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Walkerfan

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Journal Entries posted by Walkerfan

  1. Walkerfan
    1937-S PCGS MS 66 CAC
    I participated for the first time, ever, in a Legend sale. There were some absolutely stunning, original beauties in that sale, including the 'Northern lights' Morgan dollars. Walkers and other series stunners were no exception, too, as I found this wonderful colorful premium gem.
    It is VERY well struck with full skirts, well rounded & defined thumb, full head and sharp eagle's breast and trailing leg. The obverse is very unique with toning of rose, cranberry and tangerine. It looks all original to me, as it looks like an end of roll toner. The reverse is white but both sides are dripping with frost and have very bold luster bands. There are some delicate lines in the right field but very minor, as some of that is the toning pattern.
    Colorful coins with great eye appeal bring moon money, so I had no idea what this beauty would go for but I got it very reasonably. I am very happy with it, as I won the auction Thursday, paid Friday morning and it was overnighted to me Monday, so it was in my hand by Tuesday afternoon.
    I was also looking at a blazing luster 1937-S PCGS MS 66 + Walker coin on a different site but it had neither the strike nor the eye appeal of this piece and it was far more expensive. I feel quite fortunate to have been able to acquire it.
    My Walker MS Full set is now 90% complete (59 of 65 coins) but this is the first coin that I could not add to my NGC competitive set, as it is a PCGS coin purchased after January 1st of 2017. So, I created my first NGC Custom Set. I am adding only the PCGS coins to this new set that I may happen to purchase to make my full set complete. I see no reason to replicate my entire Walker set. I will likely add this new Custom set to my Chat board signature line, so at least, people will know that it exists.
    My advice to you is to collect what's in your heart, because like it or not what you collect, share and pass on is really just a part of YOU.
    Cheers to all!
    WF

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  2. Walkerfan
    It was my year end goal and an enlightening experience.
    While I was building my early set; I had hit a roadblock and was getting burned out looking for good coins, in the right grades, so I decided to work on the short set, as a relaxing diversion----a way of keeping me involved, while still looking for the really rare and expensive stuff. It was just some cheap fun, at first! It also had some overlap with my one per date set that I was also working on, as I had almost all of those early coins already filled out except for one and I needed to start finding coins dated from 1934-1947.
    At first, I thought that it would be 'easy' to build a short set and I had always believed in buying the keys first, which I still advocate and am very glad that I did, so this is another reason and the WHY that I waited, until now, to complete the short set. BUT little did I know how challenging the S minted short set coins would actually be. I always knew that they were difficult but I have earned a completely new respect for the Walker short set, now, by actually putting one together. Even the D minted coins can be struck softly and are not easy to find lustrous, smooth and original examples but, with some diligent searching, nice ones can be found that are worthwhile and that meet those requirements. The eye appeal can also be off the charts for the short set imho. The Walker is, after all, a beautiful design.
    It took me 2 years and 8 months to assemble it. My weighted GPA is about 66.10. I have two MS 65s (1941-S OGH and 1942-S rattler), three MS 67s (1941, 1942 & 1943 Philadelphia coins), two MS 66 +s (1946 & 1947 Philly coins) and the rest are all MS 66s. It is almost split right down the middle between the two grading services, too, with 45% PCGS and 55% NGC coins, as I buy the coin and not the holder. I also look for older slabs, when I can find them. Finding ones that have CAC stickers are nice, too, if I don't have to pay a hefty premium for them. I was lucky to find some fully original pieces, as well, that have some rich color (1945-D, 1945-S & 1947 P), I wound up ranked in the 17th position at NGC and I am done with the short set. I am very happy with those grades and with those particular coins, so I will NOT be upgraded anything, at all, unless something really extraordinary comes along and at a decent price.
    My last two coins were a 1946 P PCGS MS 66+ (my mom's birth year) and a 1945 P PCGS MS 66---both of which I purchased yesterday. Both of these are CAC green stickered and the 1945 has a PCGS 30th anniversary green label, which I think is kind of cool. I thought that I paid a little too much for the 1945 P coin but after research (Heritage & other major auction archives) I have found that other CAC'ed PCGS MS 66 examples are going for a premium, so I am very happy with that price and I like the green label AND the green bean. But most importantly I like the coin.
    Cheers to all and have a great weekend!!
    WF

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  3. Walkerfan
    From humble beginnings to where I am today
    As a grade school child of 8 or 9 years old, my dad got me started on classic coinage (Buffs, Mercs & Walkers among others) by giving me Blue Whitman folders and quite a few circulated coins for me to fill them with that he had obtained, in his younger days. I was never able to fill that 1938-D Walker hole and that really challenged and intrigued me.
    Those old blue folders listed the mintage numbers underneath that hole and it was LOW for the 1938-D and that also sparked an interest in me, as I was attracted to the RARITY of it.
    The old folders broke the series up into TWO separate folders. I believe it was 1937-1947 for part two, which I had, as a child. I had no idea that there was a whole separate PART ONE folder for the coins from 1916-1936!! When I discovered this years later, as a teen---I was blown away and dreamt about acquiring those early coins.....so RARE, so beautiful and soo very SCARCE in better condition.
    When I was about 26 or 27 years old; I started visiting local B & Ms again and I bought a raw 1940-S in XF for about 6 bucks! Then I bought more and more raw coins from 1941-1947 in XF-AU condition. I also picked up a few 1930s Philadelphia coins in the same grades. My local B & M guy (now deceased) had an XF 1938-D that I had always wanted for about $95 bucks, so I saved for it and I eventually bought it. He also had a 1917 P in 63 and a 1918 in XF. I would look at them and just WISH.
    Not long after that, as I looked through Coinage and Coin World I saw an ad for a 1917 S reverse in XF 45 from Paul Puckett. After a few pleasant conversations with him and his wife; I purchased the coin. Paul was a fair, kind and honest man....God rest his soul.
    Later still around 1996; I bought my first NGC CERTIFIED Walker coin---a 1916 D in MS 62 from The Arizona Numismatic Corp. (if my memory serves me correctly). It was softly struck (hence the MS 62 grade) but was 100% original. I held it for many years (about 15 years, to beexact!) before selling it to a fellow board member to help me purchase an MS 64 upgrade in 2011.
    All the while; I attended local and major coin shows throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. In the course of doing so; I met a wonderful man named Joe who was a dealer from New York. I struck up a great friendship with him and I bought many wonderful raw XF/AU early dates from him.....a 1929-S (wonderful coin), a 1917 D reverse and a 1917 P.....all in AU condition! He also had a 1938-D XF that was nicer than the one that I had, so I bought that one, too! I also bought a 1934-S MS 63 from him. I remained very close with him, until his passing about 4-5 years ago. He was so reputable that he bought back many of the raw coins that I purchased from him years earlier and I used the money to help me with building and improving my certified set.
    During the 1990s I did A LOT of reading---mostly Coin World and Coinage and I was intrigued by Bruce Fox and his Walker book and his company Golden West Numismatics. I would drool over and wish I could own his raw Early Walker offerings in mint state. Around that time; I remember reading and fantasizing about an all MS 65 or better Walker set of NGC and PCGS graded coins that sold for a then astonishing record amount of $250,000 ( it would be impossible to pay that today, as it's worth many times more, now)!!
    I joined the NGC Registry in 2005 and I bought some certified MS pieces all in that same year.....a 1918 MS 64, a 1917 MS 64, a 1927-S MS 63, a 1938-D MS 65, a 1920-S MS 62 and a 1918-D MS 63. All of them came from eBay but for the 1918 MS 64, which was my first ever Heritage purchase.
    I was dormant for about 4 years, as I was working on my career and paying off debt. I got really serious in 2009 and I joined the NGC chat boards that same year. I wanted to realize my dream of building a FULL MS set of Walkers! That was the year that I bought my 1920-D MS 64 to get things started again.
    Fast forward 7 years later and I haven't looked back. I am very close to realizing this goal. I am almost 75% complete and I have all of the early coins but for the 1921-S and 1919-D. I am having a blast filling out the short set coins and the Philadelphia middle date pieces. VERY soon I will have 59 of 65 coins and be 90% complete. I also have over 100,000 registry points, now, in my Walker set...another milestone.
    In summary, Walkers still do it for me----their amazing and artistic beauty, their incredible RARITY (both conditionally AND absolutely) meaning that they have foundational rarity. Foundational rarity is a coin that just wasn't saved and has low mintage numbers to boot. Of course, I am speaking primarily of the EARLY Walkers but some of the coins from the 1930s are tough, too, especially the branch minted coins of Denver and San Francisco. They also have so much HISTORY associated with them, as well.
    Walkers are a joy to collect. They bring me peace, pleasure, friendship (of fellow collectors) and a potential investment return.
    I just love them and it is a long term venture for me. I am still always learning and also trying to help and to educate others. I am proud of my accomplishments but am also humbled by some of the great and more accomplished collectors out there---some here and ATS and many others who do not participate in the Registry programs or the chat boards.
    Here is my latest---the toughest Philly coin from 1934-1947 in overall mint state condition and second in high grade mint state.
    My best to you all!

