Jim Bisognani: My 14th Annual NGC Year in Review – Part 2

Wow, another Christmas has come and gone, seemingly in the twinkle of a falling snowflake. The days leading up to the 25th of December blitzed by, certainly unlike the perceived agony of those passing days in my younger years. Back then, each day in early December seemed to be bogged down in molasses! I mean, it seemed like the 25th would never arrive back then.

Always — at least, within my lifetime — the month of December has been filled with traditional carols and popular tunes of the holiday. Of course, Beth and I did our fair share of watching holiday classics on TCM.

Seemingly scripted in Hollywood, Christmas Day was beautiful here in New Hampshire. We received just the right amount of snow on Christmas Eve. It was a nostalgic sight for sure, with everyone either dreaming of or wanting a white Christmas. And — not to be a Grinch — hopefully we don't get any more for the remainder of 2024!

Yours truly was surprised with several great numismatic gifts from Beth! By Jove, she does have a keen and discerning eye. The two Malaya and Austria silver coins she chose are blast-white, frosted perfection. I can't take my eyes off of them! I also picked up this beautiful gold coin from the mid-Napoleon era. This 1810 20 Franc is just a wonder to behold. I will have to get it graded by NGC sometime soon! The portrait of the laureate bust of Emperor Napoleon just oozes classic Roma coinage, I dare say...

Yet perhaps my most appreciative and surprising gift was that from one of my fellow coindexters, who in part wrote to me:

"Jim, I sure do appreciate the great columns you publish. In my opinion, you should be included in Coin World's "Most Influential People in Numismatics" roster because of your excellent work and commitment to the hobby. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!"

Thank you, my fellow coindexter Dan G., for those kind words!

As I reflect on all my years of being a coin nerd (first class!), I must admit that the great joy now is for me to impart the numismatic knowledge stored in my noggin. So, my fellow coindexters, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Well, the calendar says we still have a few days left in 2024. So, I say let's roll out my 14th Annual NGC Year in Review – Part 2!

Jim's 14th Annual NGC Year in Review – Part 2

What numismatic item was on your first wish list?

Bob Green – Owner of Park Avenue Numismatics

It was a 3-legged Buffalo!

Jeff Garrett – Founder of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries, Inc.

I started like millions of others with a Whitman folder for Lincoln cents, 1958 to date. I tried very hard but could never find the 1941-S Lincoln cent. I eventually purchased one through the mail from Littleton Coins Co., my first numismatic purchase.

John Brush – President and Owner of David Lawrence Rare Coins

The first one I can remember was the 1937-D 3-legged Buffalo nickel. I worked long and hard to build my circulated Buffalo nickel collection, but that coin was just a dream for me. It remained on my wish list for many years until I became an adult and finally added one to my collection in my 20s.

Charles Morgan - Editor of CoinWeek

Items? Nothing special, truly. But I always wanted the opportunity to work with brilliant numismatists, day in and day out. I still do!

Jeff Kierstead – Owner of MintProducts Auctions

Back when I was a kid, I would go through penny rolls that I would get at the bank. I really wanted to find an Indian cent.

Kevin Lipton - Owner of Kevin Lipton Rare Coins

I always wanted a bust half. I thought they were really cool and oversized!

Lianna Spurrier – Creative Director of Numismatic Marketing

Like many people, a 1909-S VDB was the "big ticket" coin I wanted for years. I filled most of a wheat penny Dansco album searching through bulk wheat pennies and scouring eBay, but that S VDB was the holy grail for my middle school self.

Dan Goevert – Rare Coins 101

It was the 1950-D Jefferson nickel. As an 11-year-old, I managed to complete a full set of Jeffersons, except for the elusive 1950-D, so I placed it on my Christmas wish list that year. Santa was generous and filled my stocking with an uncirculated example. I foolishly removed it from its protective holder because I was so anxious to fill the empty slot in my blue Whitman folder. Thank goodness it wasn't something like a gem 1909-S VDB!

Brian Timmons - Owner of Brian Timmons Rare Coins (BTRC)

Like every blue-collar collecting kid, I began with Lincoln cents, Indian cents, Buffalo nickels and Jefferson nickels. I couldn't afford silver coins yet and was fascinated by gold, but it was way out of my price range. The first "numismatic prize" I had my eyes on was a 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent — the key date that even non-coin collectors have heard of, sought after by all Lincoln collectors and coin enthusiasts! I wasn't able to own this rarity until my late teens, when I had a steady paycheck. I remember it well... a Choice VF+ coin with original chocolate brown color and a nice light wood grain appearance. It was a perfect collector grade for my blue Whitman folder (which I still have).

