Actually, if you only spend play money the mental anguish isn't too terrible. When you start tying up retirement and the kids education fund... well, then I guess a sour market ruins the fun.
the first coin I bought I paid 225 dollars for a 1885 CC morgan dollar pcgs ms-65. I actually paid about retail for it, but I made out ok anyway, just like other coins I bought when I first started collecting
@keets said:
With the current state of the Hobby it seems easy enough to say something like "My collection has lost value" and everyone understands. There is a little difference in saying "I Iost money on a coin" which a lot of people are loathe to admit. If that's you, how do you cross the bridge to get there??
For my own part, I am in the black if i look at what I have bought, what I have sold and what i still have. All the same I have made some noteworthy blunders and taken some baths, not easy to admit. I usually keep such mistakes around for a bit to remind me before relegating them to the "hold" box. That's the important part for me because stuff gets in there I have fully detached and I can easily sell them.
Is it hard for you to admit mistakes, take a loss and learn the lesson??
Al H.
I will admit it. EVERY coin in my collection, I have lost money...every SINGLE coin. All underwater, all losses, all big fat financial losers.
I'm used to it. Overall I've come out ahead on the things I've sold in the last fifteen years, but it tends to be the case that I lose 10 or 15% on six items and then double my money on one. I think I've sold about twice the value of my present holdings, and realistically I think I'd still come out ahead if I had to liquidate everything this month, but again that's because I have here and there a big winner among a roster of slight losses and a few real catastrophes.
I'll never get out of this one without taking a 50% haircut, but it's still one of my favorite coins.
I never lost any money on a rare coin ;lkajud;nfdkjl;palkdja ls a';dfkja Hold On! I knocked my monitor over again with my ever growing nose, be right back.
@lkenefic said:
think 1909-S VDB... (for you newbies... it really isn't that rare of a coin!)
I know some have this opinion and I find it interesting. 484,000 mintage compared to in some cases hundreds of millions more makes it pretty rare to me. The closest in terms of mintage is the 31s at 866,000. Saying it is not rare based on a few other key coins in the series of course does not negate the market dictated price, but is your point that 484,000 is a lot of coins compared to key coins in other series?
Hi matt... When discussing the rarity of any coin, we have to take into consideration the numbers that were initially minted, certainly. However, that only begins to tell the story. In the case of the 09-S VDB, it was the first year of issue of a new type. The numbers that were saved were higher than typically seen for later issues. Couple that with the rarity being known from the outset and those that did circulate were snatched up within a few years. I can go to any major show and find dozens of 09-S VDB's... every B&M shop I frequented had at least one or two at any given time so people could "fill that last hole". Couple this with the mystique of the date/mm and the price went up, and up... Now, a few years later in the same issue... the 1914-D... mintage: 1.193 M. In lower grades, these can be had relatively easy... they circulated! However, in choice AU or in MS, it's a much tougher coin than the 09-S VDB and it is typically reflected in the price.
Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;
When one buys a new or used car from a dealership you know that if you sold it the next day or month or year you would sell it at a loss. No one I know has any problem telling someone they resold a car at a loss.
Same with jewelry, books, furniture, etc.
What is it about coins which makes it hard for someone to acknowledge they resold at a loss?
Cars, books, furniture are consumables. Try fine art, stocks, mutual funds, real estate. No one buys a coin to enjoy looking at it for five years with a plan to trade it in at its new depreciated value. With all of those we buy at retail, sell at wholesale. Real estate there is usually a 6% difference between the two, stocks and funds less, sometimes a lot less. Not sure what the spread is for jewelry since I don't own any, or rather what I own is completely disposable, but I bet it is a lot more than coins.
I've sold about $10,000 of coins over the past couple years. Mostly raw coins worth less than $100 each that I bought as a kid years ago. I probably lost money on them. I'm OK with it. It would take tremendous effort and patience to sell coins in that price range for a profit nowadays.
How about the one that got away! I had high hopes for a long time held MS64 coin. Just prior to auction it was sent to CAC and it did not CAC. It then sold at auction for 65% of PCGS. The buyer immediately resubmitted it to PCGS and was upgraded to PCGS Secure MS64+ pushing it's PCGS value to $12,000!
@zodiac65 said:
It used to really bug me.
Now, I live by that old motto, you win some, you lose some.
Funny how it all averages out to the positive in the end.
What bugs me a whole lot more right now, is with the depressed market,
how many dealers & collectors get miffed, when I hit them with a fair market offer.
