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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64
    my Walker Short Set odyssey is nearing its end......
    It is so nice to finally be past my "post binge stupor." The last I wrote a journal, I had overdone it at a recent auction and my coin budget has been depleted for about a month. Fortunately I didn't spy any "can't pass up" hole fillers or upgrades during the past month.
    Actually, the number of slots that have any hope of upgrading in my Walker Short Set is running out. I'll never afford MS67 coins for the 1941S-1945-S dates. I could still upgrade the 41, 45 and 47-D dates to MS67 ( with the 1947-D being the upper limits of my price range).
    I just received my only San Fran mint MS67 that I'll be able to afford- the 1946-S. I must say that I was thrilled when I opened the package and got a look at it. One of those rare occasions when the coin is far more attractive in-hand than the pics from the auction website.
    Also, I just got back a group of coins that I had submitted to PCGS for grading. You may wonder why I'm a member of both. The truth is that I am a dedicated Collectors-Society member and don't even visit the PCGS forums or webpage. However the membership fee is less than the cost of submitting 8 coins so I join essentially to get a coupon for 8 coin submissions for a discount.
    The coins themselves are just to fill holes in my sidelight sets. I love the designs of the Bahamian coins and the minting has a burnished look to it that is very eye-appealing to me. I also collect the Canada $2 Polar bear coins. Again the eye appeal is a personal thing with the silver outer ring and gold or gold-clad inner core with polar bears. I just love the look. The 4 returns I got back for my "Twonies" were worth enough registry points to propel my $2 Polar bears into the #1 slot and now I'm getting pretty close to finishing the set.
    I also purchased 2 of the ASE anniversary sets on Thursday and was fortunate to not have the difficulties that so many here had. My entire order process on-line took only 4 to 5 minutes at most and I have my confirmation # from the mint that they will be sent to me backordered ( meaning once they are minted and assembled in the packaging they will be sent--the mint did not make all 100,000 sets ready for shipping before the sale date so some purchases are backordered until the sets are produced.)
    So that's been it....one of my final upgrades for my short set, a submission return, and eked out one of the anniversary ASE sets...not a hugely eventful month but definitely still fulfilling for this numismatist.....
    Obverse of my 1946-S MS67...I don't know where the grayish splothchiness on the neck and L thigh came from in the photo--it's not on the coin?

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

    The Waiting is Tough

    By jackson64,

    never been known for my patience
    I'm going away for a 4/3 day weekend today. For me this always involves more than just packing clothes. I always have a few slabs and raw coins lying around that haven't made it to the bank box yet. This means I must come up with a very clever "stashing place" or take time to pack them up and head to the bank.
    This break from the grind comes at a great time. I usually undergo a bit of a bluesy feeling this time of year....grey and cold, no sailing, no fishing, no gardening...this also is when I become more involved with my coin collecting again.
    The year-end registry awards are approaching so I've been taking some time upgrading pictures, writing descriptions, filling a few holes/slots....generally sprucing up my sets. I've also been anxiously awaiting the return of my submission.
    It has been a while between submissions for me and I had forgotten how obsessed I get. I checked daily when I mailed my 21 coins to see if they arrived safely----then checking to see if they were scheduled to be graded----and on and on. Today makes exactly 10 days but only 8 business days since they were received, yet with my issues of impatience I want them back yesterday !! I also know that registered mail takes longer so it may be a week or two to get them once they've shipped.....
    Well I just thought I'd share a bit of my mild insanity, I'm sure there might be a couple of you out there who can relate to this anxiousness. We're probably the same kids who were nuts the week before Christmas, seeing the presents under the tree and crossing off days on the calendar--counting down until we could rip those packages open.............except in this case the package is a brown rectangular box with USPS registered mail on it...
    a nice little dime I've picked up...fits both the sailing themed set and my slowly building Canadian dime set

  3. jackson64

    No Rules In Stone

    By jackson64,

    new guidelines
    Another great thing about the hobby is the liberty to collect what and how we like. I try and set a goal for each set I start--sometimes it's to build a #1 set, sometimes to just crack the top 25. Sometimes the only goal is to try and complete the nicest set possible with every coin at $100 or less. Some sets, like my sailing ship coin set, I have changed the rules as I go along, usually expanding the criteria to be more inclusive.
    Last night however I broke a rule/goal in the opposite direction. I wanted to slowly make a nice quality Mercury dime short set--all coins being grade MS67 or 67FB. I was going to be patient, waiting for high quality PQ coins for the grade. I have bypassed a few coins that were slabbed in this grade, even though they were very cheap, because they just weren't very nice coins (probably why they were cheap for the slab grade). Last night, after slowly filling the first 7 slots with 67's--I bought a MS66 1945-Micro-s. I probably would find a very nice MS67 if I were patient...but I really liked the "character" and look of this coin.
    So in the end, I exercised my liberty and freedom as a collector--I bought what I liked. I'm sure the set will look mix-matched to some if it is ultimately completed as 15 MS67's and 1 MS66...but I really liked this oddball coin and so it stays as a part of my little set. I may never break the top ten, however that was never a goal for this set anyhow....I think it's great to enjoy the hobby however I want
    PS: I recently purchased a coin that will fulfill one of my major goals, cracking the first page in the Walker sets (in fact it will jump me all the way to 16th place!!) I have a final payment on Nov. 3rd and she's mine--I'll post more on that when I finally have her in hand
    here's my oddball 1945 micro-s Mercury...I hope you can see why I broke my rules and bought it....as always, happy hunting everyone