Chris B. – Ancients Collector from New Jersey

The 1909-S VDB Lincoln penny in 1966.

Brian Hodge – Partner of Lee Minshull Rare Coins (LMRC)

A 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent and a 1916-D Mercury dime.

James Sibley – Collector from Texas

Like probably every baby boomer — at least, those of us who started collecting as kids — my wish list contained a 1909-S VDB Cent. When I returned to coin collecting after retiring 6 years ago, it was the very first coin I bought: an NGC-certified MS 63 RB, purchased at the Houston Money Show in January 2019. It's one of my few regrets — now, older and hopefully a bit wiser, I realize that I should have bought a MS 65 or MS 66 RB; when I upgrade, I'll be selling the MS 63.

Jim Stoutjesdyk – Senior Vice President and Partner of Heritage Auctions

I really got interested in coins when I was about 8 or 9 years old. On a rainy weekend, my father brought his coin collection home from the safe deposit box and spread it out on the kitchen table. I immediately became hooked and wanted to start filling in the holes that were missing in his albums. One of the coins I was determined to get was the 1909-S VDB cent that Dad was never able to find in circulation. So that became almost an obsession for me to get and was on my first wish list.

Which coin(s) in your personal collection hold(s) the most significance for you?

Chris B.

My Ancient Rome collection.

Bob Green

I owned 20 Gem Isabella Quarters that I purchased after my daughter, Isabella, was born. They graded (in my opinion) MS 66 to MS 67. When my daughter started college, I had them all graded by a third party, and many of them graded even higher! They funded her tuition, but I kept one MS 68 for her.

James Sibley

While the late Larry Miller's (Utah Jazz) 1913-S Barber Quarter in MS 65 is a favorite, I think I like looking at Walter Husak's 1802 Large Cent (MS 62 BN) the most.

Lianna Spurrier

I have two answers for this one. First is a pretty unremarkable Seated Half Dollar — when I was 11, my family helped clean out the house of a relative, who was a hoarder. We found a few stashes of old coins that I got to keep, the most valuable of which was this Seated Half. Cleaning out that house is what really got me interested in coins, and the Seated Half is the one coin I know I still have that came from that house. I even have the container and newspaper clipping we found it encased in!

The second coin is a gold replica of the Nova Constellatio Quint pattern, produced by David McCarthy in 2018 for an Instagram giveaway. I won the giveaway, then wanted to learn more about the Nova Constellatios. I didn't have a lot of free time for coin research as a college student, but an assignment came around later that semester to make a short documentary about any historical topic of my choosing. So I took the excuse to research the Nova Constellatios. I put my final documentary on YouTube, and that project is what ended up catapulting me into my entire career in numismatics. I have a photo of the coin that started it all printed on a mousepad in my office, and it's a piece I will never sell.

Kevin Lipton

I have no personal coins now, but the Gem Uncirculated Birch Cent and Wright Quarter were my "faves" until I sold the pair several years ago for close to $10 million.

Brian Hodge

I have so much fun doing what I do every day, and having access to such extraordinary pieces of history makes me not feel much need to hold any coins personally anymore. I'm very good at seeing opportunities for my customers and when they score and get what they want, I feel fulfilled.

Jim Stoutjesdyk

In the 1980s, my grandparents took me to a used book sale at a mall (yes, people actually went to malls in the 1980s!). I found a 1st Edition Red Book in nearly mint condition and bought it for $0.50. Later, I sold that Red Book for $300 and used the money to buy a 1909-S VDB Cent for my dad. Now that my father has passed away, I own that coin and absolutely cherish it. I wouldn't sell it for any price... well, maybe $100,000. I am a coin dealer, after all!

John Brush

I am a collector at heart and have a hard time getting rid of sentimental items. I still have my set of circulated Buffalo Nickels that I treasure. I also continue to add to my collection of baseball-related silver rounds that I've worked on since I was six years old. I also have my dad's Dansco album of Peace Dollars (that were hidden in the roof of my house growing up — another story for another day!), my mom's set of Washington Quarters and Three Cent nickels...

But now, I collect items that have meaning to me from collections or coins that I've purchased. These sentimental items mean even more to me than the coins. For instance, I have a Saint from the first $1 million deal that I bought from Don Bonser — a friend of mine — when those coins would have cost you less than $500. I was the only person left in the office as a show was going on somewhere, so it was a transaction that I had to handle. It meant a lot to me that we got it all to work!

I also have a Tiberius Caesar Silver Denarius that I received on my 13th birthday at a coin show at the Atlanta Waverly Hotel in 1993. I also have the holder of the Buss 1984-S Dime that I acquired for the Hansen Collection, the NGC label from the 1885 Proof Trade Dollar that I acquired in auction for the same collection, and several other pieces of numismatically adjacent collectibles that I've picked up along the way.

Jeff Garrett

I started collecting British Trade Tokens (Condor Tokens) when I was very young. They were minted in the 1790s and come in very nice condition. I have over 1,500 coins, with my favorite being the Lady Godiva issue.

When did you know that you wanted to be a coin dealer?

Chris B.

I wish I had the time to be a coin dealer!

Bob Green

I am still a collector at heart, but my first six figure deal made me believe that this hobby could be a vocation. That was 40 years ago, and as a collector, I haven't worked a day over the past 40 years. It's just fun to hold all the numismatic treasures and make lifelong friends along the way.

Brian Timmons

Within an hour of attending my first coin show, I knew this was my calling. The action at coin shows is like nothing else in the world for me. The possibilities and excitement of finding a truly fresh coin to the market that hasn't seen the light of day in decades? Nothing else will get me up at 3 a.m. rushing around the house to get out the door like the fear of missing out on a really neat coin or collection.

Jeff Garrett

During my senior year of high school, I was offered a job in a prominent Florida coin shop. I decided to skip college and start my numismatic career at that time.

John Brush

During my first year of grad school / seminary at Emory University. I did my first semester of classes and a required class internship as a Chaplain at the VA hospital. The experience was sobering and enlightening for me, but I realized that my skills in life weren't taking me into this calling. I loved helping people, but I learned that working with collectors was also another way that you can help. You can do much in your church and community as well, outside the realm of "work."

I finished my first semester, received a "B" in a class that I know I deserved an "A" in, and as the second semester began, I started working on job interviews. I had offers from Heritage Auctions, Stack's Bowers, Merena and even Spectrum Numismatics. I had interned for Heritage — which was a fantastic experience — but Dallas was a bit warm for my liking. I took the offer from Bowers, but it was later retracted due to corporate issues. Spectrum proved to be the biggest wild card, but it was an opportunity to go to California, so I took that. It ended up being an incredible opportunity to learn, and I'll forever be grateful to Greg Roberts and the team there that gave me a chance.

Jim Stoutjesdyk

In 1989, I was a student at the University of Michigan. The coin market was really strong due to rumors of Wall Street rare coin fund money coming into the market, since the relatively new NGC and PCGS slabs were revolutionizing how rare coins were sold. I would go to coin shops after class and buy coins, then sell them at coin shows on the weekend.

My five roommates that I lived with in our off-campus house all had jobs making the then-minimum wage of $3.35 an hour. Meanwhile, I was making about $3,000 a month with my little coin business. That's when I decided that being a rare coin dealer was probably a good thing!

Jeff Kierstead

I had dealt in coins for a couple of years, but wasn't sure that I would make it a career until I attended my first major show. That did it for me!

Brian Hodge

I started collecting on a small scale at around 15 years old, but I didn't pick it up seriously until I was 19. I was honorably discharged from the Navy and needed something to do, so I started buying and selling coins. I ultimately found Lee Minshull and the rest has been an incredible ride.

Kevin Lipton

I knew that I was going to be a coin dealer after I bought and sold my very first coin at 12 years old. I was at Carolyn Coin Exchange in Paramus, New Jersey. There were six dealers who had counters there. I bought a dirty "Uncirculated-ish" 1840 No Drapery Half Dime for $10 from the guy in the back, then sold it to Chris Stahle up front for $35. I was completely smitten!

What has changed the most with your business since its inception?

Bob Green

Well, for sure, the internet. Our first website was launched in 1994. It's morphed into something we couldn't have imagined back then. Investing in the tech side of the business has absolutely reaped rewards.

James Sibley

Well, as a collector from age 10 to senior citizenship, it's a whole new world: Third-party grading, the internet, set registries, fantastic imaging, large auctions... You name it!

Lianna Spurrier

I started with Numismatic Marketing at the very beginning of 2020, so while it's been a much shorter timespan than others in this article, it's covered some very tumultuous times. The biggest change has been in the volume of work; for the first year or two, it wasn't clear if it would be financially feasible to make this a long-term career. Five years in, I've been able to hire someone else part-time and it's looking like I'll be able to stick around for the long haul.

Chris B.

As a serious collector, it is the advent of the third-party grading services — in particular, NGC and PCGS. Without them, the coin market would not be thriving in the fashion it now enjoys.