Like, I'm the bad guy, because the market is down/way down, and they are buried, asking multiples of fair current market!
I have experienced this.
Spoke to a dealer and made an offer on a coin, he said, no, then I would lose money on it.
But, the value is down.
I can't lose money.
So, I said: so, it is okay for us to lose money but not you?
@Paradisefound said:
It's natural phenomena ........ called EGO ...... hard to admit you are a looser even to your spouse.
I always told I bought low and sell high to my friends
Sounds like you are talking about weed.
"May the silver waves that bear you heavenward be filled with love’s whisperings"
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
I can honestly say I have never lost money on a coin.... Only because I do not sell coins. I have no doubt that I have coins that I could not sell for as much as I paid for them.... On the other hand, I have coins that were a bargain when purchased. Overall, I have no idea whether I am above or below the tide...and not really worried about it. Cheers, RickO
I'm a coin collector and not a coin investor. (Yes I know, dealers like that) I have made money on a few coins but lost a lot more than I've made. That never bothered me too much since I'm happy with how my collection has evolved.
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
@Raybob15239 said:
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
@Raybob15239 said:
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
I'm sorry to hear that you were forced to sell your coins. If it is any consolation, the loses you took around 2008 were probably lower than if you sold a few years after. Either way, I'm sorry for your circumstances.
1995p DDO Lincoln was my first coins purchased and my biggest loss.
Bought three during the heyday at $200 each... Sold three in 2015 at around $10 each
A lot of $10, $20, and $30 losses.
Some small and big wins come to mind of $100, $250, $500, $1000, $1500 etc...
I have recorded every purchase this year. Despite my inability to say "no" to some coins, should be good for a slight profit from a recent small lot purchase.
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
I am not sure buying coins 500 dollars and up each is what most consider a hobby now days. Especially if the intrinsic value of the object is almost nothing compared to the purchase price. To get to this point.. the point of obscene pricing for such items we have entered the realm of investment and speculation. The reason prices got as high as they did is because almost everyone thinks they can break even or make a buck. That leads to high prices and then collapsing prices when people see the emperor has no clothes on.
Do you really think people would pay 35,000 for a coin that is not the highest graded... not the best looking... and there are quite a few others just like it if they knew they could never sell it for a good percentage of what they paid? Of course not. But that is what we have today. That little thought in the back of coin buyer's mind that it will hold its value. Normally a hobby does not have that mentality. The "collectible market" does though which has connotations of investment, speculation, and a whole group of people whose only job is to support this concept of how things should be priced.
It rarely ends well. But I will freely admit the coin hobby has a glorious history of this concept going back a long ways. But it will never last for the sheer majority of material. But dang.. coin collecting is quite resilient.
I am not sure buying coins 500 dollars and up each is what most consider a hobby now days. Especially if the intrinsic value of the object is almost nothing compared to the purchase price.
hey, FC, someone finally said it.
we need the sister thread to the "Buy the coin, not the holder" thread, maybe that could be it.
It's okay to make a mistake as long as you learn from it and don't make the exact same mistake again.
Very few collectors actually make money in this hobby. You should know that going in.
In terms of where I am financially in the hobby, I have no idea. I have a few type coins that I can sell for twice what I paid for them, and others which are down up to 50% of what I paid.
Add in what they would grade now (just got 3 pluses on coins I dropped off at Long Beach two weeks ago). One is worth double what I paid for it, one is now worth what I paid for it, and the other I'm up $800. So I honestly have no idea. I do my best not to worry about it.
"Vou invadir o Nordeste, "Seu cabra da peste, "Sou Mangueira......."
@ErrorsOnCoins said:
Is there a chart somewhere showing the pricing of classic commemoratives over the years?
I absolutely love the series, I owned many at one time but sold all to put into error coinage.
There are a few I would like to buy back in higher grades.
Yes. Just go to Coin Prices on the PCGS website and click Price Guide. Look for Silver Commemoratives under Commemoratives. Pick a coin and a grade. Click that and you can expand the chart by clicking "All" which will give you a chart from September 1, 2004. Not a pretty picture.
@jmski52 said:
Not lose money on a coin? Shirley, you jest.
I have lost money on a coin and stop calling me Shirley.
But I think that curiosity and knowledge have led to "luck". I hope I have made more than lost over the years - it is really fun, so I think I'm ahead in the game so far.
@Raybob15239 said:
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
I'm sorry to hear that you were forced to sell your coins. If it is any consolation, the loses you took around 2008 were probably lower than if you sold a few years after. Either way, I'm sorry for your circumstances.
It's not bad...I got to keep my Morgan and Peace VAMs, and that has been my focus since. With too many different sets, I was all over the place. It was a blessing in some respects, getting me to focus on one or two series.
Remember when Bowers and Ruddy....and then Bowers and Merena....used to have a standard saying in their catalogs: Something like...we have never seen an instance where someone bought coins from us, held for ten years or more...and did not realize a profit. Those were the days!
Please note: I do not mean to impugn the integrity of Bowers, Ruddy or Merena....they are top notch and of course very respectable. The market is what it is...
I’ve been lucky and stumbled into a couple of good deals and made money a couple of times but I’ve probably lost more than made. Not serous money but still a loss but I’m having fun with money I can afford to loose. I’ve never looked at coins as an investment only as an investment for my soul.
OK. I'll come clean. I once traded my Franklin halves (~15 coins) for a bunch of acid date buffalo nickels with mint marks when I was 12 years old. Great dates but they are only worth a nickel. I've since spent them.
I like circulated commems, so I've taken somewhat of a beating but I enjoy collecting them. Hopefully, my SLH's and CBH's will offset the losses.
@Raybob15239 said:
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
I'm not sure how divorces work. Could you have transferred those coins to your ex at the price you paid?
@Insider2 said:
I don't recall ever selling a coin for less than I paid for it. However, I have actually lost tons of profits because I neglected to find out where the market was at the time of sale or being too strict with my grading: AU's becoming MS's as soon as I sold them. That's not going to happen anymore if I sell something .
That's hard to believe that you never sold a coin for less than you paid !
If that is true you would do well as a dealer.
I manage money. I earn money. I save money . I give away money. I collect money. I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
@Raybob15239 said:
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
I'm not sure how divorces work. Could you have transferred those coins to your ex at the price you paid?
I had to sell to pay legal fees, etc. The ex didn't get the money... My lawyer Got most of it.
I don't quite understand the concept of selling off our mistakes, except perhaps in the context of tax management. The 'mistakes' may still be very nice coins.
Let me unabashedly describe one of my biggest mistakes.
About 15 + years ago, I bought a quite stunning raw Lafayette dollar, and paid MS65 money for it. It terms of strike, marks, and underlying luster, the coin is clearly a 'gem', However, the toning is an even gunmetal gray that I find attractive, but many (including PCGS, it seems) do not. The coin graded MS63 at PCGS.
I don't disagree with PCGS' judgment. I think it probably is a 63-64 by their standards. Clearly I'll never recoup the money I paid for it. But, I still like the coin and am happy to have it in my set of class commems.
Comments
You sound like my wife. OK fine. I admit it!
Actually, if you only spend play money the mental anguish isn't too terrible. When you start tying up retirement and the kids education fund... well, then I guess a sour market ruins the fun.
yep
Play me a dirge.
the first coin I bought I paid 225 dollars for a 1885 CC morgan dollar pcgs ms-65. I actually paid about retail for it, but I made out ok anyway, just like other coins I bought when I first started collecting
You win some, you lose some. That's accurate.
'No one was ever meant, to remember or invent what was done with every cent...' Robert Frost.
Follow your idea, follow your passion, and the money will come sooner or later.
Don't put the cart before the horse.
I will admit it. EVERY coin in my collection, I have lost money...every SINGLE coin. All underwater, all losses, all big fat financial losers.
I'm used to it. Overall I've come out ahead on the things I've sold in the last fifteen years, but it tends to be the case that I lose 10 or 15% on six items and then double my money on one. I think I've sold about twice the value of my present holdings, and realistically I think I'd still come out ahead if I had to liquidate everything this month, but again that's because I have here and there a big winner among a roster of slight losses and a few real catastrophes.
I'll never get out of this one without taking a 50% haircut, but it's still one of my favorite coins.
There is a difference between admitting to a loss and outright bragging about it. Who seriously wants to play the "Biggest Loser" numismatic edition?
I never lost any money on a rare coin ;lkajud;nfdkjl;palkdja ls a';dfkja Hold On! I knocked my monitor over again with my ever growing nose, be right back.