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




  5. jackson64
    but I'm getting old and my memory is not what it was
    An exciting day in the hobby for me. The grades of my coins submission were posted and they are on their way home !! It always feels like they are brand new purchases to me when they arrive back. They never quite feel like part of my set/collection when they are still raw and sitting in my coin cabinet drawer--waiting for encapsulation. Not that I'm knocking raw coin collectors, I am usually always casually working on some album/series of raw coins.
    Back to the topic, my grades were posted and I was very pleased ( one minor attribution issue but it will be no big deal to have fixed)...almost a clean sweep of Pf69 Ultra Cameos ( which on world coin submissions is a feat--not everyone takes care like the US Mint)..however one big surprise..a PF70UCAM !! I must say I went over the top this time trying to get one because these coins were actually for a set with registry points ....I had a bunch of Canadian proof sets, and instead of removing the dimes and sending them in, I removed the other 6 coins and sent the whole mint case with the dimes in. Before you think I'm nuts or getting eccentric...I had a streak of almost 100 proof coins I had submitted, STILL in the original unopened capsules or boxes..and none got 70's..( some even got as low as 67???)
    I think I had posted before my frustration at having never received one...no matter what lengths I tried. Well the truth is that I forgot. The first World Coin I ever added to my High Seas set was the coin that made me decide to expand past just US coins with ships and collect any sailing ship coin. It was the Macau silver/gold coin and when I submitted it I got a PF70UCAM--and it has always been one of my favorites.
    Anyhow, I got a perfect 70 on one of my Canadian proof dimes. This series started in 1981 and in its 21 year history, NGC has only graded 14 perfect dimes TOTAL. To put that in perspective, the total # of coins graded is very small compared to US modern grading...however it is still a very small percentage.
    I'm also excited about the year end registry awards. I really hope I win something this year. I hope that my High Seas signature set could still be considered for one of the awards...when it was honored several years ago it was still a fledgling set...it had around 40 coins, no order, typos and misspellings and some fuzzy photos...now with 150 coins ( and more on the way)..it seems like a different collection....I'd love to see my numismatic friends here add journal entries about their hopes for year end awards....( don't be shy, we'd all like one, it's human to want some recognition)
    Special mention of thanks to audrop--it worked very well adding certification numbers posted in the "Order Status" area..thanks a ton..
    For a picture?...one of my favorite series of sailing ship coins comes from a tiny LandLocked country...Andorra, I had 2 of these in my set and finally found the third, which is graded and on the way home...each one has a wonderfully rendered, uniquely artistic design,...I love the little chubby cheeked cherub w/ wings blowing--representing the wind in the sails...

  6. jackson64

    Smarter Collectors

    By jackson64,

    increasing coin buying instead of holders..
    I won't make a blanket statement and say Everyone or Always,but lately I have noticed a different kind of bidding showing up at auctions.
    Several weeks ago I noticed that Heritage had six MS66 1946-S Walkers coming up for auction at one time. I wasn't particularly looking for a 66, I was mainly looking for a certain strike quality and cleaness. If I had found that coin I was going to try and purchase it, whether it was in a slab that said 64, 65 or 66. Anything higher than that is way out of my buying budget.
    I looked through the six coins--two PCGS and four were NGC. All four of the NGC's were better coins, but two of them really popped out. They had great strikes for what is usually a poorly struck issue ( most 46-S are very weak). I put in a bid on one--it wasn't enough--and bid again--still not enough. I switched to the other eye-popper of the six and placed a successful bid. I have been following that coin for a few weeks now.
    Today with the internet bidding nearing an end I raised my bid another $20--just in case. My hopes were based on the fact that there were 6 of these. Maybe anyone who was in the market for this date would bid on the lower priced PCGS coins first,--essentially buying the slab and not the better coin.
    To cut to the chase, the first coin I bid on sold for the highest....I won my second bid and the second coin of the fabulous duo....the other two NGC coins sold for less than mine..and surprisingly the 2 PCGS coins (which were the worst of the 6 and barely 65 quality) went unsold !!
    I only say surprising because I have often seen people bid higher for lower quality coins..either for the name on the slab or the grade it states. It is rather refreshing to see a trend recently of a more observant collecting going on. I am not completely thrilled with this....I mean, I like buying a cheaper 64 and getting a nicer coin than the other guy got for his 65 money and label.
    Here is a pic of my new addition...I don't have the coin in hand so I can only use the image I transferred from the sight-- and the pic seems to have suffered a bit in the transition---but there is no hiding that original mint luster no matter how blurry the pic has gotten...

