Regarding census reports, Nathan Markowitz wrote:
I agree with Brian, as I personally use P/N/A for certified
coins and R for raw so IF its decided to add TPG data to the census this might
be simplest. P45, R35, etc.
Perhaps more importantly, we need to keep provenance data
with our coins. At EAC this year, there
was much discussion about counterfeiting...primarily of copper coins. A rare coin will be purchased and a real coin
will be overstruck with a die made from that example then often worn down and
passed off as genuine. This is a danger
to our hobby and its only a matter of time before silver is more widely
exploited per the experts. Our best
defense is to keep good pedigree records IMO.
Nathan Markowitz
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Louis Scuderi also contributed on the subject:
My ten cents on the holder/census issue for the readership
to think about.
Not really certain what designating the grading service does
other than taking up room in the census. And then what's next? Ranking based on
number of PCGS, NGC or ANACS holdered coins? Ranking PCGS coins higher than NGC
coins or vice versa? Is that what is really important? Is a raw XF-40 coin
inherently less valuable to the "collector" community than a holdered
XF-40 coin other than the fact that it is in a piece of plastic? I can
understand the difference from an investment point of view but it is still my
understanding that the official name
of our society is the John Reich "Collectors"
Society. Has that been changed to John Reich "Investors" Society?
I would suggest that before any change is made to the census
format that we also think about the oft quoted "buy the coin, not the holder". I've seen far too many coins in holders that
are excellent examples of grade inflation and some times significantly so. I
also see significantly undergraded coins in holders and buy them when I can.
I personally prefer (and it is just my preference) my coins
unholdered and trust that my 30+ years of grading experience collecting all of the
capped bust silver series trumps the experience of 3rd party graders. In my
opinion, and it is only my opinion, if you do not study the early series in
depth you often do not get grading of the early US bust coinage right. To do so
consistently you must understand strike, die wear and a number of other die
marriage specific indicators that impact the appearance of the specimen.
Hopefully this will generate some interesting discussion and
perhaps a few comments telling me how wrong I am! So be it. The important point
here is to have the discussion.
Louis Scuderi
LM#56
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The final contribution for the week came from Steve Herrman:
COMING SOON!
The 4th revision of Auction Prices Realized for Certified
& Graded Bust Half Dollars 1794-1839 (APRCG) shall be available in
mid-June.
The 2016 APRCG contains prices realized for all certified
and graded Bust Halves sold in major auctions over the past three years, June
2013 through May 2016.
Softbound, 134 pages, $25.00 postpaid. Also available in PDF
format.
Copies will be mailed to JRCS members with an enclosed
invoice. Advance payment is not required.
Note: $1.00 shall be donated to each the JRCS and the BHNC
for each copy sold.
Please send orders and inquiries to Herrman102(at)aol.com
Thanks,
Steve Herrman
JRCS LM 28
