My On-going Dansco Merc Set Dilemma ***UPDATE***
USSID17
Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
spirityoda1 just reminded me with his "My Dansco album of mercury dimes + other dimes..." thread,
of my on-going (years) dilemma and agony!
You can see my problem. I just haven't had the guts, courage, well power, bravery, nerve, resolve, spine...(pick one), to pull the trigger. Besides saving $$$$, I just don't have a plan in place to acquire one yet.
I'm anal, I don't like empty holes..................Oops, that didn't sound right!!
It will (eventually, I hope) be slabbed and straight graded, because I don't have the skill or confidence to determine if it's legit. I would like one in G but I could barely afford one in AG! If and when I pull the trigger, I'll be breaking her out and putting her in the album.
Have any of you had thing problem?
Any guidance, thoughts or opinions couldn't hurt. Thanks!
Comments
16D is overpriced anyway, why not make your own?
BTW,
Nice set, I miss the album days.
I fill key dates the same way. I buy slabbed so I feel more confident in what I'm getting, I've been a collector for years but have a few counterfeits too.
One thing I do is tape the label inside the album cover, I know it's basically invalidated at that point, but I like to keep it. Some grading labels can be peeled off an inner plastic piece and will adhere to the cover without tape.
Your album looks basically like mine, and I'm just waiting for the right time to fill the last hole in the album. One thing I have done in the meantime is fill the blanks at the end of the albums with different varieties, sm/lg mintmarks, inverted mintmarks, etc. I'm thinking after I find the right 16d I might try to get a nice set of the proofs.
Make one?
Half my type set is broken out. I take pictures of the entire slab with the coin in it. Print out 3x4 pictures, front and back. Break the coin out and tape the labels on the pictures. I put all the pictures in the back of the albums, in a clear sleeve.
I bought a slabbed one. I can live with the hole in the album.
edited to add... Actually, I can sort of live with it. Like I do with varieties (I don't collect them), I put a coin in the hole with the reverse showing.
Having a slabbed one (that's legit and in your price & grade range) is better than not having one, at all.
I agree....They're too often counterfeited to risk buying a raw one.
Even if you can authenticate it, yourself, others (who might buy it in the future) may not be able to...making the coin a hard sell.
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set:
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I like the Mercury Dime in AG4.
Still clearly shows the important details
Going thru this myself..
The Buff 16/16 and 18/17 Buff, which in AG4 they hardly show the reason I would buy the coin.
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I saw someone mention this on another thread: you can put a dime blank planchet (should be inexpensive) as a temporary hole filler and even keep it there when you buy a slabbed example as the placeholder.
Nice set of dimes. The key is always the dilemma. If you are set on a straight graded coin I would save some money for a few years and get one you would be happy with.
I would also consider a higher grade holdered coin but with minor problem. It took many years to find a Lincoln cent key that had "spot removed" for my 8100 set that I could live with. You can get a little more meat and detail for less money. With better graded coins around it a low grade coin in the hole might also bug you. I had to consider this when I completed my Lincoln set, link: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1055836/dansco-8100-all-holes-filled#latest
I do like your idea of the slab photos in a plastic sleeve with the label taped on.
I stopped doing albums many years ago...and yes, the merc album has an empty hole at the '16D... Cheers, RickO
I completed my circulated Merc dimes many years ago. I bought this 16 D in an old ANA holder, and submitted it to PCGS. It is a G04.
When I started collecting, I always wanted the popular key dates, but did not have the money to get them. As a matter of fact, when I bought this coin, my 1942/1 Merc, and my 1909 S VDB, I had them on layaway. My trusted dealer at the time, put them in a brown paper bag. When I made a payment, he would write it on the bag. When I paid it off, the coin was mine.
Just make sure that when you buy your 1916 D, you view it “in hand”. I would not touch one that is not certified. Make sure it is exactly what you want and can afford, A pleasing, nice for the grade coin.
I would never break the coin out of the holder. The holder will protect it from damage, and make it easier for your heirs to sell it when you are gone.
I have no regrets when it comes to my purchase of any of my key date coins.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
I have one where the 16d is slabbed and I put a 16p in the album to fill the hole. Problem solved and I don’t have to get the 16d re-slabbed if I ever need to sell it.
Mr_Spud
The 1916-D Merc is almost a 'unique' coin in the cert-no cert-slab-no slab-counterfeit world. I am here in Hoffman land . . . where the majority of all the 1916-Ds we see are his products. I am working on a very nice AU-BU set (mostly finished) . . . and know the 1916-D is / must be certified. I will get a blank planchet, take it to a jeweler . . .have it inscribed with the appropriate data, and put it in the hole. NO WAY am, I going to crack a PCGS 1916-D . . . .