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  4. Walkerfan
    It's all downhill from here!
    The 20 coin short (1941-1947) set may be considered a relatively easy set to put together, when compared to the intermediate set (1934-1940) and, especially, the early set (1916-1933), but finding well-struck, lustrous, S-minted, 1940s coins is not an easy task by any means.
    The last nice 1943 S MS 66 coin that I saw and that I really liked sold almost 3 years ago back in December of 2013.
    I decided to pull the trigger on this one, because the strike is about as nice as I've seen, luster looks great, fields and devices are smooth and it has some interesting warm, golden toning about it; albeit NO CAC sticker.
    Now, I only have 8 'easier' coins left to contend with that are considered 'widgets' and were all both well-produced and mass-produced. Four of which are Philly coins----the 1941 P, 1942 P, 1945 P and 1946 P. And the other 4 are Denver coins----the 1943 D, 1944 D, 1945 D and 1946 D.
    Only the 1943 D and 1944 D will be slightly more challenging.
    The theme of my short set has always been gem or better and well-struck, lustrous coins. I also try to find nice original pieces, if/when they crop up, and IF they meet my other criteria. I also look for OGHs and no-line fatties, when I can get them.
    Just TWO coins in my set are 'only'; gems and the rest are premium gems with just one superb gem. I may add a couple more superb gems (MS 67s) before I'm done---likely the 1941 P and 1942 P coins would be good candidates.
    I can see the short set finish line, now, as I am 60% complete with all of the difficult strike rarities secured and in place.
    It's been challenging but still plenty of FUN.
    I always advocate buying the tougher dates FIRST and that strategy has worked well for me, so far.

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  5. Walkerfan
    And I give in to a good strike and luster.
    A couple of years ago; I purchased a 1947 P Walker coin in NGC MS 66+ that I really liked and that is fully original. I also liked the 1947 P coin, because it gave me just a few more Registry points for my Date Set than it's Denver brother, and I got it for a lot less than I had thought that I would have to pay.
    Anyway, my plan was always to make it a matched set by finding a nice 1947 D coin in NGC MS 66+ to go along with it. I had the opportunity to do just that on two separate occasions. The first time was through a major auction, which failed miserably due to the fact that their faulty bidding software would not accept my strong online bid. The second time was through an online sale, in which the coin was priced very reasonably. Foolishly, I passed on that second coin, too----this time it was totally MY fault. Other MS 66+ Denver coins had appeared but they looked to me to have very dull surfaces, poorer strikes and they were priced rather unrealistically, IMHO. They also have a real LOW Census......around 12 for each mint marked issue the last time that I checked, so they don't show up too often. I think that this number will increase in the future, though.
    So, I thought to myself---'WHY NOT just purchase a nice MS 66, if one happens to come along, and even save a little bit of money?' A PCGS MS 66 1947 D example that had a VERY sharp strike came up but, again, I failed to pull the trigger! Then, I saw this NGC 66 example. The strike is almost as good as the PCGS coin, as I think that this NGC example has good split separations on all of the branch stem lines and the thumb is well above average with just some softness on the index finger. The surfaces and luster on this piece are even BETTER than the PCGS coin, too. So, I purchased this one for a really FAIR price.....it was an effortless transaction and gave me quite a thrill on a boring Sunday afternoon. Low risk and a lot of FUN.
    The 1947 P and D coins are NOT strike rarities, when considered in the broader range of the series, but sharp, nearly fully-struck examples almost never surface from my own experiences.
    This one fills the slot for me and gets the job done. It puts me just past the halfway completion mark on my Walker Short Set, also. Plus, it gives me an unintended yet nicely matched pair of 1947 coins. There were no San Francisco coins minted in that last year, either, there are just those two---the Philly and Denver issues.
    I am not about 'ga-ga' grades and completion is my primary goal and gives me more satisfaction, now, as I can always upgrade later, if I wish, although I probably won't, as I am very satisfied with what I have. Besides, I don't want to overpay for a coin that has been maxed out through the grading process but is not technically 'all there' in it's tomb. I am seeing this more than ever these days and the end results can be quite costly. This is certainly NOT to say that many coins don't, in fact, deserve an upgrade---they certainly do but just not all. Besides, I have always been about quality and not just the number on the slab. I'd rather buy under-graded coins for less money and then have them re-graded, myself, although I do feel that this particular coin is properly graded at MS 66 and should not upgrade and should be left alone. The only reason that I point this out is that I am still satisfied with a MS 66 rather than a MS 66+ or MS 67.
    So, I'm very pleased, as I continue to move forward.
    Good Luck to all of my friends out there, as it certainly DOESN'T get any easier!

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  6. Walkerfan
    I really LIKE fresh material, too.
     
