Hey! Hey! Comeaux! Welcome back! Long time no hear/see/post. Comeaux has one of the best Panda collections ever seen on Silverstackers, and was one of the people who started helping answer questions about grading and conservation. http://forums.silverstackers.com/topic-11730-panda-photos-page-2.html Hopefully you can update us on any new Pandas developments on your end. Thanks again, and welcome back!
http://forums.silverstackers.com/message-299706.html#p299706 He's trying to deny me of a bargain :lol:
Hey Yennus & Gang ! I really appreciate that but I haven't really gone anywhere, I have just been insanely busy between work, the holidays and keeping up with my 14 month old son. With oil prices hovering around the $100 (currently almost $102) level, I have been busting at the seams to keep a handle on everything at home and manage the business with new government regulations since the Macondo blowout in the Gulf. I have been stopping in occasionally to read here at SS and at CCF but really haven't had much time to post anything although there has been a lot of interesting discussions. I haven't really purchased anything of high interest lately but have continued to stack bullion and load up on any undervalued gold/silver pandas in OMP at excellent prices and preparing for some fairly large NGC submissions soon. I just opened my fifth safety deposit box to make room. One mildly interesting find recently was a $75 S10Y 2002 Panda in OMP that came back MS70 so I was pleasantly surprised and it boosted me to the #10 spot on the NGC Registry for "varieties" of MS Chinese Pandas which I'm hoping to break into the top five later this year if all goes as planned. There is some tough competition there and I see fishy and a few other SS members creeping up the list !!! I have noticed recently a lot of discussions on what the price of specific coins should be valued at but given the fact that MCC are still in the embryonic stages compared to most other coins/numismatics, it is difficult to nail down precise values on any particular item on any given day as they have pretty much been all over the place with extremely wild price swings within days, weeks or months. In my case being a long term collector, the price fluctuations do not bother me at all as I'm looking at 15 to 20 years ahead. For short term investors I can see where there may be anxiety or concerns (understandably) as there will be many peaks and valleys in the next year or so but in my opinion those who are looking at timelines of even five years down the road will do very good with investments/collections made in today's market. I would advise new collectors (or even veterans) to be slow, methodical & patient. Those members who recently purchased the God of Wealth and War medals, I feel they acquired these at excellent prices and could possibly see them slip a little more in the next year or so but at the same time those same medals will probably be valued at $3,000 or more within the next three to five years. Who knows in ten years ??? I would believe that they will be great investments as will many other Modern Chinese Coins. There has also been discussion on what to purchase, OMP or graded, I continue to see that there are still excellent opportunities to purchase silver and gold numismatics at great prices in OMP with risk/reward values very high buying OMP to submit for grading or just keep them in OMP as I do with several varieties of coins. Of course in many cases it makes sense as well to purchase certain coins already graded when getting a good deal or simply completing sets of specific graded coins. It all comes down to a matter of preference and individual strategy. I don't believe there is a "right way" or "wrong way", what is most important is "your way" and what makes you the "collector/investor" feel good about your purchases and your collection. On the topic of 2012 S10Y Pandas, they are simply a bullion play for me and will only buy a few (after the hype is gone) to add to the collection. Although in the past I have purchased many of the 5 oz proof pandas, in my opinion the higher mintage numbers on these 2012's will probably dissuade me from picking any of these up. I would rather spend my money completing the 5 coin gold sets which is where I'm focused on now. It's good to see that the activity has been strong in the SS Panda Forum and also I'm amazed at all of the collections that I have seen members collecting and building it is extremely impressive. Yennus along with the veteran members have done an exceptional job keeping the Panda Forum informative and interesting as well as new members bringing new ideas and viewpoints. A very positive and instrumental forum as I have seen it flourish and mature in a short amount of time. I always like to remember a quote/comment by gold pelican something like "there is more to collecting than the value/mintage of a coin" or something like that so I would just reiterate along those same thoughts. Collect what is important to you and what makes you happy, that is the most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing regardless of how you do it. Do your own thing and be proud of it. Although I do want to participate more in the forum by posting, I may not be able to do so as much as before but I will always stop in to read the interesting topics and see how things are going with all the members. My wife and I are planning a China trip in the next year or so that along with all of the other members talking of going to China it would be really cool if there would be a "sticky" of things to do and see in China such as various attractions, coins shops, where to stay, how to get from here to there, etc. I thought the post by 25grizzlies and his China trip was fascinating as are all of the posts by yennus and his China travels. The post where yennus mentioned it snowing I could only envision myself there, looking out the window over the Orient while sipping a hot cup of cocoa and watching the snow fall plotting my course for the day in search of beautiful and rare Chinese Coins. Wish I was there Well anyway those are just a few of my observations and opinions and we all know what they say about opinions It was great to come back and post something (sorry so long ) You guys all take care and good luck with your collections and in your lives Happy Collecting Brothers !!!
Welcome back Comeaux. Just for the record, I wrote my commentary for list 127 before reading this. But the messages are somewhat similar.
Thanks Comeaux for your latest update! Be sure to let me know your details when you come to China (hopefully Shanghai). I'll be happy to show you and your family around.
Yennus that would be great if timing would work out that we could spend some time together in Shanghai and hit some of the coin shops ! We are just in the early planning stages and not sure exactly what I want to see but we would probably stay 10 12 days and along with Shanghai would like to see other places such as Beijing, Xian, Suzhou. By the time we actually go I'm sure my list will be modified. What is the best time of year to be in Shanghai as far as good weather? Yes Tamo42 we definitely must have had "thought transference" if you typed your commentary at the same time I posted because there are some similar messages great minds think alike, great telepathy ! Oh yea I just added two more 70's (2003 & 2004) so I'm at #9 on the NGC Registry and moving up ! http://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=126589
One ms70 or ms69 more and you go up to 8th. (if i saw one you dont have. I reserve for you). But when i go to usa to holidays and make a ncs and ngc of my raw and omp i think i have more posibilites to help you. Congratulations. The expo coins account for the rank? For example 2004/5/6 beijing expo?
Fantastic! Looking forward to meeting you and your family. I can show you around Shanghai and Suzhou. Shanghai is good for shopping. Suzhou is good for culture. [imgz=http://forums.silverstackers.com/uploads/675_untitled_image_1.jpeg][/imgz][imgz=http://forums.silverstackers.com/uploads/675_untitled_image_2.jpeg][/imgz][imgz=http://forums.silverstackers.com/uploads/675_untitled_image.jpeg][/imgz] March to June is a good time to come. August to October is also a good time to come. Any other times and it will likely be either crazy hot, or freezing cold. But any time of year is good to see the best and worst of Shanghai and Suzhou
