| Getting Started |
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THE
"PROGRAM" - Actually
there isn't an exact "program" for you - and there shouldn't be one. An
approach that is appropriate for someone else isn't necessarily right
for you. Each collection is built around your unique interests and needs.
You and I will work towards a common goal
of building an ultra-ne-plus set of certified U.S. rare coins.
We will logically start at the beginning by having an in-depth conversation
regarding your specific interests - including the series or type of coins
that stir your blood. Also, your ultimate goals, a time frame, and much
more. I'll ask you a lot of coin related questions. After assessing all
this input I'll give you an approximate cost factor. We are talking about
a world-class collection here, not an accumulation of recent proof sets
or Silver Eagles. Your investment will be six or seven figures over
time. This isn't for the faint hearted but at the same time we aren't
talking about taking a highly speculative "futures market" approach. We
are going after the classics. This translates to coins that fall into
the 1793 to 1940's time period, in the highest practical Mint State or
Proof grades (typically MS65, Proof 65 or better).
After 40+ years of witnessing alternating
bullish and bear coin markets, I'm aware of the dynamics that forge the
market. Although it appears to be a simple process of buying and selling,
it's much more complicated. You really need a watchdog to tend your account.
Otherwise you won't maximize the potential value of your coins when buying
OR selling. I can do the searching, winnowing, purchasing (and eventual
selling) for you and together we can form an extraordinary collection.
I won't waste your time with hype created from high-pressure selling,
glitzy brochures full of "investment" advice nor complicated pie charts
and bar graphs. From the beginning, we are going to enjoy this great search
together. We will closely monitor your purchases and create a winning
combination of pristine rarities combined with the best prices possible.
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| What
Does FSRC Charge? - Your cost will be MY cost plus a reasonable commission
that we will cover in our first conversation. This will be your real cost
(plus postage & insurance). There won't be any funny business, no double-dealing,
& no side deals. I've always been in this field for the long haul. The way
I see it, if I take care of you, maybe you will send another buyer my way.
Ask around if you wish. My word has been my bond in this hobby/business
for over four decades. |
WHAT'S
NEXT? - Once we set our great coin search in motion, I'll do all the
work for you. You can tell me what you want to spend initially. At first,
coins will come at a steady pace because we need everything. As this exceptional
collection unfolds, your purchases will slow down. As you will see, having
money available is only part of the equation because finding the very
best isn't easy. Remember, there are many other dealers and collectors
out there looking for the same quality. This quest will take some time
and that is much of the appeal. If we could find everything for you in
a few months, what do you have that is so special? Not much! I'll keep
an updated folio for you, listing the coins you have, and the dates or
types we still need. I'll be attending all the major coin shows and auctions
to ferret out the best coins possible. I'll be on the phone with my network
of sources getting coins before my rivals snap them away. You and I will
be talking about the market, what's coming up next, and revising our strategies
if necessary. You may have an expensive coin arrive in the mail from me
on open account (if I know you are ready for it) because our relationship
has to be based on mutual respect and trust. That's why there aren't any
written contracts involved. It's all done on a very personal and friendly
basis. You can start any time and quit assembling your collection at any
time. GOALS - Together we will discriminately hand-select every coin in
your holdings based on how you prefer your coins to "look". I'll know
if you love beautifully lightly toned specimens or untoned coins. You'll
tell me if you prefer one of the major certified coin grading services
to another. It's essential that we construct a collection that excites
YOU. If you love the design of a particular series, let's go after them.
Ultimately we want a collection of coins that will impress even the most
jaded old timers. In order to accomplish this, it will take time, money
and dedication.
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|
WHY BUY FROM
A "BOUTIQUE" COIN COMPANY
It's your choice if you want
to acquire your coins from one of the mega-coin giants or choose to work
one-on-one with the principal of a smaller, more intimate company. In
my particular case, you will be working with someone who literally grew
up in the hobby. You will always be working with me, not a talking head
salesman that adds yet another commission onto your cost and may be somewhere
else the next time you call. You and I are going to devise the plan of
attack from A to Z. Let's talk about your desires to see if I'm your man.
