Cointalkers- are there any mistakes/regrets that you'd like to share?

I went to a black and blue concert(Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult in Haaaartford) I think. I’m feeling ya. But I was trying to catch them on the east coast. My last concert was Tool

 

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Mostly just not buying something when you have the chance. Sometimes the right time to buy something is right then and there. Too often you walk off to think about it, and then come back only to find it gone.

 

I second that motion! I've asked for more details about a coin on a website, only to find out it sells within hours of my request.

Then again, you don't want to regret an impulse purchase - but you'll never know if you will regret it unless you buy it!

 

I regret lossing a flowing hair cent for $22 a dollar over my bid before that it was %50 less,the best sniper that I have dealt with in a while somehow he still got it in after me above my price I think of him as a try hard cheat ever since.

 

Ah, rays... Mesmerizing rays. Got to have the rays...

 

My brief answer to the original question is: being impatient.

 

Yeah.... Rays are my coin-crack.

 

I went with a friend to a local stock broker in 1984 and decided not to invest my $2000 in Microsoft stock. At the time I was a naive 29 year old who knew nothing about the stock market. I felt it was less risk to leave my money in the bank and collect interest (probably 2-3% at the time; I can't remember). To think what that one decision made on my financial future keeps me up at night. OK, it doesn't keep me up at night; money isn't everything.

 

52 years ago when my initial interest in coins began I was only interested in silver coins. My regret is one I always remember because one of the people I bought silver from offered me 20 rolls of Indian Head pennies for $1 a roll but I passed on them because of my obsession with silver. Just think of what great coins might have been in those rolls?

 

In the early 70's I was working part-time at a family owned True-Value Hardware store. One weekend I rang up a customer who paid with a crisp $50 Gold Certificate bill. After I put it in the register, I asked around if anyone had an interest in the bill. I guess no one had that kind of loose change to exchange for the bill. So, later it went to the bank, into circulation.

My regret, is not talking to the owner about letting me pay off the $50 bill over time.
I know he trusted me and would go along with him holding the bill until it was paid for. I just never thought about putting that in place at the time.

 

Regrets, I've had a few.

In terms of coins, a couple of years ago at a local live estate sale auction a collection of Mercury dimes in EF through MS condition was up for bid. It have the entire year and mintmark run except the 1916 D and one other date I can't remember. It included the 1942/1 overdate. The entire collection sold for about $400 and I've been kicking myself since.

 

Mine are typical - seeing hairline dink or scratch after buying a coin, overlooking something, stuff people usually have buyers remorse on.

 

Here's one that I'm sure everyone knows about, but bears repeating. When removing a coin from a cardboard 2X2, do NOT pull the edges open and try to pick the coin out.

I inherited a beautiful, immaculate 1925 Stone Mountain half. No defects at all visible to the naked eye. I later discovered a short, very light staple scratch AFTER I trasferred it from its cardboard 2X2 to a new holder.

I will never know if I did that, or if it was already there and I just missed it. It doesn't stand out very much. But it pains me every time I look at it to think that maybe I did that by tearing the 2X2 open from the side and plucking the coin out. It is the only defect I can see with the naked eye.

I wonder if it would still straight grade were I to submit it someday (never done this), or if any scratch at all would relegate it to details. Too bad, I bet it was MS65 or better.

 

My biggest regret is not keeping the many old coins that I received as part of a tip from old ladies for delivering groceries to their home. Most were shut-ins and I still remember them digging out large cents, Indian head cents, liberty nickels and dimes, even some barber quarters from huge bottles. My father instructed me to give him all of those old coins (which he later sold for his own profit) and he reimbursed me with newer coins, many times exceeding face value. I guess that was my reward for bringing him so many "treasures". After my father sold his small grocery store in 1959, I lost all interest in old coins until 50 years later. So much time lost! Now I enjoy collecting sentimental and historical genealogical "treasures" for my daughter.

 

Buying from Coast to Coast Coins. I was young and just started getting into buying coins.

 

Well I've liked almost every post, but my "liking" the post didn't mean I was happy with what had been described in the post. Some were heartbreaking, some were heartwarming, but all of them were shared with their CT Family, safely, without judgement or condemnation, hopefully feeling better from the experience of sharing. I love my CT Family (well, most of the time, lol)! I've much to learn about coins, and can't think of a better place to learn than from my "family"! I appreciate all of you, even those of you that are not like me (you should be thankful you're not like me, lol), and don't agree with my choice to be satisfied with circulated coins (some very well circulated, lol). I sold almost all of my collection about 20 years ago. I really regret that, but needed some "extra" money at the time, and it seemed a better choice than robbing a bank. I started collecting again, just a few years ago. I actually have a larger collection now, than what I sold, so I guess I can't be too sad? I don't plan on ever selling again, but I won't say "never", as I don't know what is "around the corner", lol. But, even if I sell, I plan on staying in my CT family, unless I get disowned, that is! Love my "family"!

 

2 that I really messed up on 1 I bought the other I sold
The first one I bought was a 1945 Jefferson TDR nickel that I paid WAY to much for.
I was doing a PCGS War Nickel registry set at the time.
The other one was a 1856 $3 VF30 CAC that I sold.

 

Wow after reading some of the other threads, I did scratch a 1892 Barber half while taking it out of a 2 x 2. By the way it was Triple Die Reverse.
Now when I take a coin out of a 2 x 2 I pierce the edge near the coin and break the plastic then push the coin thru.

 

. . . . Pictured is a 1869 Prf -61.... I had purchased a 1869 Prf-62 for $400.00 later sold it for $460.00.. Lovely blue, rose, maroon

 

I’m toying with the idea of a rays only set...