One Year Ago Today...
Tassa
Posts: 2,373 ✭✭
After working for Jade Rare Coin for nearly ten years, I officially took over the company and became the sole owner on September 13, 2015.
It doesn't feel like it has been a year. There are times when it's frustrating. There are times when it's almost overwhelming, but more often than not, it's a lot of fun and time flies when you're having fun.
To celebrate my one year anniversary as a business owner I'm having a giveaway with three winners. That is, if at least three people post to this thread. To be eligible, just answer one or both questions below by 11:59 PM EST 9/14/16. I will randomly pick three names. The first two will receive a 2016 Silver Eagle. The third will receive 1/10oz Gold Eagle (random date). Winners will be announced on 9/16/16.
What was the first collectible coin or numismatic item you acquired/purchased?
What was your most impulsive numismatic purchase?
Feel free to expand on your answers.
It doesn't feel like it has been a year. There are times when it's frustrating. There are times when it's almost overwhelming, but more often than not, it's a lot of fun and time flies when you're having fun.
To celebrate my one year anniversary as a business owner I'm having a giveaway with three winners. That is, if at least three people post to this thread. To be eligible, just answer one or both questions below by 11:59 PM EST 9/14/16. I will randomly pick three names. The first two will receive a 2016 Silver Eagle. The third will receive 1/10oz Gold Eagle (random date). Winners will be announced on 9/16/16.
What was the first collectible coin or numismatic item you acquired/purchased?
What was your most impulsive numismatic purchase?
Feel free to expand on your answers.
0
Comments
Hoard the keys
My first numismatic coin was a 1923 peace dollar given to me when I was about 7 years old and I still have it.
I have made some bad purchases but nothing impulsive that I can think of.
Wishing you all the best.
Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia
Findley Ridge Collection
About Findley Ridge
My first numismatic purchases were an 1846 large cent and an 1838 half dime, which I bought from my mother's cleaning lady when I was 11 years old. This was in 1960. I still have both coins. They only grade Good or a bit less.
This purchase was impulsive because I got caught up with "auction fever" and WAY over paid for it. It is an 1855-D gold dollar in PCGS EF-45. Personally I think that it grades AU-50 with totally original surfaces, but I still way over paid.
There have been several impulse buys to my detriment. I am working to control that. Worst probably was a gold dollar. Those coins are too small for me to enjoy and I soon sold it . (Yes, that is only my opinion. Some folks love them.)
My first coin (and I still have it) was an IHC I got on my paper route as a kid. An 1868 in F12,
but to me...at the time, it was amazing....still is.
My most impulsive buy was an ASE 1995W.... Was bidding on one on ebay and got a private
message from an individual that had one - PCGS slabbed.... and offered it at a good price... I snapped it up. Still have that one too.
Thanks for the chance in your celebratory giveaway...
Cheers, RickO
My first purchased coin was a 1925 Standing Liberty Quarter. I got it from Woolco Department Store in the late 70's. Like so many other young, inexperienced collectors, I used a little wet baking soda to "improve" it's look. I still have the coin today as a reminder of my youth, and not to mess with the natural aging process of coins. It is stowed away in a 2 x 2.
My most impulsive was a 1845 H10C that had an amazing color as a raw coin, I snagged it immediately off of ebay (beavercreekcoins), but then had second thoughts about buying raw coins. I hesitantly sent it in to PCGS, along with some others, and surprisingly it came back AU58, even JA gave it his approval through CAC. I still have this as well.
Continued success!
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
My first purchase was when I was the ripe old age of about 7 years old. It was a braided hair cent that I still have 48 years later. Silver coins and wheat cents had just recently come to an end and my interest in coins was somehow sparked by saving them. I managed to make a little money and got my mother to drive me to a coin store a few towns over. I picked out the oldest coin I thought I could afford because to a kid of course, the oldest must be the rarest, right? I was a few pennies short so mom "loaned" me the difference. At some point through the years I began to learn more and found it has environmental damage but it doesn't matter, I'll have it forever.
