NGC Journals

And now I got to order it!

So work did come through with a bonus this year - smaller than last year but still a very nice surprise considering I wasn't expecting anything. So rather than making me wait to see what happens in Washington the wife let me order an NGC MS64 1882 20 Lire coin last night. I won't post pictures or anything because the seller watermarks their images but I'll be looking forward to getting the coin - hopefully sooner than their shipping estimate suggests - 2 weeks from California to Texas

Revenant in Gold

Friday at 08:01 PM

Thoughts on the 20 Lire and the display front.

So, counting the post yesterday on the PMG side this'll be three posts in three days but I guess things are finally starting to settle and I'm starting to de-stress and I feel like talking / writing again. The good news on the tax return front, other developments in the political sphere that I've referenced before, and the recent dip in gold prices have me optimistic that, in the near future, I'll get to knock a coin off my wish list, and I think its going to be an Italian 20 Lire. The

Revenant in Coin Displays

February 28

coinsandmedals in My 2021 numismatic journey

Well, that happened.

A number of months ago, when surprised, I just said, "Well, that happened," and Ben latched onto it and started using the phrase. Sometimes he would look to me when something happened and say, "Was that a thing that happened?" "Yup." We live in Houston as most of you who read this know and apparently, from my coworkers, news of our misery the week of President's day has been a topic even in the UK and Europe. Our water was in and out from Monday to about Thursday the 18th - but even wh

Revenant in Family

February 26

coinsandmedals's Journal

Old habits die hard!

When I first started collecting coins, I purchased whatever caught my attention with little to no discipline. As I matured, I found myself focused on EAC and early U.S. type coins. Eventually, I abandoned those areas of focus and shifted my attention to world coins. More specifically, almost all of my collecting efforts are focused on English and Irish copper, emphasizing the Soho coinage. Perhaps it is this intense focus that makes my newest purchase so odd. It is not copper, it not Englis

February 24

Am I competing?!? Not really!!

So to let other collectors out there understand..... I'm not directly competing against other collectors. I'm just collecting! NGC may have a competition annually.... and that's a good thing!!! But I'm trying to fill my slots when a group opens from my collection. Good example is my British Virgin Islands coins. I have all the Pegasus $1 coins and won "Best In Category" for it last year..... but now I'm in 2nd place.... because someone got a better coin grade on a coin..... GOOD FOR YO

February 18

What to do with the winnings....(Part 2)

So I've decided what to send. Not the easiest decision because there are so many to nice coins to choose and so many countries. Last year as I tried to find more JFK coins from around the world, I was picking up coins from like Malta, San Marino, and others made me appreciate other coins from those same country. The detail that went into it some these coins were captivating. Being an admirer of carvings, these are miniature version that are easy to show and transport. So my decision was bas

February 8

Turning into an obsession!!

As I go through my raw coins, it occurred to me that at one time I was just collecting American coins. Just looking for that next coin to fill a spot. On occasion I would pick up a foreign coin and put it in a storage box to protect it. Life was simple then. I had some slabbed coins from PCGS, NGC, ICG and ANACS. So I decided to go to these websites and learn something about their services. NGC caught my attention the most (as well as their registry), so I registered and started sending coi

February 3

coinsandmedals in My 2021 numismatic journey

The coin budget might get a boost afterall...

This might be a bit rambling but I will get to a point, I swear. My wife and I got that 2nd stimulus check a few weeks ago and we set about spending the majority of it on 1) redoing and improving our kids playroom to make it more comfortable and fun for the boys ($500 that has made life sooo much easier for Shandy) 2) allowing us to spend more than we normally would have on anniversary presents and 3) planning a weekend AirBnB get away to celebrate Ben’s Bday since he will once again not be

Revenant in Coin budgets

February 3

Coinbuf's Journal

Some people are just so ugly, nasty, and downright awful!

Today while working I had the unfortunate encounter with one of the most ugly (I am talking the persons character not physical looks) and nasty individuals for quite some time. I had such a very nice weekend spending time with my family over the weekend, my youngest daughter was unable to come home for Christmas so this was a second celebration for the family. And then today BAMM!! this jerk slaps me in the face with the most despicable display of rude, dishonest, and awful behavior; really a

Coinbuf in Coinbufs journal

February 3

coinsandmedals's Journal

Numismatics and social media platforms

I enjoy a good book just as much as anyone else, but my wife is nothing short of a bookworm. Her happy place is resting in her “egg-chair” with a good book and a warm cup of coffee, while our oversized cocker spaniel spreads out on her lap. Recently she started a “bookstagram” where she shares her thoughts about recent reads and takes book suggestions from followers. She seems to enjoy interacting with fellow bookworms, teachers, and at times authors. As any husband should, I provided support, e

February 1

Let me try this again, for the first time

All Hell Breaking Loose? - Because of Reddit? of all things?

