• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

jackson64

Member: Seasoned Veteran
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,709

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

 Content Type 

Journal Entries posted by jackson64

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


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


  3. jackson64
    Getting a jumpstart on a new year and a new set.....
    I have had a new idea for a topical themed collection as my primary interest for 2015. I must admit that a combination of factors have contributed to this.
    First, my recent efforts to finish the $2 Twonie polar bear canada series--secondly was a reply on the chat boards by Gary who showed a gorgeous obversed and polar bear reverse design coin from Greenland--and thirdly was the recent perusing of various coin dealers and just entering the keywords "bear" or "polar bear" revealed a surprisingly large number of coins with this topic/theme.
    After some consideration, I've decided to make the Custom Set-" Bearish Collecting" or some other name ( I'm still working on a nice name with some double entendre or pun if possible)--but what I have decided on is to include all types of bears--which makes for a potentially LARGE set.
    As I was looking through some varying mints and mint dealers I have uncovered a myriad of Polar Bears, black bears, Grizzly Bears--and of course entire series of Panda Bears and Koala Bears.
    The panda bears of China and the Koala bear series from Australia I'll try and be selective in purchasing the designs I like since my intent is not to assemble complete sets of those series. I have seen several small 1/10 oz gold and platinum coins also so I'll probably add several different metals into the set for added variety--and maybe even one large 1 ounce gold coin as part of the centerpiece of the collection.
    Of course I will also include any odd shaped coins-scalloped, triangular, 5/6/7 sided coins if I find any for added variance--and a couple of the coins from my Canada "Twonie" set will be included but again, not all of the existing series because that is not the point--it is for variety of metal, shape and design while being consistent with the bear theme..
    So this is my journal to mark the date and beginning point of my new venture in collecting. I always enjoy going back into my journal history and reading past entries to see how my focus and progress has gone over the years--hopefully I'll read this again in a few years and remember when my large Bear Coin Collection first began....
    Here is an early Canadian release of a 2015 dated coin---polar bear and cub, still in the mint packaging but I took a peak in the box before sending it away for encapsulation....

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  4. jackson64
    Stickers have no place near coins.....
    There are many things in this hobby that can get under our skin. I believe the reason that the small things irk us is because we truly love the hobby of numismatics. Some of the things that we are troubled by are more personal pet peeves and others are because of bigger trends in the hobby.
    I will admit--and I know it is a controversial subject but it is just my own personal feeling ( and for now Americans still retain at least the right to hold personal opinions) but I never liked the green stickers/CAC -money generating business. We already have a dealer with an opinion of a coin's grade, the buyer with an opinion which concurs if he is buying the coin and 3 professional graders who have reached a consensus on the grade and slabbed the coin--
    Do we need a 4th party grader to put a little green sticker on the slab to say in a god-like fashion, " yes, we coin superiors have deemed that the previous 5 individuals were right about the quality and grade of this coin-it is now deemed worthy of a green football sticker."
    Which brings up what inevitably happened--and the extremes of this.
    Irksome sticker thing #1:..I recently was perusing websites and came across a 1942 Walker Half grade PF64--listed right under a 1942 Walker PF67 and PF65. The PF65 was roughly $500...the PF 67 was near $900..and the PF64??..Priced at near $1200 !!!..oh, I forgot to mention that the slab had a "gold sticker/football"...I kid you not. I won't mention the dealer because I don't want to cause any discord to the dealer, they are free to charge as they see fit--but really? I know I don't have to buy the coin so why should I care right? Sorry but it just feels ethically wrong and bad for the hobby as a whole ( try explaining the grading scale and TPG's to a new numismatist and then explain the power of a little gold sticker to make the coin more valuable than others which are 3 to 4 grades better...
    Irksome sticker thing #2: This is very minor but irksome nonetheless. Has anyone ever gotten a winning coin from auction in an old generation slab with fatty plastic or green writing or rattlers etc etc...and placed right on top of the old hologram on the reverse is an auction lot number sticker? There is no way that sticker is coming off without peeling away the hologram also.
    Oh well...enough about stickers ( thank goodness auctioneers don't using stickers on Rembrandt's or Picasso's)...I have enjoyed some recent journals that have been posted. It appears that there is always a glut of coin journals at the time of year when the awards are near ( I remember a few years ago there was one journaler who so desperately wanted an award that he posted every day from Thanksgiving to the new year--it worked too as he won his second journal award even though he only had 13 coins in his entire collection.) However for the most part people have posted great thoughts on collecting and not about awards, awards, awards..I particularly got to thinking about a great journal on FMV's, registry points etc. Although these topics have been discussed prior, it is nice to read fresh thoughts and also see how disparate opinions remain on this topic.
    Ultimately, coins are worth what a buyer is willing to pay for them--many FMV prices are way overboard ( especially with the modernized minting process and wonderful quality the mint consistently produces.) Yet there are always coins that will "blow the curve".
    My example of a "blow the curve" coin...the 1943-D Mercury dime is of high mintage, common in MS67 and in the top 3 highest grade with FB's...an MS67FB example can be had for about $100 or less...yet I paid over 3x that for mine...and had healthy competition during bidding...if FMV factors in all coins sold at auctions when they deduce a value--then coins like this make the price appear higher than it may be.....happy holidays e1...and happy hunting...

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  5. 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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  6. jackson64
    maybe it's time to expand my collecting parameters
    My coin collecting mostly consists of buying as beautiful and eye-appealing coins as I can. I usually do this in the confines of some over-arching goal like assembling a whole set, short set, year set, thematic set etc. I say usually because some of my coin purchases are not for any set but just because I love the design. Examples of this would be coins like my Dolly Madison commem with her wonderful bust on the obv and the willow tree and gardened home on the reverese--another would be my 1917 T1 standing Liberty quarter. I have no desire to complete these series but I thouroughly enjoy having these coins in my collection.
     
    Each purchase generally gives me 3 moments of thrill. I always get a charge--possibly the biggest charge- from winning a desired coin at auction. The second thrill of course is when the coin arrives in the mail and I get it in hand with my loupe for the first time. My third thrill is adding the coin to my Registry and filling a slot in a set. I know many here are different and immediately register a coin upon winning it-even before being in possesion of it. Others here collect and have no interest in the registry. This is just how I enjoy the hobby.
    I'm starting to feel that maybe I'm missing one aspect of the collecting experience though.........
    That would be the photographing and sharing of images of my coins. I have outdated equipment but the zoom 10x is pretty good on my primary camera and a 20x zoom camcorder also can take stills so I do a servicable job. What is really lacking are my lighting set-up and also any photo editing or presentation skills.
    I've looked at other member's like Ghermann and his themed collage of veteran coins and I think on the fun it must be to pull out coins from his collection and image them and work with them.
    What really brought this to a head was my latest mercury dime. I continue to build and rebuild this set with the prettiest coins I can find. I just snagged a truly unbelievable coin and it arrived today. Even nicer than the list photos, I can say I think I got a steal evn though I paid 2x list value for it.True turquoise, aquamarines, violet magentas--just astounding with bold strike for an S mint and overall subtle golden tones--just fabulous ( can you tell I REALLY like this coin??)
    Anyhow, I can't get a decent picture of this little dime which shows the boldness of color, luster and strike details. I tried with a big outdoor bulb in a desk lamp--I tried outdoor soft evening sunlight--I tried my normal desk halogen I use for my Walker pics--I tried a plain old lightbulb and the stovetop lamp even. None truly capture everything well.
    A really good tilt gives me the colors...straight on gives the luster but washes out the color and lessens the FSB, etc etc..
    So I think it is time to expand my coin collecting to include some coin photography equipment made in the 21st century.
    For what it's worth--my 1943-S MS67 FSB Mercury obv ( the reverse is 10x even more astounding but my pics are horrible)..I only wish you all could see this coin in hand--what a treat..

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. jackson64
    although several coins of long term seeking were missed or passed upon, I still managed one nice pick up.
    I must start by thanking and apologizing to Jason C. It seems he was perusing my sets and happened upon my MS67* Buffalo nickel. He and I were beginning to throw out some soft offers for a possible trade for the coin. I had not been overly attatched to the coin and really only bought it on impulse because I always wanted just a single attractive buffalo nickel as an example in my collection.
    The story has a bit more to it than that though. One day as I was looking through some coins with my 3 year old granddaughter-Jade ( and she does have the most beautiful big green eyes you have ever seen) she picked up the 38-D Buff and stated how much she liked the "pretty coin". She informed me that it was her favorite because "orange is my favorite color, did you know orange is my favorite color paw paw?" With those beautiful eyes and innocent face looking at me and holding the coin, I did what any self-respecting grandpa would do, I said, "you can have it."
    Well I have been keeping it safe for her and recently when I pulled it out during discussions with Jason about a trade, she saw it and squealed excitedly, "my coin !! I love my coin paw paw." So that was the end of that trade ( and I had been secretly figuring a way that we may work something out for his 1944 MS67* Washington Quarter.
    So instead of a trade, I have decided to pursue a full buffalo nickel short set and have named it, "Jade's Buffalo...." because what type of grandpa would I be by building her an incomplete set?
    Which brings me to the latest purchase. I don't have a huge knowledge of Buffs but I do have the David Lange Guide to Buffs and have read it a few times and use it as reference about strike and scarcity of each issue. It appears that the 1934-D is the scarcest of the "short set" buffs--scarcer even than the 1938 RPM's with D/D and D/S.
    The NGC pops have not a single MS67 graded and only 18 total MS66's. That makes a gem or better the "key date" for this set. So when I saw an MS66 at the recent Whitman Baltimore show auction by Stacks and Bowers, I went ahead and threw in a solid bid which was consistent for others that had sold in the past.
    For a change I did not enter my max bid and let it ride--I actually logged into the Live Auction on-line and was prepared to bump my bid a notch or two if necessary. Luckily there were no floor bidders jumping in and I got it below my initial bid.
    So I guess I am now committed to the set--and nothing but the best for my only granddaughter. I figure an eye-appealing set of 66's and 67's will be a very nice heirloom from her PawPaw.
    1934-D MS66...pretty strong strike for the issue and nice coloring...

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

    Steady As She Goes

    By jackson64,

    still searching and bidding- with an occasional buy
    It's hard to believe that it is mid-March and this is my first coin journal for 2013. I was tempted several times to jump in on trending posts but avoided the temptation in the spirit of true journaling instead of using this service as comment section, opinion area or chat board.
    Plus, I would have been in the vast minority with some of my opinions. I recall one gentleman-correctly using this area for its intended purpose-- which is to keep a log or journal of our coin collecting experience, was journaling about his unhappiness with a submission issue ( repeatedly, which is his right).
    I have to admit I was saddened to see so many making mean spirited or adverse comments trending from either shutting up his freedom of speech to violence against him to buying out his membershipo to driuve him away--really sad. When did we become so politically correct that we can no longer voice our personal displeasure with someone or something without being attacked such vitriol. I see it all of the time on our heavily divided political commentaries, bloge and websites comments-and now it seems to have infected this site as well. Freedom of a differing opinion, however right or wrong, is fine--I also retain the right to ignore and not read differing opinions if I can't tolerate un-likeminded people.
    Okay, enough of that...the other issue I was going to reply to was a question asked in the journal section ( I see a lot of this now-as well as notices for selling etc). Silver and gold have had an appearance of dipping in value and some are getting cold feet as to their bullion valued holdings.
    I for one have been currently adding to my holdings--5 more Peru gold 20 sols coins (.27 oz each) and 3 new rolls of 2013 ASE's. Not exactly a grand investment but every little bit I can get at the current dip price-then I'll take it.
    My view-and one held by many with eyes wide open- is that if the Fed is adding 85 billion per month directly into the banks and indirectly into Wall Street to give a false impression of "economic recovery"--as the same banksters have been intentionally shorting gold and silver to artificially drive the value down. The big problem is that our money can't continue to be de-valued like this forever and interest rates for the banks borrowing from the Fed can't stay at 0% forever--it is an inevitable certainty that the faux market will tumble and gold and silver are going to surge.
    Think the prices of silver and gold aren't being manipulated?--how can the US Mint announce record ASE sales in January-more than the entire year of 2012 and have to put a hold on selling and yet prices dropped? China, India, Russia are accumulating massive gold reserves and even Germany has asked the FEd Reserve to deliver their physical gold to them to hold in their own German banks. There are 2 bullion markets--the Wall Street paper bullion and physical bullion and wall street has been using the paper to keep the real stuff undervalued while at the same time the global central banks have been gobbling it up.
    So besides my recent bullion purchases and additions to my Peru 20 sols set ( I even snagged a super-low mintage 1964 date for under $500 !!) I have been casually adding to some of my sets.
    I have added 2 nice Barber halves in VF 30 and VF35--and slowly have manuevered into the top 10 sets on my "Distraction Set" of Seated Liberty Halves.
    I just added a nice 1874-S grade XF to the set. This coin took a while to find and fill the slot. I suspect many collectors are in the market for this coin as a type-coin also, so even though it is not rare relatively, it often sells for more than lower mintage or scarcer dates.
    Also, I decided to start a brand new set. A Buffalo nickel short set for fun. I'm keeping the coins in the MS65 to MS66 grades and all should be affordable without too much sting. The challenge with this set is battling myself. All of the later Buffalo dates are readily availablein higher gem grades and a person could just buy them up and fill all of the slots in no time flat. So mI added a personal challenge--I'm looking for only coins with the gem grade but also with a nice rosy or peachy blush of light toning. Building a matching looking set should be a fun endeavor and add a bit more challenge to collecting these common coins.
    Oh well, I've been long winded enough. I used to journal once a week back in 2005, 2006 when I won an award--then it dropped to 1 or 2 per month..now..I just enjoy reading and following my fellow collectors and friends here. Keep journaling everyone, I still visit the site almost daily and read most journals and comments on the chat boards. Happy Hunting...

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

    One Step Closer

    By jackson64,

    only 3 slots until completion
    I'll keep this short because it's late and I'm tired but I wanted to keep track of my set progress in my journal. I just got my latest Walker for my short set in the mail today. It's the 1945-D---sometimes it takes a month or more between additions to this set because of the strike quality I'm looking for but this coin comes at only 10 days since my last addition to the set.
    In just the 10 days since my last addition I dropped 2 more notches/ranks. It seems that we keep getting more PCGS defectors. Both of the sets that forced my drop were brand new sets to the registry and entered in the top 15.( composed of only PCGS slabbed coins).
    Ironically, the coin I purchased --an NGC MS66--was on sale at the same time as an MS67 PCGS of the same date. This NGC coin is nicer than the PCGS higher grade coin was....and the bidding showed it. This coin sold above the book value after heavy bidding (which I won !!!) and the MS67 PCGS 45-D was priced below book and got no bids....
    I won't make a blanket statement and say all NGC Walkers are nicer than all PCGS walkers of the same grade...but NGC definately has much more stringent standards for this series than PCGS overall.
    Anyhow, this leaves me with just 3 slots to finish my registry set---and moves me to rank 31 !!..My goal is a top-25 set, and since I still need the 1941-S (worth mucho points)..I have a good shot at my goal if the 25th place set doesn't keep going up..
    here's a pic of my latest lady...

  10. jackson64

    My Goals For 2009

    By jackson64,

    should be an interesting year
    I always enjoy setting my yearly goals and writing them into a journal entry. It is especially interesting to look back in November and December and see how many I have attained and how my goals may have changed or morphed.
    So here they are, in no particular order of importance:
    1. For 2 years I have made it a goal to finish my Walker Short Set--hopefully this year I'll find that 1941-S in MS66 with a nice strike at a time when I also have the discretionary income available.
    2. I have 4 last Mercury dimes to find and purchase to finish that short set. I will keep the criteria of MS67 minimum, so the final 4 will probably be a 1941, 1942 and 1943 in MS67 and a 1943-D in 67FB....just nice coins at reasonable prices and it will feel great to actually finish a set (something I haven't done since I finished my 16 coin France gold 1899-1914 20 FCS collection over 2 years ago.)
    3. I'd like to finish my only Modern Set..the set of Canadian dimes 1981-present. This is a fun set with several commemorative designs, the changing queen's bust as she's aged, and of course the Bluenose Schooner on the reverse..
    4. Since I've been buying the Canadian proof sets for the dimes, I have become increasingly impressed with the design of their $2 Bi-metallic Polar bear coin. I will set as a goal to start this collection and fill at least 5 slots by year end.
    So that's it: 1 Walker half to finish that set; 4 mercury dimes to finish that set; and about 12 more Canadian dime proofs to complete that set and cement my #1 spot in that category.
    You may have noticed that for the first time in years I have no goals for my sailing ship coins...truth is I'm disappointed and don't know what else I could do to improve the set. I had harboured a hope that it may be worthy of some kind of Signature Set award (maybe even best overall !!) I think I have spent too much time on researching, photoing, adding creative adaptations etc etc in hopes of an award for my efforts, pride of ownership will have to be my consolation.
     
    Having said that, I will continue to buid the set..I just won't invest so much of my creativity and time into it....I also think I'll reduce my journaling to about once a month (I believe I must be getting stale to many of you--you're probably tired of me writing over and over)..
    Oh, and one more goal..I really really really want a 2009 St Gaudens High relief !! I saw one at the World's Fair of Money last July in Baltimore and the pamphlet/brochure has been on my desk for 6 months !!
    My newest find...a wonderful Latvian sailing ship coin-I had been close to purchasing it at BIN for $125 for several months, but again patience paid off..found it for $38 at another site !!

  11. jackson64

    A Nice Little Bargain

    By jackson64,

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

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  12. jackson64
    feeling my collecting roots...
    One of my favorite gifts at Christmas are always gift cards. I know that a well thought out personal gift is supposed to mean more, but for those who know about my thirst for knowledge in so many subjects--a gift card to a bookstore is a great gift for me.
    Today I had a "date" with my wife. We went to Annapolis Mall and enjoyed a peaceful lunch together (no kids). Later we went shopping with some of our gift cards. I stopped in the Borders and went straight to the hobby section to look at coin books. I wasn't intending to, but one of the items I selected was a Presidential Dollar album with both the P & D mints.
    As I've mentioned before I still enjoy albums. It always keeps me a bit grounded in this sometimes crazy hobby--where I can get caught up in the chase for points and rankings just like anybody else. I have a complete (so far)collection of BU statehood quarters. These are in an album and I'm proud to say that every quarter was plucked from change. I have gotten a handful of prez dollars at my bank at each release and I have a friend who lives in the Western USA whom I send 1 or 2 to him in exchange for my P mint coins he sends me 1 or 2 D mint coins..
    I really like collecting like this in addition to the registry...like I said, it keeps me grounded and focused on the coins themselves...but it will always be a tie to my collecting roots and my early "fold up" albums.
    I'd also like to congratulate all of the registry winners this year--and although I got completely skunked I can live vicariously through many of you. I was very pleased to see the journal awards go to the "newer" collectors who add so much to my collecting experience with the contageous enthusiasm and genuine love of the hobby. I was also glad that all 4 of the winners are on my friends list and have talked to me over the year via emails too.
    It's wonderful that we have become a true community in that we all share a common passion for our hobby...I look forward to this next year reading and sharing our experiences...and to all of you, Happy Hunting..
    Here's a coin that I received today...a beautiful $10 coin from Barbados with Poseiden--I want to thank my friend Ant who included this coin as a Free Surprise in a trade we recently made...Ant, awesome coin, thank you-I love it !!

  13. jackson64

    What A Haul-27 Coins

    By jackson64,

    finally got my submission back
    Exactly one month after it was posted as received I got my 27 coin submission back. I must admit to some impatience--they seemed to sit in "received" for 3 weeks--but I'd rather have the feeling that they were taking their time and really looking at the coins they get instead of just whipping through them and mailing them back. Plus I was told that the World Coin grading was a bit longer right now and throw in the fact that it was a really mixed 27 coins--and I have no complaints with the expeditiousness of NGC.
    Concerning grades there were highs and lows---ever the optimist I will look at the highs first. The big one was a raw SC$1 I bought from Heritage as an AU58--graded as an MS63 !! ( I really thought it was mint state all along and am glad the pros agreed) This is especially nice that it got a good grade because it was easily the most expensive/valuable of all 27 coins..My 1933 China "Junk Dollar" is not only authentic but got an AU55...very good news...My 1948 St Pierre 2 fcs got an MS62 and my Israel sheqel got a 66...I was worried cause both had a touch of milkiness..my 2 ANACS crackouts came back as the same grades (one even got a cameo)
    OK, the downers or mild disappointments--first I sent in 7 Canadian silver dimes (with the Bluenose sailboat) all still in their mint cellophane, got 2 67's 4 66's and 1 65...not bad judging by the pop reports on these coins--but not great ( I have no complaints regarding the grades since I couldn't get a good idea of the condition in the cello)...I also tried for a *star designation on 1 coin that I find exceptionally attractive with a lavender tone--they didn't agree. I still am being shutout on my tries to get a *star. I also am still being shutout on my efforts to get my first 70 on a submission. I sent 7 coins in their original mint capsules-3 were sent with the complete packaging (minus the COA) hoping this might help sway them to my side (I doubt by the time it gets to the graders the coins were still in their packaging, but I'm getting desperate seeing evryone else getting 70's) In the end all 3 packaged coins got 69'UCAM's and the other 4 in mint capsules got 2-68's and 2-67's. Although I may not be completely in agreement with the results--the shaking of my head is mostly directed at the packaging of these foreign mints. Many of the coins are free to rattle in the plastic and some get rim bruises...oh well
    I'm really excited to have them back...I'll spend weeks adding images, researching the history and after I get them all listed and up to date-then I'll move them around within my High Seas signature set (example-putting the 2007 Tall Ships series coin with the 2005 &2006 )..
    For those who haven't looked at my set for a while, I have been upgrading my imaging skills and replacing the pics...I'm about page 4 in the gallery. It's a lot of fun working on other aspects of my hobby: pics, research, reading etc... and it saves me money also since I am not constantly in the "buy more" mode
    With so many to choose from, I can hardly decide which coin to include a pic of with this post--here's something a little different..from North Korea--a dragon ship

  14. jackson64
    got back from vacation and had 6 coins waiting for me, a great way to kick those post-vacation blues
    I just got back from Florida with the family and instead of the usual "back to the grind blues" I was anticipating my trip to my po box. Waiting for me were 6 great coins that I had bought in the week/s before I left. First were 2 nice ship coins, one from Tonga and a superb 1938 silver Swedish 2 Kronor-still in its original mint cello!!{NGC here they come} also a 1948-D bu FBL Franklin to finish my album of MS FBL Franks..a gorgeous 1910 NGC Lincoln proof that is almost uniformly toned blue {it doesn't fit in any sets but it was just to attractive to pass up}..a 1994 PF69 SAE "first strike" that I got very cheap on Heritage and finally an upgrade for my 1917 year set. A shimmering,lusterous 1917-S Mercury dime MS66 {bought it for about 1/5th the cost of a FSB merc of this date and grade}. A virtual smorgasbord of coins, 4 of which will fit my sets.Here is a photo of that lustrous dime and a special thanks to Coindude for the great Lincoln proof he sent me from tradingslabs..Happy New Year and may we all get that coin we really want this year..
    MVC-790S.J
  15. jackson64

    The REAL Value

    By jackson64,

    A coin is ultimately worth what someone will pay for it
    Okay, so it appears that the FIFTH time is the charm. As some may recall from an earlier journal I wrote, I have been bidding weekly on the 2016 Canada S$2 bimetallic Polar Bear proof issue ( say that in one breath.) Technically it is the 99.9% silver proof issue from the fine silver set and the inner ring is gilt with 24k gold--hence, what one must go through to collect Canadian coins/series.
    So this is the fifth time that this coin has appeared, slabbed by NGC in PF69UCAM by this seller. Each time I have entered the same bid-slightly above $40 which I consider fair considering the pricey cost of the whole proof set, the grading fees etc.
    If you'll recall, I lost the prior 4 auctions of this item to other bidders on ebay-all of whom had disproportionate numbers of bids on this singular sellers items, LARGE numbers of bid retractions and hundreds of items bid upon per month.
    So I finally win the auction at $42 and some change, but what SHOULD I have won the coin for? **** As a disclaimer, I do realize that the value, by understood economics, is the $42 as someone ( myself) was willing to pay that amount***
    But what could I expect to receive for it if I were to turn around and list it myself on ebay?
    I had placed a bid early in the auction of $42 and "let it ride". The first big jump was from $5 to $25 after a few days--this was by a**v feedback 731 with 69 items bid on the past 30 days and 100% with this seller ( it doesn't take a genius to see what's going on here.)
    As the final day neared before auction end there were 3 more accounts that chimed in...l**8 with 69 bids and 89% with this seller in 30 days.....O**N with 2784 total bids on 1600 items at 58% and 9 retractions and finally the last 2 bids to push the final price up another $8 was W**A with 73 feedback total but over 100 items bid on just this month at 78% activity with this lone seller.
    Ultimately I am torn on this issue. Through perseverance and discipline not to raise my bid and to place the same bid weekly, I was able to acquire the coin I wanted at a price I was willing to pay--but on the flip side I feel a bit cheated. Haven't I been schill bid for an extra $17 above what the last real bidder had bid?
    This is the world of ebay when you bid on coins from the large sellers with 5 digit feedback/sales numbers--they most likely have employees or fellow sellers who network this 40% increase into sales--and every now and then they will get a "live one" who will chase their bids well above a coin's value in the heat of the moment.
    Be wise, be patient and know your max bid at all times.....happy hunting all. 2016 Canada Silver Twonie PF69UCAM

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

    Finished !!!

    By jackson64,

    completed a set..unbelievable
    I just love coins for various reasons..their art, history, design, value, and sometimes just because they are very shiny it seems. Anyhow, I have trouble finishing sets because I will get a chance to acquire a nice coin that does not fit one of the sets I am building and then I go off on a tangent and start collecting that new series. Well I know it's not a large valued set, but I am pleased to finally add the final coin to my France 20 Gold Francs Marianne/Rooster set. It was a surprisingly challenging set to finish since most of the pre-1906 coins don't appear very often. So here it is, the final one..the 1899 First Year of Issue, fresh back from NGC today PS: better, close-up photos of the obverse and reverse are in my signature set of the entire set in the World Coins category. I would recommend them as a collectible set. It is a reasonably inexpensive gold set {prices for most range from $125-$200} most dates can be found easily, and just enough of a challenge finding the few harder dates to make it fun...
    MVC-777S.J
  17. jackson64
    the grade's the same, the registry points are the same, BUT....
    Well it seems as if there are more than 2 potential upgrades left for my set.
    Last I journaled about my Walking Liberty Half short set I was lamenting that there were only 2 possible coins left in the set that I could afford to upgrade- NUMERICALLY upgrade that is. It seems that I have found another way to spend silly amounts of money for a coin that I already own one of--and not even in a higher grade either. Perusing the perplexing hoard of MS67's at the recent Stacks/Bowers auctions I saw several examples of both the 1943-D and the 1945. It would seem logical to most that since mI had the money set aside for one upgrade that I would try and snag one of these 2 dates and get nearer completion of my "max budget" set.
    Ridiculous as it seems, instead I saw a 1942 ( possibly the most common date MS Walker) that caught me. I was snared right from the get-go. The coin has those crusty flecks of rainbow color around the rim with limes and violets mixed with deep golds and the veridian blues-- a perfect sister coin to about 3 others in my set.
    I set a rock solid bid ( after all there were SEVEN !! other 1942 MS67's in this auction !!). Turns out that the coin I wanted sold for the highest and I barely eked out the win by bidding an "off amount" of 11 dollars more than the normal $50/$100 bid increments. It would appear that I am not alone in my tastes for this eye-appeal and look in a Walker.
    So, do I view this as an "upgrade" considering it is graded the same as my existing coin and not worth a point more in my registry set, or is it just me being a bit OCD or exhibiting a hoarding mentality? Either way, it looks like I won't be complete with my Walker set ever if I am always looking for a slightly nicer looking coin to replace existing coins with. This somehow makes me happy.
    Here's the auction picture of my newest treasure...I'll try and post a picture of the coin it is replacing on the chat boards.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  18. jackson64
    Do you believe in love at first sight?
    I have on my computer as one of the Favorites or quick links, an article reprinted by David Bowers from a very old issue of "The Numismatist."
    The article has a wonderful old list of "The Ten Commandments of Numismatics"--I believe that I just broke number 4. I will add a link to the 10 commandment list/article when this appears on the chat boards.
    Without changing windows for reference real quick, I believe Commandment #4 relates to staying focused on your collecting goals and avoiding "straggler" coins. ( it is evident that the "box of 20" idea of non-connected but lovingly selected coins as a collection does not work for these commandments.)
    I cannot deny that the coin I just purchased and received has no place in any of my sets and will join a host of others that I own which will never appear in the registry.
    You see, my hunt for an attractive, MS67 1947-D Walking Liberty Half continues. I search national auctions, ebay, webpages etc etc..I just have been unable to find one at what I consider a fair price and with the qualities I enjoy in this series--maybe I'm being foolish and the coin I desire and the price I can afford are not compatible at all.
    My most recent purchase is a 1947-D, however it is even lower graded at MS65 than the MS66 I currently have listed as part of my set. Once I laid eyes on her however I had that "wow" thing happen to me. That thing that only fellow numismatists can understand when we glance upon a shimmering, lustrous piece of well struck coinage--one with rainbows and patina of aging gracefully but somehow maintaining its underlying radiance. The kind of coin that you leave out for weeks before finally placing it in the safe/storage/deposit box with your other coins which you only bring out for the occasional perusal and enjoyment.
    It has been 2 weeks since her arrival. I have tried in vain to capture her skirt lines and strike as well as the shimmering gold, green and deep amber adornment. Oh well, I guess I can only present a semblence for you of what I get to behold in hand...sometimes we purchase coins simply because the look stirs in us the very core reason we started collecting in the first place. That is reason enough for me.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  19. jackson64
    sometimes patience is forced upon you..
    Several times over the past year I have seen a coin at auction that I REALLY wanted. I'm sure many of you can relate. For me it is usually a coin that fits my signature set of ship coins. I usually was not even aware of the coins existence, but once I see it at auction-whether from the big auction houses or even ebay- I become enamored. I can already picture how great it's going to look in my set.
    However, it doesn't always work out. Most of the time I'm unsure of its value and underbid or get sniped at the end of auction. THEN the quest begins...I look high and low for another one, world coin dealers, ebay, every auction house..even emailing people and asking if they have seen one. On 3 recent occasions I have ended up finding the coin and paying much less for it than my auction bid...and as 70% less than the winning bidder paid.
    I guess the lesson I should learn is that I need to curb my impulsiveness and when I see a coin I really like--research it and hunt for a cheaper example. I have started a list of coins that I would REALLY like and now I spend time looking specifically for these coins--like hidden treasures--in some dealers bargain bin.
    Here is the latest example of my HUNTING EXPEDITION....This coin is part of an 8-12 piece set that the Royal Mint has made for Bermuda honoring the ships wrecked in the Bermuda Triangle. Each coin is triangular {really cool} and has a different ship inlaid with gold. Unfortunately they are sold by the set and many of the coins have steam ships or military ships---and I collect SAILING ships. I hunted high and low for this coin and finally came across a phone # for a US distributor of Royal Mint coins. After a bit of convincing, they agreed to sell me the single coin with the Constellation on it...it just arrived today and is everything I had hoped...and worth all of the effort....and maybe even a little sweeter since I had to work to find her.
     
    PS: I have just added 15 coins to my High Seas signature Set...I got the coins back from NGC late this week and they are all listed with photos {page 6 of the set gallery} but the descriptions will take a while since I need to research some of the ships/explorers/histories that are depicted on the coins..

  20. jackson64

    DISGRUNTLED ABOUT EBAY?

    By jackson64,

    still deals to be had...
    About a month ago I ran a listing on ebay for ALL of my old loose coins, some incomplete albums, wheats of course, several bu Peace dollars, some commems in their boxes,a 1999-2005 Silver state quarter set PCGS PF69,random halves-quarters, 2 bu rolls of rosy's dated 53-s and 54-s a bu roll of Jeff's 46-S, and other stuff too....anyhow, the ebay buyers are getting so jaded{especially by the "grab bag" junk sales} that with a $1000 start bid .....NOBODY BID!!! I have 700+ feedback with a 99.6% positive so I figured it was not because of any concern about me disappearing. Anyhow I had to do it the hard way...list them item by item.I am finally running the last 29 items this week{I won't give my name because this is not an advertisement} so far I have sold $3350.00 for the coins in that shoebox and the cubbies of my desk..and I still kept the state quarter set...I guess the lesson for me is to not be so lazy, and the lesson for ebay buyers....sometimes things that seem too good to be true, are still true... here is a photo of a pretty 1944 Walker that I found in a desk drawer...I am a COIN HOG..and have no idea why I bought it or half of this stuff...maybe I just wanted to hold it and look closer at it..anyhow I listed this as one of the last coins this week on ebay with a $1 start bid{ I listed all of the coins at $1} and now I'm left with about 300 wheats and a couple of dozen dateless buffalos...where does this stuff come from?
    MVC-001S.J
  21. 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.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  22. jackson64
    It may be time to show some discipline and get things in order.

    I am not a procrastinator by nature. I am usually the polar opposite. In fact, if I am being honest in my self assessment, I am a bit compulsive with my desire for order in a universe ruled by the ceaseless tides of entropy.
    For example, if a bill arrives in the mail I will almost immediately pay it, write the date and amount on the invoice and then file it in the appropriate folder. I am never satisfied to rinse a plate and leave it in the sink when the dishwasher is but a few feet away. Of course I could never imagine folding all of my laundry and just piling it on top of the dresser like my kids most often did.
    My dad taught me a few invaluable lessons in the few years I had before he passed. One was that if you were going to do something, then do it right or to the best of your ability. Another was that if you start something, then you finish it. I guess this is where my need for orderliness comes from. 
    I seem to have lost my way with my coin "collection." For the most part I buy either graded coins that fill registry slots, some sets from the mint when I need 2 or 3 for different sets ( or when it's more financially sound to buy a 6 coin silver set for a few bucks more than the single coin) or single coins for custom sets or to send in for grading.
    It is this last part that has gotten WAY behind. Either out of sight/ out of mind is in effect or I am a closet hoarder ( just with really small objects like coins so I can still walk through my house)- whichever it is, it is time for some discipline to be exercised.
    I keep buying more coins for sets, not getting them graded and then looking for more coins. Then the funds for all of the grading becomes too daunting so I procrastinate more...a bad cycle to be stuck in for and orderly collector.
    Just looking into 2 coin cases that I acquired to protect raw coins until grading, I was surprised myself to see that I had pretty much filled up all of the various drawers with mint sets, proof sets, silver issues, themed coins and on and on--I really had no idea of the amount.
    So as I share this photo with you-and it is just PART of the raw coins I have set aside to be encapsulated, it is not to show off in any way, but instead to confess openly of my "acquisition issues." 
    After all, admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, right?

    PS: the first 15 have been decided--the final Bahamian 50c to complete that set, the final 4 Bahamian $2 coins with the flamingo at sunset, the Canada "alloy" silver coins from the 2014 and 2016 proof sets of 10c and $2 coins which will complete/update both of those 100% and the final 6 coins will be Bear themed coins for the granddaughter's bear coins collection. This is a step in the right direction to re-establishing order in my collecting I believe.
    PPS: thanks Dena 

  23. jackson64
    too large for slabbing
    Since the start of the signature sets here at Collectors Society my ship-themed coin collecting has gone overboard. I collected coins with ships before the signature sets started but I kept most of them raw and was planning on building some sort of presentation case for them..now I get them slabbed to include in my High Seas Signature Set. Sometimes the cost of slabbing is greater than the value of the coin, but I want it as part of my collection because of its uniqueness or overall beauty/eye appeal.Recently I have even started buying silver bullion bars with ships on them and oversized coins-2-5 ounces-that fit my collection..I hope that someday NGC will make a way that I can include these jumbo coins in my set. If they can make a large holder that can hold 5 coins at a time {multi-coin holder} maybe someday I will be able to add some of my other coins to the set that are too large..or maybe I should just pull out those old plans for that presentation case...
    MVC-915S.J
  24. jackson64

    Just Because

    By jackson64,

    sometimes there is no reason
    I'll keep this journal entry short and sweet.
    The title refers to my latest purchase. The coin fits no set; it is in an old series, small ANACS holder; it can't even be listed into my registry coin manager to be added into my overall collection.
    I bought it "just because." If I must give a reason, it was for the simple enjoyment of holding it in my hand and looking at it through a loupe and turning it under the light and watching the different colors appear and disappear as the light hit at different angles. Maybe someday I will cross it over into an NGC slab and see if it may garner a "star" to go with the MS65 grade--but then again, these old ANACS slabs are getting scarcer as the years go past so I may just leave it as is.
    The other coin venture I'm involved in has hit a big snag. If you remember when I last wrote, I was involved in selling a large estate of modern coins. I had done very well with the gold and platinum coin submissions. I had sold much of the mint wrapped rolls to fellow collector six mile rick, several of the gold commems and buffalos but not nearly half of the hoard.
    The snag? The huge silver and gold paper price manipulation on WS has really dropped the market price of silver & gold ( even though the mint is sold out of ASE's for the year) --at one point down to $15.20 an ounce for silver--not a sellers market. Most of what I have to sell are the Silver Commem dollars from 1982 thru 2012--every issue, silver proof sets from 1992 thru 2012 ( about 5 of each)and lots of other silver and gold mint issued sets. I have let the owner of the coins/estate know the issue and they decided to just set the selling aside until the pendulum swings back.
    So that's it. Selling of the estate coins are on hold for now. I'm going out of the country for 2 weeks anyhow and then the holidays will be here taking my time. It is quite likely that my odd purchase may be my last for a while ( unless one of my "really want list" coins pops up). Here's a picture of my newest Walker-- a 1941 common date, anacs slabbed and graded MS65.....

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

    Returned From NCS

    By jackson64,

    My SC$1 aka The Forgotten Coin is back
    this will be short, I finally got back my 1907 Jamestown Tercentarry Anniversary SC$1 from NCS. I am an optimist by nature-which may sound like a virtue-but in truth it tends to lead to alot of disappointments in life. My mind had visions of the black spots being removed from this coin and some more of its original luster blazing back through. Alas, I guess I need to be more realistic in my expectations. But this...
    If you are interested I posted a "before" photo several days ago in a journal entry titled The Forgotten Coin...and here is a photo of the after.............I actually paid for this
    PS: I love all of you members who contact me via the Collectors Society messaging system and would prefer that if you have comments about this coin/medal that you drop me a private message that way{I'd love to hear your opinion on this "conservation"}...I don't think this forum is intended as a chat board ...and I KNOW it is not meant as free advertising for something you are selling on ebay......keep up the great posts that tell of your ups and downs of collecting...I enjoy reading my fellow collectors experiences..