Crossover Experiences 1 1

[Henri Charriere]

On 10/6/2020 at 6:22 AM, Morpheus1967 said:

You've said some whacked out stuff on this forum, but this one might just take the cake.  

Not quite, but the following, available on an NGC site, is worthy of consideration. 

Several months ago, a viewer volunteered that he disliked the term, "specimen."  Here's a little of what NGC offers on the matter and I strongly advise every collector review the matter presented, in its entirety...

"SP is a catchall that is applied to a variety of finishes that are distinct from the appearance of circulation issues but do not fit any of the Proof categories.  Specimen can describe early U.S. coins with bold strikes, very brilliant fields and semi-frosted devices as well as modern U.S. coins that were produced with matte or other unusual finishes.

From its earliest days, the U.S. mint has occasionally produced coins that fall short of the definition for actual proofs yet are clearly superior to normal circulation strikes.  In past generations, such pieces were routinely described as Proofs by coin dealers and cataloguers.  Since the 1960s, these would be Proof coins have gradually become accepted under the term "Specimen" which is abbreviated SP on the NGC certification label."   

Bearing in mind I am little more than an authenticated, arguably  articulate troll, I see a few problems. Firstly, where exactly on the MS-70/PR-70/SP-70 grade continuum does the OPs Kreugerrand lie, which should universally accommodate all qualified coins regardless of country of origin?  How do NGC and PCGS explicitly define these distinctions, if there are any of note, and why would one TPGS  fail to extend what amounts to a professional courtesy to another as a gesture of good will and reciprocal recognition particularly in an instance where provenance is not in dispute?  As I am fond of saying, enquiring minds want to know.

[RWB]

A college friend became a Church of England priest, then crossed over to become a Roman Catholic priest. His wife was not pleased. Is that what the OP means....?

[Henri Charriere]

On 10/5/2020 at 1:59 PM, RWB said:

Couple of comments:

The coin does not change when moved from one brand to another. A corn flake remains a corn flake even if it's in a Cheerios box.

It's amazing how much money some put into "register sets" that does not involve the real value of the coins. This seems like a sunk cost, never to be recovered.

if it's a hobby and it makes one happy, that's all that matters.

 

[Unlike those who block you, a form of censorship I find reprehensible, the "pi-guy" goes the extra mile and importunes others to engage in the same detestable act. Obviously, something you've written has caused me to raise my antennae...]

I shall address all three as A, B, and C.

A.  If the Kreugerrand had not changed, in transit between brands, the OP would not have initiated this discussion -- and my PCGS-slabbed collection of superseded French 20-franc gold roosters would have been welcomed with open arms by the mortuary assistants of NGC in the Sunshine State.

B.  Set Registries. If the results of a survey conducted recently by a TPGS are true -- that your average buyer will spend no more than $50. on a raw coin, sight unseen, I am extraordinarily lucky and a complete insufficiently_thoughtful_person for failing to realize the term "free shipping" includes not quite seaworthy trawlers flying flags from countries I never heard of from land-locked countries.  The plus side, by comparison, is avoiding the indignity of paying top dollar for a manuscript or painting only to find out the paper or canvas is new, the frame inauthentic and the signature executed with a ball-point pen or cheap paint sold at a five-and-dime.  Why be forced to deliver a flowery soliloquy to anonymous buyers each and every time you want to sell, when with a slab all you need worry about is whether the quality of the photo you provide will dazzle a prospective buyer with original mint lustre and exceptional eye appeal.  In the United States, these costs are routinely borne by the prospective buyers. 

C.  I have been unable to upgrade my collection, rated #1 ATS, for going on one year now.  I am not happy about it.  To make matters worse, the #2 place-holder, IMHO, has a far better, more consistent set enhanced by superior photography.  His strategy mirrored mine.  He waited until he had everything he needed and submitted it over a few days in blitzkrieg fashion. Unbeknownst to him, I was awaiting three top-tier coins from California via Germany and simply wanted to render the coup de grace in one fell swoop.  I have been seriously hoping a few extraordinary gems would surface in the interim so that I could withdraw my set and allow him the privilege of basking in the glory he is most deserving of, but that has yet to happen.  Over a hundred million roosters were minted and no one knows where the known rarer examples are because they do not appear in anyone's Registry.   So, no, I am not happy.

I thank the OP for permitting me to sound off on his post.

[Cat Bath]

4 hours ago, Quintus Arrius said:

  I have been unable to upgrade my collection, rated #1 ATS, for going on one year now.  I am not happy about it. 

My barnyard only has 2 chickens in it, not that I haven't been looking.

A frustrating set for sure.