Drunner
I saw a 1916 D merc. on Ebay a few weeks back with an ANACS photo cert that was graded G4/4. It was in a mylar flip so it would've been perfect for a Dansco and you wouldn't have to worry about authentication.
I once had that problem with the set of barber quarters.
No way I could buy the '01 S, so, I eventually found one that was the world's worst fake.
The date was reengraved, and no one could ever be fooled by it.
I got it for a little over melt at the time.
Eventually I got one in AG, but was slabbed.
So, I kept the fake in the album.
BHNC #203
Cut out a pic and paste front and back to a thin circular piece of cardboard. Insert in album. Voila, done!
Counterfeit.
Nice Dansco set!
Your set looks very much like mine with the only hole being the 16-d
I haven’t pulled the trigger on that one yet either.
You might consider doing what I’ve done with a few in my Morgan Dansco set that I wanted to fill yet didn’t want to break out of a graded slab. Though admittedly kind of wimpy, I’ve taken high quality coin photos, printed them to exact size, and placed the photos into the hole in the book with a photo of the grade/cert right under it.
Looks a bit off, but it fills the hole without a full crack out.
Happy, humble, honored and proud recipient of the “You Suck” award 10/22/2014
I've broken out many over the years and you also will eventually do so for this album. You've went too far too stop short.
Everyone worries about the keys, yet your time and money spent gathering coins that suited you for the rest of the album should be far more valuable to you. Keys are easily found in any condition with the money, the others may or may not have been. Good luck.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.
Brilliant thoughts, suggestions and opinions gents!! I have a lot to digest. Thanks!
If you buy a certified coin, I would leave it in the holder. It would make it easier to sell it in the future. As others have mentioned here, either use a blank planchet or a coin with the reverse up to fill the hole in the album.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/set/172592
I had the same issue with the 1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel and the expensive Lincoln varieties. I keep them in the slab and I have another 1918-D in the same spot. For my Lincoln album I have a poor man’s doubled die in the 1955 DDO slot (the real one is slabbed) but my 1922 plain is still a hole that happens not to bother me. Again, the real one is still in a holder.
For you, it would be cheap and easy to put another 1916 in to fill the hole. Nice album!
Nice set and I feel your pain. If it were me, every time I looked at that album I would see nothing but the hole. I'm going to differ from the other opinions and say man-up and get a 16-D that fits with the others in your set. If that is really not possible, then admit that the set is done, put it on the bookshelf and move on to the next challenge.
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
NFS IMHO.
If you like slabbed coins than all coins should be slabbed.
Looks like you just want to sell one coin, what's the point of that when you have a glorious set of Mercs in a beautiful album that basically is for your eyes only.
Leave it blank and soothe the hurt by using the $ to buy a gold coin.
Change the D into a P and put in a 1916-P
With all of the suggestions you're getting, I'll bet you'll fill that hole soon.
UPDATE:
**Dilemma solved!! ** MWallace was thoughtful enough to suggest and offer this unique gem of an idea to plug this hole. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Miss Winged Liberty Head has found a home.
I've heard the word friends mentioned on this forum many times. For me, this came to mind right away. He's from my generation.
This one is for you MWallace... Thanks!
Now it's off to find a slabbed one someday.
Awesome. Looks good in the album. Glad I could help.
Joe Cocker. One of the great ones.
That makes the set look even cooler, secret services gives it a sort of pedigree
Mr_Spud
My exact thought as well.
Now, what are you going to put in the 3 holes at the end? 42/1 P & D? Other errors or varieties? Silver Dime blank & planchet?
Besides the Micro S, what is in the other 2 holes on the last row?
Well played, sir!
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Funny you should ask that. These three are just junk silver. I don't even know why I put them in there!?! I'll probably take them out and move the Micro S (with a nice label) to the slot after the 45-S. Some blank planchets might work or some decent errors. I have a nice 43 clash but I don't "think" I want to break it out. The 16-D (I hope) would happen before a 42/1.
PM me your address and I'll send you a nice clip to fill one of those holes in the album. And @MWallace is a good egg, one of the nicest guys I've dealt with in the hobby.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
Take the Whitman folder approach and stamp "RARE" on it.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars
Thank you for the kind words Sean. I think most of the people on the board know Sean is a great person too. Sean and I have never met in person before but have know each other via the internet for 20+ years.
I remember finding all of The Mercury Dimes ,except the 1916-D ,looking through bags back in the early 1960's.
And once again, a truly generous member Sean Reynolds displays an unselfish act of kindness to a total stranger and fellow collector.............me!
I'm currently in the process of creating specific labels for these little gems Sean sent me to help fill the empty holes in the back of my Dansco. I'll post pictures when it's done.
****UPDATE****
With labels. Thanks again Sean!!
That is AWESOME!!!! Sean is a great guy. You are a pretty good guy too Tom.
Need the gold 2016 dime!