What was your first "big" coin buy?

XpipedreamR · February 19, 2006 2:21AM

notlogical's post got me thinking about my first big coin. It was either a 17D reverse half or a 36 Buffalo proof. What was yours?

TheRaven · February 19, 2006 2:22AM

Mine was a 1927 $20 PCGS MS-63, for $365, those where good days.....

mgoodm3 · February 19, 2006 2:29AM

Depends on what you mean by big?

My first really nice indian cent an 1879 PR65RB

RTS · February 19, 2006 2:31AM

When the day/days come it will be a 1815/2 50c and a 1836 Reeded-Edge 50c.

bgrice · February 19, 2006 2:32AM

1921 Walker(raw) for $275.... NGC graded it VG10. Long gone now.

mozeppa · February 19, 2006 2:36AM

55 doubled die obv.
Lincoln cent
ms-63 brown

TwoSides2aCoin · February 19, 2006 2:39AM

can I plead the fifth ?

I never spent more than 7 grand at any one time in my life for a coin or coins, and I have spent as little as five cents for a wheat penny.

To me, each and every one was a "big" coin buy... and even "BIGGER" after I sold it

...few will make "history", but, there are more "little" collectors than "big" ones, so I fit in near the bottom, but I fit good.

jpumper · February 19, 2006 2:40AM

As a young teenager about 40 years ago, my cousin had a XF 31S Wheatie. It was worth, I'm guessing now about $3-5.00, and I ultimately traded 3 other coins for it much to the shagrin of his Father. We did the deal only to admire the coin for a couple of weeks. My .25c per week allowance wasn't enough to support my bubble gum habit. I ended up selling it for cash. All the kids in the neighborhood really liked me for a couple of days until my gum supply evaporated. We blew bubbles as big as our heads and of course they popped, sticking to your face and hair---Mom wasn't too happy. lol

ddbird · February 19, 2006 2:40AM

A Pcgs AU55 Bust half for about $300...

but that was only the beginning

jayboxx · February 19, 2006 2:41AM

I bought two MS67 1882-S Morgans from my brother back in the day when these were expensive, he was needing some quick money.

halfnut · February 19, 2006 2:45AM

As a small player in a big pond I'm proud to say mine is a PCGS 1904 MS 63 Liberty Head Nickel got it for 130.00, looks as good as a few 64's I have seen but I'm just to chicken to try for a upgrade. This is my first big buy and my last so far. It's nice being a bottom feeder

Dan

garsmith · February 19, 2006 2:47AM

I would say this one that I got at less than 50% of retail:

Or this one that I got at 30% of retail: 14/0

Or maybe this one, which I just like: 118/0 Ex: Volker Dube

lloydmincy · February 19, 2006 2:51AM

In FIFTH grade, I had a paper route. Used to go to mall on regular basis, and this guy had a little coin shop in the middle. I wanted his really worn out 1872 IHC. I scrounged up enough money, was scared to death, but bought it. $30. I started young because my grandma when I was in fourth grade, let me have her childhood piggy bank to open. IHC's, Liberty nickels, Barber stuff. I forever was a lifetime member!!!

Gemini · February 19, 2006 2:53AM

An AU 1955/1955 Lincoln double die for $150.00 back in 1960...the good ole days...

BillJones · February 19, 2006 2:55AM

Back when I was in high school I worked on a set of Indian cents, mostly in Fine or better. I thought that Indian cents were greatest thing going, and I really wanted to complete a set.

The BIG COIN was of course the 1877. For a while in the mid 1960s the going retail price for a '77 Indian in Fine was as much as $250.00. But then the market started to drop on them. By the time it fell to $200.00 I had saved just that amount. That 1877 in Fine @ $200 was my first big coin purchase.

The story did not end happily. The coin was OK, but the market for Indian cents. was not. From the late '60's, through the late '70s, the market for Indian cents was terrible. No body wanted them. The retail price on my ’77 Indian fell to as low as $175.00.

As my collecting interests changed I decided to sell my Indian set. All I could get was $390 + a 1964 Proof set. I had spent more than $1,200 in total on it.

It taught me a lesson about fooling around with anything but early coins in the circulated grades. Dealers were always playing games with the grades (buy in low grade; sell in a higher grade), and their eyes glazed over after they evaluated the key date coins in the sets. In other words, you don't get sqat for that carefully selected $4 common date coin in Fine. You might as well fill the hole with a Good from the aspect of getting you money back in a resale.

My Indian cent fiasco did not ruin my interest in coins. I made a lot of money on the Mint State gold coins I purchased as a kid. But it did make me a smarter shopper.

granddad · February 19, 2006 2:55AM

In 1989 I placed low ball bids ( $5-$10 over melt ) on several 20pc lots of AU $5 Libs in a Stack's Auction. I had been doing this for a couple of years and usually won 1 or 2 lots. Was I surprised when I won 30 lots (600 coins) and they were shipped to me with an invoice for right around $70,000, due in 30 days. I had to do some scrambling to come up with the cash.

