Hard to find an honest raw coin

heavycopper

Dealers seem to get more when they overgrade or leave out important problems. Here is a coin I find interesting.
1915 Pan Pac

I'd like to buy a nice unc but this is not it. The luster looks all wrong. It has been dipped lots of times or has been pollished. I'm sure you will not find the natural flow lines of luster.

I bought one of these on ebay where the dealer claimed it as uncirculated but it was AU. I paid a fair AU price so I kept it.

When you sell on ebay, do you give a real grade or do you inflate it?

jtryka

<< <i>Hard to find an honest raw coin >>



I find all coins are honest, it's the sellers you have to worry about! On eBay I usually sell graded coins, so there is no inflation of grade, I just defer to what NGC or PCGS say they think the grade is.

dorkkarl

he has a 10 day return - i'd chance it.

K S

Twowood

Altho I'm a raw novice at collecting coins,I quickley learned that slabbed coins are the only way to go...and even they are not infalable.
The grading service,altho pricey,screens out cleaned, dipped coins with subtle faults that my untrained eye would overlook and I feel comfortable knowing that some pro has graded my purchase.The additional price is worth it especially if you're spending more than $25.
When I first started collecting a few years ago,I bought an 1881S Morgan that the dealer had graded at MS65. I sent it off to PCGS.It was returned as MS 61. Never again.

Outhaul

That coin is definately all wrong. I've seen and owned many Pan-Pacs and even the best of the best do not appear that bright. Pan-Pacs are not known for PL luster. This seller is the reason I only buy certified (PCGS or NGC) coins on eBay. For a time, I bought raw coins on eBay but it got to the point where I was returning 7 out of 10 coins for overgrading or other problems and shipping charges do add up. I also don't bid on coins where the seller offers a refund minus all eBay fees. The seller can re-coup those from eBay for a returned item.

Just my two-cents (US)

Cheers,

Bob

1jester

Welcome to the world of collecting, 2Wood, and also to the Boards!

its4real

I've seen that look enough times now to know what it is....

The only lighting he has on it is the flash from his camera. That's why it looks so weird. He could warm up the shot with incandescent or even use a bright florescent and the coin would look all warm and inviting.

With the 10 guarantee - you can always return it.

BillJones

Pan-Pac half dollars are generally dull with indifferent luster. I have never seen a proof-like example or even one with really great luster.

The attached photos are of a PCGS MS-64, which is in my collection. It’s the brightest Pan-Pac half dollar I have seen. A coin like this will cost you around $1,100 to $1,200 when you are lucky enough to find one. Dark or dipped white MS-63 coins sell in the $600 range.

You are right about how hard it is to find “honest” raw coins. If coin is raw and it’s worth several hundred to several thousand dollars, there is usually something wrong with it that accounts for the fact that it has not been certified.

its4real

Bill - looks like you had an incandescent light source very close by - judging by the golden color of the coin. Let me know if I'm wrong. (most people do )

BillJones

Yes, the light was from a standard 100 watt bulb, but it was from a table lamp about 18 inches away. I find that getting the lift too close washes everything out, at least on my digital and 35 mm cameras.

nwcs

<< <i>I've seen that look enough times now to know what it is....

The only lighting he has on it is the flash from his camera. That's why it looks so weird. He could warm up the shot with incandescent or even use a bright florescent and the coin would look all warm and inviting.

With the 10 guarantee - you can always return it. >>

The luster is what worries me, how the light refracted off the surface. It still tells me something happened to the surface of the coin. I bet it is a light polish. Light source can make a big difference, and color-correction, but ultimately you can factor those out with experience and observe how the luster works and what the image reveals in the shadow areas.

Neil

Neptune

I realize you said that you don't want to buy this coin, but why don't you try emailing the Seller if you want more info. You could also ask him to send you another PIC taken in different lighting.

windwhispersintrees

I thought the dark spot in the first 'a' of Panama looked odd, since the rest of the coin is so bright. Perhaps a spot that wouldn't polish out?
The coin's shine has that look you get from multiples of minute polishing scratches. But only way to be sure it with a higher resolution photo.

heavycopper

Thanks for your replies. I would like to buy a unc and upgrade from my AU coin. I woun't buy this one since it is polished. Look at the bid though. I guess other people don't see the problem. Here is another I found. The one 1 have looks about like it.

pan Pac #2

It looks better than the first but the picture is not large enough for me to tell more. I see on the holder on the left there is BU then on the right there is an AU50. Hmmm, I wonder what the real grade is.