2020 Recap - How did your collection change?
Catbert
Posts: 7,656 ✭✭✭✭✭
- How did your collection change over the last year?
- Did you decide to move into another series or theme? Why?
- What did you sell/buy and why?
- Any hobby lessons learned?
My small slabbed collection was split between U.S. type and Conder tokens. I decided that I wanted to make more progress on the U.S. type set and needed funds to support that effort. I will never complete the basic type set journey because I don't have the money and some types I have no interest in owning. That's OK with me.
I also decided to acquire some lower grade than AU coins, mainly due to cost considerations. I began to better appreciate that even worn coins can have their charm if the eye appeal is apparent. I've always placed an emphasis on seeing a design in all its glory and not have it obscured by wear. This was change for me (and perhaps a maturation).
So, I sold 4 Conders with books, a gorgeous 1959 NGC Proof Star Cameo Half, and combined with some saved funds acquired:
PCGS VF25 1795 half cent (from Shawn Yancey)
PCGS VF25 1806 half (from CRO)
PCGS MS66+ 1943 half (from CRO)
PCGS MS65 1942-S dime (from robec)
PCGS MS67 1954-D dime (from CoinJunkie)
They've all been posted here before, but I think my little collection has been strengthened. Collection turnover can cost money, yet it freshens up the collection for my enjoyment. I've done it several times over the years and not looked back.
What collection changes occurred for you during 2020?
P.S. Note to @JoeyCoins - please participate, but your volume of purchases might need to be consolidated somehow otherwise the thread might be overwhelmed 
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Comments
Nothing has changed over the last year, my goals have stayed the same for the last........5 or so years?
I want to start a new series but keep looking at upgrades to my current series, what to do?
CB - I had no idea you were a Conder collector! Please post your images on our Conder thread in World:
In 2020, I bought 13 bust, seated, and barber quarters; 4 barber halves, 1 bust dollar, 1 seated dollar. I decided to stop pursuing bust quarter die marriages - if something comes up great, if not, no worries. Decided to get more bust and seated dollars if the right ones show up. Decided to replenish my bust dimes if the right ones show up (sold most of them in 2019 for money for the new house). Otherwise, go slow, only the right coins or nothing in 2021. Also decided to enjoy more Pastis, Grand Marnier, and Chartreuse, life is short............
Best, SH
I’m actually fairly proud of myself. I set a goal and stuck to it. I ended up buying 62 different uncirculated commemorative silver dollars for a Dansco album and updated my PDSS cent-dollar sets. I did not buy a single impulse buy!
I continued to add to my toned Indian Head quarter eagle date set, adding five coins. I hope to complete it this coming year.
Continuing upgrades to my Roosie and Kennedy half sets and started a white only Washington Qtr. set. Yes, I play in the kiddie pool section. I've seen it many times before, " collect what you like ". That's what I do.
Well I started to year off concentrating on my 19th Century registry type set. I’m ending the year with an largely expanding elongated collection, the beginnings of a nice Libertas Americana designs collection, and a whole bunch of banknotes in for grading. Never did I think I’d be interested in banknotes!
Got these back this week:
MS63
AU Details
Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.
Spent most of the year building my NGC Morgan CC registry. Think I started around #150 and worked my way up to #15. As of this moment, I rank #16:
Probably the first year ever where I only purchased slabbed coins. Didn’t buy a ton, but finished my Proof Franklin set, grabbed some MS Franks, some Morgans, a double dime I’m awful fond of and a ‘45 Micro S Merc that is my first CAC coin (among a few other things).
Bought everything online, thanks to COVID, but just like every other year, I ran out of coin funds before the end of the year.
I continued to collect knowledge about coins, medals, tokens, and paper money thanks to this board.
Since I came back this year, I guess it changed a lot as it was dormant for 7 years!
When I first got back I jumped around a little, but am happy with what I purchased. A few nice widgets, a couple commem's and a larger group of very nice 30's and 40's Washington's.
I added a couple pieces to older collections, but really started to study Bust and Seated coinage more. This has lead to further adventures in Bust coinage ... something I was starting to dabble in more when I left on the last hiatus.
It has also led to a much greater appreciation of original surface qualities, hand-made dies and die marriages, and screw press anomalies, and that brought me deeper into the Bust Half world.
My library has grown, which I am proud of ... and finally I was also able to begin development of a modest Large-size US Currency collection (something I always wanted to start), and even add a few Fractional's to the fold.
For all the craziness that has been 2020, I am very happy I came back to the active fold of the hobby, and back to this forum, and it has been a really good year for me in that respect.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
I added a lot of pieces to my imperial Roman and British collections. My U.S. coin additions were limited to a silver Proof set and the May Flower gold coins. One of those pieces is British.
I’ve always been someone who collected whatever they felt like collecting. Generally type. But this year I started to settle into a type series of USPI, then a date series of silver 1 franc coins, and finally gold dollars. I ended up selling/trading a lot of items to pursue my gold dollars.
Having come back to the hobby after a long absence (and to the forum), I’ve had to re-learn how to buy again. I made some really silly purchases this year and I over spent on some.
I have added a couple of coins....most recently the 2020 W V75 ASE...Earlier, the 2020 Bat quarter, then the same with the privy mark. Also a 2014 (W) ASE PCGS MS70... Just because it was there and I could.
