CW Article Collecting Certified Bust Half Dollars

GOLDSAINT · October 26, 2004 7:56AM

After our discussions last month on trying to build a set of certified Bust half Dollars I thought I would write an article, and submit it to Coin World. Much to my surprise they did think it was worth publishing, and printed it in the letters to the Editor section of this weeks CW. At the time I wrote this I used Tahoe Dale’s set as what I consider the finest certified Bust half set ever built. His NGC/PCGS set was at 70% complete at that time. He and I have been trying to give each other a little encouragement over the last few weeks, and his set is now at 73% and should be 74% this week. For those of you that collect this series I hope you like the article. I think we all agreed in our last lengthy thread on this issue that this collecting area is certainly one where each collector must decide for themselves whether certified or Raw Bust Halves are what they would like to collect. Many times over the last several months I have wondered myself why I chose the certified road.
Terry

tradedollarnut · October 26, 2004 9:06AM

I'm looking forward to reading it!

fountainheadgold · October 26, 2004 9:09AM

I too look forward to reading your article

dthigpen · October 26, 2004 9:12AM

Neat, Looking forward to reading it.

Varlis · October 26, 2004 12:29PM

Cool.

mrearlygold · October 26, 2004 12:56PM

Cool!

Tom

Baley · October 26, 2004 12:59PM

Very cool!
Can't wait to read it; any chance of reprinting your letter here?

dorkkarl · October 26, 2004 8:34PM

i read it, & amazingly, instantly thought you were the author.... go figure.

i think your logic was flawed. those of us who collect bust halves un-certified do so, NOT because such a huge percentage would get body-bagged, but just because bust halves, having THREE struck sides, just simply don't belong in plastic.

K S

Nysoto · October 27, 2004 3:07AM

Terry,

I will go down to my friendly neighborhood coin shop today and buy a copy. TahoeDale does have a great collection of high grade bust halves. His best collection with the Eliasberg 1794 is on the NGC 1794-1807 Registry, although that "Woodinville Half Dollar" character does have a more complete 1794-1807 set

.

Bill

GOLDSAINT · October 27, 2004 7:21AM

Karl,
Yes Sir you are right, Bust coins do have three sides, or dimensions if you will, most things do. If you read Einstein you must also consider the space-time dimension of where in space and at what time you bought the coin, Ha Ha

Thank you all or your posts.
I am sure this article put the final nail in my coffin as far as BHNC membership goes.

Bill,
I know we are slowly winning you into our camp, please continue to work on your certified set.

Laura,
Where are you when we need you ? Come on out of the closet,

Terry

lordmarcovan · October 27, 2004 7:35AM

<< <i>I think we all agreed in our last lengthy thread on this issue that this collecting area is certainly one where each collector must decide for themselves whether certified or Raw Bust Halves are what they would like to collect. Many times over the last several months I have wondered myself why I chose the certified road. >>

I took the low road, myself- they won't certify mine!

But it's proving to be a lot of fun so far. I love Bust halves in any grade or condition. Certified, raw, holed, worn, pristine- they're all nice!

("Nice" being a relative term, I suppose.)

I don't get Coin World. Will the article be posted on their website later?

GOLDSAINT · October 27, 2004 5:19PM

I don't get Coin World. Will the article be posted on their website later? '

LM,
I got a couple of PM'S that said it was on the CW site.

Hey my friend there is nothing wrong with a good holed Bust Half. In fact I am looking for a holed, 1797/1796/
1806 Knob 6 no stem/1817/4

dorkkarl · October 27, 2004 8:29PM

why would someone try & build the "finest certifed set" of bust halves, when in fact, the vast majority of the finer coins are not even slabed???

K S

GOLDSAINT · October 27, 2004 9:23PM

why would someone try & build the "finest certifed set" of bust halves, when in fact, the vast majority of the finer coins are not even slabed???"

Karl,
SAYS WHO?

There are is no doubt that there are some Tradedollar collectors out there that think they have a better set than TDN
but my guess is that this is their illusion.

dorkkarl · October 27, 2004 10:11PM

dude, gimme a break, trade dollars are a totally different animal then bust halves, & you know it.

how is it possible for someone to suddenly accumulate the "finest" bust half collection in a couple of years, when in fact many of the finest coins have been OFF THE MARKET for decades?

you are sadly disillusioned if you think that buying the highest numbers on slabs for your bust half collection instantly makes it the "finest collection".

to top it all off, few places in numismatics are more subjective than bust halves when it comes to determining what coins are "finest". these are coins struck w/ an OPEN COLLAR, again, totally unlike trade dollars.

K S

GOLDSAINT · October 27, 2004 10:22PM

how is it possible for someone to suddenly accumulate the "finest" bust half collection in a couple of years, when in fact many of the finest coins have been OFF THE MARKET for decades?

This is a question that we will have to ask TahoeDale, and I think he said it has taken him 12 years not 2.

At any rate Karl, it does not appear we may ever find out, or be able to compare these sets, since your group wants to keep theirs hidden away, right?

dorkkarl · October 27, 2004 10:41PM

what do you mean?

K S

GOLDSAINT · October 27, 2004 11:47PM

This is a question that we will have to ask TahoeDale, and I think he said it has taken him 12 years not 2.

what do you mean?"

Whoa, Karl,

I hope you and others here did not think that this article, or any of my comments about these top end
sets were about a set I owned, NO NO,

My article was about Dale's set,
My personal set would not even qualify in the top 100.

Sorry Buddy for the confusion.

dorkkarl · October 27, 2004 11:51PM

i understand that, & i also know who Dale is.

what i didn't understand was the statement "your group wants to keep theirs hidden away, right?"

K S

JrGMan2004 · October 28, 2004 12:06AM

<< <i>i understand that, & i also know who Dale is.

what i didn't understand was the statement "your group wants to keep theirs hidden away, right?"

