!@

Pushkin

dragon

It's been re-colored and won't get into a slab,,,,,but still a rare coin and definately desirable IMO.

dragon

BNE

Not if I wanted it for a registry set: the ad says it's been cleaned, which itslef would probably preclude slabbing. Also, for a coin this pricey I'd be leery of purchasing it raw. I imagine there are a lot of fakes out there for a coin as notorious as this one. There's the old mantra: if it's not slabbed it's probably for a reason.

paigowjohnny

I'd consider buying it raw...but only from a dealer I trusted and definitely not off eBay...

hookooekoo

If there is a reasonable reason to believe a coin could be a fake (and a coin valued in the thousands that could be faked from coins that can be obtained for less that $100 qualifies) I wouldn't touch it.

Now if you have the knowledge to authenticate the coin yourself, go ahead, if you have a means of getting your money back when you get to inspect it and find out it's a fake. Otherwise, there isn't any reason why a coin like this could not be sent to someone like ANACS, because they will still slab the coin as genuie even if it has been cleaned.

merz2

Pushkin
The man to ask is goose3.He has one and knows both VF/XF grades.Look at his Registry Set.He can tell you about price as well.I believe it was cleaned and recolored,based on my knowledge of copper coins.

prooflike

I have no knowledge of FE cents but for that money for a raw coin, no I wouldn't touch it, especially off of ebay.

leothelyon

I thought all 1856 flying eagle cents were at one time considered proof coins.
This seller makes no note of it. And the coin may have been sold and then returned.
Why the absent of authenticity? It only raises questions but yet look at the bidders!
My guess is the extreme low mintage. Whether it's real or fake, someone must really
want to have it.

Leo

mr3holesinone

I agree with the others that this is something to be careful with for that much money. They have already said it may have been cleaned, I read that as it HAS been cleaned or tampered with in some way. Possibly repaired? The photos I'm seeing appear to show the bottom rim, from about 4:00 to 6:00, as being a little wavy in appearance. It's possible that there has been some cosmetic repairs done on the coin as well.

IF you are interested in purchasing the coin, I would wait until after the auction ