A Sad Day... what to do?

airplanenut · July 25, 2004 1:00PM

I'm faced with an incredibly difficult decision right now...

I have an 1827 capped bust half. It's really dark and original, and it grades around Fine (full, clear Liberty and lots of honest wear). A spreadsheet my mom keeps of coin purchases (it was more accurate back when I rarely did/could buy and when I told her about all my purchases) shows that I got the coin on March 21, 1998--9 days after my 11th birthday. I'm now 4 1/2 months past my 17th birthday. This makes the coin one of the most senior members of my collection, purchased back when its cost was a huge hit on my funds.

At the CO Springs Coin Show, I bought an 1836 Lettered Edge Half in XF... also a somewhat dark coin, but totally original. Less than three weeks after its purchase, I can't even tell where the dent its cost made is, if it hasn't already been filled.

At the moment, the 1827 half is in my type album--it's been there since the day the album arrived. So the question is, do I give it the boot, or do I let it stay? Does the 1836 go into the album, or does it find its way to a sale pile/red box for 2x2s? Regardless of what happens, the 1827 is one of the coins I've vowed to never, ever sell.

My guess is I'll be told to go with my heart and gut instict that says the sentimental value of the 1827 is worth far more in my album than the grade of the 1836. Am I right?

Jeremy

Coinosaurus · July 25, 2004 1:03PM

I would advise trying to be less sentimental and more objective. Go for the better coin.

Now, if your grandfather gave you a bustie from his grandfather, that might be a different story.

hookedoncoins2 · July 25, 2004 1:11PM

I would kick the 1827 half out of your alblum, but would not sell it. You can keep the coin without making it part of your alblum/set. I ended up selling most of my raw type set a few years back, but looking back, I wish I would have kept more of them.

oreville · July 25, 2004 1:15PM

airplanenut: As long as funds is not an issue there is a very simple solution that I used.

Keep both coins. Update your type set album with the higher grade coin. But go out and buy a less expensive album to put in your "first love" coins.

Who says you have to choose? It is not like you have to vote for the President of the United States! No pun intended.

Myqqy · July 25, 2004 1:18PM

I don't understand the problem. Put the one that looks nicest in the album- and keep the other one somewhere else. Why is this a problem??

ElectricEye · July 25, 2004 1:18PM

KEEP THEM BOTH FRO-MAN!

clw54 · July 25, 2004 1:20PM

Keep them both.

granddad · July 25, 2004 1:20PM

I agree with hooked, remove the 27 but give in a nice home in a quality holder. It has a story that goes with it and is a reminder of your sacrifices and appreciation for nice coins.

An early happy birthday,
Louis

ARCO · July 25, 2004 1:21PM

Collecting presents these dilemnas all the time. I keep the coins I enjoy the most, whether they were coins bought early on or whether I found them yesterday.

I enjoy collecting more than I enjoy hoarding every coin I find. Sometimes a sacrifice needs to be made to keep the cycle of money coming and going.

Of course I will NEVER sell my first and second barber halves purchased for my set when I first started collecting for their eye appeal and sentimental value, but it is the exception to an otherwise impersonal system of just keeping the coins I really enjoy, and moving the others for more funds and that excitement of hoping to find the "perfect" coin(s).

Tyler

JoyofCollecting · July 25, 2004 1:24PM

Sell the old coin and donate the funds to the political party that is most likely to support Israel against its numerous attackers.

1946Hamm · July 25, 2004 1:26PM

Put the best one in the album but keep the other one. You'll have the start of a set of halves. Never know if someday you might decide to collect all the halves. Not a sad day if you keep it.

Just my thoughts as an old collector 3 1/2 times your age.

lclugza · July 25, 2004 1:29PM

I would keep them both. Did you notice that the 1827 has a different portrait of Liberty than the 1836 does? They are almost like two different types, in a way. The 1827 has more of a John Reich-style head, and the 1836 has more of a Kneass- or Gobrecht-style head, like the mid-1830s quarters.

airplanenut · July 25, 2004 1:43PM

lc--I did know that they have two different portraits. Maybe I'd make this harder if I went on to say that I think I like the older design more

...

