Collecting philosophy opinions

seateddime · February 18, 2012 4:06AM

I am seeking the opinions of other collectors on how they would view collecting.

I have a great Seated Dime collection. Dansco abums of circulated coins, MS coins in NGC and PCGS and in many cases duplicates.

I want to change my approach to collecting. Fewer coins & more meaningful coins. I am selling my second set in auction (currently #6 on NGC)

Currently I have 100% complete sets in both registry sets (PCGS & NGC) . Here is the problem. I have some special coins like a 1839 O Pittman NGC MS64 that will not cross. I have a 1851 O NGC MS64 ex Simpson that also will not cross. It is tied for finest known with a PCGS MS64. It could not be replaced at any price.

While I will always have a 100% NGC set my goal is to have the BEST set I can assemble. To finish a PCGS registry set I find myself keeping duplicates of coins that are NOT the best coin I have for the date and mint. Many of the coins I have a CAC they just are high grade coins that PCGS won't cross and in some case the difference between a downgrade, even a 64 to 63 can be 40% reduction in price.

If retired today on PCGS the set would be a #3 all time behind the current #1 set and retired Eliasberg set of which many of those coins are the same as ones in my set.

Clearly I am not going to buy another 1874 CC AU because my NGC 53 won't cross and a finer PCGS example for sale does not exisit. Why buy a VF coin when you have an AU?

If put in shoes what approach would you take?

Is there any approach maybe I am not seeing?

TomB · February 18, 2012 4:15AM

I don't think I would be so concerned with how your set might present itself on the PCGS registry. Obviously, if having a highly rated PCGS registry set is important to you then it is a valid, worthwhile consideration. If, however, it isn't all that important then you might concentrate on those qualities or values that you hold most dear and allow the PCGS registry to take care of itself. I apologize if I am missing a point in your post.

DIMEMAN · February 18, 2012 4:21AM

If it were me I would cross the NGC coins to PCGS. If they go down a grade.....that's because they really are that grade and NGC overgraded them.

I would want the whole set 100% PCGS, that is how I feel about it.

tydye · February 18, 2012 4:22AM

Eye appealing original coins (forget about technical grade) with nice pics would catch my attention more so than a straight set of maxed out MS67s. I want to see 10s across the board

seateddime · February 18, 2012 4:23AM

<< I don't think I would be so concerned with how your set might present itself on the PCGS registry. Obviously, if having a highly rated PCGS registry set is important to you then it is a valid, worthwhile consideration. If, however, it isn't all that important then you might concentrate on those qualities or values that you hold most dear and allow the PCGS registry to take care of itself. I apologize if I am missing a point in your post. >>

Not at all. Case and point, I have a 2 1857 O dimes, One off to CAC is a MS65 PCGS gem, another coin is a MS63 PCGS/CAC I feel should upgrade to 63+ or even 64. What is different is the 63 is not gem BUT the eye appeal and old album toning makes the coin much nicer to look at. I simply like the 63 better than the 65.

STONE · February 18, 2012 4:28AM

Why do you want your Seated Dimes in PCGS holders? Why does that matter so much?
If you want your Seated Dimes in PCGS holders then cross them at any grade.
If they downgrade/upgrade, well at least they're in PCGS holders!

If you don't care whether your Dimes are in PCGS, NGC, ANACS, ICG, SEGS, etc holders
then why bother. In the end the coins will speak for themselves:
Are they solid, strong, weak for the grade?
Are they eye-appealing, or an eye-sore?

291fifth · February 18, 2012 4:29AM

Forget the registry nonsense and just buy nice coins.

secondrepublic · February 18, 2012 4:31AM

too much "collecting the plastic" emphasis here

seateddime · February 18, 2012 4:37AM

<< If it were me I would cross the NGC coins to PCGS. If they go down a grade.....that's because they really are that grade and NGC overgraded them.