By the way, I'm a born and bred Midwesterner with a conservative outlook.
I believe I can acquire coins for you at a better overall price because
I don't buy into the hype of a market nor do I use commissioned "scouts"
to find the coins for me. I shy away from areas that are temporarily promoted
and sellers intuitively know they can't take "shots" at me on coin prices.
I also know what is rare and what is the current "coin-de-jour" - a date
currently overpriced.
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 |
WHICH
CERTIFICATION GRADING COMPANIES DOES FSRC HANDLE? - All of the U.S.
rarities I sell are graded and encapsulated by either PCGS (Professional
Coin Grading Service) or NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corp). These are the leaders
in the world of certified coins and by far the most liquid at competitive
prices. WHICH CERTIFIED U.S. COINS ARE THE BEST TO OWN? - In a nutshell,
we want the classics in the finest possible grades from U.S. Coins minted
starting in1793 to series ending before 1950. This is an expensive project
but the good news is that your outlay is spread out over time because it's
not possible to find all the coins at one time anyway. It's important to
buy the very best grade possible for each date or type. Otherwise you have
just another set of old coins. Once you select a favorite series, I'll give
you my recommendations for the grades needed on each date. It won't be a
matched grade set. Why? MS 65 might be the best we will ever see for one
date but common as dirt for another. Let's find an MS 65 for the rarer date
but hold out for a seldom-seen MS 66 or MS 67 on the latter coin. We don't
want commonplace anywhere in the collection. Believe me, not only will you
have the pride of ownership, knowing you have the best available, but it
will definitely make a BIG difference when you are ready to sell. Don't
you think others will also want the best and be glad to pay you for the
privilege? |
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| WHICH
COINS SHOULD YOU AVOID? - After watching fads come and go in the rare
coin business for decades, I'm convinced the core of real value lies with
early masterpieces of American coinage in spectacular condition. And I'm
not alone. I've had countless conversations with vanguard dealers who unofficially
make up the who's-who of this industry. I often ask them what they think
of recent issues bringing thousands of dollars. The consensus is clear -
although any of these pros could deal in modern coins without breaking a
sweat, they are hesitant to be involved with new issues and concerned about
the financial future of these heavily promoted examples. Ultimately it's
your choice but what would you rather have, a Gem set of coins issued long,
long ago, or a group minted in the last twenty years? |
- BUILDING
A SPECIFIC COLLECTION VS. A GENERAL COIN PORTFOLIO - Unless YOU
want to tackle the entire spectrum of the rare coin market, I believe
it's a better strategy to focus on a favorite series or a type set rather
than accumulate pall-mall. I've listed a few advantages of specializing
for you to ponder:
- A quicker learning curve - You'll
know the value and relative rarity of each date or type coin faster
because you are centered on a finite area of the market.
- There is a beginning and an end
- The journey takes on a meaning and a sense of accomplishment as
you begin to fill in the rarities of your favorite set. Your increased
interest in a favorite area equates to a more informed buyer who knows
what you want and what to pay.
- A coherent portfolio - Why buy
whatever a dealer has in stock at the time, not knowing it is really
a desirable coin or something the boss has placed on the "must-sell"
bulletin board for the day. Instead of a jumbled pile of coins, opt
for an understandable group with a goal in sight.
- Selling Eventually - Collector
specialists and dealers alike will slug it out for your coins because
you own something truly special. If, for example, you decide to sell
by auction, enthusiasts will come from far and wide to outbid each other
because you have enough great coins to merit an advertising blitz thus
bringing focus on your landmark set.
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| WHY
RARE COINS? - At one time rare
coin collecting was a fairly small market dominated by old-line collectors.
Eventually it included a smattering of investors as well. From this inaspacious
beginning it has exploded into today's market filled with high tech coin
businesses selling coins to all levels of buyers - from the casual to the
most advanced. Rare coins are tangible, intrinsic reminders of our nation's
historical and economic patterns. Too, the "eye appeal" of their designs
is undeniable. They are not only adored for their attractive motifs but
for their importance as a national symbol of America's past versus present
monetary system. I think much of their prominence in the pecking order of
collectibles is unconsciencely due to the link between our national pride
and the desire to own symbols of a time when coins represented "real money",
backed by gold and/or silver. You may have read all the hoopla about rare
coins and the "fabulous" returns on investment plus every other adjective
a pro copywriter can conjure. Some writings are based on facts, and some
comments are hyperbole. One of the most important fact does ring true: rare
coins are among the most liquid collectible anywhere. Certified coins can
be sold immediately at countless shows or thousands of coin shops if necessary.
Since there are printed guideline values for virtually all grades of coins,
the competition for buying them from you is keen. Most other collectibles
are deeply discounted if sold for immediate cash because of the relative
lack of liquidity. Hence the difference in the buyer's offer. |
| MY
"SILENT" MARKET ADVANTAGE - After we introduce ourselves to each other
and discuss our strategies for a successful plan of attack, please ask me
about my "silent" market advantage. It isn't a gimmick. It's not a secret
handshake or formula for success based on aligning the moon and stars. I
will tell you this now - it's based on a Numismatic "brain trust". A consortium
of rare coin knowledge that few others can access. This movers and shakers
info isn't freely available to most of the "new dealers on the block". I'll
explain more privately when I see we are on the way to working together.
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| MY
PLEDGE TO YOU - I'll charge you a flat fee over my exact cost (plus
postage, insurance and tax if you are a Kansan). I always negotiate the
lowest price possible on every coin in order to have you in a winning position
as soon as possible. This is to your advantage AND mine. The immediate benefit
is a happy customer which means you might decide to start on another series
of coins or you could tell a friend to open his own folio of rare coins.
It's a classic win-win scenario. As I've previously stated, there won't
be any funny business, no side deals, just straight up business. You may
find someone else who says they will work on closer margins but will they
really? Will they locate certified coins that are truly exceptional for
the grade (often called premium quality) or pick up anything that "fills
the hole" in your collection. Believe me, if you ever decide to sell, our
hand-selected screaming gems will win hands down (financially) over a ho-hum
dark toned example in the same graded holder! Yes, even with PCGS or NGC
certified coins it does make a difference. |
| HOW
DO YOU START and END YOUR COIN COLLECTING PERSUITS? - First, getting
started is easy. I've already outlined the procedure for you. What if life
takes a turn and you need to either quit collecting for a time or want to
go in another direction? No problem! You can start, quit or start again
whenever it suits your needs. As I've said, there are no contracts or obligations
to buy coins from me for a day longer than you want. |
| EVENTUAL
SALE - This may be getting ahead of ourselves
but why not spell out a course of action from A to Z before we start? Some
collectors leave their coins in their estates but most of us eventually
sell our collections. Part of my job is to assist you in divesting these
coins if you need help in this area (it's your option). There are several
avenues to explore. Initially I will always write you a quick check for
everything. Or, we may decide to sell via auction, by private treaty to
another buyer, or maximize the price on each coin by breaking up the set
(which is a little slower). You may need an insider for all of these options
including auctions. Some sellers don't realize that dealing with auction
houses is just as negotiable as any other method of selling. I can help
and I do charge a small fee for this service. Guiding you through the pitfalls
of any of these selling options will result in a greater financial return
for you. During this process the priority is diverted from pride of ownership
to selling for the best price possible. Getting top dollar involves a lot
of decisions. I'm here to assist if you need the help. |
| CALL
ME WHEN YOU ARE READY - I travel a lot in order to find the right rare
coins for my customers. My hours when in town: Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM -6:00PM,
Central Time. I look forward to hearing from you and getting started on
an exciting set of ultra-ne-plus U.S. certified coins. 1-800-858-2646 |
| OTHER
QUESTIONS - After reading this
I'm sure you have many other questions before you begin the journey. Please
phone me so we can discuss your rare coin future together. |