Most impulsive? This one! Took me about 3 seconds to decide.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
First purchase was a 1798 large cent as a early teen, wish I still had it.
Most impulsive: a BIN from Heritage 1904-S half in AU53. Still own and enjoy it. In my registry set.
Best wishes
Congrats on your business.
Forty years ago, in Kindergarten, I traded a German classmate an American cent for a German pfennig. Never looked back.
--Severian the Lame
Well I inherited my uncles small collection then bought some hole filler to complete the sets. Should have learned more about coins before jumping in.
--My first purchase was as a pre-teen, I had a few wheaties saved from change (it was the early 70s so they still showed up). we were visiting the older parents of a family friend and when he found out I liked wheat cents he let me buy 100 of his extras for a dollar. He had them sorted in a file box by dates and I made sure to pick one from every section as much as I could. No rarities of course, but I was escstatic.
--My most impulsive is a bit harder to pick. To some degree anything non bullion could be considered an impulse buy.
Hands down for most INFLUENTIAL impulse was when I was able to pick up the Dansco for the Japanese type set years ago on a whim. What started as a simple and vague interest in the pocket change of a country I was temporarily living in then morphed into a decent collection and then into my main collection.
I already had a 7070 that I had started working on about the same time (which includes a Jade, or pre-Jade coin or three). The 7070 isn't done yet, but the 7460 has been done, redone, and now has a slabbed counterpart 'virtual 7460' and I'm now deep into dates/varieties. All because I got that dang album
Congratulations.
What was the first collectible coin or numismatic item you acquired/purchased? Sometime in the late sixties I went to a coin store in Tustin, Ca. Put $.25 in the little "gumball machine" and received an 1885 IHC. My first coin!
What was your most impulsive numismatic purchase? A 1796 quarter
Feel free to expand on your answers. I was going to copy and paste with double spaces in order to expand my answers, but I was too lazy to do all that.
I honestly can't remember my first collectible/numi item.
Most impulsive....probably pulling the trigger on a 50peso random date sale a couple years ago as that was the biggest hunk of gold I've got - jumped from the usual 1/4 oz/sovereign size all the way up to the big boy.
My most impulsive purchase was a 1878 8TF Morgan VAM 14.11 NGC MS65.
I committed to Lee Crane before even having a clue as to how I would pay for it. I still own it, and it is still 2nd finest to the PCGS MS67 that was part of Lloyd Gabbert's "California" Registry set of 8TF's.
My sole transaction with Tassa was the smoothest dealer to dealer transaction I've ever made.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
Thanks for the give away. Nice of you to do.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Most impulsive.....trading my 16-D Dime anacs50 and cash for a 16-D PCGS62.
The first coin I had was given to me in the early 1990's. There was a coin presentation at the elementary school library. I went to a school in semi-rural Western Pennsylvania. I think it was during an open house or some other evening program/event. I was in 5th or 6th grade at the time. An older gentleman (who I think was a friend of the librarian there) showed the kids a bunch of odd-denomination coins and banknotes. At the end of the presentation he gave each of us a circulation clad half dollar. I remember mine had the year 1989 on it. I kept thinking, it would be really neat to make a wooden tray and have circular direct-fit slots where all of the coins I saw could be popped in. I could put the 1989 half dollar right in the middle since it was so cool looking. Definitely a proper centerpiece for any collection of coins. It wasn't going to be much of a stretch to start collecting coins. I was into collecting baseball cards at the time. I told my mom that I think that I wanted to start collecting coins. She really discouraged me from doing so. To paraphrase, she told me I should stick to baseball cards. Coins are full of scammers and counterfeits and I'd end up with a whole lot of nothing. I'm sure she saw some report on CBS news or 60 minutes that gave her that impression. I don't have the half dollar anymore, it went into the change jar shortly thereafter. So, I didn't start collecting coins until around 2002 when I was in college.