  7. jackson64
    Along with my recent submission which finished 2 of my Bahamian Silver MS sets, I also added 8 more coins to my granddaughter's growing " bear coins" themed collection. She really does enjoy these coins I find and is not just humoring her pawpaw with the ooohs and aaahs. It is fun to see her loop the 20x loupe around her little finger and stare down at all the small details--shifting and turning to get the right light and focus to get the clearest image ( just as I taught her!)
    This submission was a strange one from the start. As I checked to make sure the package arrived safely to Sarasota, the initial logging of the coins had 3 of them as "ineligible.' Since I have seen all 3 of the coins that are marked as "ineligible" in NGC slabs on websites, I figured that what the cataloguer really meant was "illegible" since my writing style is somewhat unique in its -script style.
     
    As the coins progressed through the process, two of the coins lost the "ineligible" moniker and just one retained it--the North Korean coin. I later received an email informing me that N Korea is on the banned list for grading ( I presume Russia, Syria, Libya, Iran and other boogeymen countries will be soon to follow on the list.) Both of the other coins did end up with issues though--the Greenland coin, which has a value of 1 Piastre and is minted at a legit mint is labeled as " fantasy issue" on the slab. The British Virgin Islands coin which is gold gilt and coated in Rhodium was also bodybagged like the N Korean coin because, "colorized outside of mint.' This simply isn't true, the Pobjoy mint which both minted the plain silver issues and the 500 limited edition, gold-gilt issues is the #1 private mint of European countries and mints hundreds of issues which are recognized as legal currency and are in NGC slabs by the thousands. I have the government packaging and coas to prove it is officially licensed product of the BVI govt. If we accept dozens of FM issues, and coins from small countries without their own independent mints, this coin should be allowed. The least they could do is put the coin in a slab without a grade and say "private mint, ungradable"--then I could add it to a custom set or inventory it as well as have it protected with encapsulation, after all-I PAID FOR IT.
     
    I was surprised to be given a credit/refund for the N Korean coin--the first time over the years that I have received my money back ( out of dozens) for NGC not providing the paid service but I'm still hundreds and hundreds in losses for coins they wouldn't grade but kept my cash anyhow. Maybe once they open the box it counts as Tier Service??
    Whatever, my bellyaching won't change anything--I'll just blame it on the Russians, like everything else......here are three of my prizes that did get encapsulated. My Greenland "fantasy issue", a wonderfully artistic, geometric rendition of swimming polar bear with cub, and the final one is my newest favorite--a polar bear ( also under northern lights) with actual diamond dust mixed into the silver to give the appearance of glistening snow--really cool stuff...enjoy and happy hunting....




  8. jackson64
    my monthly coin budget lasted 3 days
    Before it sounds like I'm complaining, first let me say that I am grateful that I can afford myself a small monthly "coin allowance". I must say however that it sure goes awfully fast !!
    I have put away a little extra the past few months, partially as common sense during these economic times, and partially for a higher dollar purchase.
    I know that it's a bit early for a "Year End Review" but I had 3 primary coin goals this year. These goals aren't quite -Destroying the competition-- just simple attainable goals while keeping this hobby in its proper perspective.
    Goal #1--adding an additional 50 sailing ship themed coins to my High Seas signature set. With my current submission mailed today I will achieve this goal. Unfortunately I can't add them to my existing set because of slot limitations but they'll feel more like part of the collection once they are slabbed and graded.
    Goal #2-- I often profess that I don't have a great concern for points or set rankings, yet each year since I've joined CS/NGC I've had at least 1 new #1 set. Call it tradition--I've mailed away 12 coins as part of my current submission that will easily jump me to #1 in one of my smaller sets.
    Goal #3-- another modest goal but maybe the start of a 10 year odyssey to something greater. I wanted to crack the top 25 (first page) of the Walker Set. I have finished paying for, and expect in the mail any day, my 1946-D MS67 Walking Liberty Half Dollar. I didn't get the final coin to finish the set--but this nice upgrade will propel me over a tight log-jam of sets that are very close in points. Who knows, if I could just upgrade/add one or two MS67's a year to this set I may someday reach the top ten in what is one of the more popular series and designs in coinage...maybe I should make a 5 year goal also...
    So, that is how I spent my monthly coin budget in 3 days. One 25 coin submission and 1 key purchase. With the holidays just around the corner, this may very well end up being my "year in Review".....as always happy hunting e1

