When you pass on a nice coin, does this come back to haunt you?
Sonorandesertrat
Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have taken a breather from active participation in numismatics, and appropriately re-started by buying an armful of books/auction catalogs that I didn't have in my library. I started thinking about what I wanted to do regarding jumping back into actively buying coins/medals/tokens, and I realized that what I have in my safety deposit boxes doesn't stir up many memories, other than some pieces I inherited from my grandmother. What I remember, with regrets, are nice coins I passed on, despite having the money to buy them. I sometimes think the chase interests me more than outright ownership--do others feel this way?
Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
1
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As prices continue to decline, none come to mind.
I think about nice things that I did once own, and sold. Those cause more bittersweet pangs than some of the near misses.
1885 cc in original unopened box with shipping label etc from 70’s first release. Lost auction by .11 cents sniper nuke bid. Haunts me
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The chase is a huge part of the hobby. I regret passing on some coins and it has influenced me to pay up for the right ones even if the price levels are higher than one might feel comfortable with. Generally those coins are wonder coins and comps and APR's are helpful but not definitive.
Latin American Collection
This year I'm going back to old toys. Send the coins to camp for a while.
nice toys top stuf
Passing on a nice coin does not haunt me because I've learned that others will eventually come along.
That way of thinking does not apply to the top echelon of collecting but has served me well here in the middle ground.
What has come back to bother me is a few of the coins I've sold.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
I can't be hurt by someone not taking my money.
I suppose that if you collect true one of a kind million dollar + coins than that might be an issue, I don't play in that end of the pool and there will always be another coin around the corner at my levels. So the simple answer is no.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
There is always new stuff to start liking.
I don't like the chase anymore....it's arduous, long and boring. Yes, there are a few coins that I have been haunted by and will never see again or anything near as nice for the grade. This is why, when I see something nice, I buy it and I do not hesitate! Many of my coins in my collection are irreplaceable, especially for what I paid for them! At this stage in the game; I get a lot of satisfaction out of ownership. Also, being 98% complete with my set; I just want to finish the “giant game”.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
The closest for me is the regret I had in selling a few of my favorite pieces for one reason or another. I didn’t regret it at the time but I really didn’t need to sell them as much as I thought I needed to. Specifically a 09 VDB that had a look I’ve not seen again, a ‘21 D Morgan with a great die crack, and a couple gold coins.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
Very early in my coin journey I went to national show in Atlanta. YUUUGE show.
Spent two days in amazement.
It was slow and I was at the table of a reknowned Buffalo Nickel dealer. Saw a common date Buff with an obvious DDO/DDR (cannot remember).
I remember saying to myself... PCGS wouldn't miss it and this guy certainly would not miss it so I walked away from spending $130 or whatever it was...
I was heading home the next day and remember looking the coin up and it being a $1500+ variety. YUUUGE mistake I have never made again.
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
Same! And surprisingly one of mine was a 09 VDB as well, 67 RD and just blazingly perfect.
My eBay Store | My Registry Profile
Lol. Mine was 65RD and had just a bit of green over Abe’s mouth. It was a really cool effect.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
All the time. Particularly because I do not collect Morgan dollars and many of the coins I get usually come by once a decade. So when I pass a coin, there is a chance will not be seen until my kids collect...
Yes.
My War Nickels https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/nickels/jefferson-nickels-specialty-sets/jefferson-nickels-fs-basic-war-set-circulation-strikes-1942-1945/publishedset/94452
So far so good....
I did miss a couple of saints that I really wanted but the winner went full out thermonuclear-broken-arrow.
My Saint Set
Totally agree with this comment .
They don’t have to be be one of kind million dollar + coins to be special ....
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
The only two coins that "haunt" me were an AU58 Capped Bust dime and an MS65 Hawaiian commem, both PCGS, toned, and drop dead gorgeous. I saw the dime almost on my way out the door at a Long Beach show several years ago. The asking price was somewhat over $500, which seemed reasonable, but I decided to do research overnight, which I did and decided the coin was a steal at that price. First thing the next morning I ran over to the dealer, but it had been sold. In retrospect, I should've used the terminals set up just outside the entry doors to check the price.