    And I was drawn to this one like a moth to the flame.Fresh to the market and in an older NGC #7 slab that's in perfect condition. This coin is 99% bright white with just a very light skin. The strike is freakishly sharp on both the obverse and reverse, even considering the fact that the 1934 P is, generally, a rather well produced issue. The fields are virtually pristine. Luster looks pretty decent, as well. This one looks so much better than the MS 67s that I've seen. I'll bet that John Albanese has never even seen this coin, as I'm sure that it would have stickered, if he had. I'm glad that it had no sticker affixed to it, when I purchased it, though, so as not to artificially drive the price up. I got it for well below retail and a little below wholesale. As much as I respect JA and CAC; I don't really care what CAC thinks about my coins. Sure, it's wonderful to have his blessing and he offers a great service for certain coins that are questionable and it makes such coins much more marketable when selling. But Walkerfan gives it HIS OWN GOLD STICKER, for sure, and that's all that really matters to me. Learn your series and you will be able to recognize important buying opportunities and make your own empowered buying decisions. The bottom line is that there are still some nice coins out there but they are being mined, at a very rapid pace, which drives me to act, whenever I do happen to see them. This coin brings me up to the number 11 ranking on the NGC Registry for the Walker Full 65 coin set. The #11 spot had previously been held by a long time phantom set, as I know for a fact that many of the coins in that set were sold years ago. This one will be re-graded for sure one day. But until then, it will rest comfortably in my set, and even after that for many years to come. It also matches the quality of my 1936 P coin quite well and, also, my 1935 P & 1937 P coins, for that matter.I was told once by a veteran collector to make an effort to pick up the Walker coins of the 1930s, as they are quite difficult and are only getting tougher to find and I agree with that advice, as it's very true. The branch minted coins of the 1930s (Denver and San Francisco) are more desirable and also scarcer but Philly coins, such as this one, are simply NOT that easy to locate, especially at a decent price. Just do an eBay search and you'll see all the high prices yet the lack of any type of good quality. The 1934 Philly Walker is the #1 toughest Philly coin to find from 1934-1947, in MS 65 and higher grades, and second only to the 1938 Philly coin in OVERALL MS rarity. The 1935 P is likely number three. It's really funny, as 15-20 years ago; I wouldn't have even considered paying this much for a 1934 Philly coin in this grade. This is what I would have paid for a choice or near gem 1934-S coin. Ha Ha! But those days are long GONE, my friends. I didn't even have to think about going after this coin. I happily purchased it and without hesitation. As Mike Wolfe from 'American Pickers' always says: "The time to buy it is when you see it." ;)Again, a lot of pleasure and potential reward for very little monetary outlay. These coins were selling for just under $1100 ten years ago. It will be interesting to see what impact, if any, the U.S. Mint's release of the Centennial Gold Walker coin will have on the traditional Walker series market. I believe that these coins are going to rise in the future and, if the laws of economic forecasting are correct, the next peak cycle will eclipse the previous high price levels. I wish all of you the best of luck and success in all of your collecting endeavors! WFTo see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. Walkerfan
    100% done with my Date Set of Walkers
    After six years of working on my Early Set and Date set; I finally finished my One Per Date Set. I lucked onto a 1921-D and I had pondered buying it but the dealer's images looked like it had dull luster. The next day, in my office at work, I looked at the NGC images and the luster looked amazing for an early Walker. I couldn't get any work done, as that coin was on my mind. It also had a great strike and was problem free. I decided to try to buy it and called to make an offer, which was accepted by one of my favorite dealers.
    The 2nd to last coin needed was one for the 1943 slot. This was the first time in my life that I bought a coin just because of the registry points. I wanted a 1943-S, b/c I try to buy the toughest mint marked coin for the year, in the highest grade that I can. But a 1943 P coin in MS 67 has 249 points more tan a 1943-S in MS 66, so I went with the 1943 P.
    The last coin that I needed was a coin from 1934. I bought a sharp, lustrous 1934-D in MS 65 only to discover it had not one but TWO reeding marks on the reverse, which were distracting to me, so I quickly flipped it and even made $25 bucks. I noticed a 1934-D in MS 65 OGH, on a dealers website. This was a coin that I had not bid on in a previous auction, but wanted to. He had marked up 35% above the hammer price. I offered 15% over, which was eventually accepted. It has a FULL strike (including the HEAD, which is super rare for the issue). It is fuller and sharper than the Cajun Collection OGH MS 66 that sold for $3800, although not quite as clean and lustrous but close.
    My set grades no lower than MS 64 and all of the 64s are in the early 1916-1933 years. The middle years and late years grade MS 65 through MS 67.
    Also, 17 of 25 coins or 68% are the rarest mint marks for the year and 7 of 25 coins or 28% are second rarest for the year and only 1 coin or 4% is the most common for the year but it is the highest graded (MS 67).
    Thank you to all my board member friends who have helped me along the way and through the years---including Bill Jones, Jom, Elbesaar (MFH ATS), Breakdown, Walkerguy21D (ATS), Dadams and many, many more that I am forgetting.
    I also want to thank Jason Smith (DLRC) and Stuart & Vic (Bozarth Numismatics) for providing me with my last two coins for this set.

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  8. Walkerfan
    1935 is a good year!!
    Well, here we are right before Christmas 2014 and I was gonna cool it for a while with my purchases, since I just picked up a nice 42-S rattler & a 41-S OGH both in MS 65 for my date set.
    I punched up my normal 'honey-hole' sites and there she was staring me RIGHT in the face. The sharpest MS 65 35-D that I've seen in almost ANY grade and in a 'rattler' with a green bean no less. I was hoping to slip in and get her for around retail (maybe even less? HA!) but WHO was I kidding??!! The day the auction ended---the current bid was rather high and I didn't know what the high bidder's max was, so I threw in a bid just one increment higher than the current bid and fully expected failure but low and behold----I won! I was satisfied, as I paid about 300 above retail, which ain't too bad.
    This is a RARE coin in this grade and with this strike. Even at the 66 level----she's a tough coin and NO superb gem 67s are known!!! Meet my newest!!
    P.S. I have found myself becoming more and more of a collector who appreciates these old slabs (both PCGS AND NGC)----just as long as the coin inside is nice too. This one is FRESH to the market and has NOT appeared in any major auctions (I have concluded through my research).