The 1827 I was never going to sell, for the record... The real reason I was thinking of keeping it in the album is because I look at the album far more than boxes of coins that I have, and the album does have quite a few sentimental coins--coins I've decided I can't upgrade out. These are the coins that are my roots in the hobby, so to speak, and everytime I look at the album, I'm reminded of me beginnings as a collector. I have considered starting a second album that wouldn't have the senitmental pieces and would be for higher quality, but I simply don't have the funds to put together two sets concurrently, especially if some holes need filling in both albums.

Jeremy

aem4162 · July 25, 2004 2:14PM

do what you can to keep both coins. i'd go with sentimental over anything else, but think of it this way: if deciding on what to do has made you ask for opinions, it's better to keep it in the album. better yet, put it in an airtite and find a way to display it with the rest of your coins and put the newer coin in the album. you have to find a way to show the special stuff off.

airplanenut · July 25, 2004 2:27PM

<< <i>display it with the rest of your coins >>

Nothing with any value of mine is on display anywhere... it's all stored

... the little that is on display has to go away soon, anyway, as we're soon to put our house up for sale

Jeremy

ElectricEye · July 25, 2004 2:30PM

keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both, keep both.

airplanenut · July 25, 2004 2:40PM

EE--I am keeping both, but it's a case of what goes in the album...

WACoinGuy · July 25, 2004 3:10PM

I have several place I store coins -- really three separate collections in a sense. Actually, I have four if you count a "junk box" that contains a lot of coins I rarely look at. I move coins between those three collections frequently, and I still go back and look at all of them regularly. My type collection is spread between the three of these collections, but I really see it all as one big collection, so it doesn't really bother me. Sounds like you need to set up a second album to house these coins -- perhaps this second collection could be specifically coins with sentimental value to you. But there's no reason to think just because it isn't in your main album that it isn't part of your collection...

Boom · July 25, 2004 3:37PM

You are creating this problem. I have a Registry set..OK...so what? I still have the very first collection I completed,my Buffalo Nickels. Those were the coins responsible for me being a collector as many circulated pieces I just will not part with because my Grandfather, gone from this World for some 25 years now, gave them to me.

If anyone sees the set they will notice a tremendous difference in some run of the mill, average Buffs and some very expensive ones, all housed together in a Dansco. Even if I ever do upgrade them, which I don't think I will, I still would not get rid of them because HE gave them to me. Do I have a Buffalo Nickel Registry Set? No. But even if I ever do, those that got me started are priceless and will have a special place somewhere. If you're building a show set, then out she comes and goes either into a Saflip or Kointainer

If your 1827 Square Base 2 gets lonely, she can sit with mine or mine can sit with yours or take turns sleeping over!

ElectricEye · July 25, 2004 3:38PM

the 27 stays in the album

lordmarcovan · July 25, 2004 3:50PM

I say you should keep it.

By coincidence, I too got an 1827 half when I was eleven. Actually, it was on the day before I turned twelve, so I remember the date, too- it was December 27, 1977. I still have it. It is MY most senior coin, with the exception of the VG 1936 Merc dime that launched me into numismatics on Thanksgiving Day of 1976. Mine is an EF45 Square Base 2 with a small rim bump. I cleaned it but it has retoned very nicely over the last quarter-century.

I have had thousands of coins come and go, but I've always kept those two. There was also an AU58 PL 1878-S Morgan from my great-granmother's desk- I kept it for 20 years and then gave it to my sister for my firstborn nephew, who is now six years old and an avid collector.

The 1827 Bust half was 150 years old when I got it, and I vowed to keep it until it was 200 years old, then pass it on to a younger relative. You should do the same with yours. Maybe I'll still know you then, and we can have a ceremony of some kind- you pass yours on to a son, daughter, nephew, niece, or deserving YN, and I'll hopefully have a grandchild to pass mine to. Then we can all have a party.

