Voltyris

It's completely botched. There's no sense behind their guide : )

Hello GoldFinger! Hahah, the NGC price guide is in a different league. Really cements NGC's position as the No.1 in the industry, with a No.1 overestimation in price of each coin out there. PCGS' guide is more reasonable. CDN: https://www.greysheet.com - is the best realistic guide out there. Collector/Dealer friendly, featuring prices for both parties. -------------------------------- I like to think of the NGC price guide as the max price you should pay for a coin. It's a way for NGC to tell you, do not, under any circumstances, pay more than this amount : ) This is the only use I have for it. I bid the Price Guide Value if the coin in question is a brilliant one, or rather an attractive toned one (in my opinion). What's the best solution? A collector should conduct his own research based on latest auction realized prices, through NGC/PCGS auction realized prices portal. This is as accurate as it gets. Taking into consideration the features of the coin, surfaces, strike, etc... to determine min/average/max price to bid.

But NGC remains fully operational! Not a single phone wire down.

Lovely, at least you managed to come out with a few coins from the collection! Now be sure to mention this to anyone buying them in the future, specially at GC, so you can land that moon money. GC's photography of the coins is a definite plus as well, enjoy your new wins : )

Well, to my knowledge, they classify cleaning into three categories: 1- Cleaned: A details grade with the term "Cleaned". Implying the coin was cleaned but still managed to maintain its grace. Probably a good cleaning job. 2- Improperly Cleaned: A details grade with the term "Improperly Cleaned". The Coin has lost its grace. Botched cleaning job. Someone wasn't a gentleman to the coin. 3- Numismatic Conservation Services™ (NCS®): In this situation, you send a coin to be cleaned by NGC. Pro cleaning. It's like when you hire a professional cleaner to clean a crime scene and hide the body. In this case, your coin is innocent of any crimes committed. Now don't forget, NGC might botch the job as well, no guarantees. It's conserved first then sent to grading. Oh and it is called "conserving", never "cleaning". --------------------- For a coin to be cleaned and still manage to win a straight grade, it has to be a job well done, too good for the grading expert to catch. In some instances, the experts fail to have their coffee, on account of running late, or being really busy on that morning, and they still assign a cleaned grade to your perfectly innocent uncleaned coin : ) I hope my comments doesn't open the door to a holy war, however, it's a forum, and all civil discussions are welcome : )

Yes, I found it through Heritage. Didn't get a chance to pick up one yet. I've another one of Roger's books, a Guide to Peace Dollars. The best out there for peace dollars. I use it quite often and I even have multiple editions. Tough ones, peace dollars, in comparison to the quality of Morgans. Oh I was talking about Farouk's Saint. I think the US government tried to retrieve it from the Egyptian Gov at some point, after the King's overthrow in the revolution. I read about Sotheby's auction of the coin. Sotheby's is a mammoth of an auction house but true, they couldn't care less about coins. They're pure business. I heard Illegal tender is a fascinating read, but I personally have no opinion or information about both book and author. It's mentioned as an interesting book by many established writers in Numismatics. To summarize, this coin is brilliant, with a rich history and a fascinating background. I am certain a lot of facts or stories about it still remain hidden.

True. They're available now via online dealers like APMEX & JMbullion for the prices I mentioned previously. The reasonable premium. Everything was out of stock for a while but now they're in stock. PF & DCAM included, with a price difference ranging in tens of dollars from the regulars.

I searched for the book. You chose the most interesting coin, the Saint-Gaudens double eagle. I recall one that was quite notorious. Smuggled, vanished and all sort of magic. It was in King Farouk's collection. His Majesty collected everything : ) Whenever I read a book about Numismatics, I am left astonished, as to how the writer managed to research, dig up and organize all the information. In addition to adding your own take on the subject. A most impressive feat, Congratulations.

See, this is why you're important. For me, this part is Alien Technology : ) It's very tricky. A coin can have multiple faces, and the holder complicates matters. I shall add my comment about the book in the thread where it belongs.

Why not Corona Epidemic Edition? or COVID-19? Whatever sounds cooler. Emergency production to satisfy the hunger for silver : )

Haha the US Mint is a fraud. You can get an American Eagle: $1,866 / Buffalo: $1,845.74. So $129-150 above current gold price ($1,716). Anyway, It's why I said, Bullion Gold Coins are a nice way, rather than the best way, you must obtain them with a reasonable premium. The best way is the direct way, via something like BullionVault, or similar companies. You buy your Gold online, and it's all good and secure. No need to dig up your garden and hide the coins, bars and stuff like that. Only for us to hear about how a dog found the stash a hundred years later while playing in the garden. Wasn't this the way things were done in the good old days? Where do they hide now them, banks eh : )

I completely agree. Bullion Gold Coins are a nice way for investors. Gold Classics require some degree of knowledge because of how they double as Collectibles. Modern coins & bars are always a good fast way to invest with style and fun, which is why they were sold out. People have time now, so why not learn about Numismatics, pick up a new hobby, Mr. Mark agrees : ) .. If the Investor is bored, and wants to learn about something new then Gold Classics are perfect, and it can be investing & collecting!

I share the same sentiments. I like the old ANACS holder very much, and I also own a lot of them (due to the interesting coins inside). The new holders, not very much. I also like a lot of toned coins in the Morgan series that happen to be in old ANACS holders. Yes, of course, very tough to photograph due to the mirror fields. You seem to own several PL/DMPL Morgans, is this your niche within the series, or part of a larger Morgan Dollars collection?

I think you summarized it in a very straightforward manner, without divulging into Economic discussions : )

Hahah yes, good one! How did I miss Morgan Stanley though? It should've been Morgan Stanley bidding on Morgans : ) I expect Gold to go lower or at least hold at the current levels for some time. Bullion yes, Gold ETFs, a lot of things to buy if you want precious metals, but collectibles? A bit far reach.