  9. jackson64
    approaching holiday has me reminiscing
    As the Memorial Day holiday weekend approaches I have seen some great articles and programs on the remarkable men {and women} who have given so much to insure the liberty and freedoms that we have in this great nation.
    My father was one who served, and among my treasures are his 2 overseas service medals and a purple heart. Amazing to me was that he got the second overseas medal AFTER he got the purple heart.
    I have been asked many times about my passion for coins with ship themes, and I think that it goes way back to my dad. Of all my father's passions his greatest had to be the water and fishing. I have had the great fortune to have lived most of my life in Maryland. Besides being on the Atlantic Ocean {the worlds largest ocean} I live 5 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay {the largest bay/estuary in the western hemisphere} and the Potomac River {longest river on the east coast}.
    Easily the fondest memories of my childhood are those weekends in the spring through fall when my dad would pack up his fishing gear and we would head out for an over-nighter to one of his many fishing spots. His favorite was always Point Lookout- which used to be a civil war prison camp that had an outbreak of bubonic plaque and was burned to the ground-along with all of the soldiers.Point Lookout is now a state park and still has an out of time feel to it..and of course there are the legends of the hauntings... Located at the wide mouth of the Potomac where it dumps into the Chesapeake, often I would see large ships passing by out in the channel...and just as kids may gaze at an airplane far above and wonder where it was going and came from, I would have thoughts of great voyages across the ocean...whales, storms, and exotic far away lands. Sometimes on these fishing excursions we would stop to visit historical places on the way...Ft McHenry in the Baltimore harbor {where the star spangled banner was written}..Dr Mudd's house...St Mary's City where the Ships the Ark and The Dove arrived in 1632 with Lord Calvert and established the first Maryland colony..and many others.
    As I grew older and my parents finances improved my dad bought a small boat. Great for the rivers and the bay on calm days, that boat stirred in me something that still burns today. I love standing behind the wheel of my modest boat...running it full tilt...and the wind whipping across my face...grinning like a little kid. Sometimes I can never be sure if the tears streaming from my eyes are from the force of the wind or pure joy from the feeling of freedom my spirit feels.
    I love the romantic ideal of those giant wooden ships creaking in the waves, whether for exploration of the unknown, carrying settlers to promises of a better life, or even pirates drinking their rum and heading to a tropical island to stash their ill-gotten fortune.
    How cool is it that two things that I have a passion for...sailing /ships/waters and numismatics can be enjoyed together as I continue to build my High Seas signature set. It was my mother who gave me her old mercury dimes and buffalo nickels--none rare or valuable---that fascinated me and hooked me on the beauty and artistry of coins. However my greatest love is being out on the water with no land in sight and just shutting everything off and listening....
    It has been almost 8 years since my father passed and I would love nothing more than to spend a quiet day with him..with very few words spoken..as comfortable fishing companions do. I have only visited his grave a few times, I know he would prefer that my mom, 3 sisters and myself spend our time with thoughts of living. However, on Monday I will get up early and go place a flag and a photo I have of the 50 pound yellowfin I caught last month on a charter trip at his grave. Then to honor his wishes and the legacy he left me, I will hurry home...hook up the boat..and get out on the bay....

  10. jackson64

    Pulled the Trigger

    By jackson64,

    actually I "clicked the mouse"
    Some of my favorite journal entries are those of my fellow collectors that let me into their heads a bit. I really enjoy LowBudget's journals because I get to see how a fellow collector like him methodically hunts his "prey".
    An in depth education and knowledge comes first, followed by many hours studying coins on-line, at auction in hand, auction histories..varieties..it is just fun to see how others collect.
    However there are a myriad of "right" ways to hunt and buy. I also love the entries of fellow collectors who struggle to stay "focused" with their primary target coins...ever struggling to hold back when a chance for an attractive impulse buy arises.....I guess I enjoy these insights into the hunting and buying strategies and styles of my fellow collectors because I share a little in common with each of you.
    Today I finally pulled the trigger on a bigger purchase ( for me it was bigger). So far this year I had been buying a lot of $25-50 coins with a few $100 buys mixed in. Here's the quick story..........
    About 6 weeks ago I spied a very attractive coin that thoroughly fit my taste in Walking Liberty Halves. The coin would be a very nice upgrade in both quality and numbered grade on the slab. However, enticed that I was, I just could not convince myself to pay that much at the time. With the seller's images imprinted in my mind however, I checked the auction later to see what it sold for..It Hadn't Sold !!..and it was re-listed back in the "inventory." I visited it often but just couldn't commit.. About 3 weeks ago, it was again put on the auction block, at a lower starting/opening bid !!...this time passing it up was far harder mentally, but easier in another way..I just didn't have the funds to spend on the purchase. ...but my obsession continued.
    While browsing some of the auction sites and on-line inventories last weekend..there was the coin again in inventory , only this time the price was down even more! That was it! the seller, probably completely oblivious of my obsession, had continued to sweeten the offer. I made up my mind that if it were still there this Friday (payday) I was gonna jump all over it. Well I checked today and ....not only was it still there but there was a "make an offer" link also !! For the heck of it I made an offer at $200 under the list...I got back a counter-offer that was $100 under list...and the rest is history.
    After 6 full weeks of watching this coin, scanning the pictures over and over, checking to see the affect it would have on my points and ranking within the series..etc etc..I finally "pulled the trigger"---or more appropriately, I "clicked the mouse"......This type of approach may not be for everyone--sometimes this patient approach costs me some nice coins...but once in a while it pays off...
    Here's the reverse of one of my newest Walker Purchase...notice the fantastic strike ( for Walker collectors, you know what I'm talking about) on the Eagle's leg feathers and breast !!...1944-D MS67 PCGS- CAC sticker

