Are you happy with your "Big 5"?

coinlieutenant · February 12, 2011 1:49AM

I was having a bit of insomnia this morning, thinking about various work things when I finally decided to get up to try and change my thought pattern. Coins are always a nice escape, so I started updating my master spreadsheet, which was out of date.

I got to thinking about how much money I had tied up in my top 5 coins as a percentage of the collection and started asking myself questions (not out loud mind you). Are you happy with the percentage you have in these coins? Are they worth it? Are these your absolute favorite coins?

What about you? For explanation purposes, I will let you know that my five favorites represent right at 10% of my total collection in number, but 60.15% of its total value.

Feel free to share any thoughts you might have about your collection when looking at it from the "Big 5" lens...

I'll post my actual Big 5 later...have to go work out before the kiddos wake up...

J

ricko · February 12, 2011 1:54AM

Never looked at it that way.... probably will not either. I tend not to think of my coins in terms of value (except for the AGE's). I like them for the beauty, part of the series (if a series is being collected), or the rarity in terms of availability. Cheers, RickO

RYK · February 12, 2011 2:04AM

My Big 5 represent about 20% of the value of my collection and comprise about 4% of the total number of coins (excluding bullion, bullion-like, and raw coins in albums).

TPRC · February 12, 2011 2:12AM

<< <i>Never looked at it that way.... probably will not either. I tend not to think of my coins in terms of value (except for the AGE's). I like them for the beauty, part of the series (if a series is being collected), or the rarity in terms of availability. Cheers, RickO >>

I agree. However, if I were to guesstimate, I would say that my big 5 are worth about 10% of my collection's value and about 1% of my collection's number. As my collecting interests develop, I am trying to purchase fewer, more valuable coins and I am trying, and I emphasize "trying" to reduce my overall number of coins.

sweetwilliet · February 12, 2011 2:51AM

My big 5 are about 30% of my collection value, and just over 5% of my coins.

And yes, I am happy with my big 5.

MidLifeCrisis · February 12, 2011 2:56AM

Well, I only have about 20 coins total...and the collection is pretty "top heavy". The top five coins represent about 71% of the total value.

DarkStar · February 12, 2011 3:07AM

My top 5 (out of 16 total) represent 63% of my collection total value. My top 2 represent 39%. In retrospect I think purchasing these two coins was a mistake. They are clearly out of context with the rest, and tie up an disproportionate share of the total value. They are nice coins, however!

#1

#2

BillJones · February 12, 2011 3:08AM

My big 5 are about 30% of the value of my collection, and I'm happy with all of them except the 1808 quarter eagle. I'd be happier with that if I didn't have so much into it. The other four make me very happy, and among the next five, one of them makes me happier than all but one of the top five.

llafoe · February 12, 2011 3:10AM

I was wondering why you originally posted this on the BST?

My children's Top 5 are worth exactly 54% of their collection and comprise 12.5% of their current collection (their collections will begin to expand substantially this year). The Top 5 look like their bottom 35; the only difference is they are condition rarities.

MidLifeCrisis · February 12, 2011 3:12AM

Just realized I never actually answered the OP's main question.

I am VERY HAPPY with my big 5!

coinlieutenant · February 12, 2011 3:44AM

So...to answer my own question. I am very happy with my top 5, even though I am top heavy. When I do buy a high end coin however, I am much more picky for one that falls in the big 5 or even the top 10.

So...in no particular order, and with a "worth" scheme based on what I paid, not current value, here are my "Big 5".

#4 is the subject of an upcoming post.

ambro51 · February 12, 2011 3:49AM

Yup

speety · February 12, 2011 3:51AM

Is it bad if I can't name the "Big 5"? The top four are pretty easy - but number 5 could be one of about 5 coins...

But I like em all!

And the top 5 - regardless of the which coin is the fifth - would be about 30-35% of the collection (mostly because of numbers 1 and 2).

dogwood · February 12, 2011 3:54AM

WOW your #4 and 3 are gorgeous. New things to my eyes.
I go back 3 years when I HAD a big five. They were a PC graded Barber Quarter and Half Key dates that diligence had paid into results.
I just didn't feel great about having a lot of money tied up in coins, in general.
Much happier now that I'm playing in a quieter neighborhood.

crypto79 · February 12, 2011 4:02AM

One of the better questions posed on the board in some time and an interesting perspective. I will use this as a place holder while I think about my answer

My top 5 by value
1878cc Trade 3500 ish and an amazing highend coin
1876cc Trade AU55 2250ish and very choice and original
1878s DDR Trade 1500ish and nice PL UNC
1873cc Trade 1400$ ish and perfect cir cam look
1934d VAM4 MS62 1300+ish non-dipped UNC of a rare coin and a great DDO

At those price levels I have tried to be selective and have amassed a group of coins that most would agree are accurately graded and nice for the grade with a high level of originality. I have a log jam of coins at the 1000-1250 value (popular cost level for collector coins) and I have about 30% of the collections value tied up in those 5 coins. Thank being said I have made an effort to weed out most of the lesser (dreck) coins over the past year (ecpt the place holder coins) and have focused on what I really want and go after it(like a nice 1805/4) and not impulse buys that often get flipped once their wow wears off

