CoinsbyGary

A journal by coinsbygary

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About this journal

When I was a young boy, my cousin introduced me to the hobby of coin collecting. Because I was also interested in photography, I used to frequent a local camera store. Along with camera supplies, this store had a rotating display case full of coins that I enjoyed scrolling through. My very first coin purchase was an 1881-S Morgan Dollar in BU PL condition; this coin was old, shiny, and inexpensive at just $12! Now 35 years later, I still own that 1881-S Morgan Dollar, even though it is still worth less than $100. I loved looking through the Red Book dreaming of the coins I would buy if I had the money, especially the coins in the back of the book where the gold listings are. As a teenager, I was beginning to show signs of gold fever.

Working through high school, I spent the bulk of the money I did not save on coin purchases. My first gold purchase as a teenager was an 1881 BU Half Eagle for $105 from a mail order ad in "Coins" magazine. Since then I have had this coin graded, and it resides in my Gold Liberty type collection graded at PCGS MS-62.

My next gold purchase as a youth stretched my resources. I purchased an 1858-C VF Half Eagle for $350, and my attraction to this coin was that it had a low mintage from an obscure branch mint. I also enjoy the comradely among fellow coin enthusiasts, and once I invited a kid to attend a coin show with me who was much younger than I was. As fate would have it, this kid happened to be the son of my mother’s boss. This boss always said to my mother how impressed he was with me taking his son to that show. As for me, I enjoy the company of fellow coin collectors, whoever they may be.

Two other purchases I made as a teen were an 1876 20-cent piece and an 1885-CC Morgan Dollar from the Lavere Redfield hoard. Since then my collecting has been sporadic, depending on my life situation. However, the passion has always been there. Gold has still not lost its luster with me, and today I am a very active collector. The cousin that introduced me to coin collecting years ago no longer collects. For a different twist on my collection, visit my website at: coinsbygary.com

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Entries in this journal

My day at the Central States Numismatic Society Show

A wonderful day with my with my wife culminated with the addition of an 1834 Bust Dime to my 7070 type set. Going to a major coin show is a treat that occurs all too infrequently for me. The last time I went to a major show was the August 2011 ANA show, so I was particularly eager to attend the Central States Numismatic Society show on Thursday April 25. Typically, I like to attend major shows on either a Thursday or Friday because I find that the crowds are much smaller, and the selection of
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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My Day at the ANA Show with Yankeejose

A day at my third ANA show yields four treasures (five, if you include the complimentary PCGS luncheon Lincoln Cent) and the opportunity to meet and spend the day with fellow coin enthusiast Yankeejose (Dave). Greetings all, Ive been to the ANAs Worlds Fair of Money three times and have found each show unique and enjoyable in different ways. This years show marks the first time I have attended a show with a fellow coin enthusiast. It also represents the first time I have personally met someone
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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My Collector Profile

The definition of profile is to describe, write about, give an account of, portray, depict, sketch, and outline. That said, could someone easily write about, give an account of, portray, depict, sketch, or outline my collector profile by the coins currently in my collection? This is exactly the question I am asking of myself as I examine the state of my collection. More specifically, which coins in my collection represent my core passion as opposed to those I bought on a whim? If I were to be
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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My Best Submission Yet

It’s been a while since I posted about a submission I dreaded to send but finally mailed to NGC in June. As of August, NGC posted the grades of the last two coins of a nine-coin submission. This submission may have been the best I have ever sent. I divided the submission into four parts. The first is the WORLD-MODERN tier with three coins, followed by the WORLD-ECONOMY tier with two coins. Next is a single medal under the TOKEN-WORLD-VALUE tier, and finally, a three medal TOKEN-EARLY-BIRD t
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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My Alternative to the 2019-S Enhanced Proof ASE

Let me preface my post by stating that I was not interested in purchasing the recently sold out enhanced reverse proof ASE. That said, I think the finish on the ASE is exquisite. As such it is a remarkably beautiful coin that I would be proud to own. Still, ASE’s are not among the coins I regularly collect.  However, there are a few comparisons I’d like to make between the 2019-S enhanced reverse proof ASE and the British 2019 proof 5-pound “Great Engravers” two-ounce silver coin that I now
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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My 2 Cents (and that ain't worth much)

