Options
If you had Bill Gates money, and knowing what you know about coins...
MadMarty
Posts: 16,697 ✭✭✭
and not being tied to a job. Knowing you could buy any coin you wanted and lets say you wanted to build the finest set of something. Would you...
Need someone like Laura to buy your coins for you?
Need someone like Laura to buy your coins for you?
It is not exactly cheating, I prefer to consider it creative problem solving!!!
0
Comments
Russ, NCNE
<< <i>Yes, absolutely. If I had huge money to blow, the first thing I'd do is cozy up to an experienced dealer.
Russ, NCNE >>
Admit it Russ, you want Laura!!!
<< <i>Yes, absolutely. If I had huge money to blow, the first thing I'd do is cozy up to an experienced dealer >>
myCCset
Tom
<< <i>Yes, absolutely. If I had huge money to blow, the first thing I'd do is cozy up to an experienced dealer. >>
tick tick tick. .. Russ is gonna blow up any minute now ;-)
<< <i>Admit it Russ, you want Laura!!! >>
She makes me hot.
Russ, NCNE
<< <i>If you had Bill Gates money, and knowing what you know about coins... >>
in 25 years you'd be talking about the lsica collection.. the new Eliasberg ;-)
(I think they are both 2 of the best in the business, but would be like water and oil too )
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I would also probably try to work with another one or two (or maybe three) buyers/specialists ... and have them scour the regional and local landscapes looking for treasures.
In probably a somewhat similar fashion to TDN, I'd help them so they could help me. Being a numismatist, I think I'd make the time to view many of the important coins prior to the auctions, and I would certainly not be buying anything at arms length. If a coin didn't work for me, we wouldn't buy it (or I'd be able to send it back).
I'd also bring a couple of boxes of different coins to a few of the major shows each year, have a display, try to give back a little and enjoy the people in the hobby.
It would be interesting to be able to build a world class collection ... but for today ... life is good with the way it works.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
<< <i>Why would you want to hire anyone? >>
Because I'd be too busy boinking a bevy of 25 year old blondes.
Russ, NCNE
Millertime
Complete Dime Set
<< <i>Because I'd be too busy boinking a bevy of 25 year old blondes. >>
Brunnettes and redheads, too. Variety is the spice of life ;-)
<< <i>
<< <i>Why would you want to hire anyone? >>
Because I'd be too busy boinking a bevy of 25 year old blondes.
Russ, NCNE >>
Laura wouldn't unchain you from the bed!! She is your biggest fan!!!
I MIGHT start out with one and become more independant within a year or so.
I think I'd complete a series in the finest possible grade and then move on to the next one. I'd keep the best one of each previous series and then have the highest graded Type set. (Then maybe move on to currency and do the same thing.) Then I might have a quarter of the knowledge of Q. David Bowers. Fun to think about!
Have a Great Day!
Louis
Oscar Wilde
Collect for the love of the hobby, the beauty of the coins, and enjoy the ride.
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
Well now did Bill Gates know anything about computers when he began to build his empire! No!!!! He did not....but he had an Idea, patented the idea and had others do the work that created his empire.
Now just supose...he wanted to creat the finest known collection of coins all the way from the first American minted coins right on down to todays moderns...I would say he would again need someone to complete his mission....Investment...nawww...it is just Chump change to him....but one that would take a great deal of time.
My TV Blog
<< <i>Bill Gates can buy all the top pops in classic and modern in every category and every type of coin in all metal types and it would all just be chump change....question is... What does a Guy like Bill Gates do for fun! >>
Bridge - for fun. He and Warren Buffett, both.
As for the coins, he has the money but some people don't need money and will hold onto their coins, so unless Bill outlasts them, there are coins he couldn't get.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Why would you want to hire anyone? >>
Because I'd be too busy boinking a bevy of 25 year old blondes.
Russ, NCNE >>
Laura wouldn't unchain you from the bed!! She is your biggest fan!!! >>
So that is what Russ wants to hire Laura for...
http://my.affinity.is/cancer-research?referral_code=MjI4Nzgz
I think I would farm out some of the sets to some people, like the Washington Quarters, Kennedy Halves and those types of sets, but do the ones I really like (Barbers) myself.....
I would start a coin doctor posse.
Our eBay auctions - TRUE auctions: start at $0.01, no reserve, 30 day unconditional return privilege & free shipping!
<< <i>I would complete a complete US set of coins period.....
I think I would farm out some of the sets to some people, like the Washington Quarters, Kennedy Halves and those types of sets, but do the ones I really like (Barbers) myself..... >>
I would add to what he said by getting EVERY pcgs graded possible on each coin in all US series. From g4 all the way to ms70
The private collection would be a complete run of all commems and oh yes, those pesky 50 dollar Gold pattern pieces......
Otherwise, I am almost there.......
