FMCC Show: I made a vow that I wouldn't buy anything today!

[cpm9ball]

My primary purpose for going to this small, local show (35-40 tables) was to have the opportunity to meet Mike Hayes (elbesaar) for the first time. Mike had already told me that he wouldn't arrive too early, but he would call me on my cell phone when he got into the parking lot.

 

I arrived just before the doors opened, and spent the first hour browsing and hoping that I might find a buyer for my Silver American Eagles. I've decided to sell them because I don't consider them a complete set without the 1995W, but I'm simply not going to pay $4500+ for that coin. I stopped at Mike Gennaro's table, first. He happens to be the Secretary of the Ft. Myers Coin Club, but I consider him a friend despite the fact that he is my attorney in the estate case my siblings have filed against me.. He was surprised that I didn't have a suitcase with me this time. I just laughed.

 

A table across the room had a large banner with 12" letters proclaiming "BUYING" . I went over to see if he would be interested in buying my SAE's. In all, I have 56 coins, including some duplicates and all of the Mint packaging and COA's. The collection also includes a 20th Anniversary Set (NGC PF70UCAM, REV PF69 & MS69), 5 - 2006W UNC and 9 - 2007W UNC. Only the Anniversary set is slabbed. Now, I didn't want to be lugging all of this around, so I left them in my car in the suitcase. However, I did take the time to type a complete list which included the latest Bid/Ask from the Greysheet to pass around to dealers that might be interested. When I handed him the list, he barely looked at it before saying, "I'll give you $12 each." Thank you! Goodbye!

 

I was outside having a cigarette when Mike and I finally met. We talked for a while outside, and he showed me his Dansco set of Barber dimes. A few of them had some color, but they were all high AU with a few low MS mixed in. Mike pointed out to me that the few holes there were is only because those coins are in slabs. It was truly a stunning set and Mike has every reason to be proud of it.

 

Mike brought his Dad along with him. He is 90 years old, and we spoke briefly while Mike was checking out some of the tables nearby. He told me that when he was a boy, his father would have him count out the cents from the collection bins which I surmised was part of his job. He said that most of them were IHC's. I wonder how many 1877's or 1909S' passed through his fingers? He would try to stack them in 50's for rolling, and would get annoyed when the stacks would fall over.

 

Mike's Dad served in the Army during WW2. Originally, he was stationed in California, and his unit finally received orders to report to New York. Upon arrival there, the outfit was split up with members receiving orders to report to different duty stations. Mike's Dad laughed when he said that he was given orders to report to Ft. Lewis, Washington. Imagine traveling all the way from California to New York(How long did it take for the train to get there?) only to learn that he would go back to the west coast. Anyone who has served in the U.S. Army knows that "there is a right way", "there is a wrong way" and "there is the Army way!"

 

Anyway, I noticed that another dealer had a few SAE boxes in his case, so I asked if he would be interested in mine. I told him why I was selling them, and he pointed to another of his display cases, and expressed real disappointment that the two 95W's he has came back from NGC as PF69. Actually, I had never seen one in-hand up to that time, so I asked if I could examine them with my loupe. I concentrated on the cameo and looked very carefully from many different angles. I found a total of seven tiny nicks on the coins. Granted, five of them were very, very tiny, but one on each coin was a little larger than 1/10mm. I showed all of them to him, and he just "harumphed!" and expressed disdain for NGC. I don't think I have to tell you that he didn't buy my SAE's, but personally, I think he would be wasting his time and money requesting a review.

 

I spent a little more time walking around and making small talk with Mike and looking at some of the coins he was examining. I told him that his recent thread on

Barbers has piqued my interest in them. Who knows? Maybe one day I will get started on a set. I doubt that it will be dimes, though. Small coins give me headaches faster that larger coins. All the same, "Thanks, Mike!"

 

It was a pleasurable day, and I'm glad I got the chance to meet another one of our compatriots from these boards. It's always nice when you can "put a face together with the posts." Oh, and by the way, about my vow..........................................

 

 

"I lied!" I just couldn't resist when I saw a few nice Morgans. Now, I know there are going to be some moans and groans from some of you, "Oh no, not again? Chris can't take photos worth a d@mn!" , but here they are.

 

Chris

 

[kryptonitecomics]

Several of those toners look very tasty....a big congrats goes out to you Chris

[jesbroken]

Don't worry, Chris, we aren't mad. We knew that a Vow to not buy $'s to you only meant:

 

An Exquisite Item Owned by U but now is only mine.

 

Great pick up-couple of toners, eh!

[bsshog40]

Nice pickups there Chris. Nice Morgans. I like that DPL!!

[123cents]

Great report and very nice Morgans!

[cpm9ball]

Shane, the rainbow on the 84O is really beautiful, but you're already aware of my lack of photographic skills. I was really kind of surprised that PCGS didn't mount the reverse on the front of the slab. Was that common for the old rattlers?

 

The 82 in the NGC holder and the 86 in the PCGS holder also have much more color than my pictures show. The 91S in the ANACS holder is almost totally bathed in lilac and irridescent blue. The color on the raw 78 isn't all that dramatic, but it is nice. What caught my eye was the 79 Reverse and a $40 pricetag.

 

I think I'll bring all of these with me to FUN so you can show me how you would photograph them. Is that okay?

 

Chris

[harvey8542]

very well written repoert and great coins

[MikeInFL]

I wonder how many coins you come home with when you do intend on buying.

 

Seriously, thanks for the report and congrats on your NEWPs...Mike

[Raybo55]

If I walk into a coin show with $ in my pocket.......................I leave with

 

Ray

[awb]

Good report. I like the 1891-S toner.

[rrantique]

Great report and nice additions Chris. (thumbs u

[rbrown4]

Nice report Chris and congrats on the new acquisitions.

 

Rey

[Elbesaar]

Chris,

 

It was great meeting you as well, and thanks again for spending time with my Dad.

He loves to recall the time when he was a youngster helping out his Dad at work

counting change and stacking them in neat piles for my Grandfather to wrap.

 

My Grandfather was a street car conductor for the Boston MTA, and had to account for all the monies he took in from the cash boxes/ collection boxes at the end of the day.

 

My Grandfather saved anything unusual - and I still have the coins he kept. The nicest Barber he saved was an 1892-P Half in AU 58 - still raw - and now it resides in my Dansco album.

 

Sort of surprised at your comment that I had a "couple of toned coins" in the Barber Dime Dansco...as the vast majority are very well toned especially at the rims - some more heavily toned than others. And, yes the missing coins in the book are on the NGC Regisrty web site...all there for the world to see.

 

I originally went to the show to locate a few Mercury Dimes for my raw book. I also wanted to put a face with a name as well. Although I have been a member of the Ft Myers Coin Club, I live an hour away and the club meetings start too early for me to get there on time, as I work until 6PM most days. I recognized quite a few members from the club and it was good seeing them again. Had a chat with Gary Lewis; he said he had sold quite a few Morgans.

 

When I first met you - you had a pocketful of slabbed Morgans - but what impressed me the most is the coin you have attached to your signiture, the missing clad Kennedy half dollar. Very neat coin. I also enjoyed seeing your State Commem with the die gouge in NGC 70 UCAM.

 

I did make the rounds and was stopped short at Bud Kolonda's table where he had a multitude of mixed Barbers. On top of the 1909 quarters was a 1909-O in AU 53 - raw - that was lightly cleaned - and asked a healthy $1175 for - I passed as I already have a 1909-O quarter [ 2 actually ] in an ANACS holder " UNC Details - Cleaned - Net AU 50" and I didn't want another. [ My other 1909-O is in a PCGS 64 holder - which I have posted before.]

 

After negotiating for three nice halves for the old Whitman Bookshelf album, which houses lower graded coins [ VG 10 - VF 25 ] - I ended up with a nice 1904-O in VG 10;

a 1906-P in VF 20; and a 1908-O in VF 25. All nice original coins and all circulated cameos.

 

At first, I didn't see any Mercuries...as I was scanning the tables. I saw a collector sprawled all over a dealer's [ Patriot Coins ] showcases and inbetween his arms and his paperwork, I spotted three Barber halves...all in NGC holders ... and all MS 64 ... over processed and too white - and all the luster "conserved" away - which was a shame. The customer shifted his positon at the table and low and behold, his paper work had been blocking another Barber half - in an ANACS holder. A quick glimpse told me it was stunning but I was trying not to irratate the collector nor the dealer and bidded my time waiting for their transaction to be finished. They were just about done doing their deal and the collector was wrapping up his paperwork...and I couldn't stand it another second...I blurted [ courteously, of course] ..." Can I look at your ANACS Barber half when you have a chance ?" [ I have been on the hunt for an upgrade for my 1906-D - I have an AU 55 in a PCGS holder and want an AU 58 - ] As fate would have it, the ANACS coin turned out to be a 1906-D in MS 61. I throughly examined it and it does have chatter on the cheek and a little in front of Liberty's portrait which accounted for the grade, however upon close inspection, I noticed the faintest rub..." ah, I thought to myself, another AU 61 coin...perfect coin for a cross over to the grade I want, AU 58"...The seller mentioned what he paid - and later that evening upon checking out various web sites, he had indeed told me the truth - and we agreed on a price of $25 more than what he paid. Fair enough, I thought.

 

Oh yeah, I did locate four XF Mercury dimes -[ 1920-D, 1924-P, 1928-S and a 1929-S. ] during the last few minutes I was at the show.

 

I could ramble on and on about what caught my eye - a stunning 1892-P Type 2 Quarter in NGC 66 Star - very original and loaded with seafoam toning with plum highlights. Ever so nice. I also noticed a fair amount of nice Barber dimes in the grade I collect - AU 58 - but they were common dates and I had jut bought the 1906-D, and I can't have everything I see that I like - why, I don't know, I can't figure that one out !!!

 

Well...here she is, my newest half. [ Images from Heritage where the coin last sold from]

 

 

 

[cpm9ball]

Sort of surprised at your comment that I had a "couple of toned coins" in the Barber Dime Dansco...as the vast majority are very well toned especially at the rims - some more heavily toned than others.

 

Mike, my comment was referring to the ones that, as you say, some more heavily toned than others . These just happened to catch my eye because the color was awesome. I guess I should have taken more care in wording my comment. It was truly a beautiful set, and it is obvious that you spent a lot of time putting it together.

 

Chris