Set Category: Varieties

Set Name: All that I have left Part-II World Coins from 1601

Set Description: As the set title states this mini-collection consists of world coins dating from 1600. At one time the set was much more diversified. That is having specimens from a lot more countries. However as I sold off my collection and purchased a few new pieces this set started having more and more pieces from England. Typically I would limit my search for new pieces on eBay to Europe and although I would check out several countries to me it appeared that most often the best buys were found under the listing for the UK.

Under my comments to Part III I stated the following, "None of my coins will have anyone say wow!" I had hoped that one of my coins in an ANACS holder would be added to this set and provide that wow factor? About 10 years ago I acquired what I believed was a business strike of a 1977 half cent from Rhodesia. Technically this coin is not supposed to exist since, like the US 1873 “open three” half dollar; all specimens were to have been melted down. My coin does have some surface dings (as I put it evidence of how it fought its way out of the melting pot) so I sent to ANACS for authentication (NGC & PCGS would not slab impaired coins back then). After some time they returned coin saying they could not handle it. I called them and they suggested I send it to the American Numismatic Association (ANAAB) which I did. It took three months (which I believe included “travel” to others) but it did come back authenticated as a Business Strike :>) With the ANA authentication I sent the coin back to ANACS since the coin is impaired they were the ones that would slab it. Now that NCS will work with impaired coins I sent it to them. I got the same results as I originally got from ANACS. So it sits in an ANACS holder and not listed here.

By any definition I think we can all agree this is an eclectic accumulation of coins covering a span of 400 years. Yet I believe this set best demonstrates my approach to collecting. I like rarity when I can find it and afford it, good looking specimens and better grades. When it comes to grades this set has 38 coins consisting of the following grades:

VF-25 = One coin
VF-30 = Two coins
XF-40 = Two coins
XF-45 = Four coins
AU-50 = One coin
AU-55 = Seven coins
AU-58 = Three coins
MS-61 = Three coins
MS-62 = Three coins
MS-63 = Four coins
MS-64 = Three coins
MS-65 = Three coins
PF-68 UC = One coin
PF-69 UC = One coin

Set Goals: I started collecting coins in the mid 1950’s. In the mid 70’s I started dealing at a shows. When I went to coin shows before I started dealing I would walk by every table that had anything foreign, or had bank notes or medals. However after I started dealing I became friends with dealers who sold those items and I started looking at their material. I found a lot of it to be beautiful, and the foreign material was much more beautiful than US items. Before I knew it I was hooked. I sold off most of what I had and was replacing it with material I never thought I would own. My criteria for buying numismatic material then and now became 1) the item had to be above average grade, 2) I have to find the item “attractive” to me, 3) I love finding a rarity and 4) any connection to places I lived or family origin is a plus. I also built up a large numismatic library. I wish NGC would allow us to list our numismatic library under signature (or maybe even competitive) sets.

When my son went off to college I sold my collection (for students from outside Michigan the U of M is not cheap). I kept very few pieces from that collection. In fact the only pieces I can remember for sure are a silver dirhem of Genghis Khan (M-1496), 1930 Ten Kronur from Iceland, a 1922 no D cent with strong reverse and four Swiss Shooting Medals. I am sure there were a few more pieces. I thought I was done with coins but I was wrong. Before long I found I was being drawn back to them. However my disposable income was not what it once was and I only had modest amounts I could spend on items I purchased. I again started collecting until 2005. When I retired and needed to supplement my income and I started selling off my collection. Maybe I should have gone cold turkey (as I did when my son went to college) and just sell it all, but I just could not bring myself to do that. So I slowly go through my collection looking at each coin and saying yes or no. When more funds are needed I repeat the process. It really does get harder each time.