I would want the whole set 100% PCGS, that is how I feel about it. >>

When I straight cross the Pittman NGC58 1842 O it came back a 55, I could live with that (they did leave the Pittman off the holder) but the 41 O NGC58 came back a 50.

ricko · February 18, 2012 4:37AM

To each his own, collecting is a personal endeavor. I would not even consider what, to others, is of prime importance. That makes life interesting though....

Cheers, RickO

DIMEMAN · February 18, 2012 4:52AM

>>>but the 41 O NGC58 came back a 50. <<<

That is a big difference. Being honest what do you REALLY think it is?

This may be a case where sending in for an upgrade would be interesting. I have always felt you get a better grade if they (PCGS) don't see the other holder.

Unknown · February 18, 2012 5:42AM

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sonoranmonsoon · February 18, 2012 5:47AM

just do what you want. If you want to have one really top set then focus on it , and sell the rest. If you are all over the map, then pick up coins you like. It is all up to you.

Barndog · February 18, 2012 7:50AM

to me, it doesn't matter what number comes back on the label. The coin is UNCHANGED. So if an NGC 58 comes back as a PCGS 50, it is the SAME coin. Why worry about the label?

That's me. When I cross a coin, I almost always allow any grade

BG · February 18, 2012 7:59AM

To me it's a shame when the Registry is why one buy's a coin.

I have coins from Raw to DGS in my collection.

To each their own.

golfer72 · February 18, 2012 8:05AM

<< If it were me I would cross the NGC coins to PCGS. If they go down a grade.....that's because they really are that grade and NGC overgraded them.

I would want the whole set 100% PCGS, that is how I feel about it. >>

Pass the Koolaid!

golfer72 · February 18, 2012 8:11AM

<< Forget the registry nonsense and just buy nice coins. >>

Very well said!

RYK · February 18, 2012 8:17AM

<< 

<< If it were me I would cross the NGC coins to PCGS. If they go down a grade.....that's because they really are that grade and NGC overgraded them.

I would want the whole set 100% PCGS, that is how I feel about it. >>

Pass the Koolaid! >>

What does Koolaid have to do with it? If someone wants a uniform presentation of their coins or participate in the PCGS registry or whatever, it's their business.

I agree with those who would say to cross the coins and not worry about the grade on the holder. If the ex-Simpson coin in N64 would not cross, it really is not tied with the P64.

to me, it doesn't matter what number comes back on the label. The coin is UNCHANGED. So if an NGC 58 comes back as a PCGS 50, it is the SAME coin. Why worry about the label?

That's me. When I cross a coin, I almost always allow any grade

I agree and same here.

coinkat · February 18, 2012 8:21AM

cast a big net and buy what you like

9 words- with a subject like this, I think that was direct and to the point

crypto79 · February 18, 2012 8:28AM

it is the same coin no matter what the holder says, the only difference is the perceived value. Are you collecting or investing and consider you are a tweener like most of use what value do you put on our host plastics. You can get every coin into PCGS plastic which is my goal even if it brings to light some unfavorable attributes of my collection.

Barndog · February 18, 2012 8:44AM

I've had a few NGC 64s come back as PCGS 63s. The coins are generally pretty darn nice. Doesn't matter to me that perceived value is lower. The coins are still very cool.

Here's a 64 to 63 example...This used to be NGC 64. Now PCGS 63. Coin is unchanged, it is still quite pretty

And here's one that went from an old-holder NGC 65 to PCGS 64. Big drop in perceived value if all other things were equal. The coin is still absolutely gorgeous!

DIMEMAN · February 18, 2012 9:41AM

Barndog and RYK nailed it. Besides a PCGS63 is probably equal is price to an NGC64.

It's not Kool-aid with me. I want all my dimes in PCGS holders so I can put them in my sets. I like the Registry, not for trying to be top pop, but to try for completeness in grades I can afford. If you have ever looked at my sets you will see that I don't go top pop. I have actually traded a Mercury dime variety in 65FB for a 63FB and cash to buy other dimes.

It's all about getting all the dimes for me.

