So you've decided to take the plunge. You keep looking at the empty space in your Standing Liberty quarter or Morgan dollar album, and you figure the time is now to purchase that one prize coin that will complete your set. Buying a truly rare coin is a big decision. Besides making sure you can afford your purchase, there are other things to consider. Where will you find this coin? Will you have to bid, maybe more than the coin is worth? What condition do you want? And when the coin set is completed, will you have another collecting objective? Read more here http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=6621 The GD ization of spock you can hoot with laughter if you like but ill bet u uncle GD saw it coming - you have to give it to him but dont fear my dear kingdomites we will fight till the very end
Well I guess I'll go out and buy that BU 1893S , lol I wish. Great info Spock, thanks for posting it.
Each of my collections were put together with a particular standard in mind. For instance, I decided my Lincoln set was going to be XF or better. I got close. Only my 1922 Plain is less than XF. The standards for my Morgans are the best I can reasonably afford. So they range from G-6 to MS-65 (and no 1985). My silver Roosevelts are: - MS-66 for the business strikes - MS-67 for the proofs In each case I researched catalog values and decided what I could reasonably afford. No reason to set your standards so high that completion is not possible unless you start with the knowledge that certain coins are unreachable. Like a SLQ set. Collect everything except the 1916.
I thought this article was well grounded in reality. Then, in the 9th paragraph it went totally off the rails into fantasy land........ "Now your spouse is a collector of............." What planet does this guy live on?
The article states collectors are told to buy key dates first. Many astute people agree, and I have the highest respect for them. But I disagree. In the example of chasing down a 1796 half cent... do you really think someone should hold off and never buy any others in the set until they find the 1796 ? Isn't it clear that throwing down HUGE money on such a coin requires experience ? How do you get that experience ? By collecting the others in the set. While collecting them, and learning, keep an eye out for The One. Pull the trigger when appropriate. The 1796 1/2c is a excellent example. Early American Copper is the toughest area of US coinage to judge wisely - for many reasons. NO WAY should you buy the 1796 first (i.e. with ZERO experience).
Experience with details of the series. Obviously you wouldn't be purchasing a 1796 if you don't know it exists.:smile
Yeah, you have to buy some coins to have some experience. I didn't start buying key date barber dimes til I knew what I was doing. I cut my teeth buying common dates in AG to F. Do I have quite a few barber pieces I wish I didn't own. Yes. Did I get burned on pieces that are weak, damaged, and poorly graded. Not when it came time for me to buy the keys I didn't
this is why we have the old addage "buy the holder, not the coin" so that we don't have to worry about what the coin looks like. Oh yeah, don't worry about looking at the backs of coins either, they all look the same anyway. ROFL
If some of the ladies from heritage saw what dreamer said they would smack him our fearless mod needs some shock therapy. BTW i am selling slabs i have this nice 1913 liberty primo its the sixth coin and its slabbed as such u buying ?
That is sound advice. I've been collecting for two years now and I'm just starting to develop my eye. There are way too many cons and pitfalls to justify throwing down big $$$ on a coin just because it's in a tpg slab or looks good or whatever. I mean, if you are spending literally thousands of dollars on a key date tell me you wouldn't be turned off from the whole experience if you spent a months salary too much, or ended up with a real good fake. I can tell a G from an AU but the MS 63-70 range seems awful particular. I'm always looking at mercs wondering if the darn thing has been "whizzed" and something someone swears is MS 63 with a weak strike looks an awful lot like VF-45 to me. I wonder if more experience will help with my confidence in grading or will boggle my mind more. You have to start somewhere, and crawl before you walk. Just remember...it's supposed to be FUN.