So, it would appear that the group of redditors that have been playing games with Gamestop and AMC stock (among others) are now plotting a short squeeze on SLV and the silver futures market, which is driving up spot a little (but not insanely much so far). It's also causing a crush of orders to hit the dealers, causing the dealers to limit or stop taking orders and it's causing the prices of / premiums on physical metal to spike and getting physical metal is staring to cost $35+/ounce now.

Revenant in NCLT

February 1

Choosing flips instead of 2x2s

I have decided that I am going to use non-Pvc flips,with inserts, for some of my re-organization/first organization of my collection. As I mentioned in my last journal, I have an eclectic, not too big assortment of world silver coins. The reason that I have these coins is that part of how I enjoy this hobby is by slowly perusing world silver junk bins. So I guess you could call these coins keepers, but for the most part not meant to be slabbed one day - whether for protection or investment. I

thisistheshow in Journals

February 1

"Bad Luck Pennies" / "Hard Times Pennies"

I had to run an errand today and I found a penny in the parking lot on the way to my car. I stopped and picked it up like I have always tended to do ever since I was a small child, as I was encouraged to do. I remember always being taught the rhyme, "Find a penny? Pick it up! And all the day you'll have good luck!" Some years ago now I had a supervisor at work who's husband took this rather seriously and got upset when he found out that their child had found a penny on the ground and l

Revenant in Pennies

January 29

Daniel McMunn

Modern commem0rative dollars

I am looking for a1989d ms70 commemorative dollar and have been looking a long time on Ebay. It is frustrating when I have the money and nothing shows up until I don't have any. If anybody has one to sell please post..................Daniel

Daniel McMunn in Commemoative Dollars

January 27

A Random Thought on the Awards Announcement...

So, two weeks later I find myself looking at the text of the awards announcement again - in part because I've also been swapping emails with NGC/PMG about mailing addresses and in part because I just really like what they said about my note set - and I notice the video they have and decide to watch it. So... a bit of context but... 2 weeks ago I was tasked at work with recording demo / how-to videos on how to use our software. These are supposed to go on YouTube as a Marketing tool (to sho

Revenant in Random Nonsense

January 23

ColonialCoinsUK in Collecting World Coins

Finally Filled “the Gold Box” - ~13 years later.

With my anniversary present now in hand I have reached a milestone that I’d thought about a number of times over the years. I bought my first gold coin in 2007 - an MS70 graded 1/4th oz gold eagle - as a way of celebrating my 21st birthday that didn’t involve getting drunk - which didn’t interest me much at the time (or now, really). The idea of “first gold” seems to be special for a lot of people - people will often post about their first gold purchase in the “SilverBugs” subredd

Revenant in Gold

January 22

Collecting world coins

Plans for 2021

Short version – do all the things I still haven’t done from 2020, 2019, 2018 etc Longer version – I bought less coins in 2020 than I have done for many years, and this is not because of the current environment we all find ourselves in, but that the higher grade coins in my collecting areas, even the minors, seem increasingly scarce and have rapidly moved beyond by budget making completing sets effectively impossible. At least partial acceptance of this fact prompted some specific resea

January 22

Let me try this again, for the first time

My second journal...

It's been almost two years to the day since my first journal. For any Futurama fans out there, I was just practicing my dramatic........................................................................................................pause! Anyway... during the last two years I have come a long way in forming the direction my collecting takes, learned quite a bit about the hobby, and had some great experiences. A few days ago, I came to some realizations that go beyond collecting. First, that it

thisistheshow in Journals

January 21

coinsandmedals's Journal

The collecting bug strikes again!

I have found over the years that coin collectors often collect other things. Some pursue items unrelated to their numismatic interests, while others pursue tangentially related items. In my case, my side collections fall more in line with the latter rather than the former. Often this takes shape in the form of numismatic references published in the mid to late 18th century, with the occasional spattering dating back to the 17th century. These books often make for nice shelf decoration with their

coinsandmedals in My 2021 numismatic journey

January 20

What to do with the winnings....Hmmmm

So here I am..... struggling to decide what coins go in to NGC to get rated. Winning "Best Presented Set" for my Morgan Dollars has put me in a position that I thought would be simple. Going through my raw coins and sets made me go "WOW!" at what my collection turned into. When I started organizing and picking items to get rated.... I was almost over whelmed. Currently I'm sending some coins in to be rescued (hopefully) by NCS because of poor storage by the mints (PVC). Others I'm deciding

January 19