Why are registry sets for early gold not competitive?

earlyAurum

I can't believe that it is a lack of collector. Or, is it that those collectors are just not interested in competing? Hard to believe if you ask me. I collect early quarter eagles and recently ask about the benefits of the registry set. I was given some very good reasons but I feel that I would be basically competing against myself.
earlyAurum

DIMEMAN

Not many collectors can afford early gold. I guess the ones that can collect other series.

OnlyGoldIsMoney

You won't find many Liberty series gold registry sets either.

I compete against a handful of $2.50 Lib sets. Gold series collectors may be scarce or they are just not interested in registering their collections. Some may be concerned about theft.

earlyAurum

thanks for the replies.
OGIM,
the name for your registry set is appropriate to say the least! How do you tie the registry set to risk of theft?
Thanks again,
earlyAurum

scottgardener

I've been running the math in my head all day, craving a nice draped bust $5 I saw at a coin show a few weeks ago. But, I keep coming to the realization that I would have to fork over in trade most of the rest of my coin collection for that one item.

Collectors of early gold are probably as rare as the coins themselves. There are probably only a few thousand private individuals out there who own more than one specimen, not counting dealers. Granted, one guy would easily have bragging rights, but I suspect that the ultra-wealthy are less interested in boasting and bragging than in more esoteric pursuits--you don't see many Bentleys or Rolls Royces out drag racing, even though their V10 engines could eat Mustangs and souped up Dodges for breakfast. If I had the coins to put in such a registry, I'd like to think that I would, but I've already found that some of my collecting priorities have changed a lot since I've gotten my present budget compared to what I thought I'd be doing by now, back in the eighties and nineties.

DennisH

I think the answer is pretty simple: $$$

Nysoto

The early gold series is dominated by type collectors and investors, with very few dedicated specialists who collect by date or variety. The type collectors may list within the type registries, but the investors prefer privacy and do not list their sets. There are probably some old time sets owned by collectors who do not use the internet much and have no interest in the registries. The Ed Price collection of quarter eagles and early dimes would have been nice to see on the registry.

I would enjoy seeing any collectors with early gold listing their coins, even single examples. It may be contagious! I have a complete year set of 1807-1812 half eagles at the NGC Registry, a very mediocre set with little competition. The classic head gold series of 1834-1839, while not being "old tenor" gold, are gaining in popularity on the registries.

scottgardener

I can see purchasing or trading up to a classic series half eagle some time in the next few months. And, I can even see working on a set over time. The big hurtle to overcome is finding the C and D mintmarks, since those are pretty hefty. Part of the challenge of old gold is not just the price tag, but the rarity itself that makes them so pricy. I can look in a price guide and see what I could get if I traded away enough or saved long enough, but actually finding someone with the coin is a lot harder than the bazillion Morgan dollars that make their way through coin shows. Even key date Morgans are fairly easy by comparison. At a local coin show I might see three classic somethings, either half or quarter eagle, and one draped bust half. And, if I scrimp and save for several months, I may have enough for a classic series coin, but there's no guarantee that it'll be the one for sale at the next show; if they've got an 1838-C classic half in MS63 and none of its lesser siblings, then I get to stare longingly at it a few minutes before moving on to Liberties and Indians.