Coinundrum: Do you keep or sell the good piece you just got the grade back on?

Weiss

Not quite 2 years ago, I asked for opinions about a piece I kind of stole from HA that wasn't really in my wheelhouse: Should I keep a really good but not quite match because I got it cheap, or should I sell it and use the fat stack of a profit to get something closer to what I do? That piece was a rare large silver bar from the Chinese / Vietnam border from before the turn of the century:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1032310/conundrum-when-you-start-believing-your-own-hype-about-a-coin/p1
Most people thought I should sell and I almost did--had a good bid on it and everything. In the end, I decided to keep it and I'm happy with that decision.

Today I find myself with a similar dilemma or coinundrum. I was offered a pretty good piece, raw, a couple of months back. I weighed the plusses and minuses: Fake, details, or straight.
Fake I lose. Details it's a wash. Straight I clean up. And I was pretty sure it was solid mid straight with a fighting chance for higher straight.
So I pulled the trigger.

ATS struggled for the last 6 weeks but grade posted last night: Straight and pretty high grade.

It's a good piece. Probably the most valuable piece I've owned. It wouldn't not fit in my box of 20, it's just not really what I pursue. Honestly, I gambled on it to move it hoping for a profit. But there's a bit of a trophy aspect to a win like this. I've never handled one before. And I got her pretty cheap.

So do you keep a really good piece you gambled on and won? Or do you just move it through the pipeline knowing your gamble paid off?

Meltdown

That's a tough one. I've done that a time or two and opted to sell in the end. I have regrets from time to time mostly because It WAS that nice and I probably won't ever pony up the dollars it would take to replace.
Still, I enjoyed the profits and added to my bullion with "free money" so the win is still there.

On the other hand, I've been sitting on a few pieces over the years that I did get a decent steal on and have chosen to keep for much the same reasoning... I wouldn't want to pay the cost of replacing.

Zoins

Regardless of what you currently collect, do you like the piece?

If it's only a trophy because of the rip, I'd probably lean to selling at some point. The following doesn't scream, "I love this piece":

@Weiss said:
It's a good piece. Probably the most valuable piece I've owned.

Broadstruck

It's pieces like this that cover the cost of items for your core collection. As it's way more fun when your knowledge allows you to snag a few items to make this hobby financially self-supporting.

jayPem

Hold for awhile. Enjoy some of the win by physically having it in your collection.
Is the price likely to go up with time?
Most of the raw pieces that I've unearthed, sent in, got nice grades on and flipped promptly are pieces I wouldn't mind having now. Some I let go of too soon as the market has shot up since selling..
Never hurts to wait awhile!

3stars

I'm i the same boat - I'm leaning toward keep since I like the coin and I can say I own a low mintage coin in a high grade that I got for 10% above melt.

ctf_error_coins

Put it out there with a BIN that you would be very happy with.

Put the proceeds into your core collection if it sells and enjoy it while you have it.

291fifth

The market is hot. It is time to sell.

Type2

Yes it happens from time to time but you where lucky to get it and you can’t sell some if you don’t have it. But it’s a way to upgrade your main set’s with out coming up with the extra cash we can’t keep them all.

MrEureka

I'm always a seller of the things I don't really collect because I know I'll need the money soon enough for something else.

coinkat

Just go through a cost benefit analysis which obviously would include how much you like this item verse whether the money can be better utilized elsewhere. While it is fun to try and time markets, sometimes that does not work out

ChrisH821

I would sell and use the funds for something more focused to my collection.

CopperWire

It sounds like your original intentions were to make a profit. Then the emotional enjoyment of finding your own diamond in the rough is preventing you from parting with it. You said it's not part of your box of 20, perhaps start shopping for whatever coin would replace it (one in your forte). Maybe then it won't feel like you are letting go but trading in a sense.

mirabela

If it were me, I'd own it to enjoy for a while, then make sure I've got good pictures and sell it.

amwldcoin

So what is it???? Perhaps it is changing your focus?

Zoins

@Weiss said:
It's a good piece. Probably the most valuable piece I've owned. It wouldn't not fit in my box of 20

Given the quality of your Box of 20, I'm insanely curious what this most valuable piece is!

oldabeintx

I buy things outside of my main collecting interest from time to time because of price or some other reason. I always end up selling eventually. Given today's market......

Walkerfan

Depends on your interests. If it suits your interests, then keep it. If you need the money for something you want or like better, then you'd do well to sell it. Personally, I try to keep everything I can, unless I don't like it, its a duplicate or I need the money for something else. I also keep duplicates, when I can, too. Just depends on your priorities and how much money you need, at the time.

