Mr. Eureka asked: "What the one auction ever held that you would like to somehow magically attend today?" 0

[GoldFinger1969]

On 2/24/2022 at 2:21 AM, VKurtB said:

By the time the second and third Eliasberg sales happened, ALL coins had a TPGS grade. Big difference. It is claimed many got an “Eliasberg bump” in their grade. I’m inclined to agree. 

Eliasberg 1 was 1982....why were the others so much later ?  I believe one was 1996 or so, right ?

They waited 14 years to finish it ?  Assuming that was Part 3......wow.

[VKurtB]

On 2/24/2022 at 1:24 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Eliasberg 1 was 1982....why were the others so much later ?  I believe one was 1996 or so, right ?

They waited 14 years to finish it ?  Assuming that was Part 3......wow.

The copper and silver U.S. coins were the material of #2 and #3, set fairly close together in the 96-97 range. I can’t get upstairs now, or I’d give you the exact dates. If memory serves, the line was the dimes, in the earlier one. Quarters and up, later one. I could be off. I THINK #3 was May of ‘97. 

[GoldFinger1969]

On 2/24/2022 at 2:39 AM, VKurtB said:

The copper and silver U.S. coins were the material of #2 and #3, set fairly close together in the 96-97 range. I can’t get upstairs now, or I’d give you the exact dates. If memory serves, the line was the dimes, in the earlier one. Quarters and up, later one. I could be off. I THINK #3 was May of ‘97. 

Double Eagles/Saints were 1982.  That's when Duckor/Akers struck.

[RWB]

Auction companies usually did the authentication and grading as printed in the catalogs - but, buyers knew which auctioneers were honest and which ones overgraded, so they "bought the coin not the grade."

Now everyone is so completely dependent on the 2 or 3 major "grading" companies, that coins just get stuffed in with loose descriptions. The smart buyers will cherry pick.

Edited February 24 by RWB

[VKurtB]

On 2/24/2022 at 8:47 AM, RWB said:

Auction companies usually did the authentication and grading as printed in the catalogs - but, buyers knew which auctioneers were honest and which ones overgraded, so they "bought the coin not the grade."

Now everyone is so completely dependent on the 2 or 3 major "grading" companies, that coins just get stuffed in with loose descriptions. The smart buyers will cherry pick.

True. Brilliant. 

[World Colonial]

On 2/11/2022 at 11:12 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

I'm not sure I understand.  Going BACK in time and paying the then-prices makes sense.  If I have to pay TODAY'S prices, that defeats the purpose, right ?

No, not if what you want to buy isn't otherwise available.  That's my situation since I lost interest in most of the coins I used to collect and never had much if any interest in most everything else.  The coins I still collect almost never come up for sale.  I've bought one this year (so far) and one or two last year.  Outbid on two others.

Four auctions for me:

Bonham's 1996 sale of the Patterson collection

Sellschopp, UBS sale #20 in 1988

Ortiz, UBS sale #27 in 1991

Heritage June 2nd, 2006 Pre-Long Beach, mostly Whittier Latin America.  I bought nine but would have bought more if I could do it over again.

Only other option is to try in a private sale through a dealer at presumably noticeable premium to "market".

[Zebo]

On 2/13/2022 at 2:31 PM, VKurtB said:

Absolutely. Both were autographed by QDB, as was his book about Eliasberg, “King of Coins”. The three are a matched set. It’s good I don’t have the gold coin catalog. I simply dislike nearly  EVERYTHING about the history of gold.

Why the dislike of gold?

[DWLange]

Eliasberg 1 was 1982....why were the others so much later ?

It doesn't seem like this question was answered, so here goes: When his father passed, Louis Eliasberg, Jr. received the gold coins and consigned them to Bowers & Ruddy almost immediately in the very down market that was 1982. Thus, there were bargains galore even by the price guides of that time. The other son, Richard, received the remainder of the collection and consigned the USA issues to successor company Bowers & Merena in 1996. These were sold in two sales about a year apart. I attended the first one and was present when the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel became the first million dollar coin. I was hoping to buy the Eliasberg Buffalo Nickel of that date so that I could joke I'd bought Eliasberg's famous 1913 nickel, but it too brought a very high price for such a common coin. I did succeed in buying three others: 1910 proof cent, 1919-D cent and 1925(P) nickel. Richard consigned the world issues to another successor company, American Numismatic Rarities, in 2005. Overall, he did much better than his impulsive brother.

[VKurtB]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:39 AM, DWLange said:

Eliasberg 1 was 1982....why were the others so much later ?

It doesn't seem like this question was answered, so here goes: When his father passed, Louis Eliasberg, Jr. received the gold coins and consigned them to Bowers & Ruddy almost immediately in the very down market that was 1982. Thus, there were bargains galore even by the price guides of that time. The other son, Richard, received the remainder of the collection and consigned the USA issues to successor company Bowers & Merena in 1996. These were sold in two sales about a year apart. I attended the first one and was present when the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel became the first million dollar coin. I was hoping to buy the Eliasberg Buffalo Nickel of that date so that I could joke I'd bought Eliasberg's famous 1913 nickel, but it too brought a very high price for such a common coin. I did succeed in buying three others: 1910 proof cent, 1919-D cent and 1925(P) nickel. Richard consigned the world issues to another successor company, American Numismatic Rarities, in 2005. Overall, he did much better than his impulsive brother.

You’re saying IMpulsive, right? Not RE. 

[DWLange]

No comment...

[Zebo]

[GoldFinger1969]

On 2/24/2022 at 9:47 AM, RWB said:

Auction companies usually did the authentication and grading as printed in the catalogs - but, buyers knew which auctioneers were honest and which ones overgraded, so they "bought the coin not the grade."

At least with Saints, the overwhelming majority of the top coins in 1970's and 1980's auctions were UNDERgraded.  Bigtime !

Many went up 2-3 grades when sent to the TPGs years later.  David Akers, Duckor, etc....all noted these anomalies.  I'm sure you came across their cheap "finds" in your research, right ?

Edited May 10 by GoldFinger1969