Jeff Garrett

The availability of information, for sure. When I first started in coins, I remember coin shops would not price coins until the new Red Book arrived. Everything about the hobby is now available with a few clicks. You can amass a world class coin collection without leaving your basement! The internet led to explosive growth for numismatics. The invention of third-party grading is a close second.

John Brush

Wow, this is a great question! I joined DLRC in 2006. It had already gone through a lot of changes, growing from a mail order operation headed by a former collector to a massive internet-based operation. I came on board shortly after the Richmond auctions had concluded, so it was an interesting time for DLRC. I had the opportunity to work and learn from John Feigenbaum for 10 years before taking charge and buying the company (with my partner, Dell Loy Hansen) two years later.

In my earliest time there, we continued to focus on the retailer mindset of dealing with collectors and expanding the online auction focus as well as going through the ups and downs of the 2009-2011 market adjustments. Since acquiring the company, the biggest changes have been learning how to manage a growing team of approximately 20 people, doing a complete redesign of our website and backend technology and expanding the company to offering a weekly high-end boutique auction — called the Red Carpet Rarity Series — that ends on Thursday nights.

These events, along with working with some major collections — specifically the Hansen Collection, of which I'm the curator — have kept me on my toes. As we say, every day there is something different happening. That's what really energizes us to keep making DLRC better!

Jim Stoutjesdyk

When I started working at Heritage in 1991, the internet was basically unknown to most people. We had no website. During my early years at Heritage, one of my jobs included being the editor of our monthly magazine, the Heritage Insider. That publication was mailed out to our clients and included a list of our inventory for sale and articles that I wrote. When the internet started being widely known, the executives at Heritage quickly realized that it would be a game changer and invested heavily in creating a really good website to get a head start on our competitors.

Fast forward to today and Heritage Auctions has the most visited website in the collectibles industry, with an average of over 45,000 unique daily visitors and over 31 million annual visits. Quite a change from when we were mailing out a magazine and waiting for days — or even weeks — until our phones started ringing with orders.

Jeff Kierstead

Easy — definitely the internet!

Brian Hodge

We are incredibly well diversified with all sorts of projects that reach even outside the primary business of rare coins, attracting new buyers from other collectibles and industries. We are constantly reinventing the when with what the hobby can take, and I think we're true pioneers in that regard.

Kevin Lipton

We have gotten into the modern coin business in a large fashion.

Do you have any suggestions on how to attract and encourage new collectors to the hobby?

Charles Morgan

I'd tell stories about coins — stories that connect coins to culture, history and shared experiences. For modern coins, promote coins as fun lifestyle collector objects. Sell coins for fair prices to the consumer and establish two-way markets that promote buying and selling.

Bob Green

Find a series you love and enjoy the ride. Building a collection is a fun and rewarding experience!

Brian Timmons

I think what PNG is doing with Next Gen is fantastic, and anything the leaders in the industry can do to sponsor and help these young numismatists find their footing in the business will help secure more collectors in the hobby long term.

James Sibley

It's a great riddle: Can members of the alphabet generations, who grew up on all things digital, be attracted in large enough numbers to replace us aging baby boomers — who, in many cases, began collecting coins as an off-shoot of delivering newspapers? Sure, there are YN's, but are they going to be a large enough group to provide the demand necessary to sustain prices? Playing with that piece of smartphone plastic in your hand is not the same as holding an inanimate plastic slab. It's a great question with no great answer.

Chris B.

Start the passion early and encourage collecting in general — there are very few people in this world that don't collect anything.

Jeff Garrett

It's already happening, but the use of social media is a giant boost for the hobby. There are a lot of new, young collectors now because of social media. Last week, John Feigenbaum and I started a new Red Book Podcast. Every dealer should explore ways to use social media to grow their business.

Jim Stoutjesdyk

Being able to collect coins out of circulation has always been a great way to get new people interested in the hobby. My father found a 1916-D Mercury Dime in circulation in the 1950s, and he was hooked on coin collecting for life afterwards. I used to find the occasional Wheat Cent in circulation in the 1980s, which spurred my interest in buying a Whitman folder to start collecting Lincoln cents. In the 2000s, my daughter noticed the new State Quarters in circulation, started putting them aside and eventually tried to obtain one of each type and mint mark. Making dramatic changes to the designs of the coins currently in circulation would definitely be a good way to attract new collectors.

Jeff Kierstead

I think it's a very hard proposition these days. Maybe with the country's 250th anniversary coming up, we might see the general population take more interest in history, which will hopefully attract and bring some new people in.

