Post your "I wish I had..." story

[Just Bob]

In response to a post by Bruce, I just posted this story in the Marketplace forum, but I thought that it might make an interesting topic for a thread.

 

 

Back in the early 80s I saw a complete set of silver Roosevelts in a Whitman album at a local coin show. They were some of the most beautiful toned dimes I had ever seen - concentric bands of every color in the rainbow, reaching almost to the center of some of the coins. The dealer was asking $140 for it, but since that was about a weeks pay at the time, I had to pass.

 

 

 

Do you have a story about the "one that got away" ?

[physics-fan3.14]

No coins specifically that got away come to mind at the moment, but I'm sure there have been occasions. The biggest "I wish I had" moment I can recall is not a coin, but a stock - I wish I had bought Bank of America in March. I had a number of shares, and I bought part of the way down, such that my average cost per share was $18.12. My last purchase was a lot at $12. In March, the stock hit a low of $2 something, and I should have bought a few hundred shares then and brought my average way down. Problem was, that was the same time I got laid off so I was sorta freaking out. The stock closed today back almost at $18, so I'm just about at the break even - but I keep kicking myself because of the vast profits I could have made.

[WoodenJefferson]

In 1991 (I remember it was this year because of the Gulf War) I happened across a 1893 ISABELLA COMMEMORATIVE QUARTER DOLLAR at our local coin shop. It immediately caught my eye because it was a deep hue of purple with a pink center. It was raw in a mylar flip and I asked to see it. The price was $350 and looked to be at least a MS-60 and perhaps a little higher, but it was hard to determine the surfaces due to the toning.

 

I placed the coin on the counter and pushed to back towards him. He pushed it back at me. Taunting me are you. I did not have $350 bucks to throw around, we had just replaced the A/C unit and my wife would have killed me if she would have seen an additional $350 tacked onto the Credit Card.

 

I debated and finally I made up some lame excuse and went to go look at the Franklins & Walkers that I originally went in to see. He looked at me and said, “Give me half down and I’ll put it in the safe.” Oh no, he never offered to do that with any other coin. Again I lamented and told him no, not at this time. I did by a nice 49-S Franklin for 35 bucks and left.

 

That night I could not sleep. Thinking about that Isabella was keeping me awake and I had this feeling that if I did not go back and take him up on his offer I might not ever get a chance to buy one like this again.

 

That Monday after work, I grabbed a bunch of duplicates that I’d thought would add up to at least $175 and headed off to the only other coin dealer who would buy coins. After much haggling, I walked out of there with $200 (I probably spent $400 getting them, …say la vie)

 

I headed off to the other dealer. (well, OK I sped off) I was almost out of breath and he buzzed me in and I went directly to the case that had the Isabella. He was waiting on another customer, but acknowledged my presence.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! It wasn’t in the spot I left it. I frantically looked around in the cases, no where to be seen. I stood there stunned, disbelieving I missed this coin. No, wait, it’s in the safe! Maybe yes! A sigh of relief came over me but then panic soon returned. He sold it…nooooooo!

 

How dare he sell my coin!

 

As soon as he finished up with the customer he joined me over at the counter that once held that pretty purple Isabella. I could already see it in his face. I asked about it and he shook his head and said, “It’s gone, I sold it this morning.”

 

I hit the glass with the palm of my hand…ooops, that was kind of loud and turned my head and lipped some profanity to myself. What really PO’ed me more than the Isabella being sold, was the fact that I just about gave away a whole fist full of nice Walkers and Franklins for chump change, that I later find out I did not even need.

 

Had I been smart and not such a coward, I would have brought those coins into Him and decide if the value was worth $175...but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

To this day, I cannot compel myself to even look for one to replace my misfortune. That $350 coin is now probably worth at least $1000 if not more.

 

Live and learn is a saying that has much merit.

 

[MorganMan]

I have told this story before, but I will again. It is not my story, but one my dad has told me many times.

 

Dad and mom traveled extensivley throughout the USA in a motorhome, but a lot was in Florida. One day, my dad was introduced to a nice gentleman that was wanting folks to invest in a treasure hunt he was going to go on. He told dad and a few other gentlemen there about how he had done some research and thought he knew where treasure was in a sunken ship. He wanted some investors to front some of the expenses in return for a part of the treasure.

 

Now my dad was very frugal, and even though he easily had the $10,000 the man wanted each investor to give, my dad decided to tell him no.

 

 

The guys name: Mel Fisher

The boat name: The Atocha

 

 

My dad later:

 

 

MM

[rons]

In the fifth grade I took my blue whitman penny book to school to show another collecting buddy. In it was residing my prize 1914d that I had found in change. My mom was a treasurer and always brought the change home for me to search. I was so delighted to find it and proudly showed it off to my friend and others. Imagine my chagrin that when I got on the bus to go home I discovered my 14d had gone AWOL!!!!!!! A harsh lesson for a young kid but it certainly goes with the refrain " easy come easy go"

[Mark T]

In the fifth grade I took my blue whitman penny book to school to show another collecting buddy. In it was residing my prize 1914d that I had found in change. My mom was a treasurer and always brought the change home for me to search. I was so delighted to find it and proudly showed it off to my friend and others. Imagine my chagrin that when I got on the bus to go home I discovered my 14d had gone AWOL!!!!!!! A harsh lesson for a young kid but it certainly goes with the refrain " easy come easy go"

 

A somewhat similar story from me.

I invited a neighborhood kid over to look at my coin collection. I had to leave the room for a minute and left him alone with my coins. A day later I noticed some of my coins were missing . This low life punk stole them. I told my parents but I was never able to get the coins back because the kid denied stealing them.

 

[Old Pueblo]

In 1991 (I remember it was this year because of the Gulf War) I happened across a 1893 ISABELLA COMMEMORATIVE QUARTER DOLLAR at our local coin shop. It immediately caught my eye because it was a deep hue of purple with a pink center. It was raw in a mylar flip and I asked to see it. The price was $350 and looked to be at least a MS-60 and perhaps a little higher, but it was hard to determine the surfaces due to the toning.

 

I placed the coin on the counter and pushed to back towards him. He pushed it back at me. Taunting me are you. I did not have $350 bucks to throw around, we had just replaced the A/C unit and my wife would have killed me if she would have seen an additional $350 tacked onto the Credit Card.

 

I debated and finally I made up some lame excuse and went to go look at the Franklins & Walkers that I originally went in to see. He looked at me and said, Give me half down and Ill put it in the safe. Oh no, he never offered to do that with any other coin. Again I lamented and told him no, not at this time. I did by a nice 49-S Franklin for 35 bucks and left.

 

That night I could not sleep. Thinking about that Isabella was keeping me awake and I had this feeling that if I did not go back and take him up on his offer I might not ever get a chance to buy one like this again.

 

That Monday after work, I grabbed a bunch of duplicates that Id thought would add up to at least $175 and headed off to the only other coin dealer who would buy coins. After much haggling, I walked out of there with $200 (I probably spent $400 getting them, say la vie)

 

I headed off to the other dealer. (well, OK I sped off) I was almost out of breath and he buzzed me in and I went directly to the case that had the Isabella. He was waiting on another customer, but acknowledged my presence.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! It wasnt in the spot I left it. I frantically looked around in the cases, no where to be seen. I stood there stunned, disbelieving I missed this coin. No, wait, its in the safe! Maybe yes! A sigh of relief came over me but then panic soon returned. He sold itnooooooo!

 

How dare he sell my coin!

 

As soon as he finished up with the customer he joined me over at the counter that once held that pretty purple Isabella. I could already see it in his face. I asked about it and he shook his head and said, Its gone, I sold it this morning.

 

I hit the glass with the palm of my handooops, that was kind of loud and turned my head and lipped some profanity to myself. What really POed me more than the Isabella being sold, was the fact that I just about gave away a whole fist full of nice Walkers and Franklins for chump change, that I later find out I did not even need.

 

Had I been smart and not such a coward, I would have brought those coins into Him and decide if the value was worth $175...but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

To this day, I cannot compel myself to even look for one to replace my misfortune. That $350 coin is now probably worth at least $1000 if not more.

 

Live and learn is a saying that has much merit.

 

Fun story to read and painful too, Thanks

[Bugmann1974]

Back in the early 80s I saw a complete set of silver Roosevelts in a Whitman album at a local coin show. They were some of the most beautiful toned dimes I had ever seen - concentric bands of every color in the rainbow, reaching almost to the center of some of the coins. The dealer was asking $140 for it, but since that was about a weeks pay at the time, I had to pass.

 

 

Do you have a story about the "one that got away" ?

 

Just a couple months ago I bought a very nice Whitman toner set of roosies.

 

I worked out a trade deal on them. $16 face worth of junk silver quarters and dimes, some i pulled out of circulation some I paid about 5X face for.

 

Please don't hate me.

[Just Bob]

Please don't hate me.

 

 

 

I do!

 

 

 

[BillJones]

About 12 years ago, a well know collector - author in the token and medal field had Low #1 Hard Times Token that he wanted to sell to raise some cash. The piece graded EF and was very nice, and he only wanted $2,500 for it.

 

I have one, but my piece only has Fine sharpness and has some very light intials in the field. I didn't pull the trigger because I was building my business at the time and did not want to tie up the money. I guess you call it discipline.

 

I wish I'd bought that piece because it would have been a significant upgrade of a very important Hard Times / political token. Of secondary importance, and I really mean this, the same variety has sold at auction for over $20,000 in EF.

 

Here is a picture of token I have.