Your Hot Topic
Gazes
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I think most of us are aware Legend's Hot Topics article that is posted on their site every now and then. Whether you agree or disagree with her opinion it is almost always interesting.
If you had to write a Hot Topic article, what would be the subject matter? For instance, i think a terrific one would be "how concerned should copper collectors be of coins turning"
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Gazes,
The answer to your concern about red coppers turning is simple: be very concerned, especially if you live in an area that is typically quite humid. I have unfortunate experiences with this issue.
A bigger problem concerns counterfeiting--die-struck counterfeits are getting increasingly scary, and fooling graders.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I agree that counterfeiting coins would be a major hot topic, that would also include the ebay venue and how to better police/control the coin issues there. Next would be the marketing plan to reinvigorate coin shows post pandemic. Cheers, RickO
The effect of the internet on the newfound ability to reach out and select coins from all over the world.
The future of the coin market post coronavirus. How dealers will source inventory, auctions with sight unseen bidding, coin shows, etc
If I were a dealer living in Dallas I’d sure try and make a new model for Heritage auction representation .
Latin American Collection
My hot topic for US Coins would be - The future potential of Classic Commems - Acquire by type or Key Dates?
Razing ANA and starting from zero to create a meaningful membership model.
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
How blocking access to true views has financially helped me.....
WS
I am pretty much done with hot topics... But I am posting two coins seldom seen here.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Finding ways to grow the hobby, grow the collector base, grow the enthusiasm for these shiny (and not so shiny) bits and bobs.
Should we return the 5 cent coins to the size of a half dime to lower the cost of production of 5 cent pieces.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
Thanks. Ive always had an interest in copper but early on i had a number dealers i trusted said it was "right" to be concerned about coins turning. Ever since i have generally stayed away from them. Thought it would make an interesting hot topics discussion especially since Legend sells some amazing copper.
That "hot topic" would be better served by "will there ever be a future for Classic Commems?" And with detailed analysis to prove IF there is any potential there at all. Other than pop tops and monster toners in REG sets, these things have only gone down in price steadily since 1989. You'd figure if after 20 yrs of price declines.....then that could very likely be the "new normal." They've been mentioned many times in both Market Place and Hot Topic articles since around 2004....always recommended as "great values"....and usually going nowhere.
“Is our Focus on Grading a Death Trap for the Hobby?”
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Obviously the biggest Hot Topic around here is CAC!
Is the answer then to buy top pops and monster toners?
Hasn’t online all but killed auction reps esp considering the number of Ex-dealers working the phones for them.
1-maybe some time is money whales
2-a few that out of friendship, loyalty or blind (eye trust) to an old school dealer who knows the style or holistic set quality of the collector better than they do.
Little side money but not enough to keep the lights on. I would be surprised
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
It might be but that would mean very few people could participate both based on supply constraints and dollar constraints.
The other option would be to treat it like a hobby instead of an investment.
While you may not get a positive return on all coins, you still get something so it's not a total loss like skiing or golf.
The answer depends upon the reason they’re being bought.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
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My Saint Set
I started off with an interested in red large cents, but when I heard about all the doctoring and coins turning, I stayed away. The only red large cents I have now are from Dan Carr.
Hot Topic: "We Get It, You're a Billionaire And We Don't Care."
Buy whatever you want but stop taking up 2, 3....registry slots. Instead upload the photos of your 'Spare Examples' and post them up as second and third photos on your primary set so you can show the other photos of coins you have. All you are doing is making people mad and that will go a long way in how history is written and how you are viewed. It's how you treat other people that's important and right now it isn't looking very good.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Is this something that PCGS could do rather than collectors?
Registry Sets are a nice way to organize coins for collectors.
PCGS could just change the code so each person gets has a limited number of sets ranked per category.
How much weight to give to forum opinions.
How to successfully move classes and club meetings online.
I understand the sentiment behind this post. My thinking is that two registry sets per category is a reasonable maximum. The #1 set should be allowed to contain just images of the best example of each issue. Beyond that, all other duplicates could/should be consolidated into a second set. IMHO, PCGS should consider codifying (and enforcing) this as a policy.
I've bought many things over the years for perfectly good reasons that turned out badly.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
That's simple. They are worth what you paid for them.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I value them a lot more than that, but not all opinions are equally valued!
I think forums are one of the best ways for new collectors to learn and avoid paying too much tuition.
Pay attention to who you are paying attention to.
Agreed, many opinions are worth a great deal. However, sometimes those who could benefit the most, either don’t see them or do, but ignore them.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
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P.S. This is a creative and interesting thread.
What would be interesting to know is if there is any proof showing that copper coins have a higher % of turning in a holder. I have stated before and will state again, I have collected RD and RB copper for 40 years and have never had one turn on me.
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase/2819
To me there's enough "proof" when the TPGs reduce guarantees on copper.
"Here's an unpopular opinion... I think the best thing a serious copper collector can do is get to know at least one of the doctors who works on them for other dealers and collectors. Some are extraordinary numismatists, savant purists who believe in their craft and legacy of preserving, not harming coins. They'll be able to instantly see their own work or the work of their colleagues. They're bitterly critical of hacks."
The really expert coin doctors, who specialize in copper coins, do have a deep knowledge. That does NOT excuse what they are doing. It is called fraud when a doctored coin is sent to a TPG or sold without disclosure of the work done. They are doing this for money, knowing that a collector may well get burned somewhere down the line.
"You can pretend that this doesn't happen, say all doctoring is bad, but I think this process is as common as sending coins to CAC in the copper dealing community. Everyone sophisticated knows that it happens all the time. Take advantage of it."
And perhaps collectors should learn tips from counterfeitors. I am astonished by this post. In ANA Summer Seminars, there have been coin doctors who taught classes, and I have a problem with that sort of thing too.
Collectors should not in any way legitimize what these people are doing, regardless of how much they know about coins (particularly surfaces).
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
"The astonishing thing is that every major dealer probably knows everyone I'm talking about"
On balance, I agree. I have long thought that this is one of the dark undercurrents of the coin business.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I sure would to love to know who so I can take their courses in the future to avoid purchasing pieces that worked on.
Well, well over 90% of 19th century and earlier silver coins would be all but black if they had not been dipped at some point in their history. I'm a firm believer of this.
Hint: You can't handle the truth!
The Continued Melting of Pre-1933 US Gold Coins - Good or Bad?
He who knows he has enough is rich.
"Well, well over 90% of 19th century and earlier silver coins would be all but black if they had not been dipped at some point in their history. I'm a firm believer of this."
I agree. However, even intermediate collectors can figure this out. How about fake red coppers? All bets are usually off, until the color starts to turn. How about cleverly tooled coins, some sitting in top-tier slabs? Things have gotten so bad that when I see a copper coin that I am sure was artificially darkened, I immediately wonder why (i.e., I start looking for tool marks).
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
I have been collecting coins for more than half a century. If I couldn't handle the truth, I would have permanently exited the hobby a long time ago.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
It was a reference to @ColonelJessup .
I hope he starts posting again. He has a lot of knowledge and history of our hobby.
"Collectors should at least try to understand the sharky waters they swim in"
Absolutely.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]