MonteCarlo · February 18, 2012 11:15AM

Are you a coin collector or a grading opinion collector?

If you view this hobby as a competition or a stroke to your ego then by all means you should concern yourself with your position on a Registry list.

If you view this hobby as a form of personal enjoyment then ignore the plastic and enjoy your coins.

Unknown · February 18, 2012 11:44AM

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seateddime · February 18, 2012 1:46PM

My goal has been to have a uniform set, all high end coins for the grade. PCGS+CAC

I had hidden my actual holdings to avoid competition in bidding with a few other collectors who I did not want to know what coins I needed. at this point, that may not matter much.

For me completion is a key goal. I could take down grades of course, and have. Many coins have actually upgraded. My problem comes with a few coins.

An 1874 CC NGC 53 could be crossed, maybe downgraded to a 50 but is a coin I would not buy again so I down grade or have an unfinished set,

The problem lies in coins like a 1877 S NGC/CAC MS66 - I think the coin is all there and then some. 1 attempt to cross this coin failed. I paid 66 money for the coin, basically twice the price.

Another example are coins that PCGS feel were cleaned or ART color and won't cross at any grade.

It opens the issue of if you can't complete a 100% set of PCGS coins and are going to sell duplicates where in many cases the PCGS coins are not the best examples, knowing you will never have a complete set do you keep the NGC coins and sell the PCGS ones. While a 1838 dime in PCGS64CAC is a nice coin, a NGC67 is much nicer.

What to keep, what to sell???s

DIMEMAN · February 18, 2012 2:14PM

Keep the PCGS........ cross the NGC you need and sell the dups.

I would rather have the coin in a PCGS detail slab than have it in a NGC that was not graded correctly.

MonteCarlo · February 18, 2012 2:48PM

Maybe I'm in the minority on these message boards, but I prefer nice looking coins REGARDLESS OF THE BRAND OF PLASTIC ENCASING THEM. Consistency? I'd be more concerned with consistently nice coins than with consistently identical plastic holders. Then again, I'm not a Kool-aid drinker.

DIMEMAN · February 18, 2012 3:06PM

I'm NOT a kool-aid drinker either. I will buy coins I like and need in any holder.

After they are mine...I want them in PCGS holders! What is wrong with that??

MonteCarlo · February 18, 2012 5:14PM

<< I'm NOT a kool-aid drinker either. >>

And yet earlier in this thread you wrote:

<< If it were me I would cross the NGC coins to PCGS. If they go down a grade.....that's because they really are that grade and NGC overgraded them. >>

{emphasis added}

So in your way of thinking, any time PCGS downgrades a coin you think it's because PCGS is right and NGC is wrong... how is such an unquestioning and uncritical bias for PCGS and against NGC NOT Kool-aid drinking???

By my way of thinking, the plastic is irrelevant to whether or not a coin is graded "correctly".

But look, if you want all of your coins in PCGS plastic, more power to you. It's your collection; you're obviously free to treat your coins as you see fit. I'm not trying to start a Holy War here; I'm merely trying to promote the idea that each coin has to be judged on its own merits and it would behoove collectors to focus less on plastic and more on the coins themselves. As Barndog put it, changing the plastic that houses a coin changes NOTHING about the coin itself.

TahoeDale · February 18, 2012 5:56PM

My 2 cents worth----

If you like the coin, keep it, no matter what the holder says or is.

I too have a great Pittman in an NGC slab, the 1806 pt 6 no stem in MS63.
I have not found a better one( for my set), that is as eye-appealing or well
struck. When my set is sold, no doubt it will have several NGC slabs in the group,

Another one is a scarce rarity CBH- the O.111a 1807 in NGC 58. Finest known
for the variety by several grades.

Another is an 1804 draped bust quarter in NGC 55-Eliasberg. And another Pittman-1806 quarter in MS 64.

PCGS may have a different grade in mind for all 3 of the above, That's okay, as the coins will sell themselves.
And, PCGS may wake up & cross them at grade someday.

Collecting philosophy opinions

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