But believe it or not, I still can not quit. When I sell off a part of my collection I typically take a modest percentage of what my sale netted and purchase one or two new pieces. Regardless of the type of material I sold my new purchases would be “raw” medieval coins or world coins from 1600. Why? Being up here in Vermont there are few locations that cater to my collecting likes and I no longer have much money. So that leaves me with eBay. And let’s face it, the number of world coins being offered at any moment on eBay is enormous. So why buy world vs. US coins? I would not buy a US coin on eBay unless it was slabbed. In my opinion, a preponderance of the raw US coins sold on eBay fall into one of the following two categories. One they are either low grade and can not justify the slabbing fee or two they are impaired. I do not want such coins. If it is a slabbed US coin it will bring a price that is fair but well above what it would bring if it were raw, thus leaving me a little chance to make money if I have to sell it in a year or two. World coins on eBay have the same problems but slabs have not caught on out side the US as they have here. So when really nice world coins are offered on eBay the tendency is for them to sell for at least one full grade below their actual grade. Why, there is that ever present concern when buying a coin on eBay – I am being had? Is the photo hiding something? I have been had with some of my eBay purchases but you can judge for yourself on those that were returned slabbed. I identify those bought on eBay and how much I paid. To see what I paid you have to click on “Photo”. When selecting a coin on eBay on which to bid I look for condition (I want no signs that the coin was ever cleaned or that the coin is impaired), grade and what I think the coin is worth based on catalogue values.

I enjoyed collecting world coins. When it comes to collecting world coins there is art or beauty, history, rarity and family origin as bases for forming the collection. The best part is that world coins that are “rare” based on U.S. standards are typically no where near as expensive as a U.S. coin of the same rarity.

To date I have listed “All I have Left Parts I, II, III, IV & V.” I have one more part to list but I am waiting until I have the funds to certify the items in that group. Part VI will basically consist of medals and tokens.

Owner:     RAM-VT


custom-best-noNumber.png Best Overall Custom Set


Signature Set Details:
Slot NameCoin InfoGraded ByCountry
1600's 4000R 1698(B) BRAZIL NGCBRAZIL - COLONIAL & IMPERIAL - 1643-1889
1600's 2P (1649-60) ENGLAND ESC-2160 NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1600's PENNY 1674 ENGLAND ESC-2279 NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1600's 6MG 1673 GERMANY HILDESHEIM NGCGERMANY - STATES - 1601-1800
1600's 1D 1626-34 Germany KM-41 NGCGERMANY - STATES - 1601-1800
1600's 1/24T 1625-HI Ger.-Saxony KM-71 NGCGERMANY - STATES - 1801-1873
1600's 3L 1611 Transylvania KM-A77 NGCROMANIA
1700's 1/4P 1754 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1700's 1/2P 1772 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1700's PENNY 1720 G.BRITAIN ESC-2326 NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1700's 6P 1758 G.BRITAIN ESC-1623 NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1700's 6P 1787 G.BRITAIN ESC-1629 HEARTS NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1700's 1S 1758 G.BRITAIN ESC-1213 NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1660-1815
1800's 1/4P 1830 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's 1/2P 1862 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's 1P 1800 G.BRITAIN MAUNDY NGCGREAT BRITAIN - MAUNDY COINAGE
1800's 6P 1816 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's 6P 1817 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's 1S 1872 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's 1/2C 1890 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's CROWN 1889 G.BRITAIN NGCGREAT BRITAIN - 1816-1901
1800's 20L 1861EAGLE B ITALY SARDINIA NGCITALIAN STATES - NAPOLEONIC TO UNIFICATION
1800's 5S M4(1871) JAPAN 66 RAYS NGCJAPAN
1800's G1Y M4(1871) JAPAN HIGH DOT NGCJAPAN
1800's 5Y M30(1897) JAPAN SMALL SIZE NGCJAPAN
1800's 5C 1877 STRAITS NGCMALAYA & MALAYSIA
1800's 10K 1874/3-ST SWEDEN KM-732 PCGSSWEDEN - 1855 TO DATE
1900's G$100 1985 CANADA NATIONAL PARKS NGCCANADA - 1968 TO DATE
1900's $250 1988 Cayman KM-99 NGCCAYMAN ISLANDS
1900's 2L 1925R ITALY NGCITALY - UNIFIED - 1861 TO DATE
1900's 50S M34(1901) JAPAN NGCJAPAN
1900's YEN M36(1903) JAPAN NGCJAPAN
1900's 10K 1930 ICELAND KM-M3 ALTHING MILLENNIUM NGCICELAND
1900's 10G 1933 NETHERLAND NGCNETHERLANDS - 1817 TO DATE
1900's 3P 1935 NEWZEALAND NGCNEW ZEALAND
1900's 5B 1972 Thailand KM-PN56 NGCTHAILAND
1900's 100K AH1293//30 TURKEY KM-730 NGCTURKEY
1900's G20B 1904 VENEZUELA NGCVENEZUELA

To follow or send a message to this user,
please log in