got a slabbed ASE along with free submissions and our membership package with an attractive folder, submission forms and heavy grade papered Price Lists for all of the grading services. This dropped down to a state quarter with special label but all of the other accoutrements. Eventually it was a CS pin and the folder package with a book on details grading, info about conservation and the forms and pricelists. This year I got a 44c envelope- in it was a single page letter with my membership number and a thank you for another year of being a member. Also in the envelope was the 5 submission coupon--that's it ! Just a form letter and a coupon..oh well, if it keeps from more price increases for membership again then I guess it's enough.( I at least would've liked the price list and some submission forms-I still like to write them longhand.)
    Finally, the Baltimore Whitman Expo is this weekend at the Convention Center and Stacks Bowers are doing the main auction. Unfortunately I'll be away so I can't visit the bourse but I have my eye on some of the world coins I saw on the on-line catalog.
    I don't have any good pics of new coins so here is a Seated Half I got recently for that set..an 1844-O in XF45

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  15. jackson64

    HE SCORES !!!

    By jackson64,

    nice finds at the ANA World's Fair of Money
    This journal entry has the potential to turn into a loooong entry so I'm gonna cut to the highlights. I awoke this morning like a kid on Christmas--the reason being that I had planned the past month to attend the ANA World's Fair of Money up the road in Baltimore this weekend.
    I awoke early but had to wait to leave until 10AM because my younger daughter needed a ride to her summer job. I've been to numismatic events at the Baltimore Convention Center b4 but this was a cut above. I had an "itinerary" or list of things I wanted to do but that was shot in no time.
    I entered the massive area of table after table and looked off to my left to see the US Mint exhibit...primarily I wanted to see the pre-strikes of the 2009 Ultra High Relief Gold American Eagles--absolutely stunning coins with the 3-D design elements and the edge lettering being raised...all I can say is wow. Since they won't be released until later in 2009 I'll have plenty of time to save up for one !!...Also on display was a full set with all denominations of the new Indian/Buffalo gold coin series...I really like the smaller coins, not only are they more easily affordable for me but I think the design looks better on a closer to nickel sized coin. There was also a display case with a stack of gold bars from West Point--each bar worth almost $400,000 each...( did I mention that there were many armed men hanging around too)..
    Since it was the "World's" Fair there were also representatives and booths from many mints from all across the globe ( surprising how well reps from the Ukrain and Austria for example speak English-albeit with very strong accents). It was while looking at all of these mints 2008 releases that I happened across my first purchase. I bought a stunningly beautiful 10zy at the Poland table. The reverse has a fabulous rendition of a three mast sailing ship whose reflection is hologrammed into the high relief waves..superb ( not to mention $40 cheaper than my favorite ebay dealer offered me one for).
    I looked through many of the US coin tables/dealers--and all I can wonder is if they actually want to sell anything??? Besides some outrageous costs for coins I know are about 1/2 to 1/5th what they were asking--most seemed put upon to answer the slightest question or show you anything.
    Not letting these passion-less curmudgeons spoil my day, I went over and viewed the Collectors Exhibits and was amazed at some of the great themes and niches many of the collectors have assembled. The ribbons were already on the winning presentations and before I knew it another hour had gone.
    After a cup of coffee and a sit break I headed for the World and Ancient coins section. After a few tables I found my next purchase from another area of the world that can be hard to find coins from--a pearly finished coin from Nicaragua with the sailing ship "La Nautica". I flipped through a few bins and boxes of miscellaneous world coins at other tables and decided to call it a day...on the way out though...
    I kept perusing as I headed toward the exit and WHAM !! there was a gorgeously toned 1963 Israeli 5 Lirot coin. I had passed up chances to buy one of these before because $250-300 seemed steep ( even though Krause list is about $300) I stood and looked and then the man at this table lured me in with the words "would you like to see it?"
    I was already sold but he didn't know that, when I held the coin and looked at the label on the flip--this coin was of the rarer Proof variety--and only $200 !! I took a breath and sat it down on the glass case, before I spoke again he said" I can offer it to you for $150 if you'd like it". I don't think it took me more than a split second to pull out the old wallet and snake out 3 fifties...and that quickly the deal was done.
    When I got home I yanked out my Krause to confirm my prize--yep, the 1963 proof with a mintage of 4,495 it was...
    All in all a great coin day--I can't wait until next years event.
    Here's a quickie picture of my prizes..notice that the ANA souvenir medal I got for $3 also has the sailing ship the Pride of BaltimoreII on it also...

