Have you ever sold a large portion of your collection to buy one coin?
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Have you sold a large portion of your collection (third or more) to raise funds to purchase a single coin? Perhaps a trophy coin or key date?
How much of your collection did you sell? What did you buy? Were you happy with the outcome?
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No, I could never do that.
Although, about 15 years ago, I sold all of my raw coins and put the proceeds towards certified ones.
Does that count?
However, I could never sell a large portion of my current certified holdings just for one certified trophy coin.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
It wasn't a third or more of my collection but a substantial amount. I sold most of my Japanese Koban collection in last month's NYINC auctions and used most of the proceeds to buy two AU pioneer gold coins.
I was extremely happy with the results of the sale. And I am elated with my purchases.
The only thing I am unhappy with is that the TVs for my new coins are subpar (the better one) and absolutely hideous.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
Not 1/3 or more. I can see that happening one day if my budget greatly improves and the bottom 3rd is jink comparatively.
I traded 20+ coins for a 42/1 Merc, but that wasn’t a significant portion.
I’d do it now for the right coin/opportunity, but I’d have to be presented with it as I’m not searching it out.
I would have two times in my life but didnt. First, Steve Elwood had a simply stunning 1796 Half In PCGS 45 some 12-15 years ago at a coin show he was selling. It was 85k , at the time would have had to sell all my stuff to get it. Its was undergraded IMO, and before I pulled the trigger thinking about doing so, Scott Standafer (now passed) came up bought the coin and took over to pcgs and got it upgraded to a 53. he later sold for a sizeable profit.
Second time years later, Charles Link was at Sheridan Downeys table and I was admiring his 1823/2 25cIn PCGS 58 gold cac. The coin came from Gene Gardner sale as a NGC 61 . He submitted for the updgrade (downgrade) , He wasnt selling it obviously, but I told him I'd sell everything Own to buy that coin. I liked it much better than the pogue coin and he agreed and appreciated that comment.
I don't know.... maybe? I think it would depend upon which third of my collection I'd be giving up... The last remaining few coins I need to "complete sets" would cost nearly as much as "the set"... lol!
That... and... Quantity has a Quality all it's own...
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about 5 years a go I had a Philadelphia Mint date set of Ten Dollar Gold Indians 12 coins in all graded pcgs ms 61 & 62 gold was priced a lot less than now I traded for a 1937-D 3 Legged Buffalo Nickel pcgs ms 65 glad I did buffalo nickels have always been my favorite only need 3 more coins to complete my set in grades from ms 63 to ms 67 with a majority with cac
Not to buy a coin but to buy some dirt.
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I've done it several times. Trading up for a trophy coin allows you to enjoy the coins you will eventually trade and then enjoy the trophy coin without emptying your savings. Plus, if you're lucky, the coins you trade will have increased in value since you bought them, allowing you to buy an even bigger trophy.
Sold my early date MS Walkers thinking I would buy a trophy coin with the proceeds.
Chickened out and decided I would miss the chase and instead started a different series.
Sort of. I funded my circulated slabbed 19th century type set in part by selling off silver and gold bullion and also by selling off about 50 slabbed modern MS and PF coins that I mostly submitted raw to PCGS
Mr_Spud
No, never. I'd never be able to buy comparable coins a second time except through private transactions and likely at noticeably higher prices.
Doing that means I cannot afford it. My definition of "afford" doesn't include having the cash to buy it either. I almost never buy coins I can't pay for out of my current paycheck, bonus included. I've made a few exceptions, but only a few. There is almost always something in life that needs to be paid.
Ditto, but I've been unlucky.
It's because I've not held them long enough to realize any appreciation. And, crazy enough, a couple of the coins where I've traded up for are no longer in my collection! Sometimes, sacrifices must be made.
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
No, but it darted through mind for a few seconds 45 years ago. One of the finest known 1792 half dismes came up for auction. I thought it would sell for about $90,000. I thought,” If I sold everything, I could raise that.” The coin was reported to have sold for about that amount.
Years later, I learned that the coin didn’t sell for that price. It was “bought in.” So I would ended up with a pile of cash. What fun is that?
I traded amount 10% of my collection for a single coin. To this day I'm still not sure if I'm happy about it or not.
There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who do not.
No.
What coin did you get?
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
I traded off about 20 key and better PCGS slabbed Liberty Seated Dimes and Seated Dollars to buy 6 rare Liberty $5 and $10. I miss some of the coins, but enjoy my gold.