How can I describe yesterday? All across America, collectors everywhere are getting up with less hair on their heads. Greetings all, often I find humor very helpful in coping with disappointments and frustrations. A good night's sleep also helps to let clearer heads prevail, and with that comes my "two cent" assessment of yesterday's debacle. What was the Mint thinking??? How did they not see this coming? When it comes to assigning blame, the bulk of the responsibility lies at their feet. F
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Morgan?s are Simply Irresistible to Me

I don?t know what it is, but I am having a hard time breaking away from my Morgan Dollar collection. In my last journal, I opined that it might be a good time to take a break from Morgan Dollars and focus on other areas of my collection. My rational for temporarily shifting gears was an over-heating silver dollar market. What I failed to realize, as another collector reminded me, is that there are still good buys in the silver dollar market. While I was focusing on MS-65 & 66?s, I was unaw
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Mintage vs. Survivability

The difference between a coins mintage and the number that have survived through the years can be immense. Greetings everyone, when I was young collector, I relied heavily on mintage figures to determine whether a coin had the potential to rise in value. I thought that lower mintages correlated to a faster rise in value. Now years later, I have learned there are many more factors that combined with mintage figures contribute to a coin?s potential to increase in value. The first thing to consid
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Milestones & Competition

Reaching an important milestone for my collection and the coin that put me over the top. Greetings all, just three short months ago I wrote about possibly discontinuing my first-spouse collection. Now three months later I have a new perspective even though the price of gold has not significantly changed. First, I have a lot invested in this series already, and if I have the money to continue, I should. Next, I want to continue to add gold to my portfolio and these coins are a great way of doin
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Meanwhile Behind the Scenes...

When it comes to collecting coins over the course of a year, I typically focus on only one segment of my collection at a time. For instance, three years ago it was Morgan and Eisenhower dollars, two years ago it was my custom set, The Use of Seated Imagery in Numismatics, last year it was completing and upgrading my Dansco 7070 type set, and this year it's my new custom set, The Coins and Medals of Laura Gardin Fraser. Lately Ive written much about my new custom set because it consumes most of
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Lots of Treats with a Few Tricks!

I made several good purchases in October, but absolutely need to get spending under control! October has been a banner month for me in terms of collecting, as I upgraded one coin, purchased three outright, and added the Lincoln Chronicles set to my collection. The funny thing is that I told myself two coins ago that I would temporarily freeze my purchases. Now throw in a new camera and October gets very expensive. I guess all this proves that I am addicted to this hobby. However, there is a ra
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Looking Forward to 2010!

2009 in review and my goals for 2010. 2009 has been a banner year for my collection. I have spent more money on coins this year than during any other year prior. My first full year in the registry is part of the reason for my increased spending. After establishing the sets I wanted to collect, I feverishly went about populating them. With the focus of filling slots and my proclivity to compulsiveness, I very nearly completed a 20th century type set and completed a Wilhelmina 10 Gulden gold set
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Like a Kid in a Candy Store

My day at the Central States Numismatic Society convention. I had a wonderful time at the Central States Numismatic Society convention last Friday. I arrived with a 1908 Austrian 100 Corona gold coin in an old NCS holder to cross over to a purple holder and 2 coins with which to barter. The bartering coins were an uncirculated details 1906-D Half Eagle and a MS-69 1989 Russian Ballet 25 ruble palladium coin. The moment I got there, the first place I went was NGC?s table. I queried the repre
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Liberty to return to US coinage?

As a lover of classic coins this news gives me something to cheer about! I know that a lot of collectors are partial to collecting our currently circulating coins which feature busts of Presidents Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Washington, and Kennedy. However, with the exception of type coins, I am not among them. I have often bemoaned the the passing of what I think were fabulously artistic coins featuring various renditions of Lady Liberty. Now for people like me there is a glimmer of hope
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Lessons From the Far Country

Much of this post is quoted from a response to a recent post by thisistheshow entitled, "Let me try this again, for the first time." I made a lot of points in that response that I thought are worthy of an expanded stand-alone post. In a nutshell this post is an autobiography of my 40+ years of collecting coins.  Thinking back on my 40+ years of coin collecting I liken my numismatic experience to that of the Biblical parable of the prodigal son. I started my numismatic journey as a youth wit
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Junes Coin of the Month is Out of this World

Junes Coin of the Month is a NGC PFUC-69 French 2009 10 Euro coin that commemorates the International Year of Astronomy and the 40th anniversary of mans first steps on the moon. Greetings everyone, ever since I was a boy, I have had two enduring interests. The one is obvious, and it has to do with collecting coins. The other is not quite as apparent and has to do with science fiction and space exploration. This month, my Coin of the Month post brings both of these unrelated interests together
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Julys Coin of the Month and our first 100 years of Independence

The Coin of the Month for July is an 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition Medal designed by William Barber. To help finance the exposition, Congress authorized the striking of commemorative medals in June of 1874. Overall, there were two different medals, each struck in a variety of metallic compositions. One medal was 38mm in diameter and the other 57mm. My Coin of the Month is the 57mm Julian CM-11 medal struck in white metal and graded MS-61 by NGC. White metal is an alloy composed of 82
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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July 20th, 1969.....