JCMhouston · February 12, 2011 4:24AM

I am very happy with my top 5, as regards value they don't represent that much of a percentage of the collection though. My most valuable coin is only worth around $1500, the vast majority of my core collection are in the $100-500 range. Unfortunately I don't even know how many coins I have right off hand, I'd have to call up the spreadsheet and count them, probably around 250 pieces not counting the bullion items.

mgoodm3 · February 12, 2011 7:05AM

I am guessing that my top 5 represent 60 or 70% of the total value for my collection.

coinlieutenant · February 12, 2011 11:37AM

Anyone have a Big 5 Percentage of over 75%?

RedTiger · February 12, 2011 12:21PM

It is an interesting question. I am curious about the percentages for box of twenty types. I don't think a single box of twenty collector has replied to the thread.

For my collection, quantity is a quality, so I'm guessing my percentage is in the 20% range if gold is included, and I might have maybe 1% in terms of numbers. Some of my top five got there because of gold bullion content.

Ex-bullion coins where more than half their value is gold, I may be the first reply to say that when I take a second look, I am not all that happy. The percentage of value falls to maybe 7% of the entire collection. Off the top of my head, some of my top five might include: is a problem raw coin (holed and repaired 1862 dollar), a likely dipped market acceptable slabbed coin (1892 half), a couple of ok slabbed coins (Alabama commem and a better date Morgan dollar) that may have declined appreciably in value since I bought them. As much as it is a hobby for me, declines in valuation, overpaying still bug me because at a basic level I am a frugal person.

DoubleEagle59 · February 12, 2011 12:46PM

My top five are all Canadian coins and represent approx. 28% of my total collection.

I had a few good US coins but sold them (such as MS61 1857-S 25c).

canadanz · February 12, 2011 2:17PM

My top 5 total around 14% of the total cost of my US dollar collection. So it's not too bad

clackamas · February 12, 2011 4:34PM

Never thought about it that way, nor do I want to, I like what I have, and of course want more. I buy big coins more than I sell them, and only sell them if I am not interested in them, not in how much I have tied up.

MacCrimmon · February 12, 2011 5:18PM

My "Big 5" comprised about 4.5% of the total Victorian collection, and hammered for just over 30% of the total, IIRC.

Four of the five sold for World Record prices for those dates, and the '45 crown wasn't far behind.

And CL, I believe the young kids would say all your coins are sick, esp. that Grau.

BG · February 12, 2011 7:49PM

My top 5 are right around 55%. Love them all:

CharlotteDude · February 13, 2011 1:31AM

Very satisfied with my top 5, which represent @ 20% of the value of my collection, and close to 8% of the number of coins that make it up.

regards,

'dude

barberlover · February 13, 2011 2:20AM

When I was activley collecting I believed in the box of 20 way of collecting, I never hesitated to try and upgrade the bottom end of the box but I never would have sold my top 5 if job loss hadn't forced the issue.

Teva · February 13, 2011 2:40AM

I don't see it in the same prospective because my most valuable coins are not my most valued examples. But from a pure monetary prospective I would have to say no I am not happy with my big five.

roadrunner · February 13, 2011 2:47AM

At the peak, my big 5 were probably about 1/3 of the value of my holdings. I thought that was too much so the Big 5 became the Big 2. I was always happy with the Big 5 though as all 5 of them were killer. I had bought them when market conditions were generally weak so that's always a plus. I had more concerns about the bottom 10 pcs on my box of 20 best coins than I ever did about the top 5. So I'd have no qualms about buying only a few great pieces that made up a major % of my holdings....but not in the current environment. If buy some great pieces at the right time for the right price, then there often isn't a whole lot to be concerned about. It's when buy near market peaks and at strong premiums that one should get concerned.

roadrunner

RYK · February 13, 2011 3:38AM

The following gold coins are in the "Big 5". The Pine Tree shilling is a close #6.

TomB · February 13, 2011 4:56AM

Within numismatics, the term "Big 5" makes me think of either my five most expensive coins in terms of acquisition, five most valuable coins in terms of current value, five favorite coins or the five coins that would inhabit a "Box of 5". For me, I like to think of it in terms of five favorite coins and, if so, I would have two distinct groups. One group would be mint state pieces and the other group would be circulated pieces.

IrishMikey · February 13, 2011 5:40AM

When I read the title, I was sure that the topic would be the "America the Beautiful" 5 ounce
silver hockey pucks.

yellowkid · February 13, 2011 6:41AM

Hmmmm, top 5 would be about 5% of the collection, value about 20%, give or take. I am happy with all of them, but would trade or sell three of them for an upgrade.

Are you happy with your "Big 5"?

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Are you happy with your &quot;Big 5&quot;?

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Are you happy with your "Big 5"?