More than one way to build a world class collection
Gazes
Posts: 2,315 ✭✭✭✭✭
It struck me that we are now witnessing two of the greatest collections ever---the Hansen collection and the Tyrant collection.
The collectors could not be more different in their approaches to forming their collection. One was built over years and years in the utmost secrecy and the other is possibly the most transparent major collection ever put together. Polar opposites in collecting style.
Bottom line is each did it entirely different and each have built collections that will rank as one of the greatest.
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The Tyrant gold collection is amazing... Cheers, RickO
Many great collectors used secretive methods to build their collections. Quite a few great collectors bought entire collections, just to pick out a few coins to upgrade their collections. Sometimes, the remnants (seconds) were secretively discarded via auction, using the names of other collectors (Naftzger and Woodin frequently used this tactic).
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
One thing is common... Piles of cash...
Interesting to see these things happen...
What is the Hansen collection missing?
I got to see Tyrant’s eagle collection at Long Beach and it is beyond amazing. I’m sure there are advantages and disadvantages to the way he and Hansen have put together their collections but it’s something I’ll never have to worry about. Even though Tyrant put his collection together in obscurity and I have no idea who he is he is, at least he is making his collection available to the public like Hansen.
Tyrant is in another league
Latin American Collection
Bottom line is building a world class collection takes money. The collector with an average income, regardless of how lofty their collecting goals, will be able to build either a large collection of average coins or a very small collection of world class coins.
I just can’t stand this perception that world class collectors have a better eye for quality than the rest. Does anyone else see the correlation?
From what I've read over and over, they seem to rely on dealers to find the best coins. I'm sure there are many world class owners who know all about the history and lineage of their coins but I wonder how many know more than what the auction house told them?
In any case, I'm glad these people are around. They have amazing coins that they are able to preserve from generation to generation.
I judge the collection and the collector not by how many world class, expensive coins are there, but by how many marginal coins there are in the set. Money can buy the best, but the better eye filters out the coins which degrade the collection as a whole.
@tradedollarnut , @PrivateCoinCollector , Pogue and Tyrant all fit that bill for me of collectors who are well heeled but have superb taste and avoid the trappings of bringing coins into their collections which detract.
Latin American Collection
Everything is relative. If I look at 5 collections where each collector spent $2500 I will see one or two who had a better eye than the the others. Likewise, when we look at collections that are worth millions, some collectors have a better eye (or their trusted advisors do). Its just as unfair to claim the collector who has an expensive collection to only have deep pockets but not a good eye as it is to say a collector on a small budget does not have a good eye because his coins are valued less.
The Fox saint set came up for sale recently.
I would have passed on 95% of them even if I had the money.
Hansen bought 1 or 2 even though his average would have gone up a bunch had he taken the entire set.
The one he did buy was my favorite & didn't even have a bean.
I'm thinking seriously about taking a 1 1/2 point hit on a MS65 to replace my MS66+ because it just looks better.
I'll drop two places for it but oh-well.
My Saint Set
Better, best, shmest!
I think big collections that are publicized are GOOD for the hobby.
I'd like to see popular magazines do stories on the coins and the collectors.
We have precious little publicity about our hobby. Interest comes from exposure.
Publicity may not be a good thing.
I seriousy doubt the major collections are kept in cigar boxes in the garage.
But you're right. Keep these collections secret, buried, and tell no one about coin collecting.
I don't know but there's a lot of ex-Hansen pieces for sale. I assume they've been upgraded and these are the castaways. It seems it's like change from the cash register to him!
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Hansen fills holes and upgrades.....reminds me of me. Only I buy $500 coins and he buys $500K coins.