One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind and no commemorative from the US Mint. 40 years ago today seemed larger than life to me. As an eleven-year-old boy, I remember exactly where I was at the pinnacle of what was perhaps mankind?s greatest technological triumph. At a carnival picnic sponsored by my father?s employer on July 20, 1969, I heard an announcement over the loud speaker that we had landed on the moon. The reaction to the news on that warm summer afternoon was a rousing ch
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Journal Posting 101

I may not make any friends, but I feel this needs to be said. According to NGC, when they judge the journal posts for their annual awards, they judge them according to the following criteria: 1. Writing talent 2. Creativity 3. Enthusiasm 4. Numismatic Knowledge 5. ?..and most importantly, the sharing of a personal sense of the collecting journey. Of lately it seems that the journal postings have veered off from what NGC has intended for their use. The intention of NGC as described
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Journal Entries, Gold Coins, and the Economy.

A journal entry that mislead me, but turned out well Today I saved $50.00 on a coin purchase because of a journal posted by Collector?s Society member ?davidricher? written yesterday. For those of you who read his journal, he stated that the mint would BEGIN shipping UHR?s April 24 and then only to those who placed orders on Jan 22. This afternoon I received an e-mail from the mint stating that they have begun to ship Feb 22 and expect to deliver UHR?s ordered between Jan 22 and Feb 23 BY Apri
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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Its Time to Stop Dragging My Feet

I was so impressed by Alan Lastufkas, Most Improved post that I thought it was high time I kick it in gear and improve upon a few images of my own. Thus, this post features an image upgrade of one of my all time favorite coins, the Austrian 1908 Franz Joseph I, 60th Anniversary of Reign 100 Corona. Every one of the images of this coin I photographed several years ago and at the time I considered them to be satisfactory. Nevertheless, what was satisfactory then is no longer so today, especially
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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It?s All About Passion!

The definition of passion is, ?The object of somebody?s intense interest or enthusiasm?, and suitably applies to my love for coin collecting among other things. Greetings all, my father always told me, ?If something is worth doing, to do it right the first time.? Consequently, whenever I put my mind to do something, I do it with passion. This applies to all areas of my life, up to, and including coin collecting. How else can I explain the expenditures and time I spend on this hobby? As an extr
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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It Took 9 Cents to Finally Rid My Type Set of No-Grades

Yes, I was finally able to rid my 7070 Type set of no-grades with three coins totaling 9 cents in face value. Those coins are an Eric P Newman pedigreed 1859 AU-58 Indian Head Cent, an 1853 MS-62 half-dime with arrows, and a 1861 MS-64 silver three-cent piece. For the better part of 2014, my 7070 typeset has been the primary focus of my new coin purchases. Of the 13 coins I purchased, there are seven new coins, two upgrades, and four details upgrades. Of course I made other purchases of note i
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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It May Be Time to Get Out of the Golden Rat Race

I think I lost the desire to keep up with the First Spouse gold coins. Greetings all, many of you are aware that I have been collecting First Spouse gold coins. In the past, I have opined in my journals on strategies for collecting the entire series in PF-70 condition. The fact that these coins are gold, and they sprang out of a passion for my ?Inspirational Ladies? custom set has kept me buying these expensive coins. Although I did not buy these coins as an investment or hedge against inflati
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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INSANE!

This current sudden rise in value of high-grade common date dollars is insane and shows no sign of letting up. Several months ago, I began a collection of what I felt were affordable MS-65 & 66 Morgan Dollars. Now my collection of 22 MS-65 & 66 Morgan Dollars is complete and resides as a custom set in ?Gary?s MS-65 & 66 Morgan Gems?. I started this set based on the hope that I could complete it at an average cost of $200/coin. For a while, I was doing pretty well until the value of
coinsbygary

coinsbygary

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