I'm leaving the registry game

[Dwaine]

It is getting too costly and out of hand. Once I decide which direction I want to take with my collection I might enter again.

 

CAUTION SPAM

 

As a side note most of my registry coins are up for sale at Heritage in the West Palm Beach sale.

[TomB]

Is it that participation in the registry is too high or is it simply that the niche you chose to collect is too expensive? These are different things.

[BillJones]

I'm sorry to see you leaving, but I understand. The way I look at it you have to ignore the rankings and try to make you set special with pictures and write-ups. My complete gold type set includes nine of the twelve early gold type coins, including the 1795 half eagle, 1795 eagle in the rare 1808 quarter eagle. Yet I'm only #7 on the list, and I'm behind a collector whose set is only 25% complete and obscured to boot. My set is 90% complete.

 

Let's face it. You can't compete with foundations and mega rich collectors. You also should not change your collecting habits just to get points on the registry. Rare, old coins don't get their fair share of points, while common newer coins in high grade get more points than they deserve relative to rarity.

 

But the fun comes when and if you auction your coins. The rare old stuff gets big box write-ups, lots of press and quite often high prices when it is offered. The newer stuff is just part of the herd.

 

[EZ_E]

Bummer that you regret some of the steps that your collecting path has taken you, Dwaine, but that's pretty much par for the course in our hobby.

 

One thing that I do not regret, though, is participation in my NGC type set with moderns. It has been a fun undertaking, fun competing with TomB , educational, rewarding and touching when I got the best presentation for 2008.

 

It has built a camaraderie and respect among other collectors.

 

One of the major advantages, I've found, is having a virtual library of my coins at my finger tips which I can share and enjoy, especially since my collection is in my safe deposit box 1500 miles away.

 

I'm sure that we'll continue seeing you around, Dwaine, 'cause it's in your blood! (thumbs u

[WinstonWare]

I agree with what others have written but I would add for the uninitiated that the registry itself is free.

[Treeman]

Dwaine, get into Large Cents! Seems like there isn't much competition, and the coins are certainly interesting and beautiful! I'm 6th in the 1839-1857 category, and 11th in the 1793-1857 category, and I really don't have many coins. Anyway, I look at it as a good place to keep track of my coins, and I really don't much care about my rank. All in all, the Large cents are fun, and I'm surprised they don't have more of a following....

[TomB]

Treeman, you make good points about large cents being beautiful, historically interesting coins. However, I think the lack of apparent pariticipation for this segment of the market in the registry may have something to do with the nature of many EAC collectors who do not want their coins in TPG holders. This may no longer be the case, but years ago the average EAC member would rather have had the coins raw than slabbed.

[Treeman]

Good point, Tom. I have a Dansco for my F to AU cents, but I do like the slabs for the better ones.

[supertooth]

Dwaine---- Coins are a funny hobby. You can collect out of change and have nothing but the cost of the change into it. Or you can collect all the way to the "big boys" spending as much as you can beg, borrow or steal. Or, anywhere in between. You can be "possessed" by the coins or you can just play around with the little metal discs. Your life can be consumed by them or you can give it an hour every once in awhile.

 

The key is to find the "niche" that is correct and appropriate for you---and for your family.

 

Sometimes, it goes from a hobby into a business. It can go into an investment where the only "fun" anymore is in the making of a certain profit. Or, it can become a burden when one finds out that what they thought was once a good thing---turns out to be an admission that you simply DID NOT know enough about what you were doing.

 

On the other hand, you can become REALLY GOOD----and maybe make a lot of money--if you get into the right circles.

 

In my lifetime, I have collected out of change---and collected coins worth thousands of dollars. Pretty much done it all at one time or another. Recently, I went back and did a Kennedy half dollar collection in AU--Unc. Did the set out of circulated bank rolls that I had fooled with over the years. NEVER had a Kennedy half book before. Had a marvelous time doing stuff that I had not done in years. Had "nothing" into the set but the cost of the Whitman folder and some of my time. It was a lot of "FUN". That is a different kind of collecting from having a coin in your hands that is worth thousands of dollars.

 

Key is to be comfortable with what you are doing----enjoy it---even maybe getting the family involved. It can be a family thing---not just a private adventure.

 

And, nothing wrong with taking a break---rethinking if it is for you---or not. Most of us have had ups and downs. It is all part of the learning process----about life in general. Good luck with your sale. Bob [supertooth]

[realone]

Congrads, I never got into it and trust me my coins are registry capable.

[BillJones]

Dwaine, get into Large Cents! Seems like there isn't much competition, and the coins are certainly interesting and beautiful! I'm 6th in the 1839-1857 category, and 11th in the 1793-1857 category, and I really don't have many coins. Anyway, I look at it as a good place to keep track of my coins, and I really don't much care about my rank. All in all, the Large cents are fun, and I'm surprised they don't have more of a following....

 

As a long time member of EAC (Early American Coppers club) I can tell you that the competition for large cents is fierce. As a type collector I can tell you that filling the type coin holes for early date half cents and large cents is among the more difficult things to do. While some things that be bought at Gray Sheet prices the entire section for early copper on the Coin Dealer Newsletter is useless. You can’t buy decent copper for those prices; the real prices are much higher.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I like early copper. I’ve thought about doing a date set of large cents, and I once collected half cents by Cohen die variety because in the days when things were much easier than it is now. But don’t go into the large cent series with the idea that it’s easy. It’s not, and I got a taste of how it is when I was building a partial date set of large cents for a customer’s want list.

 

What makes that market look easy from the outside is that slabs play only a minor roll in it. Many of the serious copper collectors still don’t like to have their coins in slabs. Copper collectors like to be able to handle their coins, and many of them think that slabs, as well as all plastic holders are moisture traps. A lot of copper collectors also don’t have much respect for the grading standards that the TPGs use.

 

[James_OldeTowne]

I couldn't care less about the registry, but I know you were enjoying it. Sorry .

[Dwaine]

I'm not leaving the hobby all together. Just taking a little break, settling a few bills, etc and then will rethink what direction I want to go and if I want to enter the registry game or just use it as a reference point.

[James_OldeTowne]

If I used the registry, it wouldn't be from a competitive standpoint. It seems to be a convenient way to "virtually" share one's collection with others.

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

Let's face it. You can't compete with foundations and mega rich collectors. You also should not change your collecting habits just to get points on the registry. Rare, old coins don't get their fair share of points, while common newer coins in high grade get more points than they deserve relative to rarity.

 

Right on! This is the ugly, dirty side of Registry chasing...it makes people feel they're inadequate if they don't have $500M to drop on coins. Sometimes, the "need to compete" overpowers their common sense, and they can even get themselves in serious trouble.

 

[RWB]

Good for you! Now you can enjoy collecting coins instead of counting box top points.

[IGWT]

Signature Sets sound like a lot more fun than Registry Sets.

[EZ_E]

Good for you! Now you can enjoy collecting coins instead of counting box top points.

 

[rrantique]

Good for you! Now you can enjoy collecting coins instead of counting box top points.

Key is to be comfortable with what you are doing----enjoy it---even maybe getting the family involved. It can be a family thing---not just a private adventure.

 

[font:Comic Sans MS]I think Roger and Bob have certainly hit the nail on the head . Key word "Enjoy" [/font] (thumbs u

[Schatzy]

I am right with you Dwaine!! I found myself collecting more and more each year and I was putting off other sets. I deleted over 500 coins from the registry and started to down size my collection. I like having a small set and it is eaiser to refocus on what I really want to do. I decided that I must finish a set before I move on to a new set.

[bsshog40]

Actually I think of the registry as being fun. I don't collect the high dollar coins unless I can afford them without hurting myself (or they come by real cheap). I think of the registry as a quick reference to a series I collect with pictures. I don't use it for competition, it's used for my own sense of accomplishment. I fill it with what I can afford and what I like! I could care less about top rankings. That doesn't mean I don't look at others registries and think of how many of those coins would look good in mine. But I'm still happy with mine! (thumbs u

[jtryka]

Good luck Dwaine, I am bidding on a few lots, some nice coins you are parting with!

[CHABSENTIA]

It is getting too costly and out of hand. Once I decide which direction I want to take with my collection I might enter again.

 

CAUTION SPAM

 

As a side note most of my registry coins are up for sale at Heritage in the West Palm Beach sale.

 

You can't worry about the points. I was #13 on the $.50 modern commerative and am only about 80% full. I just buy them when I like the coin and get a good deal. I was # 19 and went to #13 when I got a good deal on 500 points. About a week later the set that had become #14 with my addition added a coin which put them back in place #13 and I went to #14. I have noticed this a lot as I went up the ladder in all Registrys. Some have even replaced 69 coins with 70 to move back up,This is ridiculous. I have 5 OGP $.50 that I have not have graded. I also stll have the 2009 Proof and Uncirc Lincoln and the 2009 Uncirc and Braille $1.00. I am not going to hurry and get them graded so I can become #13 or better again. As for Silver Eagles if I had bought the 2008 Reverse error while it was cheap then fine but I an not going to spend several hundred dollars for one. I have a 2006 Reverse Proof 70 that has hardly moved in price since I had it graded. It might be less now. You shouldn't care just for the points in the Registry. I use it to catalog my coins.

[CarlWohlforth]

Many great points (points, registry, get it? hahahaha!) were already made in this thread.

 

I had loads of fun competing 3 times. One was a fun race to complete a 20'th century type set just after the set was just introduced. Many friendly people rushed to be the first to complete the set. Since most all the coins were readily available in the super high grades of PR 69 DCAM or MS 69 RD it wasn't really about coin collecting per se. We got to brag when we purchased our latest addition. It was fast, fun and furious. When everybody got complete the "perfect" 70s started making a difference. The race was off. At that point people stopped the friendly banter and the fun was over for me.

 

I also seriously competed in a proof Jefferson nickel set. That was tough and serious. I achieved a #1 set on my terms. Then the services started grading early Jeffs PR 68 and I wasn't buying so lost my spot. Still a great set.

 

Finally I gave up on a complete type set when I ran out of money and my personal financial situation completely changed. I was over 50% complete. This was the most educational and challenging set. This is the set I will pick up again in the future when I get rich (note: I said when, not if! ).

 

Registry sets are great as an inventory tool. If you photograph each coin, in slab and closeup, it makes for a great inventory. It also is a fantastic show and tell tool. If I didn't have a website I would register all my certified coin even if they didn't make a set or were in no way competitive.

 

Have fun!

[BECOKA]

I had my fun too but stopped the registry thing except for one set. For the moderns I sold all my slabs or cracked them out for my Dansco's which is much more fun and less expensive than the registry.