For "Cherry Picker's" Only...

joeykoins

Hi guys, bored at work. I said for Cherry Pickers only. But anyone else that isn't a C.P. can post as well. Lol. Show us your Ammunition! No, I don't mean bullets, guys. Lol. Besides what you memorize in your head about what to look out for. Show us how you go about hunting these babies down. What's your method to this madness? I go about it very scientifically. I have various copies of coin lists in my wallet. Cheat sheets. See, very scientific. Lol. I do have some pictures of pages of the CPG on my phone but mostly rely on these paper lists. I know mine are very unorganized and sloppy but effective. In time I will organize them. Here are my weapons, what are yours. Thanks

IkesT

@joeykoins said:
I know mine are very unorganized and sloppy but affective.

Interesting choice of words...

A Freudian slip?

Oldhoopster

I put all my want lists in spreadsheets. Easy to change, easy to sort, easy to search, and available on my tablet when I go to shows. If you use that, you can also link the entry to online resources and can pull up a pic and/or detailed description in a snap.

oih82w8

I only concentrate on a few areas...gotta leave some for others you know?

ricko

Never carried lists at shows or shops. Was usually focused on a series, not varieties or errors. Now I just buy what I like.... Makes it easy... Cheers, RickO

keets

I know this will sound groundbreakingly stupid: just carry a copy of CPG with you and a high-lighter, you'll eventually commit things to memory.

jesbroken

After many, many years of using my memory, software printouts, lists akin to Joey's and carrying coins in my pocket to upgrade or replace, I discovered Excel. Wow! Does it all!
Here's an example page you can carry on your phone.
Jim

keets

personally, I don't have a cell phone, never have, but what I witness is everyone on their phone 24/7. what jesbroken posted above seems to be the ultimate solution.

Cameonut

I use Microsoft One Note on my phone for most any list, including coin lists. You can set up tables like Excel to keep track.
No more sticky notes or loose sheets of paper for me.

WaterSport

Sorry but my brain has limited capacity so trying to find nearly every variety, in every series, etc., will not work for me. My focus is Lincolns, and only those prior to 1934 and a handful of modern variety proof cents. With that said, I found out very early on that the knowledge of variety collecting is very shallow except for a handful of experts. Current reference sites are limited in resources, coin examples, to post all the photos I need to ID the coin with its markers over the length of die stage. I believe this in particular is what tricks people up. So my reference material are as follows.

1. Top of my computer are the links to all known web resources I find useful for picking.
2. A copy of the CPG is nearby, but frankly hardly used. I find it basically useless except for the list of cents and the FS#'s.
3. I have a file folder of photos I began years ago of screen shots and my own photographs of known examples with my personal notes regarding makers and die stages.
4. I have a "routine" list of coins I look for daily and that includes the 4-5 I am still missing. This routine list includes the most challenging (ie, scarce and worth lot of $$) that are searched for flipping purposes as that is how I get the cash to maintain my collection.

WS

thisistheshow

I really enjoy going through 90%. This is one of the ways that I collect, but certainly not the only way. I have built a few lists over the years of Date and mint marks that help me use that time in a way which I consider to be productive. I have a list for Washington quarters, as well as for Barber dimes, quarters, and halves. I have this as one image on my phone so i can easily use it in a store, etc.

Edit to add: Also I will look for certain things I have committed to memory. For example, I like to buy Washington Type B reverses 56-64. I can easily identify those with a loupe so nothing else required. For me, the most important thing was really narrowing down my search focus. Basically allowing things to remain fluid while also continuously refining and learning. I feel the same as @WaterSport , who said "my brain has limited capacity so trying to find nearly every variety, in every series, etc., will not work for me.

Second edit to ask @joeycoins a question. You have quite an expansive list. I'm interested in how you go about prioritizing. For example if you were to walk into a situation, whether at a show or a store, where all of these series were waiting for you, which would you go through first? Do you feel as though having so many choices hampers your search in any way?

seanq

I have a couple of post-it notes by my computer with a few dates and series to look at, which I refer to when I have a little downtime and feel like going on a quick hunt. For the other stuff I am interested in, after 30 years plus in the hobby, most of the relevant die markers and PUPs are in my head.

