One of the favorite parts of my job...
MFeld
Posts: 14,366 ✭✭✭✭✭
Although I no longer collect coins, I certainly remember the thrill of acquiring them for my collection. And I was reminded of that special feeling this morning, when a client emailed me, after receiving a recent auction purchase I’d screened for him. He “sounded” ecstatic and wrote at length about how much he loved it and why. His enthusiasm was highly contagious and it elevated my spirits - not that I wasn’t already having a good day.
For anyone who feels like it, please share any experiences you’ve had, hearing from someone who was thrilled with a new purchase.
Edited to add: Apologies to those who opened this thread, expecting to hear about the special coins I get to see. That’s another favorite part of my job.😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Comments
Sounds like you both had great experiences.
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
Like anything in life, if it is worth it, it likely requires putting in your dues at the school of hard knocks. Coin collecting and specifically coin grading is a school I have yet to graduate from and the tuition has been going up every year. Several months ago I purchased one of the lesser known keys to the ASE series the 8 rev 07. I once again ventured out of the safe zone and purchased raw. I put on my white gloves and looked at it under my coin scope and could see nothing wrong with it. Been here before and have come up snake eyes but I submitted on two day level anyway. Mentally preparing for disappointment I lost my mind when it came in 70. I am preparing for class again with my upcoming submission for my 95w I purchased from a BST member. Fingers crossed, schools in session.
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
Mark,
How much do you miss the thrill of the hunt for coins?
I believe I have discussed this in another thread, but the thrill of my latest acquisition - 2020W ASE w/privy - was amazing. When I opened the box, it fairly shined with an inherent glow of it's own. I have looked at it each day as a start to my morning. At 06:30, I sit down with a bottle of bubble water and open the box - What a great way to start the day. Cheers, RickO
Great story!
For me, it's great when a fellow collector picks up something for their long standing collecting goals, something elusive or previously unknown that makes their collection that much more special.
Do you collect anything else now?
Get back to work.
Be forewarned - if you choose to get Mr. Feld's opinion on a coin, be prepared for a description of every flaw. And if, on the extremely rare occasion he likes it, prepare to go apoplectic from joy when it gets into your hands. No one, no one, is more discerning than Mr. Feld. Congrats to your client!
Best, SH
I remember having that reaction to when you sold me my golden Peace dollar long ago. Common coin, but distinctive look.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Some of my fondest memories were my parents taking me the town coin shop(s) back in the 1960's .
Also, decades later, hanging around the local coin shop in the back room going through piles of $ilver coinage coming through the front door ( family heirlooms of mostly common silver quarters and half's). The owner was a WWII vet. and let me cherry pick out all the silver I wanted at spot+ while I listened to his stories. Good times.
100% Positive BST transactions
We need a Feldini Sticker of Approval
I remember roughly 15 years ago ATS, Mark explaining to me why I had no business buying old copper coins raw. I resisted his advice for awhile but to my benefit, I finally succumbed to studying and learning a hard lesson. Thanks Mark.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
cool a good healthy outlook on things is a good thing
about 14 years ago, I received this coin from a dealer who no longer deals in coins as a sole proprietor. I believe he works with/for a major auction firm these days. None of the 1834 half dimes are rare to collectors who focus on die marriages, but this coin was thrilling to me and still is. The deep, rich color and the luster are outstanding. There is a cool retained cud on the reverse. I bought it in an NGC 65 holder and eventually I sent it to PCGS and crossed it at 64 for purposes of my Registry set. Didn't care about the "downgrade" because I know PCGS and I don't see eye to eye on darker coins ...and the coin is still the same awesome 1.35 gram masterpiece! This coin became my favorite coin the day it arrived and that hasn't changed. I get to tell various people, "no thank you," on a regular basis when asked if I am willing to sell it or trade it. As long as I own my set of half dimes, this will be the 1834 LM-1 example. I can't imagine another being better.
I had to chuckle...
I waited 2 weeks to open mine as I was terrified that it might be flawed. I finally did and it appeared to be perfect.
@Barndog What a stunning Half Dime. Looks to be a true GEM with great appeal and I can see why you like it. @MFeld You are a class act with a skilled eye for quality. Congrats to everyone involved!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
1630Boston Posts: 8,577 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 7:41AM
Sounds like you both had great experiences.
Absolutely!
lablover Posts: 3,128 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 8:08AM
Mark,
How much do you miss the thrill of the hunt for coins?
Not a whole lot. These days, I get my enjoyment in other ways, like helping collectors in their hunts.
ricko Posts: 78,278 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 9:25AM edited December 19, 2020 9:25AM
I believe I have discussed this in another thread, but the thrill of my latest acquisition - 2020W ASE w/privy - was amazing. When I opened the box, it fairly shined with an inherent glow of it's own. I have looked at it each day as a start to my morning. At 06:30, I sit down with a bottle of bubble water and open the box - What a great way to start the day. Cheers, RickO
No on can fairly accuse you of not appreciating your acquisition!!😉
Zoins Posts: 24,401 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 9:26AM edited December 19, 2020 9:37AM
Great story!