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  9. Walkerfan
    A Crown Jewel for my Short Set
    I am having such a wonderful time just happily filling in my Walker Date Set and my Walker Short Set. It is sooo much fun with very little monetary outlay.
     
     
     
    BUT the S minted coins of the 1940s are NOT as easy as one might think that they are and they offer QUITE the challenge. I have been searching for about a year now, already. IMHO the 1942-S is the MOST difficult coin to find with a decent strike and is more difficult than even the 1941-S AND the 1943-S coins. Those other two (1941-S & 1943-S) are quite tough, as well, as I believe that they are second and fourth in difficulty, respectively. I would rank the 1944-S as being number three. Many of the 1942-S coins have NO THUMB detail and some have incomplete skirt lines and some examples are even deficient in BOTH of those areas---a plateau, if you will, straight down the center. Then there is the issue of DULLNESS of luster and/or abraded surfaces, which is very prevalent for this issue, too. So it is a very TALL order to fill by finding a nice one, regardless of them having significantly higher population numbers than the early dates.
     
     
     
    A MS 66 1942-S is worth about 1100-1500 bucks and that still does NOT guarantee a sharp or even a well-rounded thumb for that matter but it is easier to find a well rounded thumb at that grade level.
     
     
     
    When I saw this MS 65 and I just had to have it. Although the central obverse branch stem separation line is incomplete at the very highest point, it still has a very decent thumb, which is more important to me. It also has full skirt lines, clean surfaces and nice luster, too. It met ALL of my stringent requirements. Furthermore, I have ALWAYS wanted a 'RATTLER' holder, so the fact that it is in a rattler slab makes it desirable to me. Also, the fact that CAC has green stickered it makes it even MORE appealing to me and is just more frosting on the cake. A VERY solid MS 65, IMHO, which is ALL that I really needed----no 'ga-ga' grades for me. It is a GEM, so it fits my criteria for my short set coins of 'at least MS 65 or better'.
     
     
     
    Now, I just need TWO more 1940s 'S' minted coins and I will have them all (including the 1940-S, which is technically not part of the short set, as that set runs from 1941-1947, with 20 examples in that set), then I can buy the remaining 13 coins in that short set that are VERY affordable and much easier to find coins and I can complete it. I will choose MS 66s and 67s for those 13 remaining D & P coins.
     
     
     
    Also, I will only need 3 more coins for my DATE SET after I get all those 1940s 'S' minted coins.
     
     
     
    I am making some really GOOD progress here without the stress of the higher price tags and the more arduous searches for the early dates.
     
     
     
    Please tell me what you think.