Dan Goevert

Podcasting. Younger generations have turned to podcasting to get their news, information and entertainment. That's where the action is these days.

Videos. It's amazing how many views US coin-related videos can get on YouTube and elsewhere. Obviously, there's an audience there hungry to learn more about numismatics. At the risk of tooting my own horn too loudly, I recently entered the video promotion realm with this video. For me, it's been fun and inspirational to talk about US coins and their place in history.

Brian Hodge

I think traditional coin-related media is dying. Magazines and newsletters are becoming a thing of the past that people just no longer pay as much attention to, so the future in reaching new blood is definitely online, in person and through social media.

Kevin Lipton

The reach in multi-media marketing coins has never been better. More young people are aware of coin collecting through social media than ever.

Silver spot seems to be a bargain in the $30 and up range. What type of silver coins would be the best option for any coindexters with around $2,500 to spend?

Bob Green

I think a set of Gem Silver Eagles is a fun and enjoyable way to spend $2,500 in this market. Remember, silver was $50 before and will get there — or go higher — again.

Chris B.

High-grade, NGC-certified silver ancients of Rome and Greece!

Brian Timmons

Buy 1-ounce Rounds, Silver Eagles or bigger bars for an even better bargain. Silver should hit all-time highs in 2025.

James Sibley

You can't beat the American Silver Eagles, whether bullion or Proof. They're beautiful to look at, fun to hold and — you're probably right, Jim — silver has got to start catching up to gold's price escalation.

Jeff Garrett

Buy as many different date MS 64 or MS 65 Morgan Dollars as you can find. They are a great value.

John Brush

I always suggest Silver Eagles when the premiums are just a few dollars, or silver Rounds close to melt. There's a million ways to invest in silver, but it's also bulky, so I'd suggest just buying a $20 Saint!

Jim Stoutjesdyk

I would recommend anything made out of silver that you can buy for close to the melt value. Silver seems extremely undervalued to me, considering gold hit an all-time high in history this year. Buy some pre-1964 90% silver coins or silver bars every month so you cost average your purchases, and I think you'll be very happy 5-10 years from now.

Jeff Kierstead

You can buy some nice Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars for a little over melt value. That's probably a good place to start.

Brian Hodge

I think I'd just buy $2,500 worth of Silver Eagles and ride the spot market for a little fun. If I was doing it to further my interest in the hobby, I'd buy a low-grade 1916-D Mercury dime or some classic rarity that is a blue chip of value.

Kevin Lipton

The silver commemorative series from the Columbian Halves through Washington Carvers is chock-full of bargains for Gem Uncirculated coins in the $100 to $250 range.

What are your mild or bold prognostics for 2025?

Charles Morgan

2025 is going to be a grind.

Bob Green

It's going to be a great year for the hobby, and for America!

Chris B.

I think the high-end coin market (of all countries, and all series graded by NGC and PCGS) will keep going up. These are fairly liquid and portable investments (when compared to other collectibles, such as art and paintings) that many have figured out how to participate in tax-free.

Brian Timmons

I think there will be much higher metals prices and a massive flow-in of new collectors, and new money into the hobby.

James Sibley

2025 probably won't look materially different from 2024 unless the geo-political risk goes south. If Moscow, Tehran and Pyongyang roll out nukes, all bets are off.

Jeff Garrett

There will be some shocking consolidations of companies involved in the hobby.

John Brush

Well, the University of Tennessee wins the national championship in at least one sport...

We'll see a major US collection hit the market. We've not seen one on the marketplace in a few years, so it's time to find one that's far lesser known enter the marketplace. It should bring record values, as all rare coins are these days!

Jim Stoutjesdyk

As I write this in December 2024, Heritage Auctions is finishing up its best year ever in the history of the company. Throughout the year, I've seen broad-based demand for rare coins and bullion, with a considerable number of six-figure — and even seven-figure — coins sold at auction going to new clients. This year, Heritage sold the 1932 Babe Ruth "Called Shot" jersey for $24,120,000 and Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz for $32,500,000. My prediction for 2025? Hold on tight: it's going to be a wild ride!

Jeff Kierstead

The Red Sox will win the World Series!

Brian Hodge

It's going to be epic! Buckle up!

Kevin Lipton

There will be record prices for CAC's finest-known coins.

Thanks again to all of my coin comrades! For all intents, this brings down the curtain on 2024. I will see you all in 2025 with the exciting conclusion of my 14th annual year in review!

Until next time, be safe and happy collecting!

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