Have you ever done something so dumb that...............

[cpm9ball]

you still find yourself laughing about it years later?

 

About 4 years ago, a retired friend of mine needed a few Mint Sets so he could complete some Whitman folders. He didn't have a computer and access to eBay, so I told him that I would look for them. You have to bear in mind that I didn't collect the Mint Sets or any of the denominations at the time.

 

I found a seller who had some of the sets that my friend wanted, but I noticed that one of the sets had three Lincoln cents while the other had only two. So, I sent the seller an e-mail about the sets. In fact, I practically accused him of "manipulating" the sets. Needless to say, the seller was infuriated and immediately blocked me from his site.

 

It taught me a good lesson. By the way, the seller does post here on occasion, so in fairness to him, I will not mention his name.

 

Chris

[rbrown4]

Although I have worked dilegently over the past couple of years to accurately inventory our coins on both paper and with images, I have found myself on more than one occasion puchasing a coin for which we already had one in place. Luckily it has not involved expensive coins, but none the less, it has been a great lessened learned.

 

Rey

 

P.S. I now have both an PCGS and an NGC Iowa commemorative both MW 65's, that was quite embarassing to myself, since I purchased both.

 

 

 

[physics-fan3.14]

Well, last coin show I went to (last month), I bought a 1956 quarter. Then, not ten minutes later, I bought another one because I had completely forgotten that I had just bought one. Talk about a serious brain lapse. Luckily, it was only a $6 coin, and not something expensive.

[zrlevin]

Yeah, I bought a Washington first spouse at 3pm. By the time I got the coin and managed to sell it, I think I made five bucks on it.

[Revenant]

Yeah, I bought a Washington first spouse at 3pm. By the time I got the coin and managed to sell it, I think I made five bucks on it.

 

Oh, that's fun.

 

I think the worst thing I've done to myself so far was buying 14 raw morgans shortly after starting collecting about 2 years ago. Most of these were off ebay and most of them were about 2x melt. Of course, most of these were advertised as BU and what I have now are mostly XF/AU or cleaned coins. Only about 4 of them look consistent with what I paid and uncleaned/original, one of which is a ~MS62 coin that's a $25 coin max but a dealer convinced me that it was worth $50... I really wasn't all that bright initially.... I've decided that I'll probably keep these things for a long time 1) because most of them don't look that bad unless you're using a magnifier, and 2) They always remind me of why some purchases are bad decisions and why I should always look at a coin and think critically.

[bsshog40]

Well I'm still laughing at myself everytime I pull out my 1879 Morgan pocket piece that was harshly cleaned and I experimented with some AT'ing. I warped the coin and took a chip out of it with the needle nose pliers I was holding it with over the blow torch!

[MorganMan]

A while back, I bought a nice buffalo at flea market. For only 5 bux, and an easy MS 62 coin, I picked it up. Got home and decided to remove it from the stapled flip. I just popped it out, and admired the nice pristeen buffalo on the reverse, then flipped it over to admire the indian....There was a nice straight shiny line all the way across the face of the Indian.

 

Lesson learned: ALWAYS first remove staple before sliding coin out......

 

 

MM

[jesbroken]

Yes

[Oldtrader3]

I bought two 1947-D, MS67, Roosevelt dimes in two consecutive auctions in the same week! A senior moment. Nice coins though!

[supertooth]

Chris---- My comment should be a 'general' one. Sometimes, I sit back and laugh at how dumb that I used to be----"really dumb". I think back to how many folks must have laughed at me. It sort of goes with experience that you get over time---or don't get over time.

 

Comparing myself to what I was just 5 years ago is a "BIG JOKE" in itself. I could shake my head all day long with big broad smiles at what a difference 5 years has made. If you went back 10 years, it would be even GREATER laughter.

 

The good thing is that one simply MUST maintain a sense of humor about collecting coins. It is like going back to school all over again. Doesn't matter what your educational degrees may be---they are virtually WORTHLESS while you are becoming a knowledgable coin person.