For me, it's great when a fellow collector picks up something for their long standing collecting goals, something elusive or previously unknown that makes their collection that much more special.
Do you collect anything else now?
I have at times in the past, but nothing for quite a while, now.
spacehayduke Posts: 3,026 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 9:42AM
Be forewarned - if you choose to get Mr. Feld's opinion on a coin, be prepared for a description of every flaw. And if, on the extremely rare occasion he likes it, prepare to go apoplectic from joy when it gets into your hands. No one, no one, is more discerning than Mr. Feld. Congrats to your client!
Best, SH
Thank you and I admit to being a hard-ass when screening coins for clients.😉
jesbroken Posts: 3,686 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 10:42AM
I remember roughly 15 years ago ATS, Mark explaining to me why I had no business buying old copper coins raw. I resisted his advice for awhile but to my benefit, I finally succumbed to studying and learning a hard lesson. Thanks Mark.
Jim
Thank you, Jim. I hope I was (at least somewhat) gentle in remarks.😄
Barndog Posts: 20,351 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 10:53AM edited December 19, 2020 10:54AM
about 14 years ago, I received this coin from a dealer who no longer deals in coins as a sole proprietor. I believe he works with/for a major auction firm these days. None of the 1834 half dimes are rare to collectors who focus on die marriages, but this coin was thrilling to me and still is. The deep, rich color and the luster are outstanding. There is a cool retained cud on the reverse. I bought it in an NGC 65 holder and eventually I sent it to PCGS and crossed it at 64 for purposes of my Registry set. Didn't care about the "downgrade" because I know PCGS and I don't see eye to eye on darker coins ...and the coin is still the same awesome 1.35 gram masterpiece! This coin became my favorite coin the day it arrived and that hasn't changed. I get to tell various people, "no thank you," on a regular basis when asked if I am willing to sell it or trade it. As long as I own my set of half dimes, this will be the 1834 LM-1 example. I can't imagine another being better.
I’m very glad you feel that way and I always enjoy seeing the picture of that coin.
JBK Posts: 8,321 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 12:13PM edited December 19, 2020 12:14PM
@ricko said:
I believe I have discussed this in another thread, but the thrill of my latest acquisition - 2020W ASE w/privy - was amazing. When I opened the box, it fairly shined with an inherent glow of it's own. I have looked at it each day as a start to my morning. At 06:30, I sit down with a bottle of bubble water and open the box - What a great way to start the day. Cheers, RickO
I had to chuckle...
I waited 2 weeks to open mine as I was terrified that it might be flawed. I finally did and it appeared to be perfect.
Terrified or not, I don’t think there’s any way I could wait that long to open it. Glad it worked out OK!
Walkerfan Posts: 6,672 ✭✭✭✭✭ December 19, 2020 12:21PM edited December 19, 2020 12:22PM
@Barndog What a stunning Half Dime. Looks to be a true GEM with great appeal and I can see why you like it. @MFeld You are a class act with a skilled eye for quality. Congrats to everyone involved!
Thank you!
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Well I've never been in the position to give someone that much joy in a coin but I have had the experience of being thrilled with a coin. I had always wanted an Indian Gold and could only afford a 2 1/2 dollar and saved up for that. I forget now where I bought it but I had the great opportunity to have Bill Jones personally find one for me that he checked out in hand. I was excited to get it and very thankful for his help. It is a 1910 NGC MS62 and the only classic gold I own and hope to keep it in my collection til I'm gone. Lol
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
A significant part of my business is dealing in trade tokens (good fors) which are very local and very personal in nature. One of the most satisfying situations I frequently encounter is reuniting tokens with families (That one is from great grandfather's store!!) and local historians / historical societies who search family & town names on the Net. More than a few times though, two members of the same family or on some scarce towns, a family member and a serious collector will butt heads resulting in extraordinary prices for sometimes ordinary tokens -- but to remain fair and even handed, I do not interfere in the process.
Please, no need to apologize. That is a terrific story.
How difficult was it to actually stop collecting? And, did you stop collecting because it
interfered with your profession or simply because you became bored with doing so?
It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d expected. The main reason I stopped collecting, entirely was because I didn’t want the potential conflict of interest when I had my own business. That said, I’d done the large majority of my collecting long ago.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
@mfeld Do you still have your collection? And, if so, do you have any pictures?
MFeld, even as a non-collector there's just gotta be a couple of sweet coins you refuse to part with, no? If so, please show!
I would like to know what coins you collected also. What coins did you like the most of your collection? Thank you.
I do not, sorry.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
The only coin I kept is one that will hopefully remain in my family forever, and which I’ve mentioned/posted a number of times, previously. It’s a gem 1909-S Saint left to me by my grandmother, whose uncle was B. Max Mehl. The year 1909 was her birth year and her uncle gave her the coin (along with a note of congratulations, which I also have) as a wedding gift.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I’ve always had a preference for attractively toned coins. So I bought high quality, colorful examples of various types. I also collected Capped Bust Half Dimes - both business strikes and proofs. At one time, I had hoped to assemble a date set of the Proofs, but eventually realized that would be all but (if not) impossible. At one point, I had five different dates out of the nine possible.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
@MFeld
I remember receiving many, many "You can do better!" comments when you evaluated potential purchases over the years. That might not seem like the best part of your job, but for me at least it has been incredibly instructive.