The Hawaiian literally had the best toning I've ever seen on that issue by a country mile. It was this highly lustrous mother-of-pearl and not baked in the slightest. This was about 15 years ago at Long Beach and John Schuch was asking $4400, which was about sheet. It was a substantial outlay for me at the time, so I walked away for 5-10 minutes to think about it. Decided to pull the trigger and..... a dealer had already snagged it by the time I got back. I was always hoping it would make an appearance on CoinFacts so I could at least see it again, but it seems to be put away forever somewhere. I still think about that coin sometimes, more so than the dime actually.
But my biggest regret in coin collecting is that I didn't buy a nice proof $10 Indian about twenty years ago when they were about one third the current price. Seemed like a lot of money at the time, but it would have been a great investment.
I enjoy the buying and the selling part of coin collecting. I do regret a few bust coins I have sold because I can't find anything near as nice in the grade and price range which tells me I should have held on to them.
There is only one piece that I regret not buying. That is an 1801 Jefferson inaugural medal. It is seldom offered, and that last one I saw had big rim problem that ruined the piece for me. Given that there are only 12 to 14 known in silver, the opportunity will not present itself for me again.
Few items fall into the “I won’t have another chance to buy one” category, that is one of them.
Yes...but that is okay mainly because that is part of the decision making process...all we can do is the best we can with our knowledge and resources we have at the moment. And what also makes it okay from my perspective is maybe... Just maybe some other collector wanted coin more than I did. The moral of the story is that one has to be prepared to pull the trigger at the time the opportunity presents itself
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Not a coin, but I know I would have regretted not getting this gun that I picked up today.
I have wanted this for decades. Could NOT pass it up.
A commercial flop from 1923-34 but still considered one of the most accurate pistols ever made.
1,890 total made.
I never said they did, but widgets are replaceable and nothing to lose sleep over for me maybe you do.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
There are a small handful of items I wish I had purchased. "Haunt" and "regret" are very strong words though.
Probably, surely, but none come to mind......
In the range of what I collect plenty of others are always there to pursue.
Shouldve couldve wouldve
Only one. Bruce Morelan had a Classic Large Cent, an 1814 in PC 4 in an OGH which was all there for the grade and problem free, a rarity for Classic Large Cents. I told him if he ever wanted to sell it, to let me know and I'd write him a check for it. It was that nice.
Time passed and he forgot the conversation. It was sold. It came up several years later when the Nafzinger Copper was sold, and it went for so much money, I said, "no way."
The chase doesn't excite me. It takes YEARS for me to fill a remaining hole in finding my type set.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
There was a dealer at the recent FUN show from Europe who has a gorgeous 1818 Brazil 960 reis . The best I have ever seen for the type.
NGC 65 graded with beautiful toning and sparklingly underlying luster . ( I love these big old crowns !)
That same dealer was at the FUN show.
I was there a couple days as well and when I saw the coin I could not believe it had not been bought .
I asked him how much and he stated $1300 which is a little high for the type but as I said it was gorgeous!
I told him I would be more comfortable at $1200. He said no .
So I said I would buy it for $1300 . He said no that the price was $1400. I looked at him and said he had just quoted $1300 .
He said he made a mistake, Well I passed altogether.....
Then I flew to NYINC for a couple days and saw the same dealer who had the same coin .
I asked again how much and this time he said $1300. I bought it immediately.
Just a a terrific South American crown that I think has a shot of grading higher so I submitted it to PCGS for their crossover special ..... we will see .
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
Nope. There are ALWAYS more nice coins to find... sometimes even at very reasonable prices...
U.S. Type Set
But probably never another borderline DCAM Walking Liberty half like yours.
There is one purchase I regret not making....and it was not a coin... Rather a hand carved, ivory chess set. I was a young fellow in Copenhagen, Denmark...saw the set in a shop...looked at it...Really nice. But Christmas was approaching and I needed my funds for gifts for the family back home...I made the right decision though...but I still think of that chess set (and the remarkably reasonable price). Cheers, RickO
Not really. Many fish in the sea.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"