The toned morgan set from the "Whatdidjaget" thread.

SurfinxHI

I have been wanting to post this set since I got it, but it has been a busy month. I am looking at this set as a potential "keeper" and a Christmas Present to myself, but it is a hard call. I didn't realize it would turn into a capital plastics discussion in the other thread (ha!), but I get the concerns! So, here is the story of the set.

While set up at a regional show (the Grapevine show in Texas), a watch dealer approached me about the set on Saturday, since I am known there for selling toners, amongst my wears. He was not set up at the show, and I hadn't seen him in several years (we were brief table adjacent on year, about 4 years ago). So he said he might drop them by on Sunday.

Now, you all know Sundays at coin shows....well, I'm a big fan of staying at the show until nearly or fully closed. It always seems that I do really well on Sundays. First, about 50-75% of the other dealers are gone, which means the folks that do come to buy and sell have less folks to look through or to sell to. Gives me a better chance! Second, I can switch my table to something closer to the front (see point 1). Third, a fair amount of people show up on Sunday, again, see point 1. So, I of course stayed on Sunday....and did really well.

Then the person in question showed up about 130 in the afternoon (show closes at 3). He opened up the box and we began the negotiations. It was simple and straight forward. He gave me a number, I gave him a response, and we just directly settled in the middle. Thus, I didn't get the best, nor did he. But he got STRONG money for ungraded toners, I can tell you that for sure! Nice thing was he wanted some of my gold, and the rest cash, so it all worked well. And I went home with the set!

His backstory -- it came from an older collection put together back in the day by a watch collector (and coin enthusiast) who put this together and it is has sat around in a safe or other location since the 70s/80s. Well, I mean, who hasn't heard that story before???! But with the discussion of the screws mentioned above, hmmmm....I'd say the holder has been around for a while! No idea if you can date these holders or not.

Anyway, this is a B-E-A-UTIFUL set. They aren't so much "matched" as they each have a slightly different story, but they are all 1882 S mint coins. Three of them are bag toned with the canvas bag marks present. Three are great crescents. All have elevational toning, and most have "pull-away" toning. Three are toned on both sides. None are "Mooses" in terms of technical grades--all are 63-64+, but I'd say 3 are "Meeses" in terms of green/magenta/blue toning.

I'm not sure what to do. I could break it all up, and then send it in for grading as the set....my guess is a bunch of 63-64+ grades at our host, maybe a bunch of stars if ATS, and then they could go to CAC for a bean....which I'm pretty sure unless wildly overgraded they would all bean. So then I'd have a set of great toners in different plastic that would be "market ready." I don't think I'd part with many of them....but maybe I could pay for the whole set by only selling 30% or so...maybe 40% if they did really well. But do I want to...?

What is the opinion of the forum on the dilemma?

Here's some better shots of the coins. I've tried different lighting on them and will try to match them by lighting type in the next section of this post. It will take a bit to upload, so be patient...

Surf

Upper left coin. Fingerprint is NOT on the coin (oops).

Middle left coin

Upper right coin

Bottom left coin

Middle columns crescents

Middle second column from left

Bottom right second column from right

Happy Holidays! (and yes, some professional photos might be in line with these as well).

TomB

Beautiful coins and great set.

If you don't need the money and you enjoy the coins I would suggest you keep them as is. If you get them graded by PCGS and/or NGC and/or CACG and then send them in for evaluation to CAC (where applicable) then you may end up with a mixed bag of holders and stickers. If so, then the set will be sold by you in drips over time and you will recoup your money, but the coins will be gone.

So, keep them as is if you want to keep them; or grade them and blow them out.

Rc5280

Amazing! Some of them are "chrome-like". Well done!

DrewU

What an amazing set!!! I wouldn’t be surprised if those were all pulled from the same original bag. I’m on team keep them together. With sub-gem grades across the board, it’s such a cool item I think that as a group there is a decent chance there could be a premium in keeping the set together ungraded with the backstory vs graded and parted out.

DrewU

Heavy collector bias in my comment though

LukeMarshall

The Picture in your other thread of the group really highlighted the textile toning on the lower coin second to right, really caught my eye if I may...

If you like the collection as is, I would keep them together as it highlights different toning styles and it seem like you get enjoyment from the group and their differences.

Either way congrats on the pickup and thanks for sharing the story

Kliao

Great group of Morgans! I would also keep them together as a neat set.

seatedlib3991

Only you can know the answer. If these are "keepers" then all the grading and mailing and resorting by value is of little importance. If you are looking to maximize the value of at least some of these coins then everyone knows slabbed outsells raw 7 days a week; 52 weeks a year. Perhaps you might give some thought about if you want to keep all the coins. there is no law that says you can't alter the set as you please. James

Inspired70

Definitely keep it as is. The old holder, backstory, and the fact they are all 82-S is a cool story and worth more to a collector than a bunch of MS63-64 Morgans in new holders, with or without beans.

Copperindian

Beautiful set! Love toners like this - as others have said, keep as is. Nice backstory too!

SurfinxHI

Thanks for all your input.

Meltdown

I'm in the "keep them as is" camp. If nothing is going to grade higher than 64, it makes no sense to break them up. Enjoy them until you're ready... They'd be great as eye candy but "not for sale" in your case for a few shows just to get folks to stop, look and talk.

pursuitofliberty

But, but ... what about the screws? j/k

That first thread did get derailed fast.

Neat story ... it always amazes me how sometimes things just tend to find us.

And what a great looking group! I have to agree with the keep them as they are (at least for now). Unless you have to sell them, I think that would be a neat conversation piece and maybe one of those display pieces for the show case ... which maybe someday, someone will offer you silly money to become the next caretaker.