  11. jackson64
    not all MS66's are equal
    If you've been collecting certified coins for any length of time I'm sure that you've noticed certain trends. For example, PCGS coins often sell for more than NGC coins.
    For modern coins this is understandable. NGC dominates the modern coin market. PCGS's only recourse is to create "condition rarities"-usually by limiting the number of perfect 70's or MS68 grade coins that they allow. This is just my opinion ( I have heard this from dozens of others also) however I think that they have created an artificial market by passing out just a few high grades to the "lottery winners" and the members of their ( PCGS-slab-only) registry pay thousands of dollars for common coins that are of the same quality as the NGC 70's that cost $100-200.
    This isn't what was on my mind though (especially since I don't collect any moderns). Recently my auction searching has been for nice examples for my Mercury dime set and the final piece for my Walker short set and possible walker upgrades. I have noticed distinct grading differences between the 2 big grading services in these series.
    For both series PCGS coins are more expensive. The strictness of grading for mercury dimes is far more stringent by PCGS than NGC ( although if you find a very nice NGC dime you can get it for about 60% of the price). With the steep price difference it really is worth it to be patient and wait for those NGC gems which cost sometimes only half.
    Walkers are a different story however. NGC has the stricter criteria for grading Walkers and their prices are still cheaper. After studying the Walking Liberty Half selections at various auctions--almost daily--for several years, I can boldly say that an NGC MS66 is easily a grade better than a PCGS 66 (there are exceptions of course). What this means for me is better coins at a cheaper price !!
    As a collector who hopes that I will be blessed enough to be able to leave my collection to my family and never need to sell them, I don't care which ones would get more money on reselling ( unless you hold them for at least 10 years, the auction houses seem to be eating up any profit anyhow).
    So I have no problem with slab bias, in fact I'd be happy if the prices on gem quality coins in NGC plastic always stayed cheaper...so here's a toast to all of those who buy only PCGS slabs...thank you and would you like a refill of your kool-aid?

  12. jackson64

    The Unending Quest

    By jackson64,

    still one final slot to fill
    Recently I wrote a journal about a coin that "jumped out at me". Well I woke up this morning to find out great news. My willingness to pay a bit extra landed me the coin that had enchanted me. I quickly paid and now only have to wait a few days for it to arrive. I can only hope that it looks as nice in-hand as it does in the images...or dare I hope, maybe even better?
    This brings me back to the topic. For almost 2 full years now I have needed the final Walker half to finish my short set--the 1941-S. I have a specific standard that I seek. I want an MS66 and I want that MS66 to look closer to an MS67. OR-- I will accept an average strike coin if it has some eye-appealing attribute that makes the coin distinguishable.
    I have remained true to my standards and the search has been fruitless, however I believe that one will eventually become available. I remain staunch in my determination and unyielding to compromise and the temptation to just "fill the hole and be finished."
    So in the meantime I've been upgrading existing coins in the set that fall below the big pricejump line ( I'm sure that many of you know full well what I'm alluding to by "the pricejump line"). Also I started on the next expansion of the set..the 20 mid-date coins from 1934-1940. Last night's coin win was one of these.
    A quick note about the 1940-S if you'll indulge me. The 1940-S is also a very scarce coin to find with a nice strike ( like the 41-S). Not only is the thumb usually flat but often the skirt lines are incomplete, the side of Liberty's face may be flat with no hair/cap/face seperation..and even the eagle's breast on the reverse can be flat without feather definition. I've seen MS65's that looked like that.
    The reason the coin I bought jumped out at me was because of the very strong strike for the date--with only the flatness in the thumb area--and also the wonderous golden toning that has developed. The toning adds a rich golden hue but also has a light rosy blush near the rims..and the luster still pops through with the flowlines visible.
    Can you tell that I love and study this series a lot?
    Okay, so without further adieu..probably not to everyone's taste but it sure does the trick for me..my 1940-S MS66 NGC..CAC..images are in the set gallery..

  13. jackson64
    please...no coins
    I love the holidays...I love giving gifts and yes, I love getting them also...I love Christmas eve candlelight services, I love spiral sliced honey-baked ham, I love another excuse to fill the candy trays with chocolates, I love when friends come over with plates of baked goodies, I like decorating my mantle and front window..and even putting a single string of lights outside along the gutters. Our house is always open to un announced friends dropping by and my two teenaged daughters usually have a few of their giggling friends over-especially during the holidays. ( some even call my wife Mom)
    One thing I always tell those who would buy me a gift is, "please, no coins". The reason is simple, although their heart is true, there knowledge of our hobby is lacking. I've gotten too many whizzed/cleaned/overpriced coins in the past and it makes me a little upset to think that some shady person used the giver's desire to give me a loving gift as an opportunity to unload some damaged junk-coins at inflated prices.
    Okay, enough of the soapbox... what I have learned to do is ask for supplies and books..!!!
    There are some wonderful books I'd like to read, specialty books on series, minting processes, Renaissance of American Coinage series, VAM and variety books..reference books, cherry-pickers guides, new Redbooks, The Newest addition of Catalog of World Coins...just tons of potential additions to my coin library.
    Supplies are always needed and useful...I need flips and capsules for submissions...I'd like to try some scratch remover for my slabs, maybe a type-coin capital plastic holder..a nice Dansco or Whitman album for Barber Halves...etc, etc..
    The point is, I can make quite a Christmas wish list of numismatic items without listing any coins on it... I truly hope that each of you get what you wish for and that the coming year is a great and healthy one for e1..Merry Christmas to all and a Happy and Healthy New Year...
    This is the book at the top of my list...I hope Santa put me on the "nice" side of his list and brings it for me...

  14. jackson64

    A Lucky Nick On My Coin

    By jackson64,

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

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

  16. jackson64

    Olympic Coinage

    By jackson64,

    worldwide Olympic commems available
    I have no interest in another "niche" within numismatics...but I always thought that Olympic coins from around the world (and the USA) would make a challenging and fun signature set to assemble.
    When I first started my signature set I wanted to do a themed set--and of something that I love. To be honest, my first thoughts were of a set called "Beautiful Women of Coinage". There are some absolutely dazzling coins with wonderful female figures---the St Gaudens, the 1917 T1 SLQ, France's Marianne coinage, Mexico's Onzas...etc etc...
    I also thought about an " Angelic Collection"..angels are depicted all over the world numismatic community and there would be no shortage of gorgeous designs to hunt down.....but in the end I chose ( as I'm sure many of you already know) Sailing Ships--because of the love I have for being on the water
    My set still has a few olympic coins and some with beautiful women, and even a few still have angels...but my High Seas set has over 200 coins (150 or so slabbed) and all have sailing ships...
    Here is one of my favorite Olympic sailing coins--it shows the Bermudan team with a slight lead on the Kiwis and Germany..

  17. jackson64
    and didn't buy any new coins !!
    I really love the direction that NGC is going--particularly in expanding their World Set Registry. For those who haven't noticed, NGC has been working hard at adding new sets to the registry and even taking suggestions in the Forums/Chat area to encourage people to make suggestions.
    Imagine my surprise today when I was browsing through the recesses of the back pages here and saw that they had a category for "France". Dare I hope that it coincidentally might be the set I spent 2 years building?...I clicked on the link and voila!!..It was !!
    They had added the 1899-1914 France 20FCS gold coin collection !! Commonly called the "roosters" because of the reverse design, I call them the Marianne's--my wife's name with same spelling. My wife is also adorned with long beautiful and naturally curly hair...so the decision to collect these was easy, plus--how could she ever complain about me building a coin set that is named after her and bears a resemblance to her loving profile?
    So I took the time to insert the coins into the set and transfer the pics from my signature set ( I'll take better pictures soon but I'll have to make a trip to my safe deposit box)...This is a great set to work on and I recommend it to anyone. Although I am currently ranked #1 as the only set added so far, I don't expect to remain there since higher grade coins than mine can be found. I just wanted to finish the set. Speaking of which, this set was the last one I HAVE completed..and that was quite some time ago.
    So if you are interested in building a gold set, or adding some more gold in your collection..this may be the set for you !! The coins can be found in lower BU for a little over their spot price, they are attractive and readily available ( except for the 1899-1901 coins which are scarce), and you can add "cheap" gold to your holdings and get some nice registry points also.
    I noticed after adding my set that my overall rank had jumped from 690 to 540 !!..now if they'll just assign point values to all of my sailing ship coins I might be in the top 100 !!..joke..
    Thank you NGC !!
    A quick mention..I did submit my grandad's Morgan for encapsulation..I did this because I want it preserved for my grandson and don't want to risk it getting damaged.
    I also have 2 other submissions (3 total) at NGC right now..more additions to my Bluenose Schooner Proof Dime Set ( Canadian proof dimes), my first entries for the $2 Polar Bear bi-metal coins..and a few for my ship themed sig set..
    So I've been busy...maybe I should have made a bunch of seperate entries into my journal and broken this up somewhat, but I wanted to get this all down while it is occuring..
    Here's a picture of the obverse of one of my "Marianne" gold 20FCS coins...

