From the Aug. 2 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:
Would you be more likely to attend a show with a rarity like a 1870-S half dime worth $2.5 million on display?
Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.
No, Dave, I would never be drawn to a coin show where a U.S. ?rarity? was promoted as an attraction. There are foreign coins that could interest me, for historical interest. But I believe too much emphasis is put on the VALUE (or what someone THINKS the value should be), and this discourages prospective collectors who understandably believe that they can never aspire to such expensive coins.
Will the owner of your subject coin actually SELL for that price? After all, ?value? in the monetary sense can only be determined when an actual sale takes place.
Arthur Fitts
Framingham, Mass.
Yes, I would be more likely to attend a show with a rarity on display even though I am just a small time collector/buyer.
There are several local shows a month that I go to and they are fun to go to and I meet a lot of good people and get some good deals, But they are not the same as the big shows with rare coins and various displays.
I have only been collecting a little over a year, but in that year I have lost count of the shows I have done. My favorite one that I did was the FUN Show. It had everything you can imagine, and more!
James McFadden
Clearwater, Fla.
You bet! To me, a chance to view any rarity like that would be an inducement to attend a show. The mystique of great rarities has special appeal to me. Even the not-so-unique pieces for sale out on the bourse floor are like a museum tour for me ? that?s half the fun of attending shows.
David Smith
Somerville, Tenn.
I am a novice coin collector, although I?ve been collecting for about 12 years now. Work and other activities have prevented me from really serious collecting. I do however glance through articles pertaining to coins whenever I come across one. Anyway, to answer the question about attending a show that featured these expensive coins ? my answer is NO. I?ve never been able to generate any enthusiasm over things I know I can?t afford. Sometimes I like to look, but not for long. For things I can afford, I?ll spend hours looking.
O.W. Mykleby
Gretna, La
Excellent time for a retired Iowa guy, and wife, to take a driving trip to check out the beautiful fall colors throughout Pennsylvania and New York state and then see a great coin!
Ron Corbett
Marengo, Iowa
Are you kidding? Of course I would, if they promised to have a flea eat a bale of hay while being serenaded by Elvis and John Wayne.
Steve Sizemore
Henderson, Ky.
If the coin show were being held within 100 miles of my residence, yes, I would go and probably take some of my kids and grandkids with me. Any further away than that, I would have to think very seriously whether or not I would want to spend the time and gas. It?s not the value of the coin that would lure me to the show; it?s the coin itself as I don?t believe I have ever seen any half dime let alone an 1870-S.
Jim Glick
Backachers Emu Ranch
Olympia, Wash.
Yes! I wrote in an article once, it?s worth a trip to conventions just to see rarities such as the 1792 half disme, or the ?perfect? set of Buffalo nickels. Maybe an average collector cannot ever own such treasures, but it?s nice to go and view them, and drool!
Ginger Rapsus
Chicago
I would certainly like to see a one-of-a-kind 1870-s half dime worth 2.5 million at Coinfest Oct. 27-28 in Old Greenwich, Conn. I would more likely attend a show with such a rarity on display. Have a wonderful day, my friend.
George Baber
Clifton Park, N.Y.
NO, I would not drive that far to see one; it would make me sick! I would drive that if I could afford one..
Charles Bearish
Allentown, Pa.
Would love to see the unique set of half dimes. I believe the 1870-S half dime was at the Super Galleries Session during Auction 1986. I viewed the coin, and I am amazed how it has appreciated since it was sold at a hammer price of approximately $70,000. That was 21 years ago. I purchased several Draped Bust dimes, including an 1804 13 Stars from that auction.
I have a passion for the early Draped Bust dimes and one-half dimes as well, and am always looking for them as they have become much more difficult to obtain in decent grades and much higher prices. I had the finest known 1797 13 Stars obverse dime in MS-64 when I purchased it from the 1995 Bolan sale, via RARCOA.
Tom Carnesi
Yes, I would be more likely to attend a show with a $2.5 million dime. I got to see one of the 1913 V nickels in Colorado Spring, Colo. That was back in 1962 or '63. Also got to hold a 1804 dollar, PCGS graded, right here in Wichita, Kan., back about 10 years ago. These are all thrills to a coin collector.
Want you to know I really enjoy your writing. We think along the same lines. I believe I?m a little older than you. Started collecting pennies in 1952 when I was 9 years old. My dad gave me a leather snap top coin purse bulging with indian head pennies. My Lincoln cent set was started at the same time and I found most dates and mints in circulation. Started my Buffalo nickel and Mercury dime sets by 1953. I found a nice 1931-D Mercury at a Cub Scout meeting. We all dropped a dime in a cup to pay for supplies and treats each week. An understanding pack mother let me pay 20 cents the next week.
Had a hard time finding nice Standing Liberty quarters, so gave up on them. Did find all the Washington quarters except the 32-D and 32-S. By the time I was in sixth grade I had a Walking Liberty half Whitman folder. Half dollars were big money back then for a 12- or 13-year-old. Monday morning we used to take 50 cents each week to school. It was money for lunches or something. A girl was playing with a 50 cent piece. I looked at it and took it home for my set. It was a 1919-S Walker. Don?t remember how I pulled off that deal, but I did. Still have that half in my set. That was 1956.
I finished all those early sets and still own them. Many of the coins have been ungraded through the years. The better ones are now in plastic slabs. I I still enjoy those old coins just like I did 55 years ago as a 9-year-old boy. I don?t store them in my dresser drawer like I did when I was a kid.
John Hubert
Andover, Kan.
I would not hesitate to go to Coinfest if I knew the unique 1870-S half dime was going to be there. I?ll likely not see this coin for many, many years and I would be upset if I missed this opportunity. BUT I, along with other collectors, have conflicts; mine being more unique than others at the moment. I will be in college, 2,500 miles away, at the University of Arizona. I?m sure you can see where this is going. Being as this is my first year in college, I just can?t get on a plane, fly to Connecticut, see a valuable coin, hop back on another plane back to Arizona, and be able to get to class the next day. Besides, I couldn?t afford the airfare anyway.
Would I love to see the coin? YES. Will I be able to see this coin,? NO, not unless devine intervention were to happen, and, say, the dime came to me.
Wishful thinking aside, I hope this highlights the show well and draws a large crowd to the show.
Winston Zack
Illinois
Yes, I would attend a show that would display the 1870-S half dime, but only if it would be in my city. Thank you.
Edward Majzli k
Dearborn, Mich.
Definitly not! Top concern would be distance to travel, expense, etc.
Robert Lorenz
Mc Kees Rocks, Pa.
