Friday Evening Post: Cherrypicking!!!!!!
keets
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Do you cherrypick?? Well of course you do, don'tcha?? It seems most every collector has some area that they feel confident about, a series that they know well enough to find the stuff others pass over with only a cursory glance, oblivious to what they hold in their hand!!
What do you look for as a matter of routine in shops, at shows or online?? Two things I'll always look at are 1956 Proof Franklins and 1939 Jefferson's.
How about you???
Al H.
What do you look for as a matter of routine in shops, at shows or online?? Two things I'll always look at are 1956 Proof Franklins and 1939 Jefferson's.
How about you???
Al H.
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Examples are the 1935 DDR-1
1921 Abraded die obverse (two feathers)
1936s/s RPM-1 (south)
Other examples for me, include die breaks(cuds) on Silver dollars, which are scarce
as well as the 1945-S(micro-s) Merc.
Of course, there is always the elusive 45 (full band) Merc.
Brian.
Especially since many dealers don't find it worth their while, and other folks shy away from the Dark, instinctively. Arm yourself with a Krause catalog and get some juicy bulk lots, and you're hooked. Not only that, but you'll pick up a good bit of history, geography, and even a smattering of Latin along the way, if you stick to it.
Once saw a lot on my favorite dealer's desk. He had stacks and stacks of the old Brit large pennies along with a mix of other stuff from all over the world. I liked those Brit pennies- big, cheap, old, and a cool design. Asked about 'em. He said I could have the entire lot, British pennies and everything else, for a dime a coin. The catch was, I had to buy the whole thing. There were about 400 pieces. Forty bucks at the time was a big chunk of change to me (I was in the shop in the first place to sell off some of my coins to pay overdue bills!) Couldn't resist. Paid the forty bucks and endured the scorn I got from my (now ex-) wife.
The coins dated from the 1640's up, with a handful in the 1700's, lots in the 1800's, too. Total catalog value was over $1,200. Now, this was before eBay existed and I didn't have a computer. It took me three or four years to sell that lot off, at half catalog. But a $600 return on a $40 investment ain't nothin' to sneeze at!
Not too long ago, I got a London Elephant token in a small $2.50 lot of "junk" world coins. Look that baby up in the colonial section of the Red Book if you're not familiar with it. The one I got was a damaged VG, but genuine. Also got a 1787 Connecticut copper and a scarce Civil War token in bulk Darkside lots.
One last tale: this happened about 2 years ago. I saw a cigar box full of old world coins on eBay with the typical blurry digital camera picture shot from ten feet in the air. You couldn't see much detail on the coins, but the top one appeared to be a gold British half-sovereign. I bid on the auction and figured I'd gamble up to about $40. When I got outbid, my local dealer asked if I intended to bid any more. (I'd shown him the listing). I said "nah", and he asked if I minded him bidding. "Why not?" I said. "Should be interesting". He won it, for about $45.00. The "half sovereign" turned out to be a phoney gold-plated charm, but, man-oh-man... the rest of of the box was something! No gold, but a nearly complete type set of Puerto Rican coins that later slabbed EF-AU at ANACS, and sold for a total, of nearly $2,000... and the rest of the box had $400-500 catalog in it! And I gave up over a measley five bucks!!
Russ, NCNE
Brian.
Capped Bust Half Series
Capped Bust Half Dime Series
individual items of a lot of value, but you can find numerous lesser value items
frequently. Very few people are acquainted with the availability of tokens and
medals so there is great opportunity here also. Since I collect just about all of
these, there is often something of interest to me. Mint sets are my a great area
to cherrypick. Not only are there gems but also varieties can be found in these.
My favorite place to cherrypick is at the bank. The coins in circulation are a vast
untapped ocean of entertainment. One can always find something new or a nice
upgrade of a neat variety. I'm still hoping to find a VF '70 for my "from circulation"
quarter set.
BTW, the highest individual value in the $1,200 lot I mentioned was an EF 1933 Irish threepence with a catalog of $90.00 at the time.
I suppose anytime one is "swimming against the current" and searching for treasure in areas that others know less (or care less) about, the situation is all the better for cherrypicking. I remember when Sam was looking for BU clad quarter rolls in the early- to mid-90's, which was definitely off the beaten track then.
I used to pickup silver Ikes, now it's Indians and older dollars in xf with eye appeal. The cameo hunt was fun with 56 being the year and dcam-ucam the target.
(But you might be able to find an even better deal on a 2-3 year old copy on eBay. They do pop up now and then. "Publisher's Overstock" type listings are a good way to pick 'em up cheaply.)
Dutch silvers which more than paid for the '37 set. The rest were used to
"sweeten" lots of a hundred different darkside coins.
That was a very nice '37 set. I had gotten a '50 and '53 set in the same lot and
these are even nicer. (believe it or not). Still have 'em. And none of that pesky
silver in them. Kept one of the Dutch pieces too. All of our trades were fun for me.
Clad quarter rolls are still well off the beaten path but people don't get hostile
about them anymore.
My first: A VG 1914-D Buff from a dealer's junk box for 25 cents.
My latest: A beautiful DCAM-plus 1962 Jeff proof in a disreputable slab, minimum of PR-68 DCAM at PCGS with a real shot at 69, for $13. Best frosted '60s Jeff I ever have seen. Gotta love buy the coin, not the slab!
The Ludlow Brilliant Collection (1938-64)
<< <i>I imagine a lot of the ridicule over cherrypickin' clad quarters went away with the introduction of the Statehood series. >>
They still look at me funny sometimes. What I especially enjoy is not being able
to make a high enough offer to pry it loose. That never used to happen!!
I have a feeling that this may have been a "once in a life time" deal for me, but I still look. There are many 40's and 50's Washingtons that I've purchased raw that the dealer's have undergraded 2-3 points. I can't tell you how many undergraded Washington's I've found in PCGS holders lately....
Andy
First POTD 9/19/05!!
<< <i>What do you look for as a matter of routine in shops, at shows or online?? >>
no way, dude, i ain't talking.
K S
LSCC#1864
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