American Eagles

[ECM-migration]

I'm a new collector interested in both gold and silver American Eagles....I'm hoping to collect either MS 70 or proofs for each year from 1986 to present.....Any recommendations or suggestions for a rookie? Thanks very much....

[RareSov]

Suggestion 1.. have lots of money !

 

Seriously though, you will have a lot of work to do. I suggest picking up all the recent dates before they go up, and waiting on bargains for the others !

 

There are multiple auction sites you can lurk on. Be sure to use Teletrade, Heritage, and of course Feebay

 

People who need fast money list on ebay for the exposure, so keep an eye out there for sure. Use their saved search so you get email each day of new auctions and buynow, just avoid the over priced sellers and wait for those bargains. There will definitely be those people who list buynow for quick cash !

[Revenant]

Personally, I'd get MS69 for the early years and only get MS70 for the newer years where they can still be had for $200-300. I don't understand why anyone would break the bank just to have "MS70" or "PF70" on a piece of paper.

[ECM-migration]

So the MS 70 vs. MS 69 doesn't justify the crazy pricing?

[ECM-migration]

Would you try to collect the MS 70 vs. MS 69? is there that much of a difference? Thanks for your input....

[Schatzy]

So the MS 70 vs. MS 69 doesn't justify the crazy pricing?

 

Hello,

 

Yes there is a crazy price difference between MS69 and MS70. First most coins at the MS69 level can be had for a little over melt and if you want the MS70 you have to pay some big bucks. If it were me I would simply buy the MS69 coins or even just a raw set and then spend the extra money on some other coins!!

 

Good Luck!! Make sure you educate yourself!!

 

Don't let yourself get taken by those home shopping networks!!

[Schatzy]

Here is an example for you!! These were both the last to sell on eBay!!

1990 Silver Eagle NGC MS69

1990 Silver Eagle NGC MS70

 

Now you could get 26 1990 MS-69 or just 1 MS-70!!

 

 

[ECM-migration]

Thanks very much Jaime....

Regards,

Ed

[Revenant]

So the MS 70 vs. MS 69 doesn't justify the crazy pricing?

 

Generally speaking, there shouldn't be much of a difference between the two. You probably wouldn't even notice a difference unless you were looking at them close. The only real, meaningful, difference between the two is the MS70 gets more points and you need them if you want a top ranked registry set. Unless being competitive in the registry is important to you, there's no real advantage to paying all that extra money. I generally only buy the MS70 if 1) The MS70 costs less than twice as much as a MS69 and/or 2) I have a reasonable chance at buying the whole set in MS70 without breaking the bank. In most cases though, I'd rather have a greater variety of coins in MS69 than just 1 or 2 in MS70. You can have a lot of fun with the Modern Silver Bullion Issues if you don't get caught up in "MS70 Madness." For some of the coins in my signature set, MS69 is top pop and there are no MS70s.

 

Silver Eagle Set

http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=37983

 

Signature Set:

http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/ViewPersonalCollection.aspx?UserCollectionID=1836&Tab=list

[Old Pueblo]

As a collector of Eagles I will agree with everyone.

Be Careful out there! Start by getting on the US Mint Mailing list

Buy a few new and send a couple to NGC

So far 1 in 5 I got back at 70 the others have all been 69

Eagles have been HOT last few years but they will cool for sure and prices will fall

I would be patient start SLOOOOOWWWWW

 

 

L

 

[modern newbie-migration]

Keep in mind the Mint announced:

 

"as a result of the recent numismatic product portfolio analysis, fractional sizes of American Eagle Gold Uncirculated Coins will no longer be produced.

 

http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&identifier=1100

[RareSov]

Hmm UNC but nothing about proofs ?

[ECM-migration]

Great tips.....thanks very much.....Ed

[ECM-migration]

Can someone clarify the difference between DCAM and ULTRA CAM....aren't they the same and if so why the two names? If they are different what's the difference and is one more desirable than the other?

[Revenant]

They're exactly the same. Different companies use different terms sometimes(PCGS=DCAM; NGC=UCAM) . Neither is really more desireable than the other, espcially in the case of ultra-modern US proofs.

[ECM-migration]

thanks very much....Ed

[SJT-migration]

I just read the thread a little too late....I have always thought the Silver Eagles were the best looking coin ever. The Reverse Proof 20th anv, is a work of art. I never was much for slabbing and a coin deale / friend finally convinced me to send a few in for grading. Well, after sorting through more than 50 eagles, I settled on 15 that looked the best and sent them away. I am not sure if I just got someone on a bad day or what but 15 out 15 came back at 69. 100%?? Now I am actually feeling rather depressed. I used to enjoy looking over my collection and now I just get frustarted when looking, I could have saved the expense of the grading and just bought a dozen more that I found apealing. Oh well, back to raw coins for me.

[Revenant]

I used to enjoy looking over my collection and now I just get frustarted when looking.

 

Good luck finding a new hobby. If that's the way you feel then this one might not be for you.