One or two others I think....Cheers, RickO
Much like the last few years very little, five or six coin in total for the year and none all that note worthy. I did finish an important (to me) mint date registry set, and added a couple of upgrades to my Lincoln set.
https://ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/145074/
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
I enjoy reading how others have been doing, so her goes:
To answer the question I had to go to my records and I was kinda surprised at what I found,
One new addition and one upgrade for my large cent collection,
3 upgrades to my Washington quarter set.
6 type coins for a very modest type set,
31 Barber quarters... I'd have never guessed it was that many. I'm having fun with my hobby- so it's all good.
Added a few Charlotte and Dahlonega pieces, and some gold bullion if that counts.
I only added a couple of Large Cents (incl. a 1793 Chain - corroded as one can get) and added a handful of books.
My OmniCoin Collection
My BankNoteBank Collection
Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
Few US additions but they were rare die marriages. Added a few cobs to the Mexico City and Potosi collections. I may add a new book to the library if.......more later if successful.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
My So-Called Dollar collection jumped a level. My Civil War Tokens, George Soley and Dan Carr collections made nice progress. It was pretty slow going on the coins front but was able to pick up some from Pogue, Fivaz and Abrahams. I did start picking up more US Mint medals as well.
Very quiet year for me. I bought a single silver Panda.
It was a very busy year for me.
I divested my remaining US gold collection, all to forum members. The best coins found great homes.
I sold many of my Latin American coins, anything which was replaceable with time, still more to do. Great coins but wanted the cash to put towards once in a lifetime coins.
I used the funds (and then some) to buy a condition census or finest known grouping of rare Pillar dollars, a Coquimbo Peso, the finest known Argentinian Rebel 8 Reales, and two Gold 4 escudos, one unique and one with 2 extant.
I also significantly added to my library with several important Latin American works, many quite scarce.
2021 hopefully has more selling, more focus, and a continuation of the “fewer, bigger, better” mantra.
Latin American Collection
I started looking at currency because I like what I'm seeing. It's hard right now cause of this covid thing
Quantity-wise, I sold more than I bought. Value-wise, I bought more than I sold. Quality-wise, I think I'm clearly better off now. There aren't too many left that bother me.
I'm also in the shallow end.....
First part of the year, I only added 1 coin to my personal collection. It came during covid, when business was slow, so it was a stretch. During this time, I was finishing up liquidating the few pieces I considered just accumulated stuff. , and a raw set of UNC Indian cents.
As time went by, my bank was not accessible, and appt scheduling were far and few between. I took my coins out of the box in early march, and placed them in a secure area. But this fact and covid deaths of people I knew started to weigh on my mind. Also, if something were to happen to me, I would be worried about the coins being properly liquidated , and not just taken to the first coin shop. During this time, I kept noticing auction prices on good stuff ws doing well, so i got the notion to start liquidating my personal stuff. Once I started, i enjoyed seeing how they did. So I am in the process of completing the sale over the next few months. Will still continue to run the coin business, just wont be keeping any personal coins any longer.
Sold the random stuff I had accumulated, and started a gold type set.
I went way conservative with collectible purchases in general. Added a few moderately priced medals to flesh out series or partial series. Sold one or two long term duplicates.
If you're a gambling person, right NOW is the time to be buying. Long term holds by strong hands seem to be entering the market for a bunch of reasons (see several posts above). If you feel, as I do, that the global economy will pick up strongly in the 2nd half of 2021, blow out that conserved cash and buy the pieces hitting the market yesterday.
Or not.
--Severian the Lame
I made a decision on how to move forward my Carson City set. At one time I have 106 of the 111 coins. At the beginning of the year I had 24 coins in my core set, and decided that the set should be repositioned as a XF set. I purchased 43 coins, 10 in XF40, and 28 in XF45, one in AU50, and 4 in VG/F. 16 of these were CAC. The set grades out at 41.67 as it sits today. I was able to accomplish this by selling / trading off some higher end Carson City gold. All in all, it was a great year for me numismaticly.
Bought my first collectible die gouge coin-
I added several national commemorative medals, including Fisheries Centennial in silver, Roberto Clemente small and the Federal Land Bank medal. I have been working on this since 2004. Slow and steady.
Not one bit @Catbert
and the only thing that has changed is ...... I am feeling bluer than my Hawaiian Sky 
I "upgraded" 3 coins.
I replaced this Legend 1910-D MS65 with a MS64 that I liked better.
I replaced a MS66+ 1924 with a MS65
My 1908-D MS65 was replaced by another MS65.
That's it & I don't even want to think how many hours of searching it took.
My Saint Set
Normal buying of coin series that interest.
Bought some common date gold in June. Passed on silver at $17/oz. So batting .500 on bullion related.
Expecting more bullion volatility in 2021.
I like and respect your decision to ignore the grade and the registry points to own coins that get you excited and are of good quality. I agree this would be an “upgrade”! Bravo.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
I was able to pickup some very nice pieces this year. My first flowing hair half dollar, a nice matte proof Lincoln, and a very nice classic head gold half eagle. In 2021 I will be in the process of consolidating and refocusing my collection. I'll be selling some duplicates and coins that are part of series that I am no longer pursuing.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
Finished my braided cent date set.Will make a couple of up grades and start heading back to cents of 1830's.Looking to finish my bust half date set and 7070 in 2021.
Added some early quarters, 1806 B6, 1818 B2 very late die state, 1819 B4 with heavy cracks through the date, 1821 B5, an 1825 B2 with cud at arrows. Haven't sold any coins in several years, and still not buying any that were "made for collectors"
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry