Which of your coins would you not sell, even for moon money?

coinpictures

The discussion in the Half Farthing thread got me curious.

Which coin(s) in your collection, would you never part with, even if someone came up with a moon money offer (say 25X Krause/Spink/other)?

A coin that you simply love too much, or spent too long tracking down, or has unique characteristics that cannot be replaced... a coin where you say "Yeah, I know the catalog says it's worth $150, but your $3,000 offer isn't enough."

(pictures mandatory )

FilthyBroke

<< <i>Which coin(s) in your collection, would you never part with, even if someone came up with a moon money offer (say 25X Krause/Spink/other)? >>





Unfortunately, probably none in my collection could withstand that kind of offer, considering today's state of economy. A few given to me by my Grandfather would be the only real choices for unsellable, but they were really just silver coins pulled from circulation and not valuable to others.


But, just for fun, if I had to pick one from the collection that would be the hardest to part with-



That one is admittedly flawed and quite circulated, but it's my favorite for some odd reason. I'm also looking forward to other member's replies to this question.

OchoReales

The only coins that I would not sell, even for moon money are three lightsiders. They are an 1881, a 1901 and 1902 Indian Cent purchased by my brother, Dad and Mom (in that order) back in 1974 from Milt Dinkin (of Blackbook fame) in Paramus NJ from his enormous coin store, located in the basement of the Bergen Mall. The name of the store was Carolen Coin Exchange. My first collecting interest was IH Cents in EF grade ( in those days, a true EF had to have 3 1/2 diamonds on the ribbons to qualify as a true EF. I will look to follow up with pics. in the future. Anyway, back to the story. Though I eventually completed and sold the entire collection to Dan Walker of New York at the 1998 or 1999 FUN show (and always regetted selling, actually trying to buy back the set the next day, only to be told that the set was flipped ((yea, right!)), I pulled the three coins and, of course, still have them today! As a side note, Milt is still alive and active in coins! He travels back and forth between NJ and FL and sets up at the Fort Lauderdale show for 6 of the 12 months. I recently told the story to him and it actually brought tears to his eyes. He was and still is a gem of a dealer. Thanks for letting me rant, guys!

BTW, both my Mom and Dad are now deceased, 1994 and 2005, so these coins are that much more special to me, now!


Gary

JCMhouston

I have a few that are the only graded examples, but even these are for sale for the right money. The right money would have to be big though.

agentjim007

you can't take 'em with ya....they're all available at a price.

cacheman

you can't take 'em with ya....they're all available at a price

And better sold before you kick and the old lady uses 'em for laundry money...

Sapyx

<< <i>... a coin where you say "Yeah, I know the catalog says it's worth $150, but your $3,000 offer isn't enough." >>


I know it's a bit cliche, but my answer would be, "All of them".

Once a coin goes into The Collection, the only way out is if I buy an upgrade. So if you use your $3000 to buy me a better one, I'll be happy to trade it for my $150 coin. But I need to see you with the replacement coin first - I won't take cash on the assumption that I'll be able to use it to buy a better one someday. Because I might not be able to.

Especially if some crazy guys with way too much money are throwing their cash into the market. That's the exact sort of thing that's driving coin prices up out of the reach of collectors in the first place.

ormandh

ormandh

IloiloKano

I don't have one, but if I did own a US-PI MS65 1920(M) FiftyCentavos, and I was offered $3,000 for it, I believe I'd pass, even though "book value" is only $500.

Why?

Because there isn't a single GEM recorded in the combined population reports of ANACS, NGC and PCGS, and I don't think I would ever find another one, no matter how intensely I searched.

coinpictures

<< <i>I have to say that if you have a $150 coin that someone is offering $3k for and you are greedy enough to turn it down, then I would call you an idiot. No punches towards you CP, but it is assinine to even fathom that someone would not take advantage of such a profit. If one doesn't then maybe you are a "true collector" with lots of money.... >>



So if someone offers a crazy sum of money for a piece, the only reason someone would turn it down is that they're greedy???

Money overules all other considerations... interesting perspective.

gecko109

I have only 2 such coins. An 1892 Barber quarter in NGC 64 that my wife and I bought together as a wedding gift. And a 1924 Saint (NGC 63) that I bought while my wife was in labor with our only son. These 2 coins have such strong sentimental ties that my family would have to be starving before I was to sell either.

ormandh

<< <i>

<< <i>I have to say that if you have a $150 coin that someone is offering $3k for and you are greedy enough to turn it down, then I would call you an idiot. No punches towards you CP, but it is assinine to even fathom that someone would not take advantage of such a profit. If one doesn't then maybe you are a "true collector" with lots of money.... >>



So if someone offers a crazy sum of money for a piece, the only reason someone would turn it down is that they're greedy???

Money overules all other considerations... interesting perspective. >>



What is this perspective that you speak of?

gecko109

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>I have to say that if you have a $150 coin that someone is offering $3k for and you are greedy enough to turn it down, then I would call you an idiot. No punches towards you CP, but it is assinine to even fathom that someone would not take advantage of such a profit. If one doesn't then maybe you are a "true collector" with lots of money.... >>



So if someone offers a crazy sum of money for a piece, the only reason someone would turn it down is that they're greedy???

Money overules all other considerations... interesting perspective. >>



What is this perspective that you speak of? >>




How about a coin you may have bought for your child as his/her 1st ever piece, then they were killed in an accident. Is that coin for sale at any price?

spoon

I used to think that everything in my collection would stay there forever. I buy for my own interests with little to no regard for eventual resale. But since I started seriously imaging my collection this past Christmas I've found it much easier to part with them when I can keep quality pics.

That said, I have a box of a bit over a dozen keepers that are here for good. I don't own any coins (other than gold) individually worth more than $200. Some of my keepers are fairly common, less so in comparable condition, but still. Whether for their aesthetic appeal, the difficulty of finding a replacement or sheer unreasonable stubbornness, I'll never give these up barring a dire crisis.

This is just one of them - Perhaps not spectacular, if it were sitting next to a gothic crown no one would ever see this, but I like it. I collect Venice for my familial connection. While this commemorates the reinstatement of a bum who perpetuated foreign occupation that much longer, it is fairly scarce. Elverno estimated that, due to minting conditions and other factors, there may have been only 100 +/- examples produced and in this condition surely only a small handful remain. I've actually been fairly actively tracking this issue since I bought it (~5yrs ago) and have yet to see another beyond AU. So this one will be tough to replace and it fits in a core collection. But perhaps most importantly... I doubt I'd ever find anyone willing to pay moon money for it!

ormandh

I digressed from the original question. I closely reread the OP's post and have to say that I REALLY misread the intention of the question. Sorry!! -Dan

theboz11

As of right now, with no foreseeable change, it would have to be this NEWP 1355 Lamb of God.

Sylvestius

Mine actually would probably be my 1807 George III Penny which only grades Fair. Not worth anything at all really, but of all the coins i've got (and there are many I would not want to part with), this is the only coin in my current collection that dates back to when I first started collecting 19 years ago. All of its friends from 1990 have long since gone, but this somehow managed to survive.

FilthyBroke

<< <i>Mine actually would probably be my 1807 George III Penny which only grades Fair. Not worth anything at all really, but of all the coins i've got (and there are many I would not want to part with), this is the only coin in my current collection that dates back to when I first started collecting 19 years ago. All of its friends from 1990 have long since gone, but this somehow managed to survive. >>





I sure wish I had a better grasp at the beginning than I did. I look back to when I started collecting (only three years ago), and I see mostly embarrassing purchases, or ones I'd just as soon forget. I have long since unloaded those reminders at a serious loss. Anyone else go through this?


In fact, I was going through my U.S. slabbed collection just last evening, and realized that only three of twenty remain int the core set from a year ago. I am pleased with where it stands, so I guess I'm progressing.


As to the OP, after further thought, I stand by the sentiment that all are open to sale (Offers welcome!)except those with sentimental attachment.

Hussulo

my 1602 Sword & Sceptre piece.



Not because its the best example out there, but because I have read quite a lot about James VI (1st of England/ Britain) so I can associate with it. I also always wanted one and it did take some digging deep + selling off other coins to buy it. I watched it for several months while I saved hoping no one would buy it before me.

SaorAlba

Not mine anymore, but my wife's:



Gave this tanner to her when I proposed to her back in 1995, she wore it in her shoe when we were married and has owned it ever since.