1st world problem, I accidentally won 2 different AU58 St. Gaudens at the same, which should I keep?

Mr_Spud

I put in a bunch of what I thought were low ball bids on several AU58 St. Gaudens that I thought wouldn’t win, but I ended up winning 2 of them. Which one should I keep for my Circulated Type Sets? The first one pictured below I got for about $600 less than the PCGS price guide and is an 09 over 08 and the 2nd one below was about 200 less than the PCGS price guide, both include the buyers premium. I thought they were low bids, because I had put in even lower bids for several other 58 St. Gaudens and I was blown away on all of them. I like both. Which one would you keep?

braddick

First World Answer: BOTH.

ARCO

Shouldn't even be a question that needs an answer: Both.

ifthevamzarockin

If I didn't want to keep both I think I would keep the 09 because I like varieties.

MetroD

If you are only able to keep one, I humbly suggest the first, because it was a better deal relative to the PCGS price guide.

JimTyler

You were high bidder your supposed to buy both.

alaura22

@JimTyler said:
You were high bidder your supposed to buy both.

He did buy both, the question is which one should he keep

As mentioned above, I would keep the 09/08 at a great price

DennisH

My vote is for the 1909/8.

hummingbird_coins

@alaura22 said:

@JimTyler said:
You were high bidder your supposed to buy both.

He did buy both, the question is which one should he keep

As mentioned above, I would keep the 09/08 at a great price

On the other hand, he could keep the 1923 and sell the 09/08 at a good profit. Personally, I like the 1923 better because of its coppery color and what appear to be slightly cleaner fields.

PerryHall

The 1909/8 is very cool and one of the few 20th century overdate US gold coins.

Typekat

The more visually appealing coin _in hand_would be the one I’d keep for a type set.

Bullsitter

1909/8

pcgscacgold

1909/8 would be my choice.

david3142

Both look like very nice coins. I can’t tell which is more appealing from the pics but the 09/8 is certainly more interesting as an overdate.

I’m not sure why you are referencing the price guide for your bids and it seems to have affected how good of a deal you think you got. As you can see from previous auction results, the 09/8 has maybe a $200 premium to melt in AU58 (unless it has a sticker) and common dates trade for about melt+50 which seems to be what you paid for them.

For reference;
09/8: PG $3150
23: PG $2625
Melt is $2386 as I write this.

Might be worth trying the overdate at CAC and selling that one.

Cougar1978

Frankly a tough choice they both are very nice. Plus super gold investment. I would want to keep both. If cost a factor would cut cost in other areas / dining, entertainment, etc. Keep both. Really nice coins, super eye appeal.

NeophyteNumismatist

first - congrats. They are beautiful. I would have a tough time making this decision if it were me.

Manifest_Destiny

09

Shurke

Given a choice between an overdate and a non-overdate, I would almost always choose the overdate.

MFeld

@hummingbird_coins said:

@alaura22 said:

@JimTyler said:
You were high bidder your supposed to buy both.

He did buy both, the question is which one should he keep

As mentioned above, I would keep the 09/08 at a great price

On the other hand, he could keep the 1923 and sell the 09/08 at a good profit. Personally, I like the 1923 better because of its coppery color and what appear to be slightly cleaner fields.

I don't know why anyone thinks the 1909/8 was bought at a great price or that he could sell it at a good profit. That is, unless one assumes that the price guide value is realistic. And I don't think it is.

Mr_Spud

Thanks for the replies everybody 🌞. I’ll most likely keep them both for a while, at least until I need funding for another coin for my sets and maybe even longer.

@david3142 said:

I’m not sure why you are referencing the price guide for your bids and it seems to have affected how good of a deal you think you got. As you can see from previous auction results, the 09/8 has maybe a $200 premium to melt in AU58 (unless it has a sticker) and common dates trade for about melt+50 which seems to be what you paid for them.

@MFeld said:

I don't know why anyone thinks the 1909/8 was bought at a great price or that he could sell it at a good profit. That is, unless one assumes that the price guide value is realistic. And I don't think it is.

I didn’t look up the coins PCGS price guide prices until after I won them and did a cert number lookup. I posted using the price guide as a relative reference rather than posting the dollar amount that I won them for. Kind of like using a redbook to see what coins in a series are priced higher than the average price for the series. I’ve been following what AU58 St. Gaudens are going for on eBay for about a year or so, and also on auction sites. The ones on eBay tended to be way more beat up looking than these 2, and on auction sites they have been going for higher than what I bid for these 2.

MFeld

@Mr_Spud said:
Thanks for the replies everybody 🌞. I’ll most likely keep them both for a while, at least until I need funding for another coin for my sets and maybe even longer.

@david3142 said:

I’m not sure why you are referencing the price guide for your bids and it seems to have affected how good of a deal you think you got. As you can see from previous auction results, the 09/8 has maybe a $200 premium to melt in AU58 (unless it has a sticker) and common dates trade for about melt+50 which seems to be what you paid for them.