  18. jackson64
    I wanted the toner, but this is far from "settling"
    Okay, so Stacks and Bowers continued in this recent Whitman Coin Expo in Baltimore to sell off the monstrous hoard of high grade, short set years, Walker Halves. The first 2 times they had parts of this hoard at auction I didn't see any of the 3 coins that can still be upgraded in my set. I did make the "lateral upgrade" of my 1942. I say lateral upgrade because, if you remeber, I purchased the same date in the same grade-I just switched for a more colorful and distinctively unique coin.
    Well in this auction I saw a really unique and colorful 1945 ( one of the final 3 coins that I can afford to upgrade to MS67 from a 66). Most of these coins are selling below normal auction prices for MS67's. I figure with dozens of these high grade coins at auction at a time of the varying dates that the bidders for Ultr-high grade Walkers is thinned among the hoard.
    Unfortunately it appears that a group of us all had our sights on this coin. The other 3 1945's all ended up selling between $750 to 800 but this one- which I was sure I'd win with a hefty bid of $1100 ended up getting a lot of action. I cut on the live bidding at work ( it was lunch time-don't get the wrong impression) and discovered my bid was already getting clobbered so I decided not to chase it.
    I went back to the other 4 coins and 1 of them had a superior satin luster and very clear surfaces. Although I have grown to seek toners or coins with unique traits for my collection this one was very attractive--not to mention I'd actually be saving a few hundred dollars to boot!!
    In the end I ended up winning my satiny prize at below normal FMV by quite a bit-and in hindsight I'm actually very glad for my set to have this example of a satin finished Walker so that the set displays the diversity in luster that this series encompasses.
    On a side not: I also won a champagne and sky blueish 43-D so I got 2 of my final 3 upgrades. My last 3 upgrades for my set cost me a pretty penny and I actually have dropped 2 spaces in the rankings from #7 to #9. Once these 2 additions arrive and are then registered ( I always wait until I have the coin in hand to register them) I will jump all the way to number 6 !! I never dreamed that I could get my set up that high. This is one of the top 3 or 4 sets in popularity of design and to think that after all of these years that I am now solidly entrenched in the top ten is amazing to myself.
    Anyhow, this is my satiny 1945--far from settling I am now re-visiting this coin over and over on-line to drink in its watery surfaces--

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  19. jackson64

    On a Binge

    By jackson64,

    "focusing" my collection is expensive
    I recently posted a journal entry stating my desire to focus my collection. It now has become apparent to me that "focusing my collection" and "downsizing" are clearly not one in the same thing.....in fact I don't even think that they are distant cousins..
    A few days ago I removed several sets from the registry, went through a lot of my slabs and decided which sets to focus on and which coins I might liquidate to free up some cash for filling holes in the desired sets.
    It turns out that 3 days later I have already spent a little over $600 "focusing my collection" and haven't made any attempt to sell any coins in the "liquidate" pile. I just don't seem to have the whole "pooling my assets" thing down.
    To be more truthful, that $600 was what I spent on 3 new hole fillers...I also spent $500 mailing away 27 coins for grading and another $100 renewing my membership......
    Speaking of renewing my membership, I have been wondering which coins I would like to submit for my 5 "free" submissions coupon. I have 6 really nice raw coins that I have been meaning to send for ages...I also have 2 obviously undergraded coins that I have been hedging on because the value of a one point increase in grade is only a little over $100 percoin--not worth spending fees on but since they're "free"-I also have 3 Superb ANACS coins that actually fill holes in my Walker short set. I won't replace them because they are great coins, but I'd like to fill the slots in the collection listing and add some uniformity to the slabs. Maybe I'll send those in for crossovers...hhhmmmmm, if I added this up right--6 new coins, 2 crackouts and 3 crossovers...11 coins more for submission and one coupon for 5 free submissions. It looks like my "collection focusing" might cost me a bit more.
    On the serious side, I'm not sure how best to sell the coins I've decided to part with. I've used Heritage in the past and it took over 9 months to get the final check from them. Plus they didn't pay me for 2 coins, when I called to inquire they said that they were returned...I asked where they were and eventually I got them back--10 months after I sent them in for auction.Heritage did get good prices for my coins however. Teletrade I have used and they had a quick money return, 3-listing option and buyback option (essentially a reserve feature) Although not as high selling it seemed quick and low-risk. Another option is ebay but buyers can be a hassle. Throw in listing fees, reserve fees, final sale price fees, paypal fees...the return is not worth it although the turnover can be super quick. Since I'm not in need of the money quickly I think I'll skip on ebay..........so I'm still undecided on how to sell my "random" coins
    I did receive one of my purchases today. An MS66 1943-D Walker. A fabulous strike (notice those skirt lines--ooolala) and though it doesn't show well in the pics--she has a wonderful, subtle rose/pink and pale blue toning overall. a beautiful lady...

  20. jackson64
    Missed out on getting one and feel like venting
    OK, I will admit off the top that this is purely sour grapes but what else is my journal for if not to write my thoughts on my hobby.I do not like the constant bombardment of special LIMITED sets....it creates false rarities in my opinion. In 1995 the mint made a Proof American Eagle Silver coin with a "W" mint mark as part of a 10th anniversary set...recently a PF70 sold for $32,000 at auction!!!!...an 11 year old coin selling for more than most mid-grade 100+ year old coins...and why? An intentionally small limit on production...if these anniversary sets were truly for the collectors like I hear, then they would be available to us from the mint, not at second hand mark-ups from dealers who are allowed to buy multiple amounts of limited sets to start. Why not start at 1 set per order and later offer multiple sets if there are some left? Anyhow, I guess that the frustration is due to the fact that I can't keep up with them all....Anniversary Gold and Silver Eagles..MS and Proof Silver Eagles..MS and Proof Platinum Eagles of various denominations..MS&PF Gold of all denoms....20 state quarters{P,D,S-clad, S-silver..oh and Satin finish} ...lincoln cent MS&PF, new Jefferson nickel design MS&PF, Kennedy Halves MS,PF,SATIN,...Sacagawea...MS,PF,&satin...Franklin Commems X6...San Fran mint Silver dollar and gold $5 commems..Legacy Sets...Minnesota quarter die varieties...Golden Buffalos...my head is spinning, somebody please hand me a few aspirins, some rolls of Lincoln cents, and an old Wheat penny fold-up album please...thank you........................pictured is a true scarcity..a 1917 McKinley gold $1..mintage of only 5,000{probably less} and then finest known of this 90 year old classic, an MS67, has a Numismedia list of $10,000... or you can pay $32,000 for a 1995 Silver Bullion Coin...
    MVC-622S.J
  21. jackson64

