Franklin Lovers - Which of these beauties would you buy and why?

FC57Coins

On another thread in the registry board we were talking about the differences between similarly graded Franklins and the prices they brought. One of these two coins is currently on auction for $3400-3700, the other sold on Ebay for $798. Which would you say is which and why?

LanLord

The strike looks better on #2, but I like the looks of #1 better except for the fingerprint looking mark across it obv.

Overall, I would take either, but prefer #2.

ursabear

OK, so I'm not a Franklin expert like you guys. But I still think the series is one of the most underrated and underappreciated coins of our time...

I like the color on #1, but I like the "strike" of #2.

Can we have the best of both mixed together?

<edit> OOPS. I didn't answer your question. I would buy number 1 because of the color.</edit>

littlewicher

Okay, here's my analysis.
Coin#1: Has extremely beautiful toning on the obverse. The big marks on it take away the beauty of the toning. The reverse toning, in my humble opinion, is just plain ugly.
Coin#2: Has a better strike then coin#1. It also has nice even goldish toning.

What coin would I pick? I would buy coin number two.

Like I said, that's just my humble opinion.

keets

one looks like a mint set coin and one looks like an end roll coin but past that the color of either is hard to judge from a scan. most franklins seem to have that dark gold to black toning that's more apparent on the first coin although i've seen some colorful nice ones. from the scans i'd prefer the second coin because it's easier to look at, more of an even color to it, but the strike seems better on the first coin.

al h.

byergo

One has pretty toned colors but is too distracting partiularly across Ben's face. I love toning, but would opt for number two.

mbbiker

i would buy #1 because i don't like the spotted toning on #2

66Tbird

The fingerprint is just too distracting for me, if I had to make a choice I would choose No. 2.

CLASSICS

thats not a finger print one #1 , that is from the paper, which overlays on the coins. the paper contains sulfer as the cardboard does, however, the amount of sulfer is not even within the paper, therefore the uneven toining. hope this helps.

JeffinMich

I don't see enough to justify that price difference. And personally, I would hold out for a nice white one.

FC57Coins

Before I go to bed (have to work tomorrow) I thought I'd let you know that both of these coins are in PCGS MS66FBL slabs. Coin #1 is up for auction on Teletrade right now and they're looking for bids in the 34-3700 range. Coin #2 was an ebay coin that sold to one owner at $1500, then on one of those weird weekends when no one was bidding, I sniped it with an $850 bid from the second owner (he was ticked!), though as I said - no one must've been bidding so the final sale price was $798. I put these two coins up because so much has been made of the toning craze, and yes I think toning can be wonderful, don't get me wrong - but I just have this thing about paying way over what the "going" market rate just for toning. Oh well - I guess I'll never learn huh?

Frank

Kejun99

I'm no expert and those photos are kinda small and I'm useing a magnifying glass on the screen, but IMHO,, those aren't FBL ! The color on #1 is superb except for the finger prints.. and the reverse has some horizontal indentions interfering with the bell lines... my choice would be #1 . #2 has a consistent tone but I don't find it interesting and again the BL leave something to be desired with the smooth gaps...Am I being too picky? For the price, I don't think so .
Ken

keets

ken

you're being to picky for judging the fine detail off of a scan. and i think the toning craze is really all about getting a unique, one of a kind coin as determined by toning. nothing wrong with that, whatever makes your boat float!!

al h.

Kejun99

"you're being to picky for judging the fine detail off of a scan.
"Text

Point well taken... I did mention too, that it was based on a small size..The tone too can be deceiving from the scan... if someone could send it over to me,, I could judge within a mm ...longer !
Ken

Kejun99

FC57Coins

Well. only being able to talk about the second coin, the strike on it is pretty typical for the date, not as strong as the "D" mint of the same year, but certainly competent. On thing you have to remember with Franklins, that because they're such wide open, simple coins, just about any imperfection is going to glare out at you unless it's well hidden such as in the hair or maybe in the bell tressle. MS66's can run the gambit from almost perfect "67 wannabe's" to "should've been a really good 65+++" Both of these coins are solid for the grade in my opinion, #1 maybe a little cleaner, #2 as I mentioned has a nice strike. Just goes to show that with Franklins there is a wide array if issues you have to consider before you can lable a coin "gem". If you ever get a chance, put a 64FBL, 65FBL, and 66FBL side by side and study the obverses and reverses carefully, both with the naked eye and under 10X magnification. That's when you can really appreciate that for the most part PCGS knows what they're doing with respect to this series.

Frank