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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64

    My New Coin

    By jackson64,

    Know nothing about her
    I just won this coin at a Heritage auction. I don't know anything about it--it's a SC$1 dated 1915 from Montana's contribution to the Pan-Pacific expo. I almost started a Signature Set a few years ago of coins with Angels on them, but my collecting of ship themed coins have more than kept me busy enough. Throw in the Walker short set I'm working on and the PL Canada Bluenose dimes and I have plenty to hunt for in my numismatic pursuits.
    Anyone with any info on the design and what it symbolizes feel free to contact me VIA the "contact member" method.
    Here's a photo..not the full sail I usually like but just too attractive to pass up...
    NOTE ADDED: special thanks to Cadmanco for emailing me a link to an incredible So-Called Dollars website. Now All I need is a few grand to buy all of the great SC$1's with ships that I have just found out about....

  2. 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)

  3. jackson64
    this story would almost be comical if were happening to someone else..
    About a year ago I bought a coin...a seemingly harmless coin and quite attractive...little did I know that it was a cursed coin !!!!
    The story starts about a year ago when I saw an attractive, raw 1942 Walking Liberty Proof half Dollar at a Stacks sale...............
    Being the concientous collector that I am, I checked with other sales and decided that a $400 chance bid was an intelligent if not even conservative bid..after all, the catalog description said " a choice Gem example--remarkably free of hairlines and contact marks"
    Low and behold..I won the coin...after fees and shipping the cost was closer to $480. When I received the coin ( the evil temptress) I marveled at the lines and beauty of her and packed her off to NGC for grading. Alas she came back in a bodybag as "altered surface???" This gorgeous lady stared up at me and with her feminine wiles whispered to my brain "look how beautious I am, don't they know that I am a gem--there must have been a mistake" Listening to her voice in my head, I decided that yes, there must have been a mistake...I will send her in again for another look.
    The days ticked by, although she was away in Sarasota, my thoughts turned to her often--even daring to hope that they would not only find her slab worthy, but also a gem 65 or better..and dare I hope???--maybe even a cameo !!
    I am ashamed to say that I was a stalker..I constantly checked for her whereabouts...received, scheduled, quality control...I kept tabs constantly on her location...finally I received word that she was on her way home to me!!!
    Tearing open the box at the first red light I hit, I stared with dumbfounded confusion...yes she was slabbed>>but only as a PF64 !!
    Jumping forward, as time has been known to do, my passion ebbed for my beauty...at times I could hardly stand to look at my lovely lady trapped within her capsule and labeled so under appreciated. Again I admit with all shame and humility, that my heart was stolen by another..........
    To win this new beauty would require a greater dowry than I had available...so I was forced to part ways with my old love (and several other old friends from my buff collection) to gain the proper payment for my new heart's passion.
    My old love was listed in ebay, asking for a new home, and was promptly scooped up by a new admirer after fierce competition for her. I mailed her away and the story should be over...but it's not---
    Six days had passed since remittance had been made via paypal...and news arrived to me from her new owner...he was not pleased with her "the crone looks nothing like the glamour shots taken of her and posted in the listing". Away at the time, I returned to find this and 3 other messages from her new owner--each angrier than the one before.
    I immediately responded that I was away and was not ducking him and offered to remedy the problem...I logged onto paypal and found that a dispute had been filed and the $1500 I had raised to purchase my new love had been Frozen !! I now not only faced the return of this vile vixen, but since the sale for my new hearts desire was ending...I would lose her too !!!
    In the end the gentleman and I reached an accord...my account at the evil empire Paypal has been unfrozen, I arranged for him to keep the maddening Harpy who once held me enthralled..with a partial refund in acquiescence...but I did lose out on the coin that I wanted--in which I endeavored to raise the money for in the first place...
    I am not one to wish ill on anyone, but I hope she gives her new beaux at least a taste of the hell she put me through...and I pray with gratitude that she will never darken my doorstep again.....
     
    As requested by several of you..a picture of the evil succubus..

