PCI 1817 Bust Half

Klif50

I am active in a non-sports auction monthly. The guy running it always has some interesting coins. This is the first time he's had a certified bust half. I have won some PCGS Kennedy's pretty cheaply. His auctions do not have any photos. He currently has, up for auction an 1817 Bust Half Graded FN15 and says it has original luster. It is currently at $77 with 3 weeks to run. Anyone have a clue as to what a fair price, sight unseen, would be for this coin?

TurtleCat

A F15 won't have original luster. Without seeing it, I would say it is likely harshly cleaned. With it being PCI (some good, many not so good) and that description, I wouldn't go over $50-60 myself sight unseen with those data points.

Klif50

@TurtleCat said:
A F15 won't have original luster. Without seeing it, I would say it is likely harshly cleaned. With it being PCI (some good, many not so good) and that description, I wouldn't go over $50-60 myself sight unseen with those data points.

Thanks for your input. I knew it had to be certified to have a grade like that so I asked, took a while for him to let me know it is PCI. I will have to give that coin a hard pass based on possible cleaning (luster?).

291fifth

Some PCI holders had Green colored label borders for problem free coins and red colored borders for problem coins. Later they had gold colored borders. If the coin has green colored borders it may be an acceptable example. Any other color I would pass on.

If by any chance it is in a very early PCI holder that includes a photo of the coin it is probably correctly graded.

ricko

Frankly, I would not spend that type of money on a coin I could not see.... $5 maybe....if I knew and trusted the seller. I recommend you pass.... Cheers, RickO

LanceNewmanOCC

@Klif50 said:
I will have to give that coin a hard pass based on possible cleaning (luster?).

rarely will you find luster below xf, at least any to speak of and nearly impossible to have it on a fine.

if you haven't bought any classic collector coins from this person in the past, you may want to consider picking up a couple, inexpensive ones, to get a feel for the type of stuff he is moving if you like buying a lot of coins or more costly one.

kennedys in holders are no indication and arguably, most modern pcgs coins can be picked up way under guide, excepting high grades, toners, specific dates/mms, or anything minted in the past few years. (takes a while for new stuff to cool down, if it does)

lkenefic

I recall the green-border slabs that @291fifth alluded to. They seemed to be problem free for the most part... the red borders slabs had issues. Maybe it was an attempt at net grading?

Klif50

I have already determined to pass on the bust half. I have bought other coins from him in the past but he is primarily a non-sports card guy who has a few coins and sometimes stamps on the side. I've bought US Mint sets for a little above face and USPS mint sets for less than face so I'm happy with that. I bought a 20 cent piece from him that is OK and if I ever find another 7070 type set album that is where it will reside. I like the guy and don't mind spending the money on the cards (he grades cards very conservatively).

BStrauss3

Early PCI were pretty solid grading. Later ones are less so, especially the Gold Box which are trashy market grades.

In the green box days, green was US problem-free, red was details, and blue was foreign.

The 10 digits serial number with two codes is the oldest. Then 10 digits with one code, then 14 digits, and finally 9 digit serial #s.

HOWEVER, be careful about the green box... there are later green box coins, and fraudulent ones too.

On the originals, the green box on the back is actually PCI PCI PCI microprint. On the fake ones, it is small blobs.

WAYNEAS

No pics, no bids.
Wayne