Getting coins from my 7070 recertified... and future directions...

lkenefic

I finished my 7070 a little over two years ago:

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1089350/my-completed-dansco-7070-type-set#pagetop

...but didn’t really return to it for nearly a year. I’d shifted focus to Early Copper and started a new job. When I did revisit the set.. off and on... I found myself more drawn to the first page (Early Copper, Small Cents, 2C, 3C), the third (20C, Quarters, Halves), and the fourth (Dollars).

Overall, I’m happy with the look of the album. It presents well as a mid-grade set and makes a strong case for keeping it intact. But lately I’ve considered sending a few coins for certification and possibly replacing them with lower-grade examples (no, I’m not ready for a P-01 set ;-) ), or even plastic proxy coins. These days, I find myself spending more time with my Box of 20 and my Early Copper album. I’m also still working through a collection my brother gave me—Indian and Lincoln Cents, Buffalo Nickels, Roosies—and I started a Liberty Nickel set (VF–AU) at Baltimore last year. So I’ve got plenty to keep me busy.

That brings me to this:
I just renewed my PCGS membership and have four grading vouchers to use at Baltimore in a couple of weeks. I’m one coin shy of completing Volume II of the Wayte Raymond Large Cent albums (1823–1857). I plan to submit my 1835 (Head of 1836) for grading and hope to find a certified 1839/6 to complete the book. That leaves three vouchers.

I’ll likely use one for the higher-grade Large Cent currently in my 7070 and replace it with a lower-grade example or a plastic proxy. For the last two vouchers, I’m thinking about submitting a couple of my Dollars or Halves.

Then… I’m not quite sure. I feel like I’m at a crossroads with this set.

Has anyone else here completed the 7070, kept it raw, gradually slabbed the coins, or taken a different route entirely, regrets?

Here's the 1835 I plan on sending:

...and the one from my Type Set:

Walkerguy21D

Yes, it’s a bit of a quandary that I pondered for a while.
My first problem was coins that had toned nicely over the decades in the 7070, and I was concerned that they may over-tone or turn dark. So I started plucking them out and putting them in 2x2s.
At that point the album was essentially broken up, so I figured I may as well start sending the more valuable/most likely to straight grade in for slabbing.

I miss the look of the old album, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Now in a PCGS 63 holder:

erwindoc

Had the same question with my barber quarter set. I am in the process of getting everything slabbed. Its expensive and takes time but worth it. I have has some surprises, both good and bad.

If I were you, Id create an everyman's 7070

ldhair

I can't even remember when I started my 7070 album but I had a blast putting it together over the years.
About a year ago I decided it was time for many of the coins to have better protection. As I pulled coins out of the album, I could see cardboard dust on many of the coins. At that point I could see it was going to be a lot of work and decided to just get it over with and empty the entire album.

Most of the coins received a quick acetone bath before going into fresh flips. At that point I could do a better job of grading each coin and deciding if it was worthy of being sent to PCGS.

After the 7070 was taken care of, I started on Seated coin albums. That was a long process. Next came any copper coins. Many have not done well over the years. RD coins had turned RB and RB had turned BR. Some of the coins that had probably been cleaned in the past, had toned in colors that were not natural.

I lost track of what all the flips cost me. Much more than I had thought about. I'm happy I decided to take these steps. Not something I wished my family to have to deal with in the future. It also made it easy for me to decide what to sell and what to hang on to.

lkenefic

Thanks for the comments, Everyone... to those that completed this set... about how long did you keep it around before starting to get coins recertified and/or just breaking up the set?

Also, I thought this set WAS and "Everyman" set. I wanted to keep most coins in the VF to AU range and I think the overall grade average is ~50 (including the few Unc pieces that found their way into this set). I don't think I'll go the route of putting low-end and/or damaged coins in the album as I replace coins that get certified, and whereas one or two plastic proxy coins on a page is acceptable to me... having the majority of a page with them sort of negates the very idea of having an album in the first place...

Although, I suppose I could go with a theme... like a "holey set"...

Thoughts?

Catbert

I don't have a 7070, however, I have found that changing directions in collecting is normal. When the thrill is gone, I had no regrets selling and using the funds for something that fit my current interests. This usually ended up with me upgrading to new coin interests and led to a "less is more" collecting philosophy. Good luck and YMMV.

Bikingnut

I would keep it raw. Just my opinion. I started mine about 15 years ago or so. I have no intentions of getting any of the coins graded. Some of mine were cracked out of holders.

I don't have any of the gold page coins yet. In hind sight, i should have completed that page first.

OAKSTAR

It's great this hobby has some many different options and collection methods. I was just the opposite with my 7070. Many of the coins were slabbed and now they're raw sitting in the 7070. Someone else can re-certify them.