  4. jackson64
    two of my top "want list" coins are available
    First of all, hello to all who read these and especially to my friends here at CS whom I correspond with. Another "Numismatic year" has drawn to a close and this will be my first journal entry of the new year. I hope that everyone had an enjoyable year with the hobby and that next year is even better.
    Okay, here's what compelled me to write again.....
    I have been drooling over a particular coin in a seller's ebay store for over a year. The price seems outrageous but I had actually reached the point where I was trying to figure out how I might swing the cost. ( I have it on my watch list and have been clicking/re-visiting this coin over and over and over) Recently I discovered that an example of the same coin will be sold at a particular upcoming auction.
    I expect it to sell for quite a bit but still far less than what the ebay seller is asking for his. I really can't justify spending a large amount on myself during the Christmas season so I went through my "strays" (coins that don't fit sets) and sold a little under $1500 worth of them to raise money for the coin--problem solved......not quite so fast.
    Today, while browsing upcoming auctions at other sites, I discover one of the few remaining Walker halves that I need to finish my set. The coin is gorgeous and meets my criteria for the set...unfortunately it would cost enough that I wouldn't have enough "coin money" left to purchase my long sought-after prize......
    I really am bad at these kind of decisions. I clicked off of the Walker pictures and called up the images of the other coin. It took me about 2 seconds to make up my mind. In the end I decided to try for the grand prize and just hope that another handsome Walker example of the date I need pops up in the future.
    I will post a picture of the coin in a future entry, if I win the auction.....for now, here's a picture of one of my favorite coins from my signature set...good luck hunting e1 and I hope Santa brings you all that your hearts desire..

  5. 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

  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

    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...

  8. jackson64

    Focusing My Collection

    By jackson64,

    downsizing seems to be going around
    I was very pleased to read the journal entry by Boomer titled "Hard Decisions", mostly because I have been doing the same kind of thinking.
    Recently I was showing my wife a coin that I found on a website that would instantly become my favorite if I were to buy it. It is a true rarity from the 1800's, gorgeously toned and it has a sailing ship. I have been eyeing it for over 6 months but I've been unwilling to take the $2500 leap. My wife, in her pragmatic wisdom asked me, "why don't you sell some of the coins that you don't like as much or save your coin budget and then buy it?"
    That got me thinking ( I'm sure that I have mentioned before that" thinking" is not one of my strong suits) along the same lines as Boomer. I had to ask myself, Do I collect what I like?
    For the most part the answer is yes. However I fall into a rut of trying to finish sets when all I really wanted was a very nice example of the series.
    In the end I have decided to give up building sets.I won't spend money anymore to fill slots and worry myself over grades. I have deleted any sets that I was being competetive in--including one set that I had been "best in category" since 2004. I will finish my Walker short Set because I love Walkers--and I consider it non-competetive because I will never come close to the top 10 and don't care. When I finish that I think I'll just look for beautiful coins that grab me. I really enjoy the most hunting down and searching for coins to fit my signature set. It's more enjoyable to me than filling slots and trying to find room in my budget for the next 67 or 68..........
    I lost over 40,000 points today in registry rankings...however I have 27 coins being graded at NGC's value category to add to my sig set, and all 27 cost me less than I spent on many coins just to fill a slot. It's always hard for me to sell any of my coins, but I finally feel like my collecting is truly focused, because left to my own whims--I would try and buy 1 of each...
    Since we're on a Jefferson Nickel run, here's my favorite Jefferson...you guessed it..the Keelboat

  9. jackson64

    Renewal Time

    By jackson64,

    reflections on another year
    Well I renewed my NGC-Collectors Society membership today. I know that some people keep two registry memberships but I only need one. NGC has cheaper submission fees, much friendlier and respectful people working there, the journal feature and also the signature sets--all of these things have made me a bit of an NGC loyalist.
    I am aware that some PCGS coins may be worth a bit more even slabbed at the same grade--but I won't sell my enjoyment of the hobby for some long-range speculation of value. If all goes well in my life I will be passing my collection along as an inheritance and never have to concern myself with its resale value.
    I finally got around to sending off a submission. It has been several months--long enough for that sense of excited anticipation to have returned. It was my largest submission ever, 27 coins ( all with sailing ships !!!)--and I know I'll be checking this website daily for its progress. Three of the coins I sent in were still in their original mint packaging. I'm hoping to finally get a 70 on a submission. When I read some peoples journals and they say "I did ok on my submission, I got three 70's and two 69's" it makes me shake my head. I have mailed hundreds of coins in--very many still in their original packaging, and have never seen those grades. I do mostly submit Canadian mint, Australian and Royal mint coins--so maybe their minting is crud compared to the US Mint.
    I usually like to include/record a photo of my newest coin purchase along with my journal entries--however they all went to Sarasota this morning....so for what it's worth here's a picture of a page from my Franklin half album. Notice the misfit 1950 coin. My mission for the upcoming Whitman Coin Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center will be to find a nice one to "finish" this album. Also I think I'll stop by the pre-viewing of the Bowers and Merena auction lots and take a look at this Pitt Token I have my eye on.
    It's been another great year and I'm looking forward to the next one and many more with my fellow collectors in this community...happy hunting...

  10. jackson64
    breaking the rules
    Dear Journal: In the 2+ years that I have been using the journal feature I have never broken the spirit of the journal purpose. I understand it is supposed to be about my personal collecting experience and not an open forum for discussions. I recently read an entry that riled me up enough to almost insist on a reply.
    Through my years of life there are few things that disgust me more than those who would complain about the rules,refuse to adhere to societal rules/laws or insist that rules be altered or changed to fit them personally.
    First off, to make the statement that the only "real sets" are those with 60 coins or more is idiocy. I'm sure that collectors of Franklins, 3-cent nickels, 3-cent silvers, 2 cent pieces, Indian head cents, proofs of almost any series, shield nickels, Liberty nickels, St Gaudens, Indian half eagles, indian quarter eagles,indian eagles, Peace dollars, trade dollars, etc etc etc..would beg to differ.
    "Facing reality"-it does not take cunning or luck to build a #1 set of coins where 100's of millions were minted. It only takes the willingness to spend thousands of dollars on common date coins at the dozens of auctions held daily/weekly/monthly.
    The awards are designed to reward outstanding "collections" or "sets" which by definition implies completeness. This is just my opinion, but I believe a "set" should be 80% or more to be considered for an award. The primary joy in the hobby is the accomplishment of assembling a special collection over TIME...not just "deep pockets".
    A very good friend of mine, a very humble and generous man, has been collecting for almost 40 years. Although not considered a "set" worthy of mentioning by some ( it only has 15 coins or so)--he has been working on a mint state Quarter Eagle Indian set. After years of selectively acquiring choice PQ pieces and upgrading/replacing and upgrading again he finally told me he had finished. He invited me over to take a look at the final coin. He had upgraded his 1911-D from an MS 60 to an MS63. It was a choice example with a well struck D and had it been a bit freer of hairlines it would have been even higher graded. Being the gentleman he is, and true numismatist, he showed as much interest and enthusiasm in the modest coins that I brought to show him as I did for this nearly $50,000 coin that is worth almost as much as my entire collection.
    He will never complain about not getting an award for his set-even though his set is worth much more than other sets that will get awards. He will never claim foul or disparage anyone elses collection. He will never brag about the amount he has spent on these coins. He is a man of character who collects for the enjoyment {not to " anyone off") He loves coins for artistry, beauty and their history..the rest is incidental.
    My friend George, is a true numismatist.
  11. jackson64

    My Coin Budget

    By jackson64,

    going overboard with buying...
    My wife and I rarely to never argue. Mostly it is because we both have pretty laid back temperments and most things in life aren't worth the drama. Also I think a large part is because we keep seperate bank accounts. We both have almost identical incomes so we divide the bills evenly and whatever extra we have is to spend at our discetion.
    A large part of my "leftover" money goes to coins. I have tried various methods to keep my spending in check and for the most part it has worked. I have a credit card that is my "Coin Credit Card". I only use it for coin purchases and I have finally maxed it out. Paying interest on coins is one sure way to lose any money you might have saved by finding a good deal.
    In about 2 weeks the Whitman Coin Convention is going to be held about an hour north of me in Baltimore. I just received a check for monies I was owed-enough to pay off my "coin credit card" completely. The problem is--I want to go to the show with cash in my pocket. Most of the dealers don't accept cards, so if I pay off the coin credit card then I won't have much money to get new coins.
    In the end I'll do what's right...pay off the card to "even up" for the coins I have in hand--but the coin addict in me really would like to go to the largest coin show in my area with $1-2K of spendable money burning a hole in my pocket.
    Oh well, the bright side is--by clearing my card, the on-line auctions are just waiting with lots of great coins to be had...
    my latest purchase--a 1933 "JUNK" dollar (the type of ship is a junk) from China--took me a while to find one that I could be sure was original and not a restrike or forgery...

  12. jackson64

    Gamble Payed Off

    By jackson64,

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

  13. jackson64
    finding coins is half the thrill
    One of the great things about coin collecting are all of the small thrills involved { and occasionally a great thrill}. I always get a charge when I go to my post office box and find that a package is there for me. Usually the anticipation has built up enough after waiting for my purchase or the return of a submission that the package is lucky to make it home unopened.
    Another great thrill {which doesn't happen to me too often} is getting a coin graded higher than I expected. Also receiving a coin that I purchased that is nicer than the photo you saw in the listing is sure to give me a smile.
    When I win an item at auction for well under my maximum bid--definately worth a woohoo or fist pump {and if I get it for half of what I expected I may even do a little "dance around the computer chair"}
    However for me a lot of the enjoyment of collecting is the hunt. I have thoroughly scoured my 3 different Krause catalogs of over 2 centuries of World Coins looking for ones that will fit my favorite signature set. I make a list of the ones that I find that fit my collection and then search various places for them. Sometimes I'll locate one but the price is ridiculous and I wait. Sometimes I get the thrill of finding one at what I was willing to pay and I jump all over it.
    A rare thrill, which I had just tonight, is finding a coin by chance that fits my collection and I didn't even know it existed. Recently I have been building a little set of Proof-like Canadian dimes with the schooner on the reverse. A simple and attractive reverse design, and the coins dated from 1937-52 and 1953-67 have the younger busts of the queen which I like.
    Tonight while inspecting a Canadian Coin website I found, I discovered a wonderful commemorative dime from 1997 commemorating the anniversary of the Cabot voyage from the UK to Canada. I went to ebay and BINGO..I found one for about half what the website was selling theirs for. A double thrill!!!! Finding a coin that I didn't know about to fit my set, using the" buy it now" option, and getting it for around half ....
    Here's a photo from the listing. I'm pretty sure that when it arrives that this is one package that will be opened at the first red light I hit on the way home...

  14. jackson64
    I will always be working on 1 or 2 album sets
    Like many numismatists I started my collecting with an album/folder. It was actually 2 seperate folders for lincoln cents, one with dates from 1909-1940 and the other with dates from 1941-present {which was about 1975 then}. I can still see my youthful -script of putting the dates under the undated holes for the late 70's years as they were released.
    I am an enthusiastic registry collector...in fact it has revitalized my passion for coins. I love the community feel, reading the collecting experiences of others, looking at some incredible sets and the various and creative signature sets that people assemble. I send away between 10-12 submissions a year with varying amounts of coins each time. I will even, on occasion, submit a coin that has a value lower than the slabbing cost...just so I can include it as part of my "registry collection". Some may think that's nuts but I'll collect what I like, the way I like..and anyhow, that low-value coin may have a higher value to me than the "list price" says its worth.
    Having said all of this about the registry and certified coins, I still love assembling an album collection. I usually try and have a primary registry collection I am building, a fun signature set, and 1 or 2 albums to work on.
    The albums are great...I get to hunt through cheaper, raw coins without any concern for points. If it is handsomely toned I can put it in its hole without worrying about body bags. I can use hole fillers to finish a set and upgrade later or start another set. It is casual, fun and I still get a thrill when I fill that final spot.
    For the most part it is inexpensive, although most series have a few semi-key and key dates that will cost more or I can just compromise with a lower grade example to fill the spot.
    One of the things I love about album collecting is I get to actually HOLD the coin. I love the weighty feel of an old silver half or dollar in my fingers, not a plastic case between. I also love to open a page of the album and look at all of the coins sitting together with their older and younger siblings..nice neat rows and hopefully of similar quality.
    I found out today why the water in my house has been murky lately---our well is drying up!!! Well that's gonna be an $8000-10,000 expense I hadn't counted on...so it looks like I may be collecting a cheap album set for a while...I think I'll start a Mercury dime set, starting off just trying to fill all of the holes, and then replacing the more common dates with nicer coins sometime later. This way I can still enjoy collecting during this tight spot.
    Here's my newest replacement for my Franklin Set {I've already finished it, I am just trying to make it a more matching set now} Fresh from its cracked open PCGS holder, I have a great home for him..right next to all of his shining brothers...