I also remember one particular day many years ago when we were on the phone as you looked at a few coins. I don't remember why that happened instead of an e-mail that particular time. You got to one coin in the list and said "Oh wow, this is a special coin! This one is worth stretching for." For those who don't know, Mark doesn't say things like that more than once or twice a decade. I have a special memory of sitting on Sunset Beach in Hawaii with my family, watching the auction from my phone. Couldn't believe it when my bid held up. When it arrived, I felt just like the guy in your OP:
I sold a 20th capital plastics type album once and described the coins included as CH-BU.. I received a message from the buyer and was almost dreaded to open it but he was very happy and said that the Morgan, Liberty nickel and Buffalo looked full gem. All of the modern coins in the set were hand-picked from mint cellos.
I’m sure I let it go too cheap but he was happy
Here's a question. Would Heritage benefit if Mark had attributed comments in the lot descriptions for say every coin over 6 figures or even mid 5 figures?
Very neat story. I wish my mother left me a Saint from her birth year. She was born in 1921.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Eye appeal and originality carries the day with me on coins, and someone in Mr. Feld's position, working for the largest and most intellectually rigorous numismatic auction company must be quite a challenge to maintain top form. I would be more interested in hearing stories about the excellent people who work at Heritage Auctions as there must be some great stories there with their life experiences.
Thank you, Bryce. The pleasure you get from your 1921 Peace Dollar is a perfect example of the satisfaction and enjoyment that I get from my job. By the way, I hope you didn’t get in trouble for watching the auction during your vacation.😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Bryce - with your cool 21' Peace Dollar, I want to include pics of my Peace dollar bought from Mark. Mark always had offerings that even lesser collectors like me could afford/reach. I drew confidence from his eye and wish there were more dealers who represented his high integrity approach to doing business. They're out there, but I think he was a standard bearer.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Thank you so much for your extremely kind words. I am humbled by them.
And yes, there are some great dealers out there.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
All Numismatists need a high comprehension mentor if they are to grow into true students of the hobby. Many dealers use that confidence to develop clients more than altruistically developing collectors . While student/client don't need to be mutually exclusive, it is always nice to see when professionals focus on teaching more than selling as the later should take care of it's self if the first part is done with honor.
I would typically steer collectors towards clubs rather than senior auction house staff but for the ones who go straight to the store, they're lucky there are principled experts there. I am not sure if the relentless pursuit of "quality" is a healthy perspective for the hobby to pass along but it 100% relevant is for the maintenance of one's investment for the most part.
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
I’m very glad to have numerous pieces in my collection that you were a part of, whether it was right out of your inventory, something you looked for specifically (my proof walker comes to mind), or a few recent acquisitions from HA. They’re all keepers, and beyond being great pieces in their own right, the process to get them taught me a great deal about being patient and waiting for the right coin versus rushing the process to get a piece sooner. Even when you’ve told me I made a poor choice (along with a reason why), it’s been helpful advice and appreciated. Except for that one Indian cent which I still think is a great piece and you’re wrong.
Thank you Jeremy.
I don’t remember ever telling you that you’d made a poor choice. But assuming I did, if, based on your preferences and knowledge, you think I was wrong, then I was wrong. Because I know you would have made an informed decision and it’s what you like that counts.
I’ve always been impressed with your extreme patience in waiting for the right coin. And I would like to see that Indian cent again, some day. 😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Well there was the Baltimore (?) show where I showed you a buffalo nickel I bought and you said I could have done better, then brought me to a dealer who had just shown you two coins that were better and had him sell me them (still have them). There was also that Liberty nickel I bought which you told me wasn't worth what I paid. I still think it was a nice coin, but I had a heck of a time breaking even when I decided there were better coins out there. You haven't been wrong... you just saw things that I didn't see and pointed them out. I've learned a lot that way and appreciate it.
Here's a 14-year-old photo of the Indian cent. Best I can do at the moment since I don't have the coin handy to reshoot.
And while I'm at it, how about a few you sent my way:
We've got this lovely Barber dime in a OGH (which I mention because I know you place great value in the label)
Love me this lightly toned Merc
You spent a ton of time looking to find me this one and it's exactly what I asked for
This was one you screened at Heritage for me
As was this...
And this...
And when questions about paper were beyond your knowledge base, you put me in contact with some paper money experts at Heritage so I could get this
Now, if we go way back to the stuff where I only have really old (and not great... hey, they're 15+ years old) photos, we have coins like this, my first toned proof Indian
And this sweet 3CN
Hey look! I found the photos of those two aforementioned buffalo nickels!
How's that for a trip down memory lane?
If we're playing this game, Mark didn't sell me this coin, but I walked it over to him at a show and asked him about it. I must have balked at a relatively significant premium (I couldn't have possibly just been asking if he agreed that it was a nice coin), but he gave the go-ahead to pay up, and boy am I glad I did. Love this coin.