Has anyone ever put together a "100% virgin" registry set on NGC or PCGS?

[James_OldeTowne]

I am referring to a "registry caliber set" (however you wish to define that term) comprised of coins that you personally got certified. In other words, you bought the coins raw and then got serial numbers for them, and put them in your registry. I have this crazy notion to do so, but would only try it with a short-lived set, and definitely only with NGC . A large set just takes up too much space, but something rather short, like Shield or Liberty nickels, could be confined to a reasonable shelf space.

 

Your comments and experiences, please!

[MorganMan]

I know it is a modern set, but my 20th Anniversary Eagle set I guess would be considered "virgin", since I bought them from the mint and had them certified.

 

I assume that is kinda in the line of what you mean....

 

But it is only 6 coins

 

MM

[michael]

yes back in 2003-04 time frame with pcgs

 

one pre 1915 semi completed set and one early 20th century set that was completed

 

but within 6 or less months both sets were gone and i deleted the sets at pcgs registry

[BillJones]

I think that such a set would be fraught with more expense and aggravation that it would be worth. First, you have to find the raw coins that are in the grades you want. That’s not easy these days because so many coins have already been certified and many of the significant pieces that have not been certified are raw for a reason.

 

Second, you would have to put up with grading roulette. By that I mean that the grades you get could be higher or lower than you might think they should be. And if you pay for say an MS-64, but get an MS-62 or 63 instead, you are down the grading fees and postage plus the catalog price loss.

 

Third, when I was sending coins in for grading it seemed that at one coin ALWAYS had to end up in a body bag whether it deserved it or not. I started to feel like body bags were like quotas that some police forces place upon their officers for writing tickets. And yes, I’ve had a couple coins that got into holders that surprised me, and I’ve others that went into body bags that left me scratching my head.

 

As dealer the grading game can be a great way to make money especially if you get grades that are higher than you expected. But for the collector, who is not buying and selling and rotating inventory, it is pain in the butt. You have to dispose of coins that don’t make it for one reason or another or have money tied up in stuff you don’t want. For the collector it’s a lot harder sell coins at decent prices than for a dealer who is taking bourse tables on a regular basis.

 

As I collector I buy the coin in the holder I want, and leave the grading headaches to the dealers. I don’t buy raw coins with the idea that I’m going to send them in for grading. I only send in raw coins from my collection that I think will benefit from certification.

 

 

[Schatzy]

Well, I have hand picked every coin in this set and got them graded. I am still looking for the Jefferson's and Kennedy's!!

I know it is a modern set but it is more rewarding for me getting your own coins graded.

 

 

 

[jesbroken]

I'm working on a set that meets your proposal, James, although not on purpose, I have 25 coins of the 54 needed for an IHC set. I have certified and slabbed 7 of them and the rest are raw awaiting the funds to have them slabbed. Half of the coins are AU and 5 or 6 XF and the remaining are MS63 and up. Maybe this isn't high enough grade for your purposal, but is what I can afford.

Jim

 

 

 

[Schatzy]

Jim....Very Nice looking set!!

[James_OldeTowne]

Jim....Very Nice looking set!!

Wow, I agree!

 

Bill, I appreciate your comments. That was one reason I thought Liberty nickels would be a good choice. They are easy to grade, usually not doctored, or messed with, and affordable to the point that there isn't much risk. I wouldn't attempt such an excercise with a tough series like early copper or busties, though!

[EZ_E]

I only lack a dozen coins of my raw original circulated classic commemorative half dollar set. I intend to have them all certified at the same time at some point down the road.

[jesbroken]

Show us some pics, Vic, please.

Jim

[EZ_E]

I've shown them before a couple of months ago but have since deleted the pics from my photobucket account and I'm now using my wifes laptop since lightning fried my modem on my computer where the pics are.

 

I plan on eventually making a detailed what you need to know post on the circulated commem type set with pics. But that won't be for awhile yet.

 

Most of the remaining coins that I need I've never even heard of a circulated example like the York County, Albany, Columbia SC, Cincinatti, etc.

 

But, the pursuit is what provides the excitement in collecting. (thumbs u

[Hoot]

Not exactly, but while I had my "Classic Jeffs of 1938-64" I ultimately had about 90% of those coins certified straight from the "wild." That included all of the NGC "star" designated coins in the set and all but 3 of the 6-step nickels. It was a nice set. Unfortunately, I was a insufficiently_thoughtful_person and sold it through Superior a couple of years ago under the deception that they would do a good job marketing it - they were all liars and thieves.

 

Hoot

[jesbroken]

Well, hello Hoot. Great to see you post. Hope all is going well for you.

Jim