  15. jackson64
    large for me at least
    Life always seems to intrude on my coin collecting about this time every year. First are the additional budget constraints in sending a daughter back to college {I can hardly believe that a single book can cost $200 !!--must be First Day Issue bookcovers..} Secondly is that its getting cooler already and there are fewer days left before the boat goes to dry dock, so I have been spending a lot of time on the water. Add in time spent with my wife, a trip to St Louis to see my nephew before he left for Iraq, some overtime requirements, and this bio-chemistry class I have been required to take {don't ask} and my numismatic pursuits have mostly been reading journal entries and browsing the occasional catalog in the mail.
    I do have 12 new ship coins that need slabbing though--and they really are a great mix. Three are actually tokens/medals..a bicentennial medal set in NY harbor with a ship sailing past the statue of Liberty on the obverse and a Liberty Bell on the reverse that is a dead ringer for the Franklin half.Another medal is a tribute coin to the Baltimore Clippers {ships not the minor league hockey team} and the third medal is a commem to the US Constellation--a large copper coin actually minted from the metal from her hull !!
    The other coins are all foreign, silver dollar sized coins : a Portuguese tribute coin to the discovery of the canary Islands,a Liberian $20 silver coin in tribute to the Mayflower,the 2007 Canada "Tall Ships" series coin, a nice 1992 Bermuda commem to Olympic Sailing, a 1978 Maldives coin with a fishing schooner, a 1985 1 Shequel Israeli coin with an ancient ship, an over-sized 2 ounce Bahamian silver coin with the Nina {looks like another large multi holder for this one}, a fantasticly cool Korean silver Far East Dragon Ship coin, and a 1979 {hard to find in silver proof} Isle of Man "Day of Tynwald" fifty pence, seven sided coin.
    I know many of you send in dozens at a time, maybe even hundreds if your looking to make a buck on early releases or 70's--but for me more than ten is rare. I make about 8 to 10 submissions a year of 5-15 coins and just hope that they all get slabbed. While I'm mentioning that---I have had only ONE bodybag all year and that one was slabbed on a re-submission, so I am either on a lucky streak or I really have started to recognize what to send in and what's not worth it.
    Well, that's enough from me. I hadn't written in a while and just wanted to record this lull in my collecting--for what it's worth. I hope to keep reading the entries of your collecting experiences {not the ebay ads please}..sometimes that's the only numismatic fix I have time for...Jackson
    A bad photo of the 12 before they leave.....

  16. jackson64
    I'm not sure of the criteria
    I finally received my 3 coins back from NGC that I had graded and they are even nicer than I remembered. For about a month they have just been typed letters in the "order status" section of the registry. I must admit that it is exciting when I get them returned-maybe even a bit more than when I first bought them, presented beautifully in their new unscratched plastic holders.
    I was studying them as if it were the first time I had seen them and I now remember that I had harboured a wild hope that my Walker Proof would get Cameo. Walker Cameo's are extremely rare. I am sure that they must use a different criteria for Walkers than other coins because the mirrors and contrast of frostiness are just as good if not better than a lot of Franklins that get Cameo designation.
    After some study and thought I think that it's because some of the devices never seem to be cameod. On the obverse, lady Liberty is often cameod but the sun and rays do not have frostiness. Often some obverse letters also are just mirrored instead of frosty. The reverse however is a different story--and mine looks like a full cameo reverse to me, even dare I say, close to Deep Cameo !!
    Now as I aspire to slowly finish this challenging 7 coin set I hope that I can find similar light contrasted coins to fill the slots. However at the cost of the early dates of this set I may just settle for "not ugly"
    Here's the reverse...not the greatest photo cause I tried to move the light to show the contrast and lost a lot of the details..I will add a better photo when I finally add it to my set listing..