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  10. Walkerfan
    Lucky 1947 coin
    This is my highest graded Walker to date (MS 66 plus---I picked it up a few months ago) and it is a beautifully original, golden, pear-green & apricot, untouched gem. The strike is also sufficiently above average for the issue. It is just slightly rarer than it's 1947-D brethren, except in superb gem condition, and they are not known any higher than that (MS 67 grade.) The luster is just amazing.
    This is a lower mintage Philadelphia issue. But being the last date of the series it was saved in higher numbers. Strike ranges from average to full and excessive abrasions are not usually a problem. Strike problems can occur in different areas of the coin and are not confined to just one notable area. Luster is usually attractive and bright. Investment potential is average for MS64 grade and higher grades. Although, fully struck gems are much more scarce and are difficult to locate but they do exist.
    There are roughly 12,000 to 13,000 coins known in ALL MS grades certified by the 2 major services. Ranked 56 of 65 in overall MS rarity and 11th of 20 in the short set.
    NGC census in MS 66 is 715/66 with just 10 of those 715 at the PLUS grade level & PCGS Population is 1074/47 with 55 of those 1074 at the 66 PLUS grade level.
    Mintage is at 4,094,000
    I saw this one on EBAY and it sold for 400----I meant to bid on it but sadly I did NOT. PCGS examples that aren't even as nice sell for close to 1000 bucks! So I regretted not picking it up. The coin then RE-APPEARED on Ebay again, as the buyer apparently didn't like it, so this was MY chance, now. I spoke, at length, with the seller, so I was convinced that this was a GOOD coin. I was so happy to secure it for just under 300 bucks!! I never thought to look but I just assumed that the NGC MS 66 + examples sold for less money than their PCGS counterparts. I was THRILLED, however, to realize that there are ONLY 10 KNOWN examples of the 1947 coin in NGC MS 66 + and NGC values it at 1050!!! Same goes for the 47-D in NGC 66+----just 10 EXAMPLES!!! They are so scarce that I can't even compare price trends, as the pops are so low that there is not even any price data available, and they are likely worth every bit of 1050!!! PCGS has graded FAR MORE coins in MS 66 +. I'm VERY happy with this new, original and scarce pickup.
    Also, prices for these coins have seemed to really come down in the last 9-10 years, so it is a great time to buy, as I feel that the dust has settled and that the prices will only increase again. As Warren Buffett states "Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful". No time like the present, as a BASE NGC MS 66 WITHOUT a the plus grade was worth almost 800 bucks back in 2005 and is worth less than 300, now. I definitely think we have reached a WLH market trough and prices are going to PEAK again in the next 4-5 years. They will likely EXCEED their previous 2005 highs, which is JMHO. Now if I can only find a NGC MS 66 + 1947 D coin. Even this crude Photograph looks beautiful!!

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  11. Walkerfan

    Long Term Goal Reached

    By Walkerfan,

    IMPORTANT NEWP
    Well, I have always wanted to write a Journal Entry. I promised myself that, SOMEDAY, when I got to a certain numismatic milestone that it would happen, since I wanted to write a proper and appropriate one, after all. As it so happens, TODAY is that day and I have FINALLY reached that momentous point!
    I joined the NGC Registry here back in 2005 and I then made an attempt to buy some Early Walkers for my set. I bought the 1917 PCGS MS 64, 1918 NGC MS 64, 1918-D PCGS MS 63, 1920-S PCGS MS 62, 27-S PCGS MS 63 and one middle date---the 1938-D PCGS MS 65 all in that same year. All of those coins are still currently in my set, except for the PCGS 1927-S MS 63, which was eventually sold and upgraded with an absolute GEM of a coin in a NGC MS 64 holder. I contemplated doing an early set during that time period (in 2005). I correctly theorized that reaching the 84% mark of 22 out of 26 coins would be a HUGE and significant achievement, since it would include everything, except for the ultra-rare 1919-D & 1921-P/D/S coins. Also, there are just SO MANY other REALLY tough dates there (from 1916 to 1933), besides those four, that it would be a monumental undertaking. I, reluctantly, abandoned that plan surmising that it would take me about 15 YEARS to do it the right way (assuming that the right coins would even come along) and that that was just MUCH TOO LONG and not acceptable, at the rate that I was going. Eventually, I began to re-think my position, because I was working a better job and had much more discretionary income. I decided to go 'all in' again in September of 2009 by buying a fully struck 1920-D in MS 64 from a nationally known online coin dealer and I have NOT looked back ever since. I joined the NGC boards the very next month in Oct 2009.
    So, here we are in February of 2014---almost four and a half years later and I HAVE ARRIVED! This PCGS MS 64 CAC 1917-S Reverse example is that final 22nd coin for me!! I missed the opportunity to buy a 'perfect' MS 64 example from a West Coast coin dealer approximately 1 1/2 to 2 years ago and it has haunted me EVER SINCE. Although the 1917-S Reverse is NOT an expensive or rare coin, in an absolute sense or in the broader range of the series, but I just challenge you to TRY to find a well struck, clean AND lustrous example! Even MS 65s can look like garbage (flat and dull) and they will cost you AT LEAST $10K or more. I knew that there would be some stiff competition for this coin, as it looked almost as nice or possibly better than the special one that I had missed about 2 years ago. Who knows? Maybe it's even the same coin re-holdered?? Probably not but I don't really know for sure---I didn't have a clear enough image of the first one to be absolutely certain. I also knew that other people who were 'in the know' would see this coin, too, and it would be heavily hyped and exposed by Heritage but I just wanted to get there, soooo badly!! I could actually see that finish line---that surreal, self-determined goal, in my head, so I paid a VERY strong price for this piece, because it was not just the coin that I was purchasing but it was also my long yearned for goal, too, and special pieces come on the market sooo very infrequently. They are RARE RARE RARE!! This last week of waiting has been one of the longest weeks of my life! Thankfully, I went for it hard and was not overtaken by the stampede of lemmings!! I was really wishing that it DIDN'T have that darned CAC sticker on it, if you can actually believe that, as I didn't want that fact to artificially inflate the price! I am sure that it did, anyway. Now, I can relax and be happy knowing that it does have the controversial bean and its mine. Besides, I have seen a lot of other examples of this coin with CAC stickers but this one truly deserves it, IMHO, as the others were VERY inferior examples, so there is still A LOT to be said for buying the coin and not the holder OR the sticker----nothing trumps knowing what to buy YOURSELF.
    Building this set has been MORE than a passion for me---it has been an absolute FULL BLOWN OBSESSION!! I have spent virtually every minute of every day it seems of these last 4 & 1/2 years searching & searching, viewing & studying, learning & acquiring the best pieces that I could possibly find at the best prices. I sold off almost all of my raw early Walkers, Morgans and others coins, so that I could re-invest the money back into my certified Early Walker set. I have also overpaid for one or two of my Walkers, as well, but I knew that they would be worth it. Many more coins I UNDERPAID FOR, too, so all in all---I am well ahead of the game. There was also a bit of LUCK involved but knowledge is power and hard work ethics do come into play and they make you much more successful, as well---they increase your odds by forcing you to create your own opportunities, so I worked very hard. I have kept fastidious records of sales & resales, crack-outs & upgrades and images & prices. It has been a 24/7 job for me---I recall staying up as late as 3 AM and also getting up as early as 5 or 6 AM to bid on a coin or to research it. Many dealers had flat out told me that I simply couldn't compete with them. Well, guess what, man? My job and my lifestyle have allowed me to do just that. So, I not only was able to compete but I feel that I did BETTER, as I focused solely on MY series alone---a luxury that not even those dealers have. I surpassed them by picking up coins for LESS money than they could've offered them to me for and coins that were PQ and hand selected by me and specifically for me. I have a certain satisfaction in knowing that I did it all on my own and I built it exactly the way that I wanted it built---that is something that CAN'T be conveyed to a dealer no matter how much money that you have available to spend with them. Besides, it is really fun to do it on your own, if you are lucky and dedicated enough to be able to do so.
     
    Some people might say that I am NOT done, yet, and technically, they are right----I am NOT 100% complete. So I say this---I WILL still acquire the 19-D and 21-P/D/S coins (probably in a mix of MS 62, 63 and 64 grades and also an AU 55 or 58 example for the rare 'King of Walkers'---the 21-S coin, too) but it will be in the LONG TERM. I am taking a MUCH NEEDED break, now, but I am certainly NOT stopping and I never will---in any way, shape or form. Although it was a lot of FUN, for a long while; I was just completely absorbed by the coins and, recently, it was starting to be stressful, a little financially taxing and it was negatively impacting other portions of my life. Like a marathon runner----I had hit the wall, so to speak. So, now I will use any extra disposable income that I have to diversify my financial portfolio for a while with other investments, such as stocks, bonds and my high yield IRA. I'll likely start spending more on dining, entertainment and travel, as well. However, to quench my consummate desire for coins; I will now just casually work on my One Per Date Walker Set, when I get the urge. Acquiring, AT MY LEISURE, and hopefully, without as much difficulty but with an equal amount of pleasure, the missing coins in that set. They include but aren't limited to one example of the 1941 through 1947 year coins in MS 65 or MS 66 grade. I will be looking fo

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