Electric Peak's Journal

I started collecting coins when I was about ten, starting with Lincoln Cents. My acquisitions were funded from newspaper delivery money - what was left after putting some away for college. My collection of "wheaties" was complete except for the five toughest ones that we all know. I assembled a mint state set of silver Roosevelt Dimes and had acquired other late 19th and 20th century items from circulation and from my older brother. I also spent many Saturdays at the bank going through rolls of cents.

When I got to high school age, I began collecting half cents, large cents, and Morgan Dollars. The early copper was at the top of the list.

Unfortunately, my numismatic spending had to stop when college started. Grad school, marriage, children, private schooling (a ski racing academy high school for my older son) and home ownership followed. Except for a 1995 10th anniversary American Eagle 5 coin set, I didn't add to my collection for almost 25 years. (But that turned out to be one profitable addition!)

In the fall of 2003, I realized that I actually had enough money to get back into collecting. I started with a few mint state double eagles. My first coin show was in March 2004 in Baltimore. There I fell for an MS65RB 1850 large cent, and decided to switch gears toward a mint state large cent date collection.

When I stopped collecting before college, I had never seen a coin in a grading service slab. I quickly discovered that NGC and PCGS have some measure of respect, and that other 3rd party graders generally do not. I also discovered the registries. I wasn't about to pay PCGS to cross my NGC coins (or potentially to pay them to claim the coins aren't worthy of the same PCGS grade), so using the NGC registry (as one means of cataloging my collection) was the obvious choice.

It quickly became apparent that I'd never be able to compete with the top sets. (Not to mention that there are superior uncertified collections of early copper owned by members of Early American Coppers, which I have joined.) Though I have money to spend, I don't have that much! Hence my original registry name, Low Budget.

In the summer of 2006 I completed the large cent late dates, and the middle dates followed in 2011. Occasionally I find a nice upgrade.

In addition to the large cents, I have developed an interest in Capped Bust and Seated Liberty half dimes, gold dollars, and nice type coins.

In the pursuit of all this stuff, it occurred to me that Low Budget was not an entirely appropriate name. I'm not super rich, but am able to spend more than many folks out there. So I decided to give myself/my collection a different name that has meaning to me, though nothing to do with coins or collecting. Electric Peak is a mountain along the northern boundary of Yellowstone.

I hope you enjoy viewing my collection, and I wish you much enjoyment building yours!

(last updated 3/21/17)