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Is there any active collector anywhere trying to match Eliasberg?
ambro51
Posts: 14,419 ✭✭✭✭✭
.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit?
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Eliasberg put together his whole collection for something like $450,000. That was a lot of money back then, but I think that coin prices have gone up faster than inflation has from Eliasberg's days to our own. One would have to be one of the richest people in the world with a strong interest in coins to duplicate what Eliasberg did. From what I can see, most of those guys would not want to get bogged down in something mundane like collecting coins.
In conversations with collectors who competing Eliasberg in the 1940s and ‘50s, they said that he was like the 600 pound gorilla in the coin market at that time. Many dealers went to him first if they got anything that was a big deal. Back in Eliasberg’s time you could buy an 1804 dollar for less than $10,000 and ditto for the unique 1870-S three dollar gold piece. And you would have to say for a coin like the 1870-S three dollar gold, Eliasberg had to be lucky to boot. One had to be in the market at the right time when it was available.
I don't see one person doing the Eliasberg thing again. Maybe some museum might pull it off, but not one person.
Steve
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I don't think that anyone can undertake what Eliasberg did, because now there's much more expanded awareness of the value and rarity of every coin minted. Eliasberg and others were collecting coins when they were almost completely unknown, but for the few significant dealers who sold them coins...and no one had anymore than an 'anecdotal' guess as to how rare anything was, except for a very few coins that were known to only have specimens, like the $20 1849 or the 1894-S Barber Dimes.
That said, there are some quite "silent" low profile giants who are collecting tens if not hundreds of millions worth of amazing stuff that would be considered the BEST of Eliasberg! There's one in Texas (the name is probably well known but I'm not going to say it in case it isn't) and there's a gold collector in the NE that Akers has referred to for decades....and others that no one knows about. But good question...there will never be another Eliasberg unless a billionairre who wants to spend a billion decides to get everything at "cost no issue."
Can't seem to find a 1964 nickel
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Lance.
<< <i>I'm almost there, I have every US issue from 1793 to present except one
Can't seem to find a 1964 nickel >>
That's funny!!!
is there a link to a set registry for this?
also if there is will someone provide a link
thanks
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if the goal is to own a coin for each line in the redbook, i know at least 1 person that has 85-90% complete that has been collecting for 45+ years
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95%+ of the coins are raw
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<< <i>.
is there a link to a set registry for this?
also if there is will someone provide a link
thanks
.
if the goal is to own a coin for each line in the redbook, i know at least 1 person that has 85-90% complete that has been collecting for 45+ years
.
95%+ of the coins are raw
. >>
That's kind of the goal. I think more specifically what was amazing with Louis Eliasberg is how many unique or ultra-rarities he had. Equally as incredible was the quality of coins in his possession; numerous specimens are still currently the finest known or only known in specific grades.
-D
-Aristotle
Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
-Horace
<< <i> I think more specifically what was amazing with Louis Eliasberg is how many unique or ultra-rarities he had. >>
those are the ones ones that stop the people i know from finishing/attempting
<< <i>is there a link to a set registry for this? also if there is will someone provide a link >>
95%+ of the time i do the leg work, but every now and then i like deferring to someone that knows more than I do
so if anyone knows if there is a pcgs set registry for a complete US coin set, please provide the link
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<< <i>Link for Lance >>
perfection, thank you
that got my heart going
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<< <i> Hope fully I have helped you out by doing some of the leg work or whatever you are speaking about. >>
thank you for your efforts
so 3,262 coins to complete that set
interesting to see what is considered major varieties and the coins that don't make the list
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my personal opinion is a simple one, the biggest challenge isn't getting all the coins, but getting all the coins in graded holders for the set registry
i'm sure this has been discussed at length by the decisions makers but for such a daunting task with all the coins that have been cleaned, whizzed, corroded, holed etc
it would be nice to see a separate list to include genuine/detail slabbed coins, but only for a complete USA set, still secondary to the graded USA set
obviously leave the main 1792-1964 in tact and only for graded coins to keep the herculean task only a dream to the majority
also interesting to set the last date at silver circulated coins end
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<< <i>so they are in fact estimated grades when they don't have them in a current pcgs holder. >>
and i understand it was done for the hobby and to honor an accomplishment in a time period before slabbing
I for one still enjoy looking down that list even if there are some estimated grades
also figured based on his date of death and auction sales dates that there were some estimations
didn't know the estimations were added to that set registry. i figured those coins had been tracked by pcgs and the listed grades
were the actual grades assigned to the pedigree for all of the coins that came from his estate auctions not just what the previous auction catalog estimates listed
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you are 100% positive that the coins listed weren't tracked, slabbed and then listed.? probably nearly impossible to track all those coins waiting for them to be submitted.
i haven't done the exact timeline for the sale dates vs creation of grading services.
obviously if the auctions took place prior to TPG those coins would have been split up all over the place and the auction catalogs would be
the main source of grading estimations.
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really enjoying this, quite informative
<< <i>
<< <i>so they are in fact estimated grades when they don't have them in a current pcgs holder. >>
and i understand it was done for the hobby and to honor an accomplishment in a time period before slabbing
I for one still enjoy looking down that list even if there are some estimated grades
also figured based on his date of death and auction sales dates that there were some estimations
didn't know the estimations were added to that set registry. i figured those coins had been tracked by pcgs and the listed grades
were the actual grades assigned to the pedigree for all of the coins that came from his estate auctions not just what the previous auction catalog estimates listed
.
you are 100% positive that the coins listed weren't tracked, slabbed and then listed.? probably nearly impossible to track all those coins waiting for them to be submitted.
i haven't done the exact timeline for the sale dates vs creation of grading services.
obviously if the auctions took place prior to TPG those coins would have been split up all over the place and the auction catalogs would be
the main source of grading estimations.
.
really enjoying this, quite informative >>
Eerie!! methinks Lance is channeling Bear with the one-line-spacing. Been keeping ole Abe in my thoughts this holiday season.
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BONGO HURTLES ALONG THE RAIN SODDEN HIGHWAY OF LIFE ON UNDERINFLATED BALD RETREAD TIRES
-D
-Aristotle
Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
-Horace
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
<< <i>My WAG is that the Eliasberg collection, if still intact, would bring $200 million today. Although that's a lot of money, there are quite a number of people who could build a comparably valuable collection today. >>
This is an estimate for the collection, sans world coins?
-D
-Aristotle
Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
-Horace
<< <i>It wasn't specifically that the auctions took place prior to TPG. It was just that the coins weren't slabbed/graded. Many coins that sold haven't been resubmitted simply because not everyone likes plastic on their coins. I remember getting into the hobby not long ago and Stacks auctions rarely had certified coins in them.
-D >>
<< <i>
Any time the PcGS Registry lists an estimated grade it means they are taking it verbatim from the catalog because they have no record of it being attributed and holdered as an Eliasberg. The PCGS Registry doesn't list all the Eliasberg coins either just a percentage of them.
>>
thank you very much
guess i better spend some time in this
The days of collecting one of everything are almost gone it seems. Good by me. The more specialized collections are outstanding. Much more knowledge is available.
I remember folks collecting 18th-20th century type by two's. One for obverse and one for reverse for display/ Capital Plastic boards. I'm old!
K
My 1866 Philly Mint Set
This is an estimate for the collection, sans world coins
I was including world coins, and I was still probably too high. The point remains the same, of course. There are coin collectors that (after adjusting for coin inflation) can match Eliasberg's firepower, but they have chosen other collecting paths.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
MJ
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
made since WW II. Many of these are just as scarce in pristine condition as any of the
coins everyone else has been chasing for decades but there's almost no competition and
the prices tend to be nominal. It's far more work and far less cost. This puts the task into
the realm of something most hard workers might be able to afford.
Try putting together a set of aluminum coins. There are more opportunities than ever! In
the next few decades many coins will be discovered to be rare and collectors will be the
ones to discover them and have first access when they appear.
Are ancient coins any less worthy than what Eliasberg et al collected. Are moderns.
<< <i>.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit? >>
Yes, but I know that I will fail miserably (and probably won't even complete 1/200 of the set). I'm only in my early twenties, so it will be interesting to see how far I can get. P.S. It is my understanding that Eliasberg didn't actually have a complete set by modern standards (even only counting the time period up until his death). I never researched that claim out to find out if it is true.
<< <i>.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit? >>
did the thread go in the direction you originally intended?
<< <i>
<< <i>.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit? >>
Yes, but I know that I will fail miserably (and probably won't even complete 1/4 of the set). I'm only in my early twenties, so it will be interesting to see how far I can get. P.S. It is my understanding that Eliasberg didn't actually have a complete set by modern standards (even only counting the time period up until his death). I never researched that claim out to find out if it is true. >>
1792-1964
<< <i><<My WAG is that the Eliasberg collection, if still intact, would bring $200 million today. Although that's a lot of money, there are quite a number of people who could build a comparably valuable collection today. >>
This is an estimate for the collection, sans world coins
I was including world coins, and I was still probably too high. The point remains the same, of course. There are coin collectors that (after adjusting for coin inflation) can match Eliasberg's firepower, but they have chosen other collecting paths. >>
I did have a question mark at the end of that, my sentence seems butchered...
-D
-Aristotle
Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
-Horace
<< <i>
<< <i>.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit? >>
Yes, but I know that I will fail miserably (and probably won't even complete 1/200 of the set). I'm only in my early twenties, so it will be interesting to see how far I can get. P.S. It is my understanding that Eliasberg didn't actually have a complete set by modern standards (even only counting the time period up until his death). I never researched that claim out to find out if it is true. >>
It's important to note that there are some coins that he perhaps did not want in his 'complete' set. Some coins even in their finest examples aren't that good looking. If I recall correctly there are a few cents that weren't included in his complete set. The Strawberry Cent comes to mind because of the lack of quality examples.
-D
-Aristotle
Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
-Horace
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit? >>
Yes, but I know that I will fail miserably (and probably won't even complete 1/4 of the set). I'm only in my early twenties, so it will be interesting to see how far I can get. P.S. It is my understanding that Eliasberg didn't actually have a complete set by modern standards (even only counting the time period up until his death). I never researched that claim out to find out if it is true. >>
1792-1964 >>
I didn't think that Eliasberg had a 1933 Double Eagle or a Class II 1804 Dollar.
<< <i>My only complaint, they're not in color.
do any of them have a few hundred coins in the front that are color plated?
other than that yes the rest are b&w in mine
maybe there is an archive online, i bet there is
although there are a lot of images in the eliasberg registry
.
<< <i>.... Working toward collecting the whole shebang? I see the Gopher State Collection everywhere.... Is he On the Pursuit? >>
i would like to add a part B to the initial inquiry.
would it be best to do privately or publicly, pros and cons both ways
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