As for first impulse purchase... I was in college with a little money and a lot of ideas of what I might start to collect when I got my first real job. Our college chorus group took a trip to Washington D.C. While at the National Mall, I went into the Washington monument. After riding the elevator up to the top of inside the monument, there was a phone-booth sized gift shop. There, they sold brass medals for ~$12 that were in a cardboard holder that looked like an american flag. The medal had G. Washington on the front with a 3/4 profile from below that prominently showed his double chin, and the monument on the back. Impulse purchase granted.
My first collection I eventually decided on was a set of Roosevelt dimes. I collected almost all of the clad dates through circulation in college. I decided to get a Dansco album and fill it with only BU material. The medal certainly didn't "fit" into the rest of my collection. A few years ago, we had a yard sale, and I was in the mood to streamline my collection. The medal was still in the flag holder. The price tag from the monument was still on the holder as well (I didn't want to rip the cardboard pulling it off). I priced the medal at $8 and it sold very quickly early that morning.
I finally finished my Roosevelt dime collection this spring. I was needing a 1950-S and 1949-S in BU to finish the collection in the Dansco. The album had been missing those two holes for years when I finally decided to get the album wrapped up. It is now full from 1946 to 1913-P. (I'm not planning to get the next page, because I like having at least one "full" album).
about a dozen sets of 1960d (large and small date) cents from the coin shop in Redwood
City, Ca.
I was told they would be hot items down the road and I paid 25 cents a set. They had just been discovered and the shop owner showed me an article in some coin magazine to enforce his "investment" theme. I was 13 years old and did not even know that there was such a concept as investing for the future. I was just having fun!
bob
Here's a pic as I still own them and am still waiting for my investment to pay off!
Congratulations on your first anniversary and it's great seeing you post here.
My very first purchase was when I was about 15/16 ... I had a Whitman Bookshelf
Album for almost all circulating coins back in the early 1960's.
I spotted a choice VF 1931-S Cent and had to have it because it was impossible
to find most "S" mint coins in Boston - I remember the purchase as if it was yesterday,
I paid $17.50. Today, I'd call it an XF 40.
My most impulsive purchase - where do I begin ? Guess you could say my first 1892-O
Micro O Half in an ANACS AU 55 holder ( cachet ) ...which I bought from my friend, Peter
Shireman, MD. He flew into Naples, FL for a convention and I met him for dinner and
drinks. Over dinner he showed me his "second" tier Micro O. Some years later, I sold
that Micro O and purchased his MS 63 Micro O.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
What was the first collectible coin or numismatic item you acquired/purchased?- 1921-D Mercury Dime in VG+ in 2004. Saw it in an antique mall display case priced at $45. Went back and looked at it 4 times and debated about it for a week thinking "am I going to REALLY pay $45 for a DIME???!?!" Ended up going back and buying it and hadn't stopped buying since. Still have that coin that started the snowball.
What was your most impulsive numismatic purchase?- 1895 Half Eagle on ebay. Saw it with 27 seconds left to go in the auction and bid on it and won. Seller never shipped it and I lost $167 (the price they were going for at the time) by sending them a Money Order (before Paypal).
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
What was the first collectible coin or numismatic item you acquired/purchased?
Grandmother gave me a Whitman Lincoln folder when I was 10 or so.
What was your most impulsive numismatic purchase?
A colorful rainbow Morgan in a Dealers case at the FUN show about eight years ago. Didn't own a Morgan at the time, nor did I own anything toned. LOL
Most impulsive, I was visiting a friend across the country and there was antique mall/thing and it had a booth with some coins. I have been wanting a 2 1/2 dollar Indian forever but I didn't have my cell or anyway to check it out, but it was in a PCGS Slab and it was 'only' $425. Made an offer for 400 which he took. Was a 1914, so I ended up making a good deal, but with no prep at all. sometimes you just get lucky.