Have a Great Day!
Louis

jdimmick · February 19, 2006 3:03AM

My first big coin purchase was an 1856 (s-3) Flyer In PCGS Vf-25 from our own board member John G (gooseIII). I had to strecth to buy it like nothing ever before. It has now long since gone, but got introduced to this forum from that purchase as well as mad e along time freind.

Jim d

DUIGUY · February 19, 2006 3:04AM

My first " put on a set of Depends " purchase was a 79cc regular mint mark GSA holder .

ziggy29 · February 19, 2006 3:07AM

My first big purchase was an 1829 bust half dime, from a Bowers and Ruddy auction, for something like $625 in 1985. It later slabbed as NGC MS-64. Given that I was about 20 at the time and making $5 per hour while I was in college, that was a rather major purchase for me.

nwcs · February 19, 2006 3:08AM

A lot for a $10 1932 in 64.

marmac · February 19, 2006 3:12AM

My first big dollar coin buy- 1894-s $1 NGC 63, I just had to dig deep it was such a clean coin. Now it resides in a PCGS 64 holder

Fairlaneman · February 19, 2006 3:15AM

A 1916D Merc Dime back in the 80's. Paid either $1100.00 or $2100.00 for a coin that looked to be a nice AU55 or so. It ended up having a added mint mark....

Ken

nwcs · February 19, 2006 3:18AM

Hmm, looking further back (and comparing it to income) my first real big coin purchase was a 1924 $20 raw from ebay for $400 at the time (wish I had it now). It slabbed at 63.

yellowjacket · February 19, 2006 3:26AM

When I started working at a real career in 1973, I bought a 1913-S T2 Buffalo from New England Rare Coin Gallery (remeber them?) for $90. It slabbed 63 eighteen months ago and is a part of my registy set. Just the first of many great purchases since then!

YJ

Agflyer · February 19, 2006 3:29AM

Mine was a 1937-d 3-legged buffalo in AU55. I'd wanted one since I saw it in a "Silver Spoons" episode as a kid.

BaronVonBaugh · February 19, 2006 3:33AM

An 1877 IHC in AU53. I still have it

goose3 · February 19, 2006 3:34AM

<< <i>My first big coin purchase was an 1856 (s-3) Flyer In PCGS Vf-25 from our own board member John G (gooseIII). I had to strecth to buy it like nothing ever before. It has now long since gone, but got introduced to this forum from that purchase as well as mad e along time freind.

Jim d >>

Thanks Jim!

That '56 flyer was my Second Big coin. I traded my first big coin (a VF35 1916 quarter) for part of that fleagle.

Atlantic · February 19, 2006 3:38AM

Mine was a raw 1877 Indian Cent in good many years ago

Coin Finder · February 19, 2006 3:43AM

1793 S4 Chain cent in F12 EAC f 12 PCGS f12, still have it, they have gone up since then. I thought I was insane for doing it and told no one about it.

Now I am glad i did

RYK · February 19, 2006 3:44AM

1878-CC $20 PCGS XF-40

I wish I still had that coin.

Rob41281 · February 19, 2006 3:45AM

my first major purchase was a 1875 proof twenty cent piece in pr62, paid $740, sold it a few months later for $980

headsplitter2 · February 19, 2006 3:50AM

Can't find my 1882 Seated Liberty Half, so this will have to be thoe one.

RW · February 19, 2006 3:54AM

1890-s MS64 Morgan. It was 1989ish and I paid $400 for it as a thirteen year old. It was a lot of money for me at the time.

clw54 · February 19, 2006 3:57AM

I bought a 1931-S cent for about $30 around 1970.

BAJJERFAN · February 19, 2006 4:00AM

This one tho I had 3 other vg/f versions before it, $2402 offa eBay IIRC.

BlindedByEgo · February 19, 2006 4:04AM

Mine was the Sparkletts bottle full of Morgans, Walkers and Mercury Dimes. Sucker weighed almost 300 lbs

BECOKA · February 19, 2006 4:10AM

A complete set of proof silver eagles in 2004 including the 1995-W for $3200. I sold the 1995-W in mid 2005 for $4K and still have the rest of the set. I kinda wish I would have kept it now. It is an amazing set with beaming lustere and no sign of any milk spots.

Pushkin · February 19, 2006 4:10AM

Probably about $100 for an 1864-L Indian Head cent in VF or XF quite a few years ago.

morganbarber · February 19, 2006 4:11AM

I know it's not big for many on this forum, but by far my biggest purchase was at the last Baltimore show. 1985-CC in PCGS 63 PL. Looks better to me than the '83-cc in PCGS 64 DMPL my wife bought me. The '85 was $525.

