There ARE Things Other Than Doubled Stuff, You Know

Here’s a point relevant to the 1960-D triple, or whatever it was (Is that THIS thread? I think so.) Anyway, I have either 5 or 6 solid BU rolls of 1960-D cents, can’t remember which. They have NEVER been searched for doubles, triples, small dates, large dates, date palms, die varieties, die happy with a smile on your face, NONE OF IT! Every one a pure red coin. I. DON’T. CARE. Only my Dad (died last August) and I have EVER owned those rolls, so I KNOW FOR SURE they are literally unsearched. Here’s the best part. Just about EVERY weekend around here there’s a coin auction with collections just like mine, from dead guys who ALSO didn’t give a rip about Cherrypickers Guide. Getting it yet?

Around here, in our local numismatic community, we don’t have much money (we certainly don’t LOOK like we do). What we DO have is a very particular set of skills, skills acquired over a long career in numismatics, skills that make us a nightmare for people like... Oops, wrong speech.

 

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There’s only ONE flaw in your otherwise astute post. I search Overton AFTER I have bought the coin, to attribute it, not to “pick”. I only buy raw bust halves, and there is NO local shortage thereof. I also am motivated by maximum quality. It’s the only defense to a shrinking hobby. When I walk into an auction, 50 or more bust halves sitting there raw, I target the two or three most gorgeous ones, regardless of date or die, then hopefully take two or three home, and use Overton to figure out what I have.

 

I don't consider it a flaw, The class would be called attribution 101.
If there was a book that defined your definition of a mercenary, it would be "Strike it rich with pocket change" this book although has some of the major variety's it is marketed to the person who doesn't have a clue what it means to be a numismatist. The Cherry Pickers guide has been out long before Variety Vista and some of these other sites. That now have great photos with die markers to help the collector with attribution. It should in no way be undifferentiated from your Overton book.

 

Yeah, I’m amazed a contract hasn’t been put out on Ken Potter long ago, speaking of mercenaries.

 

Yeah, not s’much. Up until October past, I was 100% over-the-air only for TV. The only way I even KNEW about these shows was by listening to conversations about them. Here’s “the rest of the story”. I now do have COMCAST/Xfinity, but I also rigged up an indoor antenna. The antenna picture is MASSIVELY superior to the cable one. The cable STILL sucks. Where I moved away from in October still has video rental stores. We were “aggressively old school” in just about every aspect of life.

I have only ever seen ONE cable TV coin selling show - for some odd reason it was on the TV (CRT, not flatscreen) in the hotel bar of a place I got stranded 22 miles from home during a 3-foot snowstorm.

 

I didn't say they drive the price, I meant they drive the money part of the hobby. They're the ones that holds the events that allows people to buy and sell. The auction houses like Heritage and Stacks and Bowers holds events for people to sell their precious coins which is perfectly fine but Kurt seems to think is a mortal sin.

 

Nothing wrong with that .
Less crime and happier people too .

 

That's just wrong.

 

The idea is fine, the fees have become abusive. There’s a reason neither firm is getting March ANA auctions, while Kagin’s is.

 

Way lower cost of living too.

Look, I’m cheap, I’ll admit it. I pay my own way for Spring ANA shows, and I scour travel sites for obscene deals. I am almost done booking every aspect of the Irving show, and I found some “sick” deals, with one exception. It might be cheaper after the show closes, to fly to Vegas, stay overnight, and fly to Philly the next day than fly direct to Philly. Don’t think I won’t.

 

Isn't the Mercenary aspect of coin collecting part of the history of coin collecting?

 

That's why I collect .
But I'm a buyer, not a seller .

Money not a issue for me, or ever will be .
That's why I'm a buyer ........

 

You do realize, of course, you’re just adding to my proposed “Why David Hall is a jerk face” website, right?

But to answer your query, yes, it is numismatics’ dark underbelly, of which we choose to speak of as a family speaks of the crazy uncle who lives in the cellar. People who write books like these deserve all the scorn that can possibly be heaped upon their pointy little heads. They’re scum.

 

Sorry about asking questions about doubles, I'm new and was excited to start finding errors. Jerry

 

Hey, look at me! I set this off by mentioning Cherry Pickers! I mentioned the book because it gave me examples of what the varieties looked like and where to find them on the coin, no buck banging, then I go to the online listings and check.
The air is getting so rarefied and esoteric I got a nose bleed. All this talk of death and Russians has harshed my mellow. I just picked up my pennies for the day. OOOOooommmmm.

 

So sad that we make new members feel this way. Welcome to CT and keep those questions coming.

 

Uh...not impressed even as a joke...then again, do what makes you happy

 

Purists like to imagine things about their coins don't they? Where it's been, who may have held it in their hands, what did they buy with it etc etc etc.

Try to imagine how many people got excited enough to become coin collectors when they heard the news that Edward Cogan was mercenary enough to sell a coin for double face value. And coin collecting snowballed from there...

Hail Mercenary Ed!

 

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