PS: First post.
My father gave me, from his mother's estate, a silver 3-cent piece. It wasn't special except it came from my grandmother I never really knew. But I treasured it for two decades before it was stolen in a burglary.
My most impulsive purchase was my first S-VDB, a circulated low-grade cent. I never found one in change. Never missed checking every wheatie I came across. I was determined to buy what I couldn't find, once I saved enough. Then I sprang and overpaid for a rather poor example.
Lance.
My most impulsive purchase was probably buying a monster toned Redfield Peace Dollar on eBay. I spent more money than usual, and my wife was not pleased. The coin ultimately was bagged for PVC, I had it restored, graded a 62, and lost it's Redfield pedigree in the process. I lost interest in the coin and sold it for a loss.
Congratulations on your anniversary, and thanks for the contest.
Most impulsive, I was visiting a friend across the country and there was antique mall/thing and it had a booth with some coins. I have been wanting a 2 1/2 dollar Indian forever but I didn't have my cell or anyway to check it out, but it was in a PCGS Slab and it was 'only' $425. Made an offer for 400 which he took. Was a 1914, so I ended up making a good deal, but with no prep at all. sometimes you just get lucky.
PS: First post.
My first was likely an early Lincoln Cent purchase for the album.
Most impulsive... Probably my first commemorative half for Cleveland!
My first numismatic item that I acquired, that I recall anyway, was given to me at Christmas when I was a kid back in 1987 by my grandmother. It was an 1838 Large Stars Seated Liberty Dime. She is still alive and is my last remaining grandparent. She get's a kick out of the fact that she started me down this path.
My most impulsive buy was an 1882-CC GSA Dollar that I came across ungraded. I knew it would grade at MS66 and paid 64 money for. I say it's the most impulsive buy, because I couldn't get my money out of my wallet fast enough and I didn't need to think about it for nearly as long as most of my other purchases.
My first "numismatic" purchase would have been when I was a kid....I WAY overpaid, back then, from Ron's Coin and Book and purchased a 1944 Mercury Dime. Still have it, somewhere. It's junk silver but I paid about triple that
I didn't know better. I was about 10. They took advantage of me (on multiple occasions as I didn't know better and had no one to guide me back then).
Impulse buy: NGC AU53 1955/55. I didn't want to wait. Wanted a 55/55DDO. Bought it. Sold it less than a month later to finance a MS63BN NGC 55/55DDO. That's why I call it an impulse buy.
This was back about 8 years ago or so. Probably others before. I know more after. But, this one sticks out as a big one to me. I'm not sad I did it. I actually got a few hundred more than I paid (purchased offline from Heritage and sold at a local show for cash and trade).
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Larry L.
Most impulsive? Tough call there as several purchases have been impulsive but I would have to say a 1821 Large Cent in XF40 about 7 or 8 years ago. At the time it was my most expensive purchase and just it was one of those 'might as well get one now' type decisions. Still have it too and I do like it.
Congrats on the one year anniversary and thanks for the giveaway chance!
K
My most impulsive purchase was a PCGS graded 1909sVDB Cent. It was costly but one of the most popular coin in the hobby! Thanks for the chance and may you be successful in your business. -joey
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
My first numismatic purchase was back in 1987. I would have been 16 at the time and had no idea about anything hobby-related. I grew up in the boonies and my first visit to a real coin shop wasn't until many years later. Somehow I was fascinated by the brand-new ASE program and I bought this from the mint. It's still the only proof in my collection:
My most impulsive purchase probably happened in Chicago, when I visited Harlan Berk's shop one day. I mentioned I might be interested in some ancients, but that I was (and still am) a total Noob in that area. A guy told me to follow him. I was ushered up the elevator to the big office upstairs. It was just after they opened for the morning and Mr. Berk himself sat down with me and took me on a numismatic journey through a literal treasure trove of material. I picked out a couple of more-or-less insignificant pieces to buy (a Marcus Aurelius and Maximinus Thrax) and then he asked if I wanted to see "the good stuff". Of course! He disappeared back in the vaults and came out with a couple of trays of early gold, unique pieces, and seven-figure coins. He said, "pick them up. Enjoy them." How freaking cool! All raw. All impressive. The then gave me a copy of his book "100 Greatest Ancient Coins". (some of which I had just played with). Someday, as a pure hobby of love, I can easily see myself drawn to early Roman & Greek coinage.