  17. jackson64
    it has been a while...
    It has been quite a while since I have entered anything into my coin collecting journal and it has also been a while since I had good news on the submission front.
    Earlier this month I actually sent away 3 submissions at once: one was to get a variety correction on 2 slabbed gold coins--they both got the varieties and at no cost. The second submission was to use a coupon I had for 5 free photoproofs. I had no idea that NGC's photoproof service did such a great job and I wouldn't mind having one done of each of my favorite coins--as funds allow.
    The third submission was for 3 coins I had purchased and been hedging on sending in because of my recent run of bad grading luck. Two of the coins were raw-a 1942 Proof Walker, and a 1921 High Relief Peace Dollar-the third coin was housed in an ancient ANACS slab {still had the ANA & PNG logos} an 1893 Columbian commem which I cracked out to submit.
    I felt confident in the quality of the Walker proof{ I bought it from Stacks} I felt a solid 64 hoping 65 and it graded PF64 {still a great buy for $400} The 1921 Peace I got for an amazing $125 with the help of a friend at tradingslabs.com--in reality I thought maybe an AU58 {it is hard to tell on this date if it is worn or just mushy on the front design} and hoping it wouldn't be Bagged. It graded as an MS63 !! woohoo !! Finally, the ANACS Columbian from 1893 has great cartwheel rainbows but some scratches and hairlines,it was graded as an MS60 but I felt that NGC has a little leeway for exceptional eye-appeal. My hunch was right and it graded an MS64.
    Here's a photo of one of the 2 gold coins I got back- a "no mintmark" {chi} 1977 $50 gold piece with a Sloop for my Signature Set collection of Sailing Ships called High Seas..

  18. 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..

  19. jackson64

    Golden Buffalos

    By jackson64,

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

  20. jackson64

    Missed Again

    By jackson64,

    where are they all?
    Well once again I tried to win a 1913-S type 2 Buffalo nickel and failed. I can't believe it is this hard to find a decent one. There were over 1.2 million minted, many buffs have similar mintages {the 26-S and 31-S both have lower} and they are not hard to find.
    The problem is that I've been trying to fill the last hole in a nice buff album I've assembled. The album has many nice BU coins I've gotten for $100 or less {many from crack outs of slabs} but the criteria I have is simply a readable 4 digit date, no acid treatment, no corrosion/nicks/scratches/rim damage..just a nice problem free coin.
    I have paid more for a few of the keys but the 13-S T2 puts me in a tough spot. Most unslabbed coins are uglier than I want-not to mention I'm not paying $250-300 for a coin that requires a magnifying glass to discern the date. The VF grade coin I would like to fill the hole with has usually been slabbed. I may be crazy cracking open slabs to fill an album, but even I am hesitant in cracking out a $400-500 coin for a hole filler.
    Every once in a while I see a quality example, not slabbed or treated and I watch it like a hawk. What really ticks me off is that the coin I had my eye on today was hovering at around $270 with 15 mins left. I waited and bid $321 with about a minute left. This was the max amount that I wanted to pay for this coin.I was outbid in the end-BY a DEALER!!! I get frustrated as a collector, when so many decent deals get ruined by people who buy these coins and then re-list them to make $10..
    I guess in the end I may just set aside $500 for the nicest one I can find {hopefully an XF+ or AU} and just fill that darn hole and be done with it. I usually am pretty patient-waiting for coins that are undergraded or have great strikes or luster for the grade-but this has been over a year for this one coin to finish this set and my patience is wearing thin.
    I have my eyes on 2 ANACS 13-S T2's and 1 NGC, and if the price stays reasonable and I don't get sniped, I have my trusty Dremel all set to liberate my prize and fill that final hole in my album.
    I have really been studying grading lately and one of the aspects that I have been focusing on is luster. I had an MS65 and an MS66 Walker from my collection side by side-and even though they had equal strike and cleanness-the one coin looks a bit flat/white while this ones luster pops...this studying may save me some money in purchases and submissions...My 1942-D MS66..unfortunately ANACS so I can't register it but I won't be looking for another one to replace this fully struck beauty..