No
US half dollars (1839-1891) condition G04 to F12
I 100% agree with this. I made the not so smart decision to start collecting a series in ms65. Then I noticed that the price difference between ms65 and ms66 was not huge in several date/mm's. So I completed the 65 set, then completed the same set in 66. Financial situation changed for the better, so now I have a completed a ms67 set with several 67+'s. I still have all three sets. Yea I look at the 67 set a lot more but still admire the two lower graded sets every time I open up the safe. Got a pretty sizable collection and I love it. Once again, not the smartest way to collect. Would I sell even the ms65 set for just one coin ? NO, I don't think I would.
No
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Years ago, I traded 485 ounces of silver for this coin, at the current silver price, It was a terrible move but back then it was a good one…
Sadly, I have since sold this coin…
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But did you get the enjoyment out of it? That’s a gorgeous coin and I’d take it over stacks of silver every time!
The short answer is “no”, but I have made fairly large coin for coin swaps/trades.
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
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Early Walkers
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I really don’t consider selling bullion the same thing as selling a significant portion of collector coins the same thing.
Not an all for one thing, but I did work with Silicon Valley Coins to redesign my collection.
It was heavy in us type in medium grades and many recent mint releases.
That’s mostly been exchanged for a number of higher value coins making they type set much better.
Smart move
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I have numerous duplicates in my primary collection. Some I bought and later upgraded but many others not even where the coin was roughly equal or lower quality. There really isn't anything else I would rather own for the same or similar money, so I just buy any one I like as long as the price fits. I don't sell these duplicates for a similar reason. The value isn't high enough given the difficulty in finding most of these coins and no alternate coin I want for similar money. Currently have over 100 of these in total, mostly graded but not all.
Thinking about selling a chuck of my collection to generate cash to buy my next door neighbors house so I can fix it up & rent it out.
I got a strong feeling its going to go to foreclosure soon after 14 years of payments.
Worst house in the neighborhood inside & out.
Would miss the coins I bought last half century but I should be able to get 3600 sq foot at 40c on the dollar due to distressed & demo'd interior.
Plus, liquefying coins in my lifetime will insulate my heirs from getting duped.
Nice coins.
I 'sold' 95% of my collection to the insurance company after a break in. Does that count?
If that happens to me, I’m adopting your username.
Years ago I had an opportunity to buy an XF New England shilling. I mulled it over before passing on it. I wanted to have a coin collection rather than just a coin.
@Mr Lindy said: Thinking about selling a chuck of my collection to generate cash to buy my next door neighbors house.
Over the last year I sold maybe a third of my collection to dealers and auctions to pay off our mortgage. Went to the bank yesterday and did that.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Over the past 3 years I sold off a lot of coins/currency that I had ‘collected’, but decided that I wasn’t in love with.
Felt pretty smug about a greatly increased bank balance!
My wife found out, and now we have a new screen porch added to our house.
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
@Typekat, my GF has never had faith in my Hobby participation even though she’s benefited from it over the years. We’ve been together for 25+ years and though I always move things forward she still expresses doubt. Right now she’s in a state of disbelief.😂😂
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
@Maywood
I’ve been married a very long time,
And I did not love the coins,
So all that I could find to say,
Was, Honey, I love the porch!
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
I've never yet sold any part of my collection, for any reason. So I'm going to have to answer "no" to this one.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded the DPOTD twice.
Never to buy a big coin, but I did sell off probably 2/3 of my coins -- and various other assets -- to help my parents with a real estate purchase 21 years ago. The collection has built back smaller and better in the years since, though there were a few coins among those that left that I'd welcome back any time.
No don’t want to be buried in some super big ticket coin that is beyond plan inventory goals, they can be tough to sell in the green, or the budget of most players.
I did indeed enjoy that coin!
My YouTube Channel
I sold a huge part of my collection - a top 10 registry set of Peace dollars - to build a shop. I’ve had tremendous enjoyment turning it into a woodshop/garage/extended living space. It has appreciated (along with the house) far more than the coins would have in the same time frame.
A couple years later I sold almost all of the rest of the collection. The proceeds from that have been growing and will to some additional real estate very soon.
I haven't done so, but I would if I wanted something specific. I had most of my coins stolen once, and now when I do rarely buy coins, I am more choosy and tend to shoot for coins with genuine wow. If I have to be sold on the coin, I won't generally buy it.
I wanted to pull the trigger on this, for example, but the dealer wanted cash only
Ive thought about it to purchase a nice cameo Morgan proof.
This is something I still may do. A couple of them are coins I swore I would never sell which is why I haven't pulled the trigger but every time I see a nice proof I get to thinking about it.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
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Well, you only live once. Buy and own what brings joy! If that means selling a group of coins for another, I'd say go for it. After all, it's presumably a hobby, not money to buy groceries.
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."