Which do you prefer?(strike vs surfaces)

steviegetz

I just wanted to see what you guys and girls prefer most when it comes to buying the right coin. Sometimes you cant have everything but when it comes down to it ,are you looking at surfaces or strike the most when you make your choice. For me , I like the quality of the surfaces and im okay with a weak strike.

Jinx86

Really depends on the series. I love great surfaces, but no so much as to sacrifice major details.

Colonialcoin

Both for me. A well struck coin that is scratched, porous, cleaned, etc. doesn’t work for me. A poorly struck coin that normally comes well struck is a pass as well.

Insider2

I would rather have a perfect, as struck, coin in any series with a weak strike [MS-70, weak strike is its technical grade] than a coin with surface marks.

Now, of course, there is a point where a fully struck Mint State coin with marks is going to be more desirable to me than the one above.

Walkerfan

I usually look for a good strike, first and foremost, but major distracting marks are bad, too.

DIMEMAN

I'm with you Steve......surfaces are most important.

KeithMS70

Surface for sure

TommyType

I've found that the more time I've spent looking for and at coins, the more I'm interested in well struck coins. For a Type coin, I look for coins with as much of the intended design as possible. "A good representation of the type".

Bust coins without eyes bug me....copper with missing or sloppy denticles are a turn off....extremely flat central designs get passed on.

So, I will accept marks, and subdued luster, as long as they aren't so bad that they become the main focus of attention.

bolivarshagnasty

I won't consider weakly struck coins. So I guess it's strike first and surfaces second.

BryceM

Luster!

sellitstore

Strike is important, surfaces are more important.

BillJones

Frankly I look to buy both, but when it comes to a coin that is always poorly made, like the 1855-C gold dollar, the surfaces have got to be there. For surfaces have to be smooth. I’ll pass on the super strike if the piece is marked up.

jesbroken

It is truly according to the individual coin and its series. It can vary, such as, a coin with a normally weak strike I may select for its superior strike even with some hits, as I would take a coin with great fields when normally found marked. Great question, just not apt to get a black or white answer.
Jim

Namvet69

A strong sharp strike on both sides is my favorite type of coin. Next is a strong wacky error!

thefinn

Surface is not the same as bag marks. Surface means original luster - and if it is worn - original areas that haven't been cleaned or altered in any way. If I had to choose between original luster and a few bag marks and over-dipped without any bag marks, I go for original.

mannie gray

Surfaces .
By far.

ricko

Clean, unmarred surfaces are important to me....strike is likely secondary.. but close. For me, I judge a coin on it's overall appeal to me.... Which is why the part of grading called 'eye appeal' bothers me... we do not all judge beauty the same...Coins, like people, have good points and bad points. Despite the '70' grade, none are really perfect. And no person is perfect. What is attractive to one individual (coins or people) is not necessarily what another is seeking. This is actually a good thing, or there would be much more violence in the world as we fought over coins and mates. Cheers, RickO

Aspie_Rocco

Surfaces are most important to me. As a variety hunter I look for MS coins usually, and settle for circulated examples occasionally. With varieties strike is a nice consideration, but the presence of the variety markers is #1,
surface #2
Strike #3

For my set collection, I want the best strike and BU surfaces, usually.

WildIdea

Full Bell Lines, Split Bands, Full Head designations are nice but I can overlook that if the coin is otherwise interesting or has booming luster or colorful toning etc. Same with Lincolns, I don't need complete reverse lettering if the beard is strong and the color is attractive. I personally think that when a Walker has a full thumb the great surfaces come along for the ride unless nicked by a reed mark in the field or something. For Type 1 Buffs, its all about the field textures but can live with weakness in certain dates of that series.

At the ANA Summer Seminar one year they broke out some major weak strike coins. I remember a walker where the entire Liberty figure wasn't stuck up and a Jefferson nickel lacked the entire portrait. Mostly to show what the texture of a non struck up planchet looks like and how to tell that between wear. I would almost consider these mint errors they were so weakly struck.

Now rarity throws all that out the window for me. With less options its about having one or not. I can live with all kinds of issues the further back in time coins go.

With that said, there are many more coins to chose from than my money will go so its a balancing act between strike and lack of problems and cost. That sweet spot is different for everybody and likely evolving as our collecting matures.

Baley

Primarily collecting 200+ year old coins in grades like Fine, I look for wholesome coins with a balance of honest qualities as well as scarcity in any grade. Actually prefer a coin that did its duty in commerce and had thousands of anonymous owners and still survived in pleasing condition.

For newer, common coins easy to find nice, coins must have both full strike and outstanding surfaces. Either way, coin must elicit a Wow!

ilikemonsters

Why can't you have both?

CommemKing

Surfaces for me.

asheland

An original surface for me every time!

BryceM

As others have said, it strongly depends on the series. If you collect Peace dollars or Buffalo nickels you can’t be too hung up on strike. In these series, for me, surfaces come first but a strong strike is pretty special. For other series, anything but superb details automatically disqualified the coin from entry to my collection.