  16. jackson64

    HE WHO HESITATES...

    By jackson64,

    of all the times to curb my impulse buying..
    OK, I do a lot of impulse coin buying, that is probably why I have dozens of coins that don't fit any particular"set" but they caught my eye at the time. Well this time I should have jumped.
    I was perusing ebay yesterday, using their advanced search option to check out coins that fill holes in my albums or that elusive 1 I need to finish the main set I'm working on. My buffalo nickel album is just 3 coins shy of completion {criteria is full rims and 4 digit date} and low and behold one of the coins was there at a great price. I clicked and looked, and immediately became wary as the coin details looked to be F15-VF20 and the listing stated VG++.It met my criteria and had supersized photos which showed it to not be restored or acid treated date. I was confounded-rarely do I see one that is too good to be true, yet is still true. It had an opening bid at what was about half what it should sell for, and a buy it now which was still $100 below its "Trends" price. I stared and stared and finally placed the opening bid, telling myself if it was there today I would buy it. Alas, when I got home today I went to "My Ebay" set on purchasing my prize only to find that it was sold. Someone else saw it and did not hesitate on the "Buy it Now" option..now I'll be kicking myself every time I look at that hole, wondering why I hesitated this time when so often I don't..
  17. jackson64
    I'll remember losing this one for a while.....
    Over the years there have been about a half dozen times that I let a coin slip away that I really regret. One that always comes to mind is a 1934-D Walker that had a really full strike for the date. It had a complete separation of face/hair/hat as compared to the usual weakness and flatness in that area. On top of it, it also had a nice satiny luster and soft minty tone--still wish I had gone ahead and bid over book on that one. You see, the cost of the coin would have been long absorbed by now and the coin would still be in my set to enjoy as often as I wanted.
    There was also an SLQ with such breathtaking toning and patina--although I don't collect the series I instantly was enamored. I bid quite healthy for this one. Although I did lose with my bid, that loss was not as bitter for 3 reasons. First, I don't collect the SLQ series and it would have been a type coin. Second is that I actually gave my best offer/bid and the coin was simply beyond my budget. Third was that my losing bid ended up being several increments away from winning so there was less sting as opposed to getting sniped with a last minute bid. I actually still have the picture of that SLQ in my coin photo file saved.
    This latest loss will sting for quite a while for many reasons. First--it was the 1947-D Walker that I have been trying to upgrade to MS67 for a few years. It would be the final upgrade for my short set and I would be technically done with numerical upgrades ( there is always a chance for an eye-popping coin to replace an existing coin in my sets.) It also was at a reasonable price to start. The coin also had the look that I love.
    I bid a healthy opening bid and it covered the reserve--I checked throughout the week 2 or 3 times and no other bids were placed...on the final day, I visited the website and bumped my bid $300 above my current high bid "for insurance." It appears that with less than 1 hour left someone outbid me, I did not find this out until after the auction closed...my prize was not to be.
    Anyhow, I may not have "just missed" by one increment--it is possible that the other bidder may have been willing to go much higher for the coin and I couldn't afford the bidding war as my bid was pretty much max of what I can afford for any coin.
    Here's the obverse picture of "the one that got away."..... I will keep hunting but for now, this one stings....
    This recent loss