K S >>

I would think quite the opposite... I think Bust collectors, like any other collector, love to show off their purrty coins...

Hey Goldsaint... I bet we could look back in some older auction catalogs, and find finer coins for a good many dates and marriages in Dale's set, that probally haven't been seen since they were auctioned off a good many years ago... NEVER assume that the finest coin is the one with the lowest pop and the highest number at PCGS or NGC... even then, one graded lower could be considered the finest known... like Karl will say, "Finest Known" is very subjective. I know of an example of a Finest Known Bust coin (Without a doubt highest graded of the known examples) that is not in a slab, and probally is still not in a slab... only been off the market for a few years though... but it would very easilly slab at any of the services...

ladyship · October 28, 2004 3:48AM

Well let’s see if we can get the bragging rights to the best Bust Half set decided.
Below is Dale’s NGC Registry set. I don’t think he will mind us posting it since it is public record. All these coins are certified. He might want to add others when you gentlemen post yours. I suggest that Dorkkarl and JrGman post their sets, and let anyone else that wants to enter the competition post their set.

1794 245542-002 NGC MS 61

1795/1795 2 Leaves 2019129-011 NGC MS 50

1796 15 Stars 21555009 PCGS MS 58

1801 21555010 PCGS MS 53

1802 30042957 PCGS MS 53

1803 Small 3 21555012 PCGS MS 53

1805/4 628067-017 NGC MS 58

1805 1727686-003 NGC MS 62

1806/5 90072503 PCGS MS 61

1806 Knobbed 6, Small Stars 50150467 PCGS MS 58

1806 Pointed 6, With Stem 2408633 PCGS MS 64

1806 Pointed 6, No Stem 21384907 PCGS MS 58

1807 Draped Bust 1285932-001 NGC MS 64

1807 Capped Bust, Small Stars 50020192 PCGS MS 62

1807 Capped Bust, Large Stars 50052567 PCGS MS 62

1807 Capped Bust, 50/20 555908-003 NGC MS 63

1808/7 21555025 PCGS MS 62

1808 6606750 PCGS MS 64

1809 Normal Edge 90066267 PCGS MS 66

1809 XXX Edge 1704311-001 NGC MS 63

1810 90019137 PCGS MS 64

1811 Small 8 170782-014 NGC MS 66

1812 60094400 PCGS MS 64

1813 90007625 PCGS MS 64

1813 50C/UNI 21555046 PCGS MS 64

1814/3 50022657 PCGS MS 63

1814 21555048 PCGS MS 65

1815/2 570864-003 NGC MS 64

1817/3 21555051 PCGS MS 63

1817 936303-012 NGC MS 65

1818/7 Large 8 50020361 PCGS MS 64

1818 50024916 PCGS MS 65

1819/8 Small 9 50013749 PCGS MS 65

1819 50040160 PCGS MS 64

1820/19 Square Base 2 21555059 PCGS MS 63

1820/19 Curled Base 2 7001748-003 NGC MS 55

1820 Large Date, Knobbed 2 21555259 PCGS MS 64

1820 Large Date, No Knob 2 377703-002 NGC MS 63

1821 1665183-012 NGC MS 65

1822/1 584244-001 NGC MS 66

1822 21555264 PCGS MS 64

1823 Broken 3 1747881-013 NGC MS 50

1823 Patched 3 253697-003 NGC MS 64

1823 Ugly 3 209280-013 NGC MS 64

1823 21009722 PCGS MS 65

1824/1 50038166 PCGS MS 64

1824/4 21555272 PCGS MS 63

1824 90019088 PCGS MS 64

1825 2044377-002 NGC MS 66

1826 241052-020 NGC MS 65

1827/6 389807-004 NGC MS 65

1827 Curled Base 2 1705502-003 NGC MS 58

1827 Square Base 2 186885-021 NGC MS 66

1828 Curled Base 2, No Knob 1664363-001 NGC MS 66

1828 Square Base 2, Large 8s 1620269-003 NGC MS 65

1828 Square Base 2, Small 8s, Large Letters 50107491 PCGS MS 64

1829/1827 2027122-001 NGC MS 64

1829 Small Letters 21554983 PCGS MS 66

1830 Small Letters, Small 0 21554987 PCGS MS 65

1830 Small Letters, Large 0 21554989 PCGS MS 65

1831 90008346 PCGS MS 65

1832 Small Letters 1711104-005 NGC MS 65

1833 50063133 PCGS MS 65

1834 Small Date, Small Letters 389806-006 NGC MS 65

1835 402418-001 NGC MS 66 5367

1836 50/00 2317879 PCGS MS 64

1836 Lettered Edge 21070796 PCGS MS 65

1836 Reeded Edge 334478-019 NGC MS 64

1837 2046467-004 NGC MS 66

1838 6586116 PCGS MS 65

1839 1295847-001 NGC MS 64

1839-O 2735620 PCGS MS 64

GOLDSAINT · October 28, 2004 9:43PM

Thanks Ladyship,

Did you type all of this?

I really don't see how anyone could have a higher graded set than this,
but if ANYONE knows of one please let us hear about it, and give us some examples.

JadeRareCoin · October 28, 2004 9:56PM

Some collectors derive enjoyment from their collections NOT from the overall condition or "score" of the coins, but rather from the aesthetics and history of the coins as seen through their eyes.

GOLDSAINT · October 28, 2004 10:29PM

"Some collectors derive enjoyment from their collections NOT from the overall condition or "score" of the coins, but rather from the aesthetics and history of the coins as seen through their eyes."

I could not agree more, and if a collector is not interested in the, " aesthetics and history" they should go collect something else.

CW Article Collecting Certified Bust Half Dollars

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