[Jeffrey Cardona]

I just read the thread a little too late....I have always thought the Silver Eagles were the best looking coin ever. The Reverse Proof 20th anv, is a work of art. I never was much for slabbing and a coin deale / friend finally convinced me to send a few in for grading. Well, after sorting through more than 50 eagles, I settled on 15 that looked the best and sent them away. I am not sure if I just got someone on a bad day or what but 15 out 15 came back at 69. 100%?? Now I am actually feeling rather depressed. I used to enjoy looking over my collection and now I just get frustarted when looking, I could have saved the expense of the grading and just bought a dozen more that I found apealing. Oh well, back to raw coins for me.

 

Don't let it get you down. mess happens. I sent off 15 of my proof modern commemoratives and only 1 got 70. The rest came back 69. Then I sent off 10 proof SAEs from 1999-2008 and 8 of 10 got the 70. Just roll with it and enjoy your collection.

[moondoggy]

Actually using Heritage cost an arm and a leg as you "pay" a premium when you purchase one of their coins. I would NOT recommend any collector to start out using Heritage. For that matter to any collector period. Their coins are way over-priced when you factor in the "premium"

[lehigh96]

You know that it tells you the price of your bid + buyers premium before you confirm your bid, don't you.

[Old Pueblo]

Sent in 14 ASE 13 PF6Niners

My 2005 is flawless at 20x Magnification, Deep Strike and unbelievable Ucam

I have 10 PF 70 ASE proofs and none of them can touch the 2005 PF69!

I have had numerous experts look at it and all said "Perfect"!

I have compared the coin side by side with the "other pf70" coins

Not even close! not even the smallest flaw, scuff, mark of any kind can be found on the coin.

So, In my mind? This particular coin is perfect and should be sent back for a second look.

Maybe next month

[Schatzy]

Sent in 14 ASE 13 PF6Niners

My 2005 is flawless at 20x Magnification, Deep Strike and unbelievable Ucam

I have 10 PF 70 ASE proofs and none of them can touch the 2005 PF69!

I have had numerous experts look at it and all said "Perfect"!

I have compared the coin side by side with the "other pf70" coins

Not even close! not even the smallest flaw, scuff, mark of any kind can be found on the coin.

So, In my mind? This particular coin is perfect and should be sent back for a second look.

Maybe next month

 

NGC doesn't grade with magnification that high and only use 5x sometimes. Just because the coin doesn't have any scuffs or flaws doesn't mean that it is a perfect strike. They also look at the strike and the relief in the coin!!

[RareSov]

Be sure to look under a halogen lamp, it could be a minor hairline you don't see ?

 

And yes very good point Schatzy, strike MUST BE FULL for a 70

[Old Pueblo]

Side by side comparison of other 70 coins don't measure up to this coin seriously!

It is the best strike, best fields, best everything coin I own in a thousand coin collection.

 

Hey guys, I love NGC and all they do for coin collecting.

I will continue to send coins for grading. I was disappointed by this one for sure.

 

Please note, I have sent a grand total of 20 coins in for grading so that makes my experience pretty small.

 

It was a point I was making about subjectiveness of coin grading.

 

 

 

[World Colonial]

Actually using Heritage cost an arm and a leg as you "pay" a premium when you purchase one of their coins. I would NOT recommend any collector to start out using Heritage. For that matter to any collector period. Their coins are way over-priced when you factor in the "premium"

 

It depends what someone is buying. I see no reason to buy ASE from them because every single one of them are common. Yes, even the 1995-W proof is a common coin. And no, of course it does not make sense to pay the buyer's fee for ANY common material.

[moondoggy]

Based on my experience, I would "purchase" what you want and forget about submitting coins for grading. The money you "waste" to have your Eagles graded could go towards purchasing more of them that have already been graded. Plus with the inconsistancies, it is a shoot. I have submitted over 20 Eagles for grading and NOT one received a 70. Ok, so you say, that's the way it goes sometimes, well maybe and maybe not. ONE of the Eagles I submitted was a "ringer" (A coin previously graded) just to see where their graders are compared to other grading companies. This particular Eagle was graded by two of the top four grading companies at PF70 DCam. It was a 2001 so NOT an expensive coin to crack out. Here it was graded at PF69UC. But the kicker on why I am now ONLY buying graded coins and NOT submitting anymore is within the last shipment I sent in, was an 1886 Morgan graded MS 64 by PCGS . I sent it in for a cross-over (minimum grade 64) and VAM. NGC graded it "altered surface"...... Graded coins for me from now on.

[Jeffrey Cardona]

Based on my experience, I would "purchase" what you want and forget about submitting coins for grading.

 

I have to disagree with that statement. When I submitted my Proof SAEs from 1999-2008....8 of the 11 came back PF70UC. It wasn't multible coins submitted from each year hoping for a 70 but only 1 coin for each year! My experience has been great with SAEs.

 

But the opposite with modern $1 comms. The older ones I buy raw coming back graded with 69s. Then again, a different story with the 50c ones with those coming back 70s.

 

It can be disappointing for sure but I still like buying most raw in hopes of testing my skills in grading. I still buy some graded but most of those are with the less appealing design or event they represent...Olympics for example.

 

Have fun with it. I do!