PS- December 27, 2027. Be there! Mark it on your perpetual calendar!

I only hope I'm still breathin' then! I gotta quit smoking!

PS again- by all means, put a nicer one in your album, but make sure you keep that old friend! You shouldn't be sentimental about all of them, but you should keep one or two. The very fact that you took the time to create this thread tells me that this is one you should keep.

airplanenut · July 25, 2004 3:59PM

<< <i>You shouldn't be sentimental about all of them, >>

Only a few...

1859 IHC
1917 T1 SLQ (and I happen to love its matching 1920)
1827 half
1835 half cent

...maybe one or two others. Some I won't upgrade anyway because I just like the look of old coins--that grey is very appealing to me. When I'm older, I'll probably put together a blamo type set, as well... that can be the one with the really expensive pieces, and it can be all MS.

Jeremy

smprfi · July 25, 2004 6:42PM

Get a second album.

MacCoin · July 25, 2004 7:26PM

as long as you are keeping both put the best one in the album and put the other in a bible or something. I use what I call the rose box it a cedar gigar box with hand painted rose on it. my first coin that was sentimental to me is a ihc cent I got years ago. its common and not worth much to anyone else but me. I also keep some of my first morgans, my sons and grandchilds birth year proof set and my grandmother wedding ring in it. these coins are not for selling or trading just sentimental pleaces I found or liked over the years.

Neptune · July 25, 2004 8:35PM

don't sweat the small stuff . . . get a second album . . . this problem will arise again . . . HOWEVER, if it's in an album, how will you see the lettered edge?? .......... maybe put that one in a separate holder.

ms70 · July 25, 2004 8:46PM

Keep it. They will enjoy each other's company.

MrEureka · July 25, 2004 8:54PM

The 1827 goes into your new collection of Bust Halves by date. Buy an album for it.

Shamika · July 25, 2004 10:16PM

Find somebody who will appreciate it now as much as you appreciated it 5 years ago. You, the coin, and the buyer will feel better for it.

tmot99 · July 25, 2004 10:44PM

I am torn on advice. Part of me says that you didn't inherit it so the sentimental value is negligable. On the other hand, it got you into collecting. As I tell my wife, I am not married to any of my coins. There are certainly coins I would rather not sell, but if something ever happened and we needed mony, the coin collection would be the first thing sold. Once things resume to normal, I can always start to collect again.

I know you are not selling the 1827. You mentioned possibly selling the 1836. If the 1827 means that much to you, keep it and sell the 36. I would rather have a top notch looking album. Put the 1827 in a CoinWorld holder and be done with it. I'll even supply you the holder.

BillJones · July 26, 2004 12:23AM

I'd hold on to the coin if it really means something to you.

I still have the first OLD coins that I purchased as a collector back in 1960. They are an 1838 half dime and an 1846 large cent, both in Good. Those two coins really fascinated me when I was a 10 year child, and they started me on this wonderful collecting journey. And if I sold them for the little nothing that they would bring, I could never replace them.

AND you could have your money more risky things than an old “no problem” U.S. type coin. If you look around at the shows, you see a lot fewer such coins for sale than you might think.

WACoinGuy · July 26, 2004 12:59AM

<< <i>I am torn on advice. Part of me says that you didn't inherit it so the sentimental value is negligable. >>

The sentimental value is whatever the sentimental value is to you -- once you sell it, you (most likely) can't get it back. If you don't need the money (which it sounds like you don't), and there's any part of you that wants to keep it, keep it! Like many people have said (including myself), get a second collection of some sort going and house the coin there...

maddogale · July 26, 2004 1:05AM

Jeremy, keep both, after all someday there will be a "little airplanenut" (God willing) and that would be a fine start for him/her!!

lava · July 26, 2004 1:45AM

<< <i>I would advise trying to be less sentimental and more objective. Go for the better coin.

Now, if your grandfather gave you a bustie from his grandfather, that might be a different story. >>

Excellent advice. I agree. Save your heartache for times when your girlfriend kisses the butcher.

A Sad Day... what to do?

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