Thoughts and notes on building a liberty half eagle set posted by Lucky One

[CSJournals-migration]

$5, gold, liberty, half eagle

 

I am just now venturing into the journals function here at NGC so if I make a wrong turn somewhere, please point it out.

 

The reason for my jornal is to share my collecting experiences with others who might have a deep appreciation for a very interesting series.

 

Liberty half eagles were minted from 1839 through half of 1908, making it the longest running major series produced, and were the *only* U.S. series to be manufactured at all 7 mints: Charlotte, Carson City, Dahlonega, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia and San Francisco. It also has more true rarities per square mile than any other series- more than 30 issues are considered by the experts to have less than 100 left in existence, making it a real challenge to assemble a complete set since two of those issues have less than 10 pieces known and several others less than 50 known. That pretty much limits who can build a full set, but no matter, most of us blue collar guys would never be able to afford a 1854-S even if it dod come on the market- with a series like this, the true challenge is being in the right place at the right time and the true goal is to get one step closer to completing it, knowing that a complete set is a near impossibility going into the task.

 

I have never used a journal, don't have a formal education so never learned how, but I assume it is like a diary or notebook, two things I never had a need for. In order to share my collection and what I learned in the course of building it I guess I'll learn. In the mean time I'll try to figure out how to post photos of recent additions to my set in hopes it will spark a friendship with a fellow half eagle enthusiast. Enjoy!

 

See more journals by Lucky One

[Lucky One]

Well, I got a photo to load with the journal entry directly from my hard drive but I can't add more from here. I sure wish there was a photo insertion tool from these chat boards- I wonder if that is a fuction that NGC's IT guys could add for us. It sure would be useful to illustrate more easily out here, especially for those of us who would rather not go through the third-party photo servers...

[Lucky One]

This is an 1842-O that I just added to my set recently. It is a date easy to find in F-VF condition but usually cleaned and obvious, so not attractive. It is rare to find one that looks like this. I'm proud to be the next lucky steward, and since it is slabbed, is likely to survive untouched for a long time to come.

[RWB]

All the message boards operate on a very thin shoestring. Keeping them running is a priority over enhancements.

 

19th century half eagles are a tough series, as you noted in your OP. Some issues are known only as EF examples. Good luck with them.... One advantage is that so few collect them by date/mint that scarce and rare pieces do not sell for huge premiums.

[Lucky One]

All the message boards operate on a very thin shoestring. Keeping them running is a priority over enhancements.

 

19th century half eagles are a tough series, as you noted in your OP. Some issues are known only as EF examples. Good luck with them.... One advantage is that so few collect them by date/mint that scarce and rare pieces do not sell for huge premiums.

 

understood on the costs involved with the forums, but we're not talking about rewriting the software, just integrating the same photo insertion module that is used in the journals so that photos can be directly uploaded here in the forums, so simple that it should be a very inexpensive edit.

 

Yes, there are a lot of sleepers in this series and for the very reason you stated- no one really knows about them and, I'll add, most people hear old and gold in the same sentence and they think expensive. When I looked objectively at the amounts of money I was spending on individual coins for my half cent or half dollar sets, I realized that if the same amounts were spent on these I'd have much rarer and more important coins. Sure, I love perfect looking coins, but only if there are five in existence, not five thousand or five million.

 

As you pointed out, since these don't carry huge premiums, there are enough sleepers that a person could buy one sleeper from each mint and have a rare and beautiful 'mint' set of half eagles for a lot less money than their rarity suggests, and the history and all learned along the way is actually worth the cost of tuition, especially since you get to keep it. What a great hobby it is!

[RWB]

Also, be prepared to do your own research on each issue. Many of the "standard" sources are out of date or incomplete. There is no detailed guide to the series (outside of Doug Winter's southern gold books).

[RWB]

Your image uses standard code for message boards - the difficulty might be with hosting the image on NGC vs an outside entity. The Journals are aimed at different users than the normal message boards.

 

Why not ask NGC and post what they say?

[#]

NLT

[Electric Peak]

Nice first journal. Keep them coming!

[Lucky One]

Your image uses standard code for message boards - the difficulty might be with hosting the image on NGC vs an outside entity. The Journals are aimed at different users than the normal message boards.

 

Why not ask NGC and post what they say?

 

good point, one that I hadn't considered. Yes, I guess the volume of photos the discussion boards would generate aren't worth it to NGC in server space...

[Lucky One]

Well, I sure wish there was a photo insertion tool from these chat boards- I wonder if that is a fuction that NGC's IT guys could add for us. It sure would be useful to illustrate more easily out here, especially for those of us who would rather not go through the third-party photo servers...

 

Well, I'm probably missing something but when I upload a pic on the market place or any thread there's a upload photo/file manager (NGC) that I have to use because I don't understand Dropbox etc.

 

David

 

thanks for the info. Are you talking from the messages forums or on your personal journal? How many does it allow you to u/l at one time? Just curious to see if we're on the same page. I have an understanding of most of this because I used to build custom computers for a living...

[Lucky One]

Also, be prepared to do your own research on each issue. Many of the "standard" sources are out of date or incomplete. There is no detailed guide to the series (outside of Doug Winter's southern gold books).

 

Agreed, not a lot of experts in the field of half eagles these days. I do have Akers, Bowers, Breen, Garrtt/Guth and all the Winters titles in my library and a lot of greysheets going back decades so between that and the population guides I think I have it pegged. Probably could write a book on it, I've bought and sold so many in the past five years! I'm always researching what I don't understand, always agreed with David Bowers to buy the book before the coin, very wise advice...

[RWB]

Buy the book before the coin -- if the book exists.

[Lucky One]

Buy the book before the coin -- if the book exists.

 

...and if it doesn't, write it yourself

[Lucky One]

Your image uses standard code for message boards - the difficulty might be with hosting the image on NGC vs an outside entity. The Journals are aimed at different users than the normal message boards.

 

Why not ask NGC and post what they say?

 

I read in another thread today that if you go to full screen reply mode you get the photo insert module and can u/l up to 5 photos at a time there...

[Lucky One]

Well I really wanted to make a journal of the building of that set but I am just too busy to find the time for one more chore in my life. Having always been one to commit most of what I learn to my memory because it works for me and doesn't take much extra effort I never kept a diary or journal for anything. The last time I even carried a notebook was my Navy days and it was only a tiny pocket notebook that I wrote down the days jobs so that I could keep up with every task I handed down to the guys. Here I am over a year later and realize I never came back to this and you all have my apologies for letting it slide. I have since started and completed a gem Indian quarter eagle set, made it half way through my gem comprehensive type set and 2/3 of the way through a new gem liberty nickel set and never wrote a word about any of them. Again, forgive me. I hope to put up photos this winter and descriptions there will be my 'journal' I guess. Hope everyone has been as successful as I have in finding the coins you want, it certainly has been a fun ride!

[Lucky One]

I also want to mention to all who read journals on NGC for the inspiration like me that it does pay off on occasion. I was given a great honor when this set was given a blue ribbon for best presented set- I did manage to get most of the photos and descriptions up for this set and it is available for viewing by looking in the awards section if you'd like to read the comments. And thanks to all who go to the great time and trouble to do the same, I have more fun looking at other's sets on NGC than I do at a coin show. My hat is off to every one of you!