<< <i>I can see working with dealers to find you coins, and buying them from the dealers if YOU like them. But to pay a dealer to BUILD you a set. Just seems to defeat the whole purpose of COLLECTING to me. Even with the modern crap I dabble in, the thrill is in the hunt! >>
Yes! Exactly!
Our eBay auctions - TRUE auctions: start at $0.01, no reserve, 30 day unconditional return privilege & free shipping!
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars
I firmly believe in numismatics as the world's greatest hobby, but recognize that this is a luxury and without collectors, we can all spend/melt our collections/inventories.
eBaystore
Then, I would contact Q. David Bowers and spend some time with him to figure the whole thing out.
It's not so much I'd use a dealer to tell me whether a coin is good or not, but just to be able to have access to the potential inventory.
Bill Gates is quite the philanthropist. In keeping with his generous nature, I would establish a new charitable foundation.
I would call it FCGS: Free Coin Grading Service.
If submitters fall under a pre-set income threshold, FCGS would slab that person's coins free of charge. Even the shipping would be free. It would revolutionize the coin grading industry. I would hire MadMarty as the chief grader of Cook Island Weenie Coins. His label printer would only have 2 letters and 2 numbers available; A, U, 5 and 8.
Our eBay auctions - TRUE auctions: start at $0.01, no reserve, 30 day unconditional return privilege & free shipping!
Let's go ahead and continue using Mr. Gates as your example. When he acquired da Vinci's Codex Leicester, do you think he did so without an expert advisor? Let's get even simpler. When he purchased that huge property on Lake Washington and built his residential compound, do you think he did so without a broker or an architect? Anyone want to bet that he, Allen and Balmer didn't incorporate Microsoft by themselves?
I'll readily concede that my experience dealing with the very rich is limited. However, I do have a couple observations I'll share. First, NO ONE spends over $100K on something unless they understand and truly believe in its value -- regardless of how rich they are. Second, the vast majority of rich people are successful because of two things: They're smart and have an expertise in a certain area. But more important, they're smart enough to ask for the assistance of an expert when they're entering an area they don't know 100%.
Partner / Executive VP
Heritage Auctions
<< <i>Let's go ahead and continue using Mr. Gates as your example. >>
We are not using Bill Gates as an example, just you with his money! You know the kind of money that you could afford to light your cigars with old $1000 bills and not bat an eye! That kind of money!!
<< <i>I can see working with dealers to find you coins, and buying them from the dealers if YOU like them. But to pay a dealer to BUILD you a set. Just seems to defeat the whole purpose of COLLECTING to me. Even with the modern crap I dabble in, the thrill is in the hunt! >>
Oh, I'd still be doing plenty of hunting. In fact, a hell of a lot more hunting than I do now. But, there are a lot of coins I'd like to own about which I don't know enough to be comfortable buying on my own. I would want the assistance of a couple top drawer dealers to make sure I don't get screwed. The quickest way in the world to get bent over is to run around spending money out of ignorance.
Russ, NCNE
NSDR - Life Member
SSDC - Life Member
ANA - Pay As I Go Member
<< <i>With Bill Gates money, just buy it all and be done with it. If you then wanted to pick certain pieces to keep it would be up to you, but with $40+ billion dollars would you really care? >>
Even Bill Gates couldn't buy every coin he wanted. Not because of money but because of opportunity.
Without the right dealer, would you know where to go to get the unique 1870-S half dime? Would you know who to contact in order to attempt to buy the only 1822 $5 in private hands? How about the only 1866 no motto seated dollar available?
To build a great collection requires contacts and abilities beyond raising your paddle at auction or hitting 'Buy It Now' on ebay.
I think you missed one of my main points: Based upon my dealings with some extremely wealthy individuals, they don't light cigars with $1000 bills. That's just some vulgar Hollywood stereotype. The rich use Caran d' Ache lighters -- which they probably acquired with the help of an expert dealer.
Partner / Executive VP
Heritage Auctions
<< <i>
<< <i>With Bill Gates money, just buy it all and be done with it. If you then wanted to pick certain pieces to keep it would be up to you, but with $40+ billion dollars would you really care? >>
Even Bill Gates couldn't buy every coin he wanted. Not because of money but because of opportunity.
Without the right dealer, would you know where to go to get the unique 1870-S half dime? Would you know who to contact in order to attempt to buy the only 1822 $5 in private hands? How about the only 1866 no motto seated dollar available?
To build a great collection requires contacts and abilities beyond raising your paddle at auction or hitting 'Buy It Now' on ebay. >>
With several billion, etc., I'd buy the SF Granite Lady, and hire a team of experts to deconstruct/search the place for "The Cornerstone" where the 1870-S denomination set of coins existed......
Even if it didn't exist anymore, I'd restore the place completely and turn it into a Mega-Numismatic museum.