Hi matt... When discussing the rarity of any coin, we have to take into consideration the numbers that were initially minted, certainly. However, that only begins to tell the story. In the case of the 09-S VDB, it was the first year of issue of a new type. The numbers that were saved were higher than typically seen for later issues. Couple that with the rarity being known from the outset and those that did circulate were snatched up within a few years. I can go to any major show and find dozens of 09-S VDB's... every B&M shop I frequented had at least one or two at any given time so people could "fill that last hole". Couple this with the mystique of the date/mm and the price went up, and up... Now, a few years later in the same issue... the 1914-D... mintage: 1.193 M. In lower grades, these can be had relatively easy... they circulated! However, in choice AU or in MS, it's a much tougher coin than the 09-S VDB and it is typically reflected in the price.
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
I usually buy high and sell low.
Cars, books, furniture are consumables. Try fine art, stocks, mutual funds, real estate. No one buys a coin to enjoy looking at it for five years with a plan to trade it in at its new depreciated value. With all of those we buy at retail, sell at wholesale. Real estate there is usually a 6% difference between the two, stocks and funds less, sometimes a lot less. Not sure what the spread is for jewelry since I don't own any, or rather what I own is completely disposable, but I bet it is a lot more than coins.
I've sold about $10,000 of coins over the past couple years. Mostly raw coins worth less than $100 each that I bought as a kid years ago. I probably lost money on them. I'm OK with it. It would take tremendous effort and patience to sell coins in that price range for a profit nowadays.
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
Never.....would I admit such a terrible thing. At least when you lose money you don't have to pay the IRS.
Successful BST deals with mustangt and jesbroken. Now EVERYTHING is for sale.
I have won and lost on some.
If your not taking losses your not doing anything.
I have lost money on the majority of the coins in my collection, I just will not know it until I sell them.
How about the one that got away! I had high hopes for a long time held MS64 coin. Just prior to auction it was sent to CAC and it did not CAC. It then sold at auction for 65% of PCGS. The buyer immediately resubmitted it to PCGS and was upgraded to PCGS Secure MS64+ pushing it's PCGS value to $12,000!
I have experienced this.
Spoke to a dealer and made an offer on a coin, he said, no, then I would lose money on it.
But, the value is down.
I can't lose money.
So, I said: so, it is okay for us to lose money but not you?
And walked away
BHNC #203
Sounds like you are talking about weed.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Overall I have lost money collecting coins and bullion but I enjoy the hobby.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
I can honestly say I have never lost money on a coin.... Only because I do not sell coins. I have no doubt that I have coins that I could not sell for as much as I paid for them.... On the other hand, I have coins that were a bargain when purchased. Overall, I have no idea whether I am above or below the tide...and not really worried about it. Cheers, RickO
I'm a coin collector and not a coin investor. (Yes I know, dealers like that) I have made money on a few coins but lost a lot more than I've made. That never bothered me too much since I'm happy with how my collection has evolved.
I prefer to think of this as an unintentionally not for profit venture.
Not lose money on a coin? Shirley, you jest.
I knew it would happen.
I had to sell most of my collection during my divorce. Sold most on eBay. Some stuff a made a little on; some I broke even. I took a bath on proof sets, Indian Head Cents, V Nickels... I am pretty sure that I took a loss on my Merc Dime and Walking Liberty sets, too. It was a bad time to sell and I had no choice. Haven't sold anything since 2008 and don't plan to any time soon. Some of the stuff I don't miss, but there are a few that I really wish I had back....
I'm sorry to hear that you were forced to sell your coins. If it is any consolation, the loses you took around 2008 were probably lower than if you sold a few years after. Either way, I'm sorry for your circumstances.
your not aone
1995p DDO Lincoln was my first coins purchased and my biggest loss.
Bought three during the heyday at $200 each... Sold three in 2015 at around $10 each
A lot of $10, $20, and $30 losses.
Some small and big wins come to mind of $100, $250, $500, $1000, $1500 etc...
I have recorded every purchase this year. Despite my inability to say "no" to some coins, should be good for a slight profit from a recent small lot purchase.
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
Is there a chart somewhere showing the pricing of classic commemoratives over the years?
I absolutely love the series, I owned many at one time but sold all to put into error coinage.
There are a few I would like to buy back in higher grades.
I am not sure buying coins 500 dollars and up each is what most consider a hobby now days. Especially if the intrinsic value of the object is almost nothing compared to the purchase price. To get to this point.. the point of obscene pricing for such items we have entered the realm of investment and speculation. The reason prices got as high as they did is because almost everyone thinks they can break even or make a buck. That leads to high prices and then collapsing prices when people see the emperor has no clothes on.