Most impulsive was probably this one. Didn't really fit with my collection, but I decided that any collection benefits from a really cool coin. I may be buried in it, maybe not.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
What was the first collectible coin or numismatic item you acquired/purchased?
What was your most impulsive numismatic purchase?
Feel free to expand on your answers.
Great questions and giveaway!
The first collectible coin I ever acquired or purchased was a circulated Barber Dime for 50 cents... won in a 'bid board' auction ay a local coin shop when I was in elementary school. The coin was harshly cleaned and had a catalog value of 30 cents.
I still have that coin to this day, staple-sealed in the original poly-bag packaging attached to the paper card that hung on the Bid Board in the Coin Shop.
The name of the shop was 'The Mint'... and this will likely be the only Barber Dime I will ever own in "original packaging from The Mint".
My most impulsive numismatic purchase is more difficult to nail down. There have been many.. I suppose... from my teen years through to present day... but one in particular comes to mind. It's the 1964-D 'Daniel Carr' Moonlight Mint Peace Dollar. The moment I read (on this forum) about these going on sale I 'pulled the trigger'.
"This guy might go to jail.." I thought to myself, "..but they probably won't recall the overstruck coins. Better grab one while I can." I've always been into numismatic exonumia as much as the coins themselves (my office is decorated with everything from Deep Mirror Proof Like Eisenhower Dollar Jello Molds... to Numismatic License Plate Art Projects... and a 1964-D Peace Dollar made a nice addition to the display).
My first ever numismatic purchase was in June 1982 and it was an 1879-P Morgan $ in AU condition purchased at a local coin shop. My eyes were WIDE as I bought the 103 year old coin and got to actually TAKE IT HOME with me
On impulsive, that's a toughy. I used to do a lot of that kind of buying, LOL. I suppose the worst example was when I was in my early twenties in 1990. I was bidding on a gold $10 Indian in a "live" estate auction without having a real clue what it was worth or any idea of how to grade the coin at the time. I was more concerned with showing off for my girlfriend than anything else. Of course, I won it (right?!) and then doubled down on my stupidity by accepting the opportunity to go ahead and purchase the other TWO examples being auctioned later that day for the same price. (Obviously the auctioneer knew he had a fish on the hook with me) So, I walked away with 3 cleaned pieces of gold worth about 50% of what I had just paid for them. That was my most impulsive (and worst) purchase.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
My most impulsive buy, aside from my first coin purchase, was the 2011 Silver Eagle 25th anniversary set. I just went with seemingly everyone else on the forums I frequented at the time and bought two. I flipped one and kept one. And the sold the one I kept. It was impulsive because that was only a year or two after I really started collecting and it was a $600 purchase to boot. I still remember trying to log in and complete my purchase for 3.5 hours that day. I got through. Many didn't.
Thanks for the giveaway and good luck in your next year of business!
My first coin was an 1865 dime.
My most impulsive purchase was a raw 1812 AU Large Cent, ex Norweb.
siliconvalleycoins.com
Cogrates!!!
My most impulsive purchase was probably a 1913 Matte Proof Lincoln in a basement slab from eBay seller censtles that turned out to be MS.
Check out my iPhone app SlabReader!
My first was a whizzed Buffalo Nickel in a fancy cardboard flip marked "UNC" at Grants Department Store in about 1970 for .75 cents.
Ah you made me all nostalgic for lil Dogwood and his hobbies.