Sean Reynolds

cmerlo1

I don't use a physical list when cherrypicking. I've bought and sold a good number of the Cherrypicker's Guide varieties over the years, and know value-wise which ones are worth looking for vs. which ones aren't. I have a mental list of the major CPG varieties for each type that I run through when I sit down at a table. This allows me to get through a dealer's stock fairly quickly, without tying their table up for long periods of time by examining every coin. I know I may be missing out on some varieties using this method, but as a flipper, I want to spend my time looking for the ones that bring good premiums.

joeykoins

@IkesT said:

@joeykoins said:
I know mine are very unorganized and sloppy but affective.

Interesting choice of words...

A Freudian slip?

Oh, oh, am I using bad English again?
"affective or effective?"

DollarAfterDollar

Maybe a half dozen I look for. I agree, leave some for others. b

keets

affective --- relating to moods, feelings, and attitudes.
effective --- successful in producing a desired or intended result.

I believe that confusion on these two words is why the word "impact" has gained popularity as a verb, meaning _ to have a strong "effect" on someone or something_. this has only happened in the last 10-20 years and has coincided with the Internet Age because bloggers, reporters, journalists, etc. have struggled with the affect/effect riddle. the solution, take a word that generally means "to slam up against something" and make it more versatile.

using the CPG makes me a more effective collector, it certainly doesn't impact what I do.

DoubleEagle59

Oh wow!!

I bet that list is stuffed inside a George Castanza type wallet.

joeykoins

Thanks guy's for all the replies and ways of your own personal Cherry picking. I knew "using the phone" would be one of the favorite routes to tread. I agree. I like the "Excel" idea very much so. So, when you tap your particular coin on screen, a picture pops up? That's cool! This is what I really feel we Cherry Pickers must be equipped with. The PICTURE. So you can actually see the detail of that coin to exactly know what to look for. Yes, You notice on my cheetsheets, I have some poor drawings of the description of some coins. Lol.
Note: my lists are big and wide spread. But keep in mind, I'm not searching for all or most of these coins at once. Just when a certain coin/s pop into my head or I see one or two at a show/store. It's funny with us C.P.'s, does this happen to you guys? Many times while searching for a certain coin, I would stumble upon another coin (variety) that I noticed has a nice premium or just forgot about. Then, I would stop focusing on the prior coin and stay focused on the new one. Lol. Crazy? You can't beat it though. Cherry Picking brings so much more enjoyment and don't forget , much more VALUE!

joeykoins

@thisistheshow said:
Second edit to ask @joeycoins a question. You have quite an expansive list. I'm interested in how you go about prioritizing. For example if you were to walk into a situation, whether at a show or a store, where all of these series were waiting for you, which would you go through first? Do you feel as though having so many choices hampers your search in any way?

Thanks. Your first part of your question I explain in my recent post. Then, about whether it hampers me? No, ,also what I explained, I only take out of my wallet a certain page. One or two coins at a certain stop or visit at a table (at a show).
About you mentioning the "B Reverses" on the quarters. This has been my NEW quest. The "C" Reverse is very confusing. Also, I noticed while searching for the '56d, re-engraved? I'm trying to get a detailed picture of that variety. Can't seem to find one. Can you help me? Thanks

thisistheshow

@joeykoins said:

@thisistheshow said:
Second edit to ask @joeycoins a question. You have quite an expansive list. I'm interested in how you go about prioritizing. For example if you were to walk into a situation, whether at a show or a store, where all of these series were waiting for you, which would you go through first? Do you feel as though having so many choices hampers your search in any way?

Thanks. Your first part of your question I explain in my recent post. Then, about whether it hampers me? No, ,also what I explained, I only take out of my wallet a certain page. One or two coins at a certain stop or visit at a table (at a show).
About you mentioning the "B Reverses" on the quarters. This has been my NEW quest. The "C" Reverse is very confusing. Also, I noticed while searching for the '56d, re-engraved? I'm trying to get a detailed picture of that variety. Can't seem to find one. Can you help me? Thanks

I am familiar with the re-engraved in general, but I do not have a pic or more info. I haven't really looked into those.

joeykoins

On the hunt for the elusive "re-engraved tailfeathers " 1957d Quarter. Went to my favorite B+M shop today. She actually had approx. 70-80 loose beautiful BU 57d's displayed in a little velvet box. Mixed with other beautiful BU Quarters. Spread out uniformly. 80 1957d's. Went through them all, no variety. Oh well, better luck next time.also been looking for the "B Reverse" on the '56,57,58,59,... Nothing.

thisistheshow

@joeykoins said:
On the hunt for the elusive "re-engraved tailfeathers " 1957d Quarter. Went to my favorite B+M shop today. She actually had approx. 70-80 loose beautiful BU 57d's displayed in a little velvet box. Mixed with other beautiful BU Quarters. Spread out uniformly. 80 1957d's. Went through them all, no variety. Oh well, better luck next time.also been looking for the "B Reverse" on the '56,57,58,59,... Nothing.