Do you really think people would pay 35,000 for a coin that is not the highest graded... not the best looking... and there are quite a few others just like it if they knew they could never sell it for a good percentage of what they paid? Of course not. But that is what we have today. That little thought in the back of coin buyer's mind that it will hold its value. Normally a hobby does not have that mentality. The "collectible market" does though which has connotations of investment, speculation, and a whole group of people whose only job is to support this concept of how things should be priced.
It rarely ends well. But I will freely admit the coin hobby has a glorious history of this concept going back a long ways. But it will never last for the sheer majority of material. But dang.. coin collecting is quite resilient.
I am not sure buying coins 500 dollars and up each is what most consider a hobby now days. Especially if the intrinsic value of the object is almost nothing compared to the purchase price.
hey, FC, someone finally said it.
we need the sister thread to the "Buy the coin, not the holder" thread, maybe that could be it.
It's okay to make a mistake as long as you learn from it and don't make the exact same mistake again.
Very few collectors actually make money in this hobby. You should know that going in.
In terms of where I am financially in the hobby, I have no idea. I have a few type coins that I can sell for twice what I paid for them, and others which are down up to 50% of what I paid.
Add in what they would grade now (just got 3 pluses on coins I dropped off at Long Beach two weeks ago). One is worth double what I paid for it, one is now worth what I paid for it, and the other I'm up $800. So I honestly have no idea. I do my best not to worry about it.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
Yes. Just go to Coin Prices on the PCGS website and click Price Guide. Look for Silver Commemoratives under Commemoratives. Pick a coin and a grade. Click that and you can expand the chart by clicking "All" which will give you a chart from September 1, 2004. Not a pretty picture.
I have lost money on a coin and stop calling me Shirley.
But I think that curiosity and knowledge have led to "luck". I hope I have made more than lost over the years - it is really fun, so I think I'm ahead in the game so far.
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
It's not bad...I got to keep my Morgan and Peace VAMs, and that has been my focus since. With too many different sets, I was all over the place. It was a blessing in some respects, getting me to focus on one or two series.
cheer up at least you don't collect stamps
I ascribe to the notion that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay.
Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
I don't like it when I sell for a loss...But, I get the money working in a different direction.. And it works out sometimes..
I had a few homeruns about 20 years ago, and this was with dealers at coin shows.
Now a days I just hate trying to make a deal with those...…………………….
Just to make it clear i'm in the red and I just don't care.
Remember when Bowers and Ruddy....and then Bowers and Merena....used to have a standard saying in their catalogs: Something like...we have never seen an instance where someone bought coins from us, held for ten years or more...and did not realize a profit. Those were the days!
Please note: I do not mean to impugn the integrity of Bowers, Ruddy or Merena....they are top notch and of course very respectable. The market is what it is...
I’ve been lucky and stumbled into a couple of good deals and made money a couple of times but I’ve probably lost more than made. Not serous money but still a loss but I’m having fun with money I can afford to loose. I’ve never looked at coins as an investment only as an investment for my soul.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/publishedset/209923
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/album/209923
I haven't lost anything yet & I'll be fine once gold gets to 5K/oz.
My Saint Set
OK. I'll come clean. I once traded my Franklin halves (~15 coins) for a bunch of acid date buffalo nickels with mint marks when I was 12 years old. Great dates but they are only worth a nickel. I've since spent them.
I like circulated commems, so I've taken somewhat of a beating but I enjoy collecting them. Hopefully, my SLH's and CBH's will offset the losses.
I'm not sure how divorces work. Could you have transferred those coins to your ex at the price you paid?
That's hard to believe that you never sold a coin for less than you paid !
If that is true you would do well as a dealer.
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
I had to sell to pay legal fees, etc. The ex didn't get the money... My lawyer Got most of it.
I don't quite understand the concept of selling off our mistakes, except perhaps in the context of tax management. The 'mistakes' may still be very nice coins.
Let me unabashedly describe one of my biggest mistakes.
About 15 + years ago, I bought a quite stunning raw Lafayette dollar, and paid MS65 money for it. It terms of strike, marks, and underlying luster, the coin is clearly a 'gem', However, the toning is an even gunmetal gray that I find attractive, but many (including PCGS, it seems) do not. The coin graded MS63 at PCGS.
I don't disagree with PCGS' judgment. I think it probably is a 63-64 by their standards. Clearly I'll never recoup the money I paid for it. But, I still like the coin and am happy to have it in my set of class commems.