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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ToughCOINS, post: 2605661, member: 20480&quot;]I happened to have some extra time when at the bank today, so I visited the SDB for an extra long while, and reminisced about my collector days.&nbsp; I actually have 2 boxes . . . one for the ToughCOINS inventory, and the other houses the pre-ToughCOINS collection.&nbsp; It was the latter I spent time in, and looked at perhaps a dozen PCGS boxes of coins . . . lots of fun.</p><p><br /></p><p>Many of those coins do not really fit the niche established for ToughCOINS these past 10 years, but I enjoyed looking nonetheless.&nbsp; A couple of dozen nice Ike Dollars were in there.&nbsp; I had PCGS grade my second best set of Ikes back when the OGH were in use (no silvers or proofs . . . just clad commercial strikes) . . . they all came back MS65 or 66 at that time.&nbsp; Doubtless, I should resubmit them today.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>More importantly, my better set has never been graded, and needs to go in.&nbsp; If I remember correctly, that set is in Whitman snap-closed 2x2 holders, and I will have to dig around to find it.</p><p><br /></p><p>My focus in building those sets was finding mark-free Ikes, and some dates were virtually impossible to find with clean surfaces.&nbsp; The lesson I learned through my unrelenting search of vast quantities of mint sets, rolls and perhaps a dozen mint-sewn bags was that mint state Ikes often have surface imperfections which look like hits, but are actually marks in the planchets that did not strike out.</p><p><br /></p><p>Do not despair . . . there are nice, mark-free Ikes out there, but not for all dates.&nbsp; Even the very best graded of a couple of dates would surely disappoint you.&nbsp; Just look for the best combination of strike, luster, marks and color that you can find, and you&#039;ll do pretty well.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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