  21. jackson64

    The reverse

    By jackson64,

    why I bought it
    The reverse is why I bought the coin in the first place, to include in my sailing ship themed signature set. And in fairness the reverse looks better than before...although the 1 or 2 spots are still there they are lighter and some of the copper in the gilt coin now shows in the field and sails, giving the coin a handsome highlighting..just a bit disappointed in the obverse...thanks for bearing with me on back-to back entries but I wanted to record for my journal's sake a more accurate record of my mixed feelings..JAX

  22. 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..

  23. jackson64
    Ncs submission showed up at NGC
    I am a bit embarassed to admit this {especially since I take a bit of pride in my steel trap of a memory} but I had forgottten about a coin I had submitted. I have been a bit overwhelmed with working, I also had 6 coins in an NGC submission I was keeping track of and with all of the summer plans, cookouts, obligations, anniversary, birthdays etc etc--it just slipped my mind.
    In mid-may I had sent away a 1907 Jamestown 300th Aniversary SC$1 to NCS for conserving and having no way to check its progress-other than calling and nagging them-it just slipped my mind.
    Yesterday I was going through my bank stuff on-line and saw a charge by NGC and almost instantly remembered and guessed what it was. I quickly logged out of banking and came to this site and checked "order status". Low and behold it not only had arrived at NGC from NCS, but it was Finalized/imaged/shipped.
    I checked the grade- it was an NGC slabbed MS63 when I sent it-and it will be coming home as an MS63. {As many of you who have read my journal entries- I may be the unluckiest numismatic submitter in history !!}
    But the grade wasn't the point so I don't care. The coin had some black spots that I hoped could be removed professionally and I didn't want to risk messing it up and having it bodybagged.
    So I'm actually excited to get it back. I saw the coin at a Stack's auction....it took about a month for the auction end date, another week for the coin to arrive, and then I mailed it to NCS 2 days later...so after about 4 months it will finally be in my possesion for me to enjoy.
    I only hope that the conservation was successful {after almost 2 months with them I almost feel like there BETTER be some improvement}
    here is a before photo, the coin is a brass/copper/silver alloy and sometimes the "staining" cannot be removed because its not just superficial but goes deeper into the metal....crossing my fingers...

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

  25. jackson64
    it's the desirability
    As has been said many times in journal entries, "the demand creates the value of a coin"-and also the number of points a coin is worth. Many people wonder about how NGC comes up with the points for particular coins...how do they weigh market value, versus mintages, versus condition rarity etc etc.
    Let's look at the Jefferson nickel proofs for example: almost all of the 1980's -2006 are worth only 3 points for a PF69UCAM, which makes sense since there are tens of thousands of these graded and they can be bought for below the cost of the slab. The PF70's of these dates range from $100-300 in price, thus the 100 points is fair-there are dozens of each date at 70 and the lower amount of 70's the more the points go up.
    There are some exceptions but for good reason..the 1994 and 1997 SP coins have miniscule mintages {they are probably undervalued in the market} and when the nickel design changes these coins will be VERY hard to find.
    My main point is going to be about the heavy points for Ultra Cameo as opposed to a plain proof or SMS. In the case of the SMS coins an UCAM is incredibly rare. Take for example the 1965, NGC has only certified FIVE!!! UCAM coins-3 in 66 and 2 in 67 --if anything these coins are underweighted in point value. {PCGS populations are similar} put simply, there are over 136,000,000 non-cameo 1965's and 5 deep cameo's? The price and demand also reflect this {obviously this is not news to collectors} as on the rare occasion that one appears for sale it sells for THOUSANDS---of course it is worth more points-and it actually should be worth even higher if mathematical ratios were considered. I pay higher for a wonderfully contrasted and deeply mirrored cameo coin and it seems to be the consensus in Numismatics that these are preferred.
    All things considered, NGC does a wonderful job at assigning points and weighing all of the factors before setting the point level. I too understand the frustration of the points...My 64 may be worth 100 points but a 65 may be worth 800 points-doesn't seem fair--but the reason I bought ther 64 is because it cost $250 and the 65 cost $1500.
    There are always going to be undervalued coins for their rarity, and market and demands for some coins change--and that is why NGC gives you the option of contacting them for a Point Change. If you present a viable reason/evidence to them, they will change the point values { I know this from experience}, but for the most part they do an incredible job weighing all of the factors and coming up with a great system for points---even if it is like grading..an imperfect science.