Hypothetical: Which coins are your keepers?

RYK

Hypothetically, if there were a financial emergency (ie. divorce, loss of job, disability, illness, unexpected business or home expense, etc.) and you were forced to sell 90% of the value of your collection, which coins would you keep? Assume that you have liquidated all other possible assets first (although this is not the way I would necessarily do it). Also, assume that you will not be back in action for 12-18 months, and your coins have 100% liquidity at fair market value.

Coins that were hardest to find in the first place?

The few that are most rare/valuable?

Most attractive or highest graded coins?

Sentimental favorites? Gifts from loved ones? Coins acquired on a memorable vacation?

Would you keep a complete set, registry set, or other related grouping together?

A representative sampling of your current collection?

(This is truly hypothetical, so please do not PM me your condolences or offers. )

MikeInFL

With the exception of a few coins given to me by my grandfater, I would keep the most eye appealing coins. Mostly 19th century proofs...Mike

ddbird

Sentimental coins first...

Then favorites (Mostly Attractive toners)

itsnotjustme

I'd need to go on difficulty to replace (which includes sentimental value/gift factors) and my desire to keep whatever series/set it fits in.

Anythin commonly available within a week on e-bay is toast.

Russ

None, and I don't even need a financial emergency. Just somebody willing to pony up an offer I can't refuse.

Russ, NCNE

TwoSides2aCoin

Russ, get outta my head, damnit

Put so eloquently and in such a short sentence.... I'm jealous

If I had to have the money.... I'd sell my children first


LOL

roadrunner

Coins that are impossible to replace or have nebulous values and probably need an auction to figure out their value.

I have 4 coins right now that fall into that category, all part of my half dollar type set. 1838 RE, 1855 Arr, 1862 NM, and 1874-s Arr.
All are absolute gems, no rub, stone originals, nice pedigrees from old time collections (Stack, Pryor, etc.). I cannot find their replacements in today's overblown and conserved market. Some of the halves I am still missing I sold just prior to starting the set and I kick myself daily for having let them go. Even a "simple" MS64 1824 double profile half I had with killer color got tossed in favor of waiting for a 65 common date. 2 years later I'm still waiting! Passed on an NGC65 Arrows and Rays half in 2002 that "big dealer X" felt was just a 64. In hindsight, there have been none better since. I passed on that one because of the plastic but realize it was likely the wrong decision if I ever wanted to buy a MS65 1853 A&R half. Haven't seen that half since which is also a sign that it went into strong hands. It's the recycled seated halves at auction that you have to be careful of.
You don't want the coins hitting auction every year or twice a year.

You cannot find strictly graded, eye appealing gems of anything in the tougher type halves these days. And not even at auction for the most part. Hey, but if it were easy it would be no fun.

roadrunner

Dismeguy

Would keep five dimes from the current registry set; 1842-O, 1843-O, 1845-O, 1849-O and 1874-CC

Reason being the present coins are essentially irreplaceable for the balance of the years I have to live.....

mgoodm3

Probably nicest proof indian cents would be kept

BuffaloIronTail

That's a TERRIBLE scenario!!!!

HMMM.......I'd sell everything except the condition rarities I have, I'd never see them again if I ever became solvent.

OK....well.....sinced you asked:

I would not sell these.....(Partial list of what comes to mind)

1917-S Buff AU-50 full, complete rounded horn.
1920-S Buff with a spit-tail reverse.
1924-S PCGS VF-20 Green holder UNDERGRADED Buff with full, rounded horn.
1927-D Buff with a well-struck reverse.
1934-D Buff PCGS-66 (Still waiting on it - it has a shot from the ones I've seen at that level)
1926-S ANACS AU-50 Lincoln with a full-strike.

There's more, but I ain;t gonna sit here and think about them. The above coins I would sell ONLY at a premium, and to a specialist if I still needed more money.

To me, I can't put a price on them.

This thread has depressed me. I must now leave.

Pete

LeeG

I'm having the most fun filling the holes in my DANSCO 7070. All those stay, everything else goes. Coin Collecting at it's finest. "The Joy Is In The Search"!

questor54

<< <i>Russ, get outta my head, damnit

Put so eloquently and in such a short sentence.... I'm jealous

If I had to have the money.... I'd sell my children first


LOL >>



How much for your children?

RYK

I would convert my date into a type set and keep some of the better dates, but maybe not the best, including the following eight coins:

1855 G$1
1839-O $2.50
1865 $3
1838-D $5
1839-D $5
1870-CC $5
1859-O $10
1861-O $20

Edited: Had to make a swap.

FatMan

<< <i>I would convert my date into a type set and keep some of the better dates, but maybe not the best, including the following eight coins:

1855 G$1
1839-O $2.50
1865 $3
1838-D $5
1839-D $5
1849-D $5
1859-O $10
1861-O $20 >>

And these represent 10% of the value of your current collection?

relayer

The coins would be long gone before other assests, but I can really only think of three I'd keep

A uniquely toned 1904 $20 Liberty, an 1883 No Cents Eliasberg and a 1923 Peace dollar I gave to my dad (now deceased) as his birth year.

But if I sat down and looked through them, I'd probably find a few others to put in the "keep" pile.

Myqqy

My wife has been unable to work recently, due to medical problems- so I've been thinking about this type of hypothetical recently. She insists that I will not ever have to sell any of my coins- but in the worst case scenario, I would probably hold on to a dozen or so morgans that really stand out for their toning....

LincolnCentMan

Are you kidding me, that's what I'm left with. I just sold 90% to pay of my truck.

David

Highlights of what I've got left:

jdimmick

Talk about some keepers::
..... TextWould keep five dimes from the current registry set; 1842-O, 1843-O, 1845-O, 1849-O and 1874-CC


I would keep my 01-s for sure, and possibly one additional ??

Barry

I would sell what has the most value and is easiest to sell quickly - doesn't matter what they are. They're just coins and just about any coin can be replaced (unless you're TDN or Gerry )

RYK

I would sell what has the most value and is easiest to sell quickly...

Remember the conditions of the hypothetical:

All coins have 100% liquidity at FMV.

And these represent 10% of the value of your current collection?

Remember, I collect circulated coins. They are cheaper.

FatMan

I'm thinking for Russ's sake my list includes a 1920 Pilgrim Commem NGC MS65 with knock your dick in the dirt rainbow target toning and luster that will sear my retinas.

cladking

Tough question.

I suppose I'd keep the coins which represented the most work compared to the expected price and
those with the most potential compared to the expected price. I'd also keep anything which is essen-
tially irreplaceable or possibly unique.

Russ

Fats,

You forgot "Jumps up and does the eye appeal boogie."

Russ, NCNE

nwcs

Well, considering I am about to sell nearly every valuable coin I have I can tell you what my keepers are. A MS66* jefferson given to me by a board member about 2 years ago and my three bust halves. Although those bust halves may go someday. So maybe just the jefferson is a keeper.

tradedollarnut

It's all about eye appeal. I'd keep the following coins:

Floyd Starr MS65 1844


Garrett MS66 1848


Fairfield MS67 1849


Akers MS66 1854


James A Stack MS64 1871-CC


Amon Carter MS68 1875-S


[No Provenance] MS67 1876


Gene Seton MS66 1877-CC


Seattle Hoard MS67 1878-S

coinlieutenant

TDN,

It is amazing that you would have that much left over if you liquidated 90%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mgoodm3

<< <i>TDN,

It is amazing that you would have that much left over if you liquidated 90%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>



I was thinking the same thing.

coinlieutenant

I would keep the following.

#1. My icon coin.

#2.


#3.


#4.


#5.


#6.


#7.


#8.

RedneckHB

I would probably just keep one coin. It would be the one that is the most difficult to replace.

Shamika

Most eye appealing coins would be my #1 criteria followed by condition rarety.

Retail value would be the least important criteria.

carl

At first it would be the proof and uncirc sets I've been accumulating for the last 30 or 40 or what ever years. I've already dumped some of them because of lack of room. Then next would be rolls of uncirc kept for the also last 30 or 40 years of so. Next would be duplicated albums such as sets 2 to 9 of Lincolns. Finally the last things to go would be all #1 albums. The very last thing to go would be the 25 rolls of 1943 Steel Lincoln Cents because they were all given to me by my Dad way back in 43 and I'll always remember him because of those pennies.

kiyote

I'd keep my proof platinum eagles and my 1965-1998 PDSS Washington quarters. Many a mint set was torn apart to make that set complete in the two Capital Plastics holder.

BAJJERFAN

Since most of my stuff is Morgan wijjitz I would probly keep a key date or two, a couple of better dates and smoe toners.

pursuitofliberty

[i<< TDN,

It is amazing that you would have that much left over if you liquidated 90%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>



I was thinking the same thing.


Me too!!!


Interesting question however. For as many different series as I have in progress, and as many types as I have as well that are without a series "set in progress", I think I would have to break it down to a type set only, probably keeping a better date of each with the best appeal ...

Coinosaurus

I'd keep a few type coins, generic dates that were wicked original AUish examples. The kind that are really hard to find but surprisingly not that expensive when you do.

As for literature, the last thing that goes is the complete B/M & ANR auction catalog hardbound set