Weiss

@Zoins said:

@Weiss said:
It's a good piece. Probably the most valuable piece I've owned. It wouldn't not fit in my box of 20

Given the quality of your Box of 20, I'm insanely curious what this most valuable piece is!

I'll give you a tiny hint:

AMRC

I keep it until I don't keep it. Hope that helps.

Walkerfan

@Weiss said:

@Zoins said:

@Weiss said:
It's a good piece. Probably the most valuable piece I've owned. It wouldn't not fit in my box of 20

Given the quality of your Box of 20, I'm insanely curious what this most valuable piece is!

I'll give you a tiny hint:

Now, THAT, I would definitely keep!!

dogwood

@Weiss said:

I'll give you a tiny hint:

Well I’d sell everything else I own and start over with that one as my anchor, but my BO20 if different from yours I’m assuming.

Downtown1974

The pitfalls of being limited to a box of 20. I’d try to jam 1 more slot into that box for that coin.

ShaunBC5

Sometimes I’m a sucker for a deal. I would probably keep and enjoy until I was given an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Walkerfan

@Downtown1974 said:
The pitfalls of being limited to a box of 20. I’d try to jam 1 more slot into that box for that coin.

Or just start a 2nd box.

CopperWire

Well now we need you to send it to CAC before we can give opinions.

Cougar1978

As soon as freshly graded coin comes back it’s put in inventory / listed for sale. So timeframe when sells can vary.

U1chicago

I had something similar happen with a 1921 Peace Dollar a few years back. I bought it raw and it came back as a 64. I wasn't really collecting Peace Dollars (still not collecting them now) so I let it go and picked up some other coins. Looking back, I made the wrong financial decision given that the coin is 3x-4x the value this year. But no one really knew the upswing these coins would go on in 2021. At the time the decision made sense as I was able to fund other coins that better fit my collection. I'm fairly certain I would make the same decision now. My thinking is sell if you can use the funds for something you like more; keep if you want to risk it as an investment for the future or if you don't have anything better to put the funds towards.

jesbroken

If, as you say, it is not in your wheelhouse of collectibles, then I would say sell it and replace it with a stellar coin within your wheelhouse.
Jim

daltex

If you get a large, unexpected bonus at work do you frame the check, or do you buy something you'd like more with the money? Several years ago my wife's boss sold his company and she got an unexpected six figure bonus. We bought a few things we liked more.

DCW

I agree with others. If you're not attached to the piece, it's an excellent opportunity to sell and use the profits to expand other interests.
Congrats

TurtleCat

I've sold pretty much all the coins I got slabbed that graded higher than I had expected. About the only way I wouldn't is if it was part of my core collection but my core collection is not something I would buy raw anyway.

ricko

I would likely keep such an item.... I do not buy many coins anymore, just the special one's that capture my attention for any one of several reasons. Getting a special item at a bargain price is a great experience. A coin like that will hold it's value, so enjoy it. If something super comes along that fits your interest, well, you have 'bank' piece that will allow you to get that special item. Cheers, RickO

amwldcoin

Yeah! It's obviously not a keeper without it for him. If it fails I'll give you 1/2 CAC money for it!

@CopperWire said:
Well now we need you to send it to CAC before we can give opinions.

PerryHall

It's your coin and only you can decide how much you want to keep it. Assuming you don't need the money right away, you may want to keep it a while to see if it grows on you. You can always sell it but you can't normally unsell it.

sedulous

Less is more. A few high quality, valuable pieces will more likely have higher returns, easier to sell, better for your heirs to handle, etc. Also, the comment about the right market timing for selling is key. Sell the dredge for an equivalency of the value of this better-than-expected graded piece. It is a little more work but a much better ROI and less of a headache organizational-wise. This is a gift opportunity for you to consider re-evaluating collecting interests and reflecting.

CopperWire

I wanted to add another question: Is it something that could be replaced in the future? Or is it that rare that it would take crazy effort to replace?

CoinJunkie

Early gold is extremely liquid and the market is as likely to go up as down, so I'd probably hang onto it until you either need the money or simply don't want to own it anymore for whatever reason.

pcgscacgold

If it is Pre-33 Gold it is a keeper in my books. For me, coins are a hobby. It doesn't matter if the price went up. Everything I bought 2-3 years ago is up a lot. They all still have a place in my hoard.

skier07

Do you need the money?

Do you like the coin?

If you decide to sell I can’t think of a better time then now. Nobody has the ability to predict what the value of the coin will be down the road.