Spots on high grade coins
erwindoc
Posts: 5,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
Looking at some auctions that are up and coming soon. Anyone else bothered by spots on otherwise superb high end coins?
8
Comments
Yes. What is it graded?
MS-66. The cert number is right there on the true view.
Th overall look of the coin is really nice.
Collector
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In most cases, yes. But I’m also less concerned if it’s a reverse spot.
I would still like that coin as a 67, but not so much that I would pay 67 money for it. Bad place for a (small) spot on that coin.
OINK
Not a fan of spots. Darn shame about that Liberty nickel considering the toning is flat-out gorgeous.
My rule of thumb is if it sticks out to my eyes right away I'll pass out regardless of how else it looks. I have made exceptions to toning spots in less distracting areas
Bothered.
A black carbon spot on a focal point on obverse is usually an issue for me. **Especially **on anything over MS 65.
The mottled reverse spots at 4:00 bother me less. Yet i'm sure there are others that may feel just the opposite!
The coin has nice pastel toning, and if the obverse carbon spot was, say, more peripheral, or on the reverse, it would probably bother me less.
Can't it be removed?
When my eyes are first drawn to the spot I would pass.
I've said this before but worth repeating. There are spots on the coin (surface crust) and spots growing in the coin. The latter is much worse and usually will continue to get worse over time. Our hosts are more forgiving on high grade examples when there's original surface crust. These crusty spots bother me significantly less as I like originality.
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase/2819
I had a 23-s quarter in 64FH that came in with a slq deal I bought end of last year. Was going to keep it , but It had a dark spot on reverse, and must have gotten darker since the trueview photo. I ended up wholesaling it out to get rid of it because It bothered me the more I looked at it.
Minus the spot it’s a very attractive coin. Taking into consideration it’s not a rarity I’d pass.
Another way to look at the issue is: If I owned the coin and were selling, what would the potential buyers think of the spot?
I'd pass, as I believe most find it very distracting.
I’d probably tolerate a spot on a 64-D Peace dollar or on a 1933 Saint. On a Liberty nickel that isn’t a rarity, there are lots of reasons to pass.
Me no like spots! Question answered for me!
I don’t mind the spots on your coins but my coins got to be spotless.
Otherwise, you can have them.
At spot.
I let others buy the spotted coins.
Gee, I thought it was just a beauty mark! 😁
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
OK, while none of us likes to admit it, here’s one of mine, also with a noticeable obverse spot. I bought this as an MS64 w/CAC. I believed the positive attributes for the grade far outweighed that spot. You can’t tell from the TV, but the fields are flashy, with really high luster. A great mentor of mine taught me about trying to avoid “micro-grading” - focusing on one negative, and ignoring all positive attributes of a coin that MIGHT outweigh a negative attribute.
Not that it matters to those of you that would have avoided this coin, but I liked it so much that I sent it back to PCGS for “Reconsideration”. Turns out that despite the booger by Liberty’s nose, it came back as a 64+. Since the cert number remains the same with Reconsideration, and CAC ignores plus grades, for only $3 CAC automatically reapplied the green sticker. As a 64+, the current PCGS pop is only 1, with only 8 finer. The extra few thousand dollars of added value of that plus doesn’t hurt as I look at, and enjoy this coin.
https://images.pcgs.com/TrueView/34008385_Medium.jpg
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
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Is it just me or does it look like it may have eaten into the surfaces?
You have to wonder if the spot came after the coin was graded. Spotted coins a turnoff for me and tough to sell.
I think the (carbon?) spot is eating into the coin. This will worsen over time. How tragic. Conserve or start on the bay at 99 cents? If it’s already in auction wonder what it go for. Will it even get close to 66 money? Somehow the spot developed over time I believe.
Sometimes collectors hold coins too long and tarnish / spots happen.
I can’t see the MS66 1903 5c getting anything close to 66 money. At a coin club meeting in 1989 shortly after the crash a friend (shared table with him, a Peace Dollar specialist at my first show setup at) commented “probably 80-90 pct of collectors lose money.”
One needs to churn their inventory / portfolio. Long term hold lol.....
On the 1838 25c MV for 64 plus goes to 11,500 from 6,250 from 64 Pcgs CF). Wow looks like you hit a homer doing reconsideration and CAC even reapplied sticker. I wonder on its potential go higher if conserved (not sure they could remove spit though).
From my bourse room experience, basically its a matter of taste what buyers will pay for coins let alone buy. On big ticket coins they become really picky. For me I would buy a lower graded piece I like to fill the hole vs a higher grade much more expensive one I have a problem with. Sort of like a football coach taking a 4 star recruit QB with A potential than a 5 star harder to get with D or F potential.
The bottom line is that you own the coin and are fine with its appearance. For me, it's another example of why stickers and plusses have no predictive value in terms of whether I'd want to own a given coin.
I think given its placement that could fairly be described as a "beauty spot."
The spot on the '38 quarter doesn't trouble me nearly as much as the blackhead on the liberty nickel. Not even close to a fair comparison.
It's a darned shame. I agree with @CoinJunkie. The look and toning of the nickel is otherwise superb.
Lance.
Sorry, but I'm not a fan of "spots" on any coins !!!
Spots = no go on any coin I consider.
I prefer my coins without spots...that being said, some are worse than others. When in the prime focal area such as the OP, it would bother me.... a small one, off the central device (such as the quarter), not so much. Copper spots on gold, while not preferable, do not bother me. Conservation of such spots (as on the OP) is usually not an option, since what is left can be as bad or worse. Cheers, RickO
Then you have those our hosts say "spot removed"... other than that, this 1916-S is a nice AU... well at least that is their consideration
Maybe they see a spot or two on the obverse and think the reverse-side crater-looking thing with two scratch lines mean a similar spot was removed on the reverse. With closer examination, I am not so sure I am in full agreement.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
... and the spot on that coin is the first thing I see.
I particularly avoid spots on copper as there is really no chance of conservation. I have had nickel and silver coins conserved when the offending spot was superficial. But, that's still a gamble. So, generally I don't buy spotted coins regardless of grade. Some spots on crusty coins are obscured, some spots are more "toning" than "carbon" in appearance. Buy the coin not the spot?
I stay away from coins with spots.
The spot is clearly in the Trueview photo, so most likely was there during grading. I suppose the coin could be reholdered and photographed again without a regrade, but that's probably less likely.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Every reply here sounds like the kind of guy who wouldn't date a girl with a mole.
A (tiny) mole.
Come on guys, if Scarlett Johansson asked you out on a date, you know you wouldn't refuse her just because she had a tiny mole.
Granted, if an ugly chick with a big nasty mole wanted to go out on a date with me. . . I might have a very busy schedule to attend to instead!
If the spot is in the wrong space it is a deal killer for me. Also, when you sell it, all you will hear about is the spot.
This coin sold at auction yesterday. I'm looking for a nice, high-grade type III gold dollar, but the spot near Liberty's neck nixed this one for me. It might be a dark copper spot, but it's a little beyond the color I'm comfortable with. It's in an MS66+ holder. There is a spot on the reverse too.
I'd put that '89 in my collection in a heartbeat! It looks like an MS-67 at least. Can't the spots be removed by NCS?
Maybe, maybe only temporarily improved..... but conservation is plenty expensive, a bit risky, and it's just easier to buy one I like better to start with.
If I was doing a series of gold dollars I might look past it, but as a type guy there will only be one, and it has to be nice.