How to deal with orphans?
Cozdred
Posts: 4 ✭
I recently joined the PCGS Set Registry, and loaded much of my inventory. When I used the "Start A Set" button, there were 3 coins for which no current set exists. So I hit the "Set Request" button for coin #1 and was taken to a screen to ask for something appropriate. But when I got to the end where you enter the coin ID#, it said that I must have 5 coins to request a set!! Um, but I only have one. So does this mean my stray orphans are forever locked out of the Registry?
I also participate in the NGC Registry, and they do not have nonsense like this. If you just have one coin, they will quickly find a home for it. They also reply within a couple of days, not months ...
0
Comments
I have a copple " orphan " coins myself but I never tried to start a Registry set with them as I believe in eventually want my sets at 100% completion and my particular orphans are not in my area of interest. So no plans to start let alone complete a set.
.
You obviously are in a different class from me. If I only started sets that I expect to complete, then I would never start any sets at all. As far as #1 top set goes, I have well over a dozen #1 sets in the NGC Registry with less than 5 coins each. I also have a PCGS #1 set with only ONE coin.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/composite/2691
.
It's simply a matter of the company being willing to create an appropriate set for a given coin. NGC puts higher value on their collectors, whereas PCGS seems to put higher value on their employees. It's a completely different philosophy that you have to experience to appreciate.
Looks like the link didn't work. trying a different one ...
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/spanish-decimal-coinage/spanish-decimal-real-system/spain-10-reales-circulation-strikes-1851-1864/publishedset/413764
I also participate in the NGC Registry and " My Collect " Been a collector for 60+ years. PCGS didn't used to be that way. Now with Mr. Morgan leading the PCGS Registry, we are seeing changes for the good. As far as # 1 sets, I do have # 1 sets in both PCGS and My Collect. The majority are 100% complete.
A lot of this will boil down to the mood swings of the Registry staff over the years. I don't know exactly what kind of labor actually goes into creating a new set, but I do expect it's a lot more than I'd typically assume. Designing a complex set just for someone who has one single coin can easily be seen as a waste of resources. Of course, we've seen many exceptions to this, over the years, and I have to assume many of those are due to someone on the staff who has a personal interest in those specific sets (ie, a staff member who says "Yeah, that series is really cool, let's do it!") -- In theory, overall population should factor in heavily to the decision to add a set, but over the past several months, many of the sets show population counts of zero or maybe 1 (ie, PCGS has never even graded the coins that would allow anybody to actually complete a set beyond say 5%). I have no good explanation for how or why those got put in, beyond someone on the staff personally liking that particular series. A number of years ago, I submitted a VERY obscure series of Australia Kookaburra Privy coins for grading. By the time the physical slabs were back in my hands, someone on the Registry Staff created a set JUST for them
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/composite/2740
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/composite/2073
I thought that was really cool, and was really impressed that someone in the set seemed to be a fan. Both sets have had me as a #1 set for 6 years now, (which was pretty easy, since six years later, I'm the only one in there) -- I did at least have 100% completion from the start - that may have helped their decision, but many of the coins are total pop 1 or 2. There's not much likelihood of anyone else making a competing set.
Since then, I'd submitted several set requests that I've had 100% (or at least near) completion on, sets with total pops in double or triple digits, all denied, only to see multiple sets with many pop-zero slots showing up on the monthly(ish) updates (I suspect it's one of "those" sets that the original poster here was referencing, giving him top spot with a single coin.)
The five coin minimum is a requirement that does not seem out of line, though - if they're going to program up a new set for someone, there should be some expectation of commitment and seriousness from the submitter. If it's a coin series you really like, and the series is big enough to allow an actual competition-worthy set, then it should be worthwhile to find 4 more coins and then resubmit your request with dignity. However, if you're expecting every coin you own to conveniently land in a set somewhere, you're probably setting your expectations a little high. (It's possible I'm misinterpreting the direction of the original post in that regard)
(I have promised Charles that I'd sit on the sidelines for a couple more months to allow him/them to get caught up a bit, before resubmitting my set requests - one's over 200 coins deep, final-boss-level stuff there
)
could you start a show case named my orphans?