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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Lehigh96, post: 762152, member: 15309&quot;]<p style="text-align: center"><font face="Book Antiqua"><font size="6"><span style="color: Blue">INTRODUCTION</span></font></font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>One of the biggest dangers in participating in a coin registry is the chance that the collector will stop collecting coins and start collecting plastic.&nbsp; This normally results in a collector focusing simply on the numerical grade of a coin but sometimes can get even worse.&nbsp; When registry fever hits a collector, he is overcome with the fill those slots, earn more points, catch the next collector.&nbsp; It is very easy to allow this fever to destroy the patience needed to assemble a top ranked registry set.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center"><font face="Book Antiqua"><font size="6"><span style="color: Blue">DISPELLING THE MYTH THAT GRADE = QUALITY</span></font></font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The first thing that registry participants must recognize is that a number does not describe a coin.&nbsp; Grade is not synonymous with quality.&nbsp; For example, just because a Washington quarter bears the assigned grade of MS67, does not mean that the coin is equal to all other MS67&#039;s or even better than some MS65 or MS66 coins.&nbsp; It simply means that the surfaces of that coin are outstanding.&nbsp; While surface marks routinely limit grade, it is much more rare for strike and luster to limit a coin&#039;s grade even though it is common for coins with inferior surfaces to get a grade bump as a result of exceptional eye appeal, luster, and strike.&nbsp; Take a look at the two NGC MS67 1937 Washington quarters and Heritage auction links shown below.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/ACPitBoss/Washington%20Quarters/WashingtonQuarter1937NGCMS67Heri-1.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1129&amp;Lot_No=7993" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1129&amp;Lot_No=7993" rel="nofollow">http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1129&amp;Lot_No=7993</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/ACPitBoss/Washington%20Quarters/lf.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1116&amp;Lot_No=8230#photo" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1116&amp;Lot_No=8230#photo" rel="nofollow">http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=1116&amp;Lot_No=8230#photo</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The first is a glorious blast white example with an excellent strike and booming luster.&nbsp; Everything a collector would expect from a top pop coin including the incredible eye appeal that earned it a star designation.&nbsp; The second coin has rather subdued luster from the deep mottled toning and the strike is definitely sub-par.&nbsp; Does that bird even have breast feathers?&nbsp; Now I know what you guys are thinking, Lehigh96 is choosing a blast white coin over a toned coin, no way.&nbsp; Although I love toning, my allegiance is with eye appeal.&nbsp; In this case the white coin has all of the eye appeal and is a superior example despite the fact that each coin bears the same grade.&nbsp; Others are probably thinking this is photo magic.&nbsp; Both coins were auctioned and imaged by Heritage and although the strike of the toned coin could be hidden in the photograph, the only way to make the toned coin look better than the white coin is to use photo magic.&nbsp; The sale price bears out this fact with the white coin bringing $747 compared to the toned coin which sold for $575.&nbsp; The moral of the story is that a grade does not tell the whole story about a coin.&nbsp; I like to think of this way; just as toning is only the start to eye appeal; grade is only the start to a great coin.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center"><font face="Book Antiqua"><font size="6"><span style="color: Blue">A STRATEGY TO AVOID REGISTRY FEVER-SHORT SETS</span></font></font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I recently started a thread that discussed a short set of 1940 P-D-S coins within my Jefferson Nickel registry set.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.cointalk.com/t66361/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.cointalk.com/t66361/">http://www.cointalk.com/t66361/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>My first purchase was the 1940-D which I obtained at auction.&nbsp; The coin is an NGC MS67 FS with a Compradore pedigree.&nbsp; The Compradore collection was the highest ranking Jefferson Nickel collection in 2007 in the PCGS registry.&nbsp; The next coin was the 1940-P in NGC MS67 FS.&nbsp; Although very high quality coins, they were easily obtainable in their assigned grades and not very rare coins.&nbsp; However, the last coin in the short set was the 1940-S which is exceedingly rare in MS67 full steps.&nbsp; I had many opportunities to acquire a lesser non full step coin, but I decided that I wanted my 1940 short set to be of equal quality.&nbsp; In the end, I was fortunate to obtain one of only 3 1940-S Jefferson Nickels graded MS67 5FS.</p><p><br /></p><p>By separating your registry set into many short sets and then establishing a strict criteria of quality for the set, you can successfully avoid the pitfall of sacrificing quality for the sake of registry points.&nbsp; Lets go back to my Jefferson Nickel registry set for an example.&nbsp; My 1940 short set is complete but my 1941 short set is still missing the &quot;S&quot; mint coin.&nbsp; While my criteria for the 1940 short set was top pop full steps, my criteria for the 1941 set is incredible eye appeal in the form of rainbow toning on an MS67 coin.&nbsp; Take a look at my 1941 &amp; 1941-D below.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/ACPitBoss/Jefferson%20Nickels/JeffersonNickel1941NGCMS67Star12-9.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/ACPitBoss/Jefferson%20Nickels/JeffersonNickel1941-DNGCMS67Star-16.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>These photos should give the reader an idea of the level of eye appeal needed to meet my strict requirements.&nbsp; Any old golden toned MS67 1941-S will not do.&nbsp; But take a look at my current set listing.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/MySets_Listing.aspx?PeopleSetID=55274" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/MySets_Listing.aspx?PeopleSetID=55274" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://boards.collectors-society.com/signatures/signature.php/NGC/set/55274/sig.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>The temptation to fill the 1941-S and 1942-P slots is ever present.&nbsp; Only the standards established for the short set keep me from losing patience.&nbsp; I know that by filling that slot with an inferior coin, I will have failed in my goal for that short set.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center"><font face="Book Antiqua"><font size="6"><span style="color: Blue">CONCLUSION</span></font></font></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Dividing a registry set into many different short sets, each with their own criteria for quality can help the collector maintain patience and reach his overall goal of assembling a world class collection.&nbsp; Accepting that reaching the top spot in the registry is not as important as meeting your own criteria for quality is of paramount importance.&nbsp; Along with this acceptance comes the realization that the top ranked collection might not be the collection with the highest quality or eye appeal.&nbsp; After all, which Washington Quarter do you want in your collection?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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