@MFeld said:

I don't know why anyone thinks the 1909/8 was bought at a great price or that he could sell it at a good profit. That is, unless one assumes that the price guide value is realistic. And I don't think it is.

I didn’t look up the coins PCGS price guide prices until after I won them and did a cert number lookup. I posted using the price guide as a relative reference rather than posting the dollar amount that I won them for. Kind of like using a redbook to see what coins in a series are priced higher than the average price for the series. I’ve been following what AU58 St. Gaudens are going for on eBay for about a year or so, and also on auction sites. The ones on eBay tended to be way more beat up looking than these 2, and on auction sites they have been going for higher than what I bid for these 2.

Understood. My comments were directed primarily to the two forum members whose posts were included in my reply.

You have two nice looking coins there. Regardless of price paid or guide values, I'd go with the 1909/8. BUT, above all, please keep whichever one you think will give you the most enjoyment.

CRHer700

1909. I like the color on it more.

Old_Collector

@MFeld said:

I don't know why anyone thinks the 1909/8 was bought at a great price or that he could sell it at a good profit. That is, unless one assumes that the price guide value is realistic. And I don't think it is.

Agreed, I bought a 1943/2-S DDO FS-101 Lincoln at a recent HA auction and then contacted PCGS and they promptly increased the price guide numbers by 75%, as they were way too low from MS63-67. I'm wondering if people report lower prices as often?

And yeah, I would vote to keep the overdate.

jmlanzaf

@MFeld said:

@hummingbird_coins said:

@alaura22 said:

@JimTyler said:
You were high bidder your supposed to buy both.

He did buy both, the question is which one should he keep

As mentioned above, I would keep the 09/08 at a great price

On the other hand, he could keep the 1923 and sell the 09/08 at a good profit. Personally, I like the 1923 better because of its coppery color and what appear to be slightly cleaner fields.

I don't know why anyone thinks the 1909/8 was bought at a great price or that he could sell it at a good profit. That is, unless one assumes that the price guide value is realistic. And I don't think it is.

You don't think the price guide is more important than a very recent auction result? APOSTASY!!!

Mr_Spud

I would have really blown my coin budget if I had also won this AU58+ coin that also had its auction end yesterday. I really really liked the looks of this one and put in what I thought was a strong bid. If I hadn’t won both St. Gaudens earlier in the day yesterday I was going to bid even stronger on this one.

I ended up being the under bidder and I was glad I didn’t win because of what it would have done to my coin budget, but also sad at the same time. This one would have been an upgrade from my current 58, but wouldn’t change any of my Circulated Type Registry sets, and the St. Gaudens was a coin I didn’t have.

The St. Gaudens will make my Circulated 2020 type set across the street the #1 set again, so it’s all good though. I had dropped to #2 earlier this year, but won the #1 set award last year, so good to be #1 again.

I like raising the bar across the street, fun and motivates me. But I really wanted this coin, eye appeal off the chart in my opinion

johnny9434

if i had to keep one it be the 2nd on, just saying

(i never cared for all the juice on the coins, jmo)

tommy44

Either would fit nicely in a circulated type set. If I could only keep one my choice would be the overdate, love the color.

oreville

If gold bullion rises to $3200 before you sell either coin that will change your thinking?

Mr_Spud

@oreville said:
If gold bullion rises to $3200 before you sell either coin that will change your thinking?

Probably, but if gold goes that high I’ll probably sell off a bunch on modern gold mint products and bullion along with one of the Saints and start going after some of the early copper and silver Type coins from the 1700’s.

AUandAG

I don't see the rub on the 09 and thus would be my keeper.
bob

DocBenjamin

@MFeld said:

@hummingbird_coins said:

@alaura22 said:

@JimTyler said:
You were high bidder your supposed to buy both.

He did buy both, the question is which one should he keep

As mentioned above, I would keep the 09/08 at a great price

On the other hand, he could keep the 1923 and sell the 09/08 at a good profit. Personally, I like the 1923 better because of its coppery color and what appear to be slightly cleaner fields.

I don't know why anyone thinks the 1909/8 was bought at a great price or that he could sell it at a good profit. That is, unless one assumes that the price guide value is realistic. And I don't think it is.

Agree. Auctions are much better arbiters of value.

Copperindian

Both are nice, but the 09 if I had to pick one.

golden

Door #1.

Walkerfan

As a first world decision, I would choose both! lol But, if my hand were forced, I would choose the 1909.

Namvet69

Well if you eat ketchup sandwiches for a month, you can do both! 🤗

asheland

I also like the 1909 not just for the overdate, but I think it looks a little prettier.

Both are pretty sweet though 👍

seatedlib3991

I like coin number 2 best. In picture it appears to have the strongest details. Off hand though I know nothing about gold so hope you hold my opinion with little regard. Congrats on the coins though. James

markelman1125

I would keep the 1909, it’s an earlier date and closer to the time St Gaudens hymself was alive.

Also I am bias towards getting a 1920s date because I already have one and would like my next to be from another decade.