Often times I see coins advertised as having come from a "Registry Set." Does this mean the coin has some special significance given to it by a grading service? Or is it just part of a nice set of coins somebody collected? I guess what I'm asking is does this term really add any value to the coin itself...
First of all a registry set is nothing but a plca for collectors to list their collection on-line in an open competetion with other collectors. Each coin is worth X amount of points depending on its grade. NGC & PCGS are the only companies with registry sets. That being said - the answer to your question would depend on who's registry set it was. A pedigree for a coin can add value if the previous owner was a famous or very well known collector. So in some cases it can add value - in others it will not.
Both PCGS and NGC provide webspace for such sets. To join a PCGS set your coins must be slabbed by them. To join an NGC set your coins can be slabbed by them or by PCGS. The "set" is a listing of the coins you have appropriately slabbed in a particular series, with points awarded based on their TPG-assigned grades and "condition rarity", which is based on the number of coins slabbed at the same grade and higher. IMHO "ex-registry" basically just means that the coin once belonged to someone to whom bragging rights were important. Obviously there are many who disagree with me. That's a question for each collector to answer. If knowing that Bill Gates, or Daddy Warbucks, used to own a coin that is now in your collection would be worth paying extra for it in your mind, then it's more valuable to you.
I personally place no extra desire on a coin just because it can be traced to someone who is or was perhaps famous,, Registry is a marketing tool IMHO Now I do know a few folks who would die to own a coin that was known to have been touched by Elvis !!! Im not one of them !!!!
OK - so forget about the registry pedigree. But what about a coin pedigreed to Eliasberg, Ford, Bass, Lee or any of the other most famous collections in the world - are they worth additional premium for the pedigree ?
GDJMSP an MS-70 coin is an MS-70 coin IMHO no matter who owned it before, some folks will pay extra for them for the name attached to the slab, No doubt that the listed names are very respected,the sets and coins that they own or owned are really no more beautiful and perfect than the coins owned by you or ND or anyone else all things being equal,,it would have to become a vanity issue to make them worth more. of course this is just my opinion ,,and Im sure that means absolutely nothing to anyone but me.
On the contrary - it means about the same to quite a few others. But apparently not enough others - for in the markeplace coins with famous pedigrees do bring substantial premiums - sometimes as much as 8 - 10 times what an indentical coin without the pedigree would bring. Now this doesn't make it right and doesn't make it wrong - it just is. That much is an undeniable fact.
Its amazing is'nt it, but I guess everyone has there turn ons, for some it is pedigreed coins, and they will pay for them . and this coming from a guy who will only wear Elk hide welding gloves ! 4X the cost of cow hide LOL Interesting !
I find reading all of your opinions entertaining and I think you all have valid points. I would say that this matter is like any other matter in that it depends on your perspective.I personally like the coins that are all ugly ,mangled ,and messed up. I'm not sure any grading company or collector would find them valueable, but I feel that they are truly unique.
the registry set thing on sales is a marketing gimmick for the most part. I mean who cares if it was part of John Burgess's Westward Journey Nickels Basic, Circulation Strikes set ranked 58 (don't look it up it doesn't exist LOL) Now it might be something to someone in the registry game, if it's a top ranked "Best of" set for a few years that's being broken up and sold, then you might want it known to other registry set collectors that a top set is being sold, so they can fight over the highest grade pieces that will bump their sets up in the rankings. but niot all of that set would be key to people even, just certain pieces. it's just a competition. I'm sure there's gonna be a SAE Type 2 registry set collection or whatever they will call it starting this year also. LOL some registry set pieces I thing, when they are high grade and low pop, can command premiums and a bidding war over it, but generally speaking they "from a registry set" is just a marketing gimmick, so what if it's from a registry set? What makes it special or one of a kind, is it a key for your own set to make the #1 set for the year? if it isn't, then who cares right?
Same thing in the world of guitars. Despite having almost the same guitar as David Gilmour and Eric Clapton, theirs will fetch 250 times more than mine will on the market.
Marsha, I can understand that. My wife is very much the same. She likes the history with coins. A Dollar from the 1870's that might have been in someone's pocket travelling by stagecoach and fell out only to be run over by the wheels. Then perhaps found weeks, or years later and became a pocket piece. Her imagination runs wild wondering where it was and where it went, what it went through and saw, and how many touched it. Kind of gross and disgusting really when you think about some people's hands. lol
