I don't know if this applies to everyone but I find that my particular area of coins got to a stage that unless I am willing to start forking out full 3 digit figures every single time, it's quite likely that I would be giving up quite soon or letting it rot.

So yes... it's at a standstill...

Most probably I would divert my attention to somewhere else though for the time moment...

Has this happened to you yet?

I was used to the 3-digit prices, but now many Saints are in 4-digits except for the common date or lower grades. Good for the filled holes, not so good for the empy ones. Needless to say I doubt I will be filling anymore holes this year.

No I really cant say Ive been "Burned"to bad before to memorie on coins. Thats becouse I saw what I was Buying in front of me!!Ive always been highly afraid to buy from dealers in magazines and coin world, I have 2-3 times and did now know to memorie get a expensive coin and it had a scratch in the field that wasnt mentioned to me,so I keeped it like a dummy and went to sell it due to money problems a few years later and got KILLED over it(down graded) becouse of the scratch!!I have recently bought a few minor coins from "Lost Dutchman" with no problems at all,this is a good thing.

Fortunately, I can still afford to collect what I like. If that were to change, I would more that likely shift my focus to other coin areas either temprarily or permanently.

My Lincoln set has ground to a halt. Only a few are left and those command $75+ price tags for the condition I want.

I've turned my focus toward Morgan's, WLH, and German coins. They are cheaper and easier to come by.