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  18. jackson64
    If a complete collection of every mint produced coin in 2006 cost $15,000..how much next year?
    I recently read an article stating that had you bought 1 of every coin/set released by the USMint in 2006 it would have cost you a few bucks shy of $15,000...wow. I will be the first to admit that I love the new coin designs but this seems a bit much. I get frustrated also because there is no way that I can keep up with them and collect the coins for the sets that I have been working on for years. I wonder if this constant influx of new designs and programs will start to temper collector interest. Now I hear that in 2007 not only will we be getting our usual P&D mint coins and Clad and Silver S mint coins {20 state quarters alone} also the platinum in 4 denominations,Gold Eagles in 4 , the silver eagle-- but now presidential dollars..P,D and S-proof{can satin finishes be far behind?} but they are trying to get approval to mint silver proofs of these coins too{and I'm sure a few non-proofs would follow in silver}. Let's not forget the First Lady $5 gold pieces too..MS and proof. I know your thinking..What about the Gold Buffalo/Indian head $50 gold piece?...well you'll be happy to know that they will continue it..and extend it to include the other denominations like the Gold Eagle..no kidding. Anyhow, after saying all of that I am looking forward to the release of the 2007 commemorative coin for the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown colony. I hope it has a beautiful sailing ship on one side so that I can add it to my High Seas signature set. I guess the lesson is that if they make enough designs then more people will find something that interests them, and its better for the hobby as a whole.
    PS: Maybe NGC should consider a seperate service department for people who are submitting coins that are 60+ years old so we don't have to wait while 10,000,000 new mint releases are submitted in a quest for that holy grail of modern coinage..the perfect 70!!!
  19. jackson64
    In some cases thousands, in others...nothing
    I recently had an experience that made me step back and ponder the question...how much do we pay for slabs? I'm not refering to the cost of submission, but the "extra" we pay for THE SAME quality coin in various holders.In my case lately it appears to be $300-400. I submitted 3 coins for re-grade{and these were PQ...I studied dozens of photos in auction archives of coins in this grade range}and 4 for crossover from PCGS to NGC...with special instructions that if they crossed-over, that they also be looked at for upgrades.I got a call from an NGC grader who said they would not know if they could be upgraded while in the holders, only whether they would cross...I said ok....I was confident in my assessment I said. He warned me then...IF they do not upgrade, you could lose significant money on re-sale by having them in a holder by NGC instead of PCGS.I was stunned that he said this{although very impressed with the service and honesty}and muttering to myself all day about the injustice of THE SAME COINS losing hundreds of $'s each just because of the holders!!! I went back to the auction archives and saw that it was true, these coins/dates/series sell for significantly less in a non-PCGS holder.How naive I was...I thought that my fellow collectors were like me....searching for beautiful, quality coins to fill a collection...not searching for that elusive slab with a PF70 typed on it.I guess it really is all business, the dealers must recoup their losses, after all, those PF69DCAM slabs usually sell for less than the cost of submission.I could build an entire set of PCGS PF69DCAM of all denominations from 1990-now for less than $10 a coin{except for a few of the silver ones}...ok, maybe I'm stretching it, but not by much. Anyhow, after saying all of that I still will buy only slabbed coins for my higher valued part of my collection...I know they are authentic and not cleaned/whizzed/tooled/artificially toned etc.. and usually pretty accurately graded..within a point or two...JAX
  20. 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?)

