Sorry about the long read but I am so stoked about this ordeal today I just had to share.
Well I went to my local coin shop today and the owner, who is like the YODA of my
Coin World, said he had a deal for me. He asked me if I was starting to do gold coins for my Type set yet. Of course I told him I am going to start gradually working my way into it, but not as of yet.
He told me had "the deal of the century" for me today (which is what he says every time I go in there it's either the deal of the day/week/month/year...)
...He took me over to his desk and he picked up a gold coin, of course my eye always scans his desk for yet to be put out for sale treasures and I honed in on the stack of the cleanest Morgans I have ever seen pinwheeling and waving at me under the lights.
He handed me the gold coin and his loupe and asked me to look above the date and tell him what I saw. I said "a 'D'", he said ok now look at the date and keep that in your mind...so I did as he requested. He asked if I knew what kind of gold coin it was...I saw the $20 on the back with the flying eagle and the Liberty walking towards me and replied "Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle". He nodded in agreement, then he told me to give my opinion of the grade. Upon close inspection I decided and told him with a blush and some uncertainty "a AU58 or MS60 range".
He grinned at me and winked with approval, (I was waiting for him to say something from Kungfu like "veree good Grasshoppa"). He asked me to tell him the date, which I did and he repeated back to me.
Now for my Milestone moment 
He told me to take a good long look at it and think about if I want it (he's such a tease...what a silly question), he said 'Let's see a St. Gaudens Double Eagle dated 1927D in AU58/MS60 condition...since there were only 180,000 of them made and one sold for $1,900,000 in 2005...how does $280,000 sound, it Redbooks for $500,000 to $600,000?"
I about fell over,
hear I thought getting to hold a PR63 1895 Morgan at Harlan J. Berk was pretty much the pinnacle of the "coins I got to actually hold and that aren't in a museum" and I got to physically grade and hold this piece of Numismatic history right before it was getting ready to be shipped off to be graded, what an honor!
I told him I wanted it and if I could put $100 down on it and put it in layaway for when I win the Lottery!
Graciously, I handed it back to him and thanked him for the opportunity to admire such a work of art
but I would have to pass, but once he gets it back from grading to hit me up again. (This will give me the opportunity to get my picture with it)
He then told me that since I had declined the deal of the century, would I like the deal of the month...I inquired what that may be and he pointed at the stack of Morgans. He said "just got these in today, they were all Carson Cities, go through them and pick out one that I want." I told him I would defer that selection to his trained eye. I told him I wanted the clearest and nicest original Morgan he had that was low mintage.
He sifted through them slowly and laid a PL 1884 CC that was reflecting on the ceiling on a velvet bag in front of me. It virtually had no contact marks on Liberty head and both the head and eagle are frosty white and the fields cartwheel like none other I have seen. I have been deliberately waiting to buy a Morgan for my 7070 since they are so plentiful. I felt like this was the one I have been waiting for.
I explained to him about me waiting and then I asked how much and he replied "How does $250 sound?" I thought he was kidding so I chuckled and looked down in his display case which happened to have several of those Black Carson City holders from the Mint and one had an 1884 CC in it and was marked $260 and it looked all beat the death and like garbage compared to the one before me...that was all I needed, I said "DEAL!". So I gave him my $100 deposit and he put it in the safe with my name on it. I got home and looked at my Greysheet and it looks like I got a really good deal.
Once I get it I'll post pictures of it for you all to give your opinion of the grade before I put it in my 7070.
It sucks going into his store, I have now on lay away that 1884CC Morgan, a 1870 Proof 1/2 Dime, a 1873 Proof Dime, a 1891 Proof Quarter, a MS67 1927 Penny, and a MS67 1929 Penny! Thank goodness I have an understanding wife!
It's not a Hobby it's an ADDICTION!!!
Posted 07/12/2007 11:21 pm
I think we have a BINGO! 