I don't look through tons of quarters.....sounds like your store has a lot......but I find the type B reverses somewhat regularly when I am looking for them .

koynekwest

I carry most of the worthwhile varieties in my head. I don't worry too much about the minor stuff.

joeykoins

@koynekwest said:
I carry most of the worthwhile varieties in my head. I don't worry too much about the minor stuff.

You might not believe this but 99% of the varieties I have written down, are decent valued coins. Lol

koynekwest

@joeykoins said:

@koynekwest said:
I carry most of the worthwhile varieties in my head. I don't worry too much about the minor stuff.

You might not believe this but 99% of the varieties I have written down, are decent valued coins. Lol

Certainly. When I first started cherrypicking back in the early sixties there were virtually no publications around other than the Spadone Error and Variety Guide and it contained much misinformation. Still, you could cherrypick with impunity and find some reall good stuff way back then. Later on, when there were several sources of info available I would cherrypick all the minor stuff, too. That got to be expensive, buying a complete proof set for one minor Class II DDR proof Jefferson nickel. I would suggest joining CONECA (https://conecaonline.org/) to learn more about doubled dies and other varieties and how they are made.

Once you become a little more advanced in the art of cherrypicking you MAY become more selective as to what you look for and buy, tho there's nothing wrong with the minor stuff-that's up to you. It's much harder to cherrypick today than what it was even 20 years ago, however. I know you did find a real goodie in that '68-S DDR-001 proof quarter. That's one I never cherried in 30 years of extensive cherrypicking.

joeykoins

thisistheshow

I enjoy slowly accumulating a very small number of the Washington type B reverses 56-64. It's my favorite series, so I figure why not? I've never tried to flip one or buy one already picked.

koynekwest

That's the name of the game-cherrypicking!

joeykoins

@koynekwest said:
That's the name of the game-cherrypicking!

The sky's the limit!

BUFFNIXX

My listing of good cherrypicks is mostly in my head! Over my collecting days (or as my wife would say my “daze”) I have snagged over a dozen proof buffalo nickels being offered as uncirculated as well as overdates, three leggers, three and one half legger, two feathers, and other nice buffalo nickel varieties. You need to have copies of the cherry pickers guide to rare die varieties by Fivaz & Stanton and read it as needed. Over time you will have a lot of this information in your head.

bolivarshagnasty

DCW

I haven't searched rolls in a few years now for a loss of interest, but I still have all the good varieties memorized. There's really nothing that compares to the feeling you get when the big one finally crosses your loupe. Like this 1983 ddr I scored a few years back:

Still have it, now clubbed PCGS MS64RD

koynekwest

That was a very nice find of a very nice doubled die! Congrats!

DCW

@koynekwest said:
That was a very nice find of a very nice doubled die! Congrats!

Thank you. It nearly knocked me out of my chair when I out my loupe on it. Hard to believe this was in a roll I got from the bank, some 30+ years after it was put into circulation!

joeykoins

@DCW said:
I haven't searched rolls in a few years now for a loss of interest, but I still have all the good varieties memorized. There's really nothing that compares to the feeling you get when the big one finally crosses your loupe. Like this 1983 ddr I scored a few years back:

Still have it, now clubbed PCGS MS64RD

Yes, your coin is every Cherry Pickers dream. Including me. I've been constantly trying to hound down that coin. I weigh every '83 as well, hoping it is the copper filled cent. Your coin looks beautiful. Maybe, my heart will stop as well, if and when I come across one like yours. Congrats. Keep showing it off, we C.P.'s love it. You give us inspiration.

ECHOES

@DCW said:
I haven't searched rolls in a few years now for a loss of interest, but I still have all the good varieties memorized. There's really nothing that compares to the feeling you get when the big one finally crosses your loupe. Like this 1983 ddr I scored a few years back:

Still have it, now clubbed PCGS MS64RD

Awesome...😀