  21. jackson64
    Guess that is why it is called collecting and not assembling or gathering.
    I must start off by admitting that I'm hesitant with talking about specific dates that I'm searching for. In my paranoid and competetive little mind--if someone out there who is searching for the same coins that I am in the same grades, by them knowing that I also will be trying to acquire them-this gives them an advantage in sniping me or driving up the price at auction. Or worse yet, if a dealer knows that buyers have been patiently scouring auctions for years for these coins, then it gives them an advantage in price setting and profiting. Like I said, I'm probably just paranoid and sellers wouldn't really jack the price of scarce items that are being sought after.
    Having said that, I'm going to mention the 2 issues/dates that are at or near the top of my coin "want list." They are a 1947 Walker Half in MS67 and a 1944 MS67FB mercury dime. I just haven't seen one anywhere--ebay, the 5 or 6 regular on-line auctions I peruse, seller websites with smaller inventory, Money marketplace or even PCGS dealer links--nothing.
    Until this past few weeks------
    First I saw, not one but TWO of the Mercury Dimes at auction. To keep it short, they were priced way too high for their average appearance. I already own an MS66FB and an MS67 of this date. Both of these coins cost me under $100 each and the thought of paying $1600 for a single point increase or complete separation of the center bands, well the coin better be VERY nice for this to happen. The thing is that I actually find my current coins more attractive. My 66FB has some nice rim toning and really bold strike--the 67FB for 16x the amount is somewhat ho-hum ( a technical 67FB.)
    The 1947 Walker in MS67 will be the final upgrade for my walker short set. I don't plan on spending ridiculous premiums for a +plus+ grade coin, so the final coin that I can financially afford to upgrade is the 1947. In the recent Whitman/Baltimore show there was one at auction by S & B. I put a low-ball bid in which I knew would not stand. Secretly I hoped I'd be outbid because the truth is I didn't like the look of the coin with hap hazzard dark browns and even some black which almost looked moldy instead of tone. Luckily I was outbid because I would have used this as an expensive slot filler and been back to searching for another 1947 to replace it.
    So there you have it. This is why it is collecting and not assembling sets--or hoarding--or gathering. I could have finished the assembly but that is not why I am a numismatist. I collect. Each of our tastes in series, the appeal to our eyes, some like tone and some like blast white, for some it's satiny luster and others love a frost finish--the point is, we collect. Because of this we discriminate according to our own preferences--and sometimes we have to pass.
    The reverse of my < $100 1944 MS66FB

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  22. jackson64
    is it an auction site or a sales site?
    I have been confused about this for a while and have found through chat and forums, so are many others. If you'll excuse what must sound like a rant, a couple of confused questions and some things that I know have happened. Maybe someone can PM me with some insight.
    Facts: 1) I have been high bidder at the close of certain auctions and not won the item.
    2) The opening bid does not appear to be the "reserve" price, in fact a reserve is not posted.
    3) Many of the coins appear to be not auction consignments but list items from their inventory.
    4) A friend recently sold some items on Teletrade..was paid for them..and saw his same coins re-listed at an auction a month later with a $100 start bid higher than what they sold for when he auctioned them.
    5) I have posted bids ( say $800 for example) and then it says my bid was accepted and someone else holds a higher bid because it says "current bid $850, bid $900 or more"--either someone else has put in a high start bid or it is an inventory item that hasn't reached the wanted price yet.
    Now I have issues with there not being a reserve--how do we know that we are not being schill bid? Why waste our time with an item that we have no chance of winning because what they want is above our max amount..and even if we are high bidder we don't win the item?
    Is it unfair if Teletrade bids on items that are selling if the price seems low? As a seller I guess I'd be happy that Teletrade bought my coin at the next increment...as a buyer I am at a HUGE disadvantage because someone is bidding against me who is not facing the 15% buyers fee tagged on at the end.
    In the end all of my ranting amounts to the fact that I would like to see a reserve posted. If I can't meet the reserve I won't bid. Or if I am high bidder at close then I should win the coin !!
    If anyone knows what is up with how their "auctions" work..please send me a private message, I don't want to turn the journals into a forum for a topic..
    On a bright side, I bid several times on a coin at Teletrade that has come up at auction over the past weeks ( month/s?) Each time I either get outbid or it looks like I won and then the coin shows up again in a week or two. I took up the hunt for a similar coin at a close price and actually found a NICER coin, at $100 cheaper and with a rare *star designation too !! My newest addition..1939 NGC MS67*...she's stunning !!

  23. jackson64

    I Won What??-OOPS

    By jackson64,

    oops...
    I received my invoice in the mail today from the recent auction. The auction that I mention was the pre-Long Beach auction by Goldbergs and it was held over several days. I watched the auction on the day that the US half dollars were auctioned and as I wrote in a prior journal-I was thrilled to find myself the winner of 2 of my 4 internet bids ( even though I missed my lots live bidding).
    Well the next day of the auction was paper money I believe and then the final day was world coins and world gold. I remeber now looking at some of the world gold coins because I like the 20 Francs gold coins from France, austria, switzerland etc. These coins are around a quarter ounce of gold and the price is usually close to melt.
    My casual perusal of 20 francs coins led me to a click on another "20" coin--this one a 20 soles coin from Peru. I pulled out my Krause and found that this 20 soles coin has quite a bit more gold weight than the 20 francs coins. Being infatuated with the high grade and beautiful design--I threw in a bid that was very close to melt price and then never gave it another thought.
    When I checked my invoice today for the total--there was the Peru 20 soles coin on the list also !! I had won my bid. After the buyer's fee I paid a bit above melt ( gold will have to hit $2100 for me to be at melt value for my expense paid ratio) but the coin is gorgeous and makes me happy for its numismatic qualities and not just because iits adding a little more gold to my holdings. Graded by NGC as an MS67.. there are only 2 MS68's ever graded for the entire length of the series issue so it could be considered a condition rarity of sorts. I can definitely see why a collector before me felt this coin was worth paying the costs to have it encapsulated--and now it will be a well appreciated member of my collection.

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  24. 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.....

  25. jackson64
    I'm going to have to face the facts...
    I believe that it was Albert Einstein who said, " The definition of insanity is making the same mistakes and expecting different results." ( often misquoted as "doing the same thing and expecting..."). Well I am either hardheaded beyond cure, thick as a brick or certifiable because for years I have been making the same mistakes and inevitably getting the same results.
    The last I journaled--before the new year I believe--I had my fingers crossed as I sent 5 of my Walkers away for regrade. I was sincerely hoping for an upgrade or possibly a + or star for at least 4 of the 5 coins. I used my 5 free submission "coupon" on this instead of getting some of the "to be slabbed" pile taken care of. I have ASE proofs in boxes, foreign gold, old BU Washies with color, and Canada proof sets with the dimes and $2 polar bears I collect, all of which I keep meaning to get in slabs but keep putting off.
    Instead, I again fed my insanity. How bad of a submitter am I ?? I may be the only person who routinely LOSES money on submissions. How is this possible you may wonder, well I'll tell you...........
    You see, of the 5 Walkers I submitted, 2 were in old NGC fattie holders which sell at a premium and 2 had CAC stickers for being premium quality coins, which also sell at a bit of a premium. However my coins all came back in brand new shiny holders ( I guess they do this automatically--lesson learned here)..so I lose the value of the coveted old generation slabs and also the CAC value.
    However this was not my first brainless moment. My prior submission was also a money loser. I had purchased the limited edition Canada proof set last year. Unlike the normal silver proof sets, there were only 5000 minted of this set and it was a pain locating one since the mint sold out in one day and dealers were marking it up accordingly. To cut to the chase, I submitted the set directly to NGC--hard oak box, COAS and untouched capsules..my results were that they all came back as (2)67's and (3)68's for my 5 coin set. The irony is that the coins were worth more raw than they are in slabs with such low grades for moderns. Now I'm without the box and COA also so cracking them out and putting them back in original packaging is not an option ( another lesson learned).
    So I may be learning some lessons ( and they do get expensive), but my insanity persists. How do I know that I'm not cured? Because my pile of "to be graded" coins still sit on velvet lined trays waiting for my craziness to boil over and send in another batch for my next installment of disappointment.
     
    Picked up this overlooked semi-key for my Barber Half set the other night. The 1909-O is not often mentioned when talking about Barber keys/semis but with an NGC gaded pop of just 81--in all grades-- and similar pop in PCGS...there just may not be that many of these still in existence ( at least with a collectible quality to them)..
    PS: almost forgot..congratulations to everyone who was recognized by NGC this year for your excellence in collecting, whether it was assembling, presentation or journaling..all of the awards were well given. And thank you NGC for recognizing me and my love of my humble Walker set as well...

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