Making Numismatics A Lifelong Journey

My name is Frank Sgaglione, and I am a 21-year-old numismatist from Brooklyn, New York. I am currently in college pursuing a degree in nursing. I have always been interested in health science and enjoy helping people in times of need. My journey began when I inquired about a Lincoln Wheat Cent I found on the floor at the age of eight. I had never seen a coin with wheat ears surrounding the denomination "ONE CENT" on the reverse before. After a few years of collecting Wheat Cents and silver dimes found in circulation, I discovered A Guide Book of United States Coins (commonly known as “The Red Book”) on the back wall of a Barnes & Noble. I begged my parents to buy it for me, and I read it cover to cover that night before going to bed.

Numismatics plays a significant role in my everyday life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I started getting rolls of quarters from the bank to search for West Point-minted 2019 and 2020 quarters. Once I accumulated some, I began selling them on eBay. With that money, I was able to fund building my collection with coins that were not available in circulation. I finally owned coins I had dreamed of seeing in “The Red Book” from my childhood. As I learned more about the coin market, I began to buy and sell coins.

Along my journey over the past three years, I have been fortunate enough to attend coin seminars. These invaluable programs taught me professional grading, coin trading, and allowed me to network with fellow numismatists in my age group. Through these connections, I have been able to engage with prominent dealers in the industry, gaining access to a wealth of information that helps me progress. Now, at most coin shows around the country, I not only buy and sell coins but also spend time with the friends I’ve made along the way.

In January of 2024, I opened my company – South Brooklyn Buying Group. I buy and sell coins of all price ranges. I enjoy helping collectors complete sets and advising collectors on what coins they should or should not buy. To me, customer satisfaction is incredibly important. I try to go above and beyond to ensure collectors are happy with their purchases. You can find me online via eBay, my website www.sbbgcoins.com, and on Instagram @Coinman303.

The 1843 Liberty Head Half Eagle is one of many deceivingly rare coins that intrigues Frank Sgaglione. Courtesy of PCGS TrueView. In terms of my collecting journey, my primary interest lies in United States gold coins with low survival rates. One coin that comes to mind is the Philadelphia-minted 1843 Liberty Head Half Eagle. With an original mintage of 611,205, it may not seem remarkable at first glance. However, PCGS estimates that only about 350 pieces still exist, which means approximately 0.057% of the original mintage remains. The question is: what happened to the Philadelphia-minted 1843 Half Eagles?

Thus far, my journey in numismatics has been relatively short, but I have immersed myself in research and information in this field, and I have no regrets. I enjoy studying numismatics, attending coin shows, and reconnecting with the wonderful people I meet along the way. In the long term, I hope to write a few books on numismatics in my areas of interest, become a full-time coin dealer, and give back to the community as much as I can. I can’t predict the future, but I know I will be involved in numismatics for the rest of my life.