Regrets
tonedcoinlover
Posts: 95 ✭✭✭
Hind sight is always 20/20.
What coin(s) do you regret for not buying when it was in front of you via in person or auction.
I think this may be a bit painful but encouraging for the next time.
Let's hear the stories.
0
Comments
The 1916 slq at about $1,500 in vg. A relative told me it wasent worth it. I quit listening after that
I found a 1918-S USPI Five Centavos muled with a 20 Centavos reverse for ~$20 on eBay. While I was already familiar with the variety, I second guessed myself and decided to double check online. By the time I went back, it had sold
EDIT: screenshot of the listing
There was a VF 41o eagle just north of 30k on eBay a month or two ago. It is a lot but was fair. Always wanted that coin and took a day to think about it. Went back to buy it and poof.
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
WAY too many to count.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
I could definitely name a few.
BHNC #248 … 140 and counting.
A cameo three cent nickel for 15 bucks. Luckily this was from when I was a kid and most likely the coin wasn’t actually anything like what I remember, but when I close my eyes and picture what I remember, all I can do is regret it.
A gorgeous perfectly original small eagle half dollar in PCGS XF. Never seen another that was anywhere close to it in eye appeal.
I regret having sold my 1798 bust dollar PCGS VF30
It was as crusty and original as they came…
Sold it back in 2012 or 2013, I do regret that one. :'(
My YouTube Channel
I had the opportunity to buy a holed and repaired (but otherwise quite attractive) 1798 Bust dollar once. The price was $100, as I recall. This was back around 1982-ish, when I was a 16 year old kid. A hundred bucks was a princely sum to me in those days.
But what other opportunity would I get to own a Bust dollar?
I got the money out of my savings account, and got my Mom to drive me back to the coin shop to buy it. (I didn't even have a driver's license yet.)
I was about an hour too late. Somebody else had bought it while I was making up my mind.
Aside from the repair, the coin looked kind of similar to the 1799 (problem-free) example shown below, which I own today (and for which I paid much, MUCH more money).
OK, maybe it wasn't quite VF like you see here. But not too far off. Say Fine details, and nice crusty grey.
Most of my other regrets come from stuff I sold, not stuff I failed to buy.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Tibet Pick 2. Krause plate note. Genuinely rare note. Far more scarce than 99.9% of all US coins.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
An LCS had a beautifully toned Pan Pac half in PCGS 65. It was in his stock for months and I could never get him to come down in price. He wanted full Greysheet for it and I figured I could get him to negotiate since he had it for so long. I finally realized it was worth his price and more and gathered my cash to go buy it. Yep, it was sold.
Not so much of a regret as I didn't really need one or want to spend the money on one...more of a want.
A gold coin that someone put a bail on, it's rare enough I probably should have bought it but would have had to remove the bail, get it certified authentic and it would have come back as Ex Jewelry.
At 2x the spot gold price back then it was easier to just pass.
Current gold price would be a no Brainer.
Opening this thread.
C’mon, lemme change your mind‽
I think that I regret not buying a dozen gold eagles that one of the locals, who never owned gold before in his life, offered to the denizens of the remnants of a pig picking at two in the morning.
Regrets? " ...I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention..."
But I will anyway... one in particular was the AU50 1873 Trade Dollar I had in the second iteration of my 7070 Type Set. Beautiful piece for the grade with loads of subtle luster in the devices and nice crusty uncleaned and unblemished surfaces. ... and a first year of issue. I like that in Type Sets. Purchased raw for ~$150 back in the day (2000ish) and sold... I think to a board member... in 2012 when I had to sell off the bulk of the set... I think I got $175... and then the run up in Trade Dollars happened. I would love to have that coin back.
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.
Elderly dealer was selling his two draped bust quarters, OGH AU55 uncleaned original and stunning, both were 64's with rub, he wanted 7.8 K each at a time when they were selling for 5K, I learned my lesson about paying up for superior coins when I passed on those two.
Commems and Early Type
This one?
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
The one that comes to mind is my 1874-CC SLH in VG8. I saw it in John Finkelstein's inventory on eBay for $1575, and though it was CAC approved, it had some light obverse scratches, and I wasn't comfortable with the toning in JF's photos, so I kept in my eBay Watchlist for several months.
At the 2020 FUN show, I visited GFRC's table and Gerry told me I had to see the new 74-CC he had just purchased. Sure enough, there was the Finkelstein coin I had considered and the toning was excellent. However, the price was now $2100. I swallowed hard and purchased the coin, then kicked myself for not pulling the string on it when it was $525 cheaper.
Wow! A definite maybe!?? I don't have the old pictures of the piece I sold but the hits on Liberty's wrist and the chatter on the skirt look familiar. Do you happen to know who owns it now?
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 currently own it, it was @Crypto 's at some point. Your description of the coin and the sold to a board member made me think of it.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
@lermish if you ever want to sell it, let me know... best, Leo
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.
Buying a1916-D dime in Good. When it was $90.00. Was too expensive at that price when first starting collecting that series. That's how long ago it was. At that time it was only wishful thinking.
I’d rather miss out on a coin than buy one I regret. Passing cost nothing.
I saw a very nicely toned 1942 Proof Half at a coin show a few years back. I forget the grade but it WAS actually graded and it was at least a PF-63. The toning wasn't super-stunning but it was nice. Nothing too dark, nothing too spotty, just some various colors around the coin. At the time the price was a bit more than the amount of money I allowed myself to spend at that show. So even though I thought the price was quite good for that piece, I was a good boy and stuck to budget. Regretted it ever since.....