Well, I got a responce from Mike about expanding varieties.....

DIMEMAN

AND I'M NOT A VERY HAPPY CAMPER !!!

Here is what he said.......


Jon,

We do all early type from 1/2C to $20 gold pieces from 1793 to 1836, which includes all Overton numbers for bust halves, Browning numbers for quarters, JR numbers for dimes, etc. We are not looking to expand our variety program in the near future…I will keep you in mind…Mike

DCW

With costly attribution fees, it seems rather short sighted not to expand their variety program. Alot of money left on the table, no pun intended. There are plenty of varieties that I can think of that are not in the cherrypicker's guide that are likewise missing from the "complete sets."
I think there will come a time, perhaps as the popularity of die varieties grows, that some of these make it into the sets.
For now, just slab them without attribution and note the variety in the comments section of your registry set.

rld14

This I do not agree with

IMO they ought to attribute by the reference books for any said series.

wondercoin

I have no problem with Mike's position as it gives a clear roadmap to exactly what varieties I need to pursue as a collector building a complete variety set. In the case of my Silver Washington quarters, I know to expect whatever the CPG has listed (that does not prevent me from also picking up many varieties not in the CPG - generally speaking, it just makes them cheaper until they hit the registry). IMHO, the problem actually comes in when there is a deviation from the "rules". For example, in the case of the state quarter set, there are roughly 60 Minn. "tree" coins now in the registry where not a single one of them is in the CPG. While I have yet to buy a single example, there are now "holes" in my set that should not have been there if a strict interpretation of the rules was followed. I love collecting great quarter varieties, but, sorry, I do not need 60 different versions of a "tree" on a MN quarter in (60) different PCGS holders. For others that enjoy them... I respect that.

I am not speaking for every series out there....I am sure there are a number of them where other major reference books could come into play. But, my experience with the quarters suggests that it is probably better to stick with a clear rule and enforce it. Just my 2 cents as a collector with nearly 400 different PCGS slabbed Mint State Washington quarters (not even counting the "trees").

Wondercoin

DIMEMAN

Mitch,

I can certainly understand not wanting 60 different tree quarters. I don't see how there can be that many differences, but I guess there are.

As I have stated to Mike at PCGS and others I just want the coins listed in the reference books for the series. I am after the DDO's DDR's RPM's RPD's and different size mint marks.

Is there actually a quarter set out there with 60 trees with pics. I would love to look at them.

wondercoin

Dimeman: Doug and Gary have wonderful sets of "MN trees". PCGS even set up a separate registry set for the roughly 60 different MN coins. You can go take a look.

Again, last I checked, not a single MN tree variety is listed in the CPG. On the other hand, I have an incredible 1934-D Silver Quarter with a Doubled Die Obverse (nice large "spread" on "In God We Trust") in a PCGS-MS66 holder. No CPG = no registry coin. Maybe one day.

Wondercoin

DCW

I'd love to see a photo of that 34-d, Mitch. Can you post a pic for us?

wondercoin

I put it back in the bank after confirming PCGS could not put it in the registry since it was not a CPG variety. Down the road, I will try to take a pic of it.

Wondercoin

coolkarma

I think Mike's/PCGS's position is quite reasonable, given the relatively small number of variety collectors in the Registry. We are a rather small group. What we need to do is increase the number of variety collectors and the number of variety coins that have been attributed. In my area, buffalo nickels, there are 105 Basic sets registered, 76 Major Variety sets registered, and only 17 Complete Variety sets registered. Of those 17 Complete sets, 5 do not have any non-Major varieties included yet. When the number of people actively participating in the Complete sets increases to be much closer to the number in the Major Variety sets, I believe PCGS will increase the number of different varieties it grades and likely the number of Variety sets available.

Similarly, there have not been very many non-Major varieties graded. For Buffaloes, there are 46 "minor" varieties with a total of 317 instances graded, or an average of less than 7 each. Six coins still have a pop of 0 and nine have a pop of 1. We need to submit more varieties so that it is possible for more people to collect them - and to keep Mike busy

If we increase the number of variety collectors and if we increase the number of variety coins attributed, I think PCGS will increase the number of different variety sets available and the number of varieties it attributes. Sounds like a goal.

Enjoy!

Richard

DIMEMAN

I agree with you in part Richard. And I do hope more and more collectors get into these varieties. At the same time I feel that no matter how many of us there are or how many we send in, it's 24 bucks every time we do. That adds up. And it's such easy work. How long does it take with the book in front of you to verify what we as the submitter have already identified for you!?!

Right now, until PCGS adds the varieties I have, I plan on getting them in PCGS holders and then building a showcase with all of my varieties that will not go into the registry. I can mention this showcase in the heading of the set and then in the showcase tell about the variety in the comments section on the right.

This is better than nothing.

Jon

coolkarma

<< <i>Right now, until PCGS adds the varieties I have, I plan on getting them in PCGS holders and then building a showcase with all of my varieties that will not go into the registry. I can mention this showcase in the heading of the set and then in the showcase tell about the variety in the comments section on the right.

This is better than nothing.

Jon >>



That sounds like a good plan! Please let us know when you have created the showcase.

Richard

LOG

DIMEMAN

Here is a link that lists the Minnesota varieties if your interested in viewing them.
http://koinpro.tripod.com/Articles/2005PMinnDDRImages.htm

DIMEMAN

Just to let the members who wanted to know when I started my Showcase varieties set of coins not assigned by PCGS yet....I just started it. Only one coin in it now but I have a lot to add.

See my thread about adding 2 coins to my sets for details.

Thanks, Jon

coolkarma

Thanks. Here's a link to DIMEMAN's Variety Showcase.

Enjoy! Richard

mas3387

<< <i>For example, in the case of the state quarter set, there are roughly 60 Minn. "tree" coins now in the registry where not a single one of them is in the CPG. While I have yet to buy a single example, there are now "holes" in my set that should not have been there if a strict interpretation of the rules was followed. I love collecting great quarter varieties, but, sorry, I do not need 60 different versions of a "tree" on a MN quarter in (60) different PCGS holders. For others that enjoy them... I respect that. >>



Have you checked the latest CPG? Looks like 9 of the Minnesotta DDR's made it in there,
Maybe the next edition we'll see more of them

wondercoin

Mas. Do you have 9 coins in stock? Looks like I may need them. Lol. Wondercoin

mas3387

The new variety's got me to buy my 1st Cherry pickers guide

19Lyds

Mike who?

Caleb

<< <i>Mike who? >>



Lee - I'm assuming they are talking about Mike Faraone. He is the one that attributes varieties for PCGS.

But you know what they say when you assume?

DIMEMAN

Mike is Mike Faraone. He is in charge of variety's at PCGS.