 

One thought just crossed my mind. A fellow on the PCGS boards just started a Walker set---put coins up for us to see. A fellow poster told him that maybe they had been cleaned. Right back came the OP---coins simply WERE NOT polished or cleaned. I started to laugh at how much this arrogant soul had to learn. Where once I would have tried to help---I just passed it on by---thinking with laughter how this guy had a GREAT SHOCK to his inflated ego coming one day.

 

I've seen it here on the NGC boards, on occasion, too. Instead of THANKING a poster for some constructive and honest criticism, they run off and mentally deny that they could have EVER made a mistake. I have laughed at how some of the TRUE experts make an honest attempt to help---but then make knowledgable comments that are sooooo far over the poster's numismatic understanding. Yet the guy just keeps on acting as if he is the expert. Some small and large smirks have crossed my lips while reading these threads. A novice simply has NO chance when debating a pro---but he may be sooooo dumb as to NOT recognize this fact. LAUGHTER is good for the soul.

 

Chris----you moving??----Where to?? When?? Bob [supertooth]

[EZ_E]

Done something dumb? Yeah, Chris. Remember when me, you, your mom and my daughter had breakfast in Vegas?

 

I didn't catch from you that you could get it comped so, magnanimous me, picked up the $100 check. :þ

 

But, I tell ya, it would have been worth many, many more hundred dollars bills just to meet mom. She was exactly, 100% who I expected her to be. That's a good thing. (thumbs u

 

You were also, 100% exactly like I expected you to be. And....that's a bad thing.

[cpm9ball]

Chris----you moving??----Where to?? When?? Bob [supertooth]

 

Yeah, the deadline is very near for me to get out of the house. My ex-siblings are forcing the issue. I tried buying them out, but now the banks are controlling the appraisers. So, I couldn't get the loan for the amount I needed. When that fell through, I suggested that I continue to live in the house and pay all of the expenses while it is on the market. They don't want any part of it. I guess they're afraid that I'll scare off any low ball offers with the saber I have from Custer's 7th Cavalry.

 

I'm going to remain in the local area, but I still haven't found a place to my liking. I will absolutely need a house with a security system. I've even suggested to the realtors that I would pay to have one installed if I could get a reduction in the monthly rent to cover the expense. The realtors don't even want to discuss that option with the homeowners because it would reduce their commission.

 

Geez, people are so darned greedy!

 

Chris

[cpm9ball]

Done something dumb? Yeah, Chris. Remember when me, you, your mom and my daughter had breakfast in Vegas?

 

I didn't catch from you that you could get it comped so, magnanimous me, picked up the $100 check. :þ

 

Yeah, I couldn't quite figure that out. I mentioned it to you at the table, but I guess you must have been distracted by Hannah and her girlfriends. The next time I'm out there, dinner is on me.

 

But, I tell ya, it would have been worth many, many more hundred dollars bills just to meet mom. She was exactly, 100% who I expected her to be. That's a good thing.

 

You were also, 100% exactly like I expected you to be. And....that's a bad thing.

 

The only bad thing I can think of is that my belly is about the same size as your head.

 

Chris

[Houston Investor]

I passed on a 1909-O $5 Indian in a PCI EF 45 holder offered to me at $700 (CDN Bid for EF was $900) - it looked AU 55+ as it was very lustrous. At that time (a little over 10 yr ago) PCI was known for grossly undergrading circulated gold and high grade BU / PF moderns. Also this was before they came out with the PCI red holders plus I don't believe there was any crossover service to the other TPG's (the coin would have had to be cracked out.)

 

I had a bad gut feeling about the coin and the seller had been gossiped about as being a junk box thief. I always wondered if the coin would have gone AU 55 at another service but I had such bad vibes for the transaction considering my dislike of PCI and the seller. Another dealer at the show bought it and was quite pleased with the deal. Anyone at that time who was familiar with PCI's grading would have wondered why the seller got the coin slabbed with them.

 

Now when I see how much these pieces are going for now, I always wonder about that deal. Did I miss a fantastic profit / upgrade opportunity? Or did the coin have some problem that would have surfaced later: cleaned, counterfeit, etc? Either way, I was not willing to put up $700 to find out. Today the 1909-O $5 Indian is worth $9000 in AU 55 (Coin World Values).