    Another Kind Gesture

    By jackson64,

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

  22. jackson64
    package from Australia
    Is it strange to say that someone you've never met in person is a "trusted and true" friend? Maybe in our age of blogs and chat boards and on-line hobbies and communication it is not such an odd thing to think or feel.
    Since I've been collecting I've had some wonderfully generous acts of kindness done for me. On one website that I am a member of--tradingslabs.com----we do these kinds of things for eachother frequently. If any of us spy a coin that we know another collects--well we send them a link or heads up. Sometimes a member just buys it and sends it to another without warning. The same has been true of my friends here at Collectors Society and the NGC forums.
    Since many know of my interest in sailing ship themed coins I get many heads ups from friends. The most recent was Gavin--aka RareSov who gave me a link to a new commemorative from Australia. I checked the Australian mint and wasn't able to find one ( they did have some at the Perth mint but I was unaware of them at the time). I emailed Rare Sov and told him I thought they were sold out--he told me of the Perth Mint stock but told me to wait since he ordered several and had sent them for slabbing by NGC. I told him I'd take one--no matter the grade and he gave me a price--which was LESS than what it cost him raw!!
    I received my prize today from him in Australia..my beautiful new edition for my collection High Seas...just a wonderful act of kindness in that he under charged me, had it slabbed and paid nearly $10 to ship it secured Airmail. I hope this doesn't embarrass him that I mentioned it because I have found that often these random acts of kindness ( at the risk of sounding mushy) are not done for accolades but simply out of a good-heartedness.
    I could fill several pages mentioning the nice things that fellow collectors have done for me...but the point is that we have a wonderful community within our hobby..thanks to all of you who send me the occasional message and heads up on potential additions to my collection--and rest assured that I have and will continue to "pay Forward" these acts of generosity...to all of my friends here, a heartfelt thank you..
    Here's a quickie picture..2008P Australia S$25 the Australia II racing ship--NGC PF69UCAM...PS: Rare Sov even sent me the mint packaging which includes a piece of the sail from this ship and an extra bonus coin --a twelve sided 50c piece with the Australia II

  23. jackson64
    And it actually has a bear on each side
    This coin costs more than I wanted to spend on this "fun" set. However I wanted more than just a bunch of modern commems or panda series coins so I'm going to have to spend a few bucks for some of these more exotic and classic issues to add variety to the set.
    An 1885 5 franc coin from Denmark--a design celebrating the annual Bern shooting Fest ( of note is that the word Bern can be roughly translated as bear--hence the bear depictions on these coins of Bern)
    Nice detail for the issue and if it actually slabs as an AU then I would have gotten a great deal since existing XF/AU grade coins sell for about 4x what I risked on this one. Even if it details grade I'll be very happy with it as part of my budding set--so really a win or big win scenario.

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  24. jackson64

    An Overlooked Coin

    By jackson64,

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

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  25. jackson64
    long overdue
    After reading several posts of my fellow collectors bewilderment over their points dropping I started looking at my coins. The verdict?--I'll be dropping some too and I say it's about time.
    I own 7 PF70UCAM modern $5 gold coins, not because I sought to collect them, but because I got them for just a little above the gold value--around $200 each. I still look around occasionally for a chance to pick up another 70 for $250 or less.
    The reason I brought this up is my 1986 Statue of Liberty $5 gold PF70UCAM is worth 2,385 POINTS!! $200 for that many points? The population of just the 70's of this coin is 2,254-far from rare or even scarce.
    I also own a 1917-D OBV Walker MS63, the coin is PQ and I paid a bit extra for it but it was worth the $1500 I paid. The points?--1278 and population of only 323 in 63+.
    That's it in a nutshell..7 times rarer, worth 7x the monetary value and only getting half the points of my common issue 1986 coin.
    Think of what that 1917 MS63 has been through...besides world wars and such...it has passed through generation after generation without being damaged, survived the great depression and the great silver melts,not to mention almost a century of being handled without a protective plastic slab!! I'm sure my 1986 $5 gold went straight from its mint holder to the grading sertvice and straight into a slab.
    This is just 1 example of many that could be used -don't get me started on the high points for president dollar proofs-over 3,000 70's and climbing, or extra points for slabs-this is coin collecting right?-not slab collecting, but whatever floats your boat.
    So when my points drop I will understand that it is like a market correction. Although I would have much rather had them raise the points on my other coins to reach an equitable balance..
    Here is a photo of my first Multi-coin holder. It has 5 ship- themed coins from the Netherlands for my High Seas signature set {which will now pass 100 coins when I get my latest submission back from NGC} if I could get points for that set I'd be rolling..