Borchardt gives tips for cherrypicking

A Numismatic Theatre Lecture presentation on the basics of cherrypicking was given by noted numismatist Mark Borckardt when the Hillside coin Club of Hillside, Ill., met Nov. 12.

Cherrypicking in the numismatic hobby is simply the art of buying the best item possible for the least amount of money.

Years ago, collectors and dealers alike would examine the inventories of dealers in search for coins to fill a want list. Those doing the searching would naturally “cherrypick” the best coin possible. Only in the past 10 to 15 years has the term “cherrypickin’” been commonly applied to the variety segment of the hobby, Borchardt said.

Today, the term implies that someone with specialized knowledge of a certain variety will search for and buy the variety for the price of the “normal” coin.

The two-volume set The Cherrypicker’s Guide To Rare Die Varieties by Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton is a good source to aid in identifying rarely seen errors and rarities, he said.

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