BECOKA · February 19, 2006 4:15AM

<< <i>I know it's not big for many on this forum, but by far my biggest purchase was at the last Baltimore show. 1985-CC in PCGS 63 PL. Looks better to me than the '83-cc in PCGS 64 DMPL my wife bought me. The '85 was $525. >>

I did not realize that Carson City was in business in 1985.

solid · February 19, 2006 4:23AM

Mine was a complete set of Buffalo nickels in a Capital Plastics holder for $1,000 at a
local estate auction of a long-time collector. I could have easily parted some of it out
immediately after the auction as several people were interested in some of the coins.

I was working on a circulated full horn set at the time and this provided a nice boost as
many of the coins either filled holes or upgraded coins for me. I remember it included
a nice 3-leg that slabbed XF45 at PCGS, as well as several XF-AUish teens and 20's
mintmarked coins. One odd thing about the set is that it ran the gamut from AG to
BU, and there would be a great '25-D in AU next to a common '26 in G.

That was probably 15 years ago and I sold the last remianing coin from that set just
this past fall.

Ken

cladking · February 19, 2006 4:54AM

In about 1962 I sent off about $20 cash for a 1913-D type 2 buffalo in F. The one they sent really graded VF-!!

ElKevvo · February 19, 2006 5:11AM

My first big purchase was a 1853 3 cent silver in F for $7.50 at a flea market. I saved for several weeks to get one and still have it today in my 7070.

K

Baley · February 19, 2006 5:15AM

I hadn't spent more than a thousand dollars for a single coin when I ponied up $6K for my icon coin.

It was love at first sight, and not a minute of regret or thought of selling, even when offered twice that

100proof1957 · February 19, 2006 5:34AM

big bucks ?

41 P Walker in 67 @ 2150.00 !

earlwbollinger · February 19, 2006 5:40AM

I had a 1909-s VDB penny in a ANACs holder as my first.
I wound up selling it to someone else who wanted it more than me.
I was going to cross it over into a PCGS holder.

ILikeMercs · February 19, 2006 6:01AM

one 1936 Proof 66 Mercury dime from Pinnacle.................2k.

Artist · February 19, 2006 6:40AM

As a kid, a cache of interesting coins my Dad had found in circulation in the late 40s early 50s, which included mostly buffs, mercs, walkers, but also an AG barber dime & V-$.05, a dozen silver dollars his Dad won in Vegas, and lone Long Island half served as the basis for my collection. I enjoyed those coins for a long time before I realized my town had a coin store - what a revelation! The first coin I bought there was an 1822 large cent in VG-F that I still own. What followed, were weekly pilgramidges where I would come home with an $8 something or other - '09 VDB Lincoln, 17 Type I $.25 in VG, modern proof set, 2-Cent type piece, etc.... A short time later, I made my first big purchase: an 1883-CC GSA dollar - spent several weeks of lawn mower money on that one - $80.00 total - still own that coin too.

A few years later as a kid, another rather large purchase I made was for an 84 DD Lincoln. I bought that on vacation in Rochester New York from a place called 'Gallery of Coins,' where the dealer had a whole tray of them. His MS65s were $150, and his single MS63 was $115, which was the one I could afford. A couple years ago, I sent that coin into PCGS - and it came back 66 Red! I sold that coin a short time later, and used the money to take a chance on a raw 14-D Indian Eagle on Ebay, which was probably my first big purchase upon returning to the hobby. Spent AUish money on that coin, which is now NGC 63.

While I realize there are many here more vested in coins that I will ever be any time soon, it does strike me as crazy sometimes that some of these little round pieces of metal I own are worth hundreds of dollars. The thing is though, is that it's not like it is money spent on a night out or a vacation - the money is still there. If a coin depareciates, than that amount is really all paid for ownership, not the price I paid. But in most cases, my coins have apprecaited...

<<Mine was a 1937-d 3-legged buffalo in AU55. I'd wanted one since I saw it in a "Silver Spoons" episode as a kid. >>

I remember that episode!! It ran around the same time an episode of 'Murder, She Wrote" focused on an 1804 Silver Dollar.

09sVDB · February 19, 2006 6:47AM

Back in 1985 I bought one of those "09SVDB'S" with an added MM for $300. Tough lesson. Real purchase about a year latter was a raw 22P Lincoln in VF. Sent it to PCGS and it came back F15 SR. Sold my SOL three coin proof set to get it. Sold the 22P on Ebay about a month ago for $1000.

pontiacinf · February 19, 2006 6:57AM

mine is an ms62 42 d/d jeffery currently housed in an anacs slab, purchased from a board member

relayer · February 19, 2006 7:04AM

Probably about $75 back in the 70's - when you could buy dinner out for $3

What was your first "big" coin buy?

Comments

Leave a Comment

What was your first &quot;big&quot; coin buy?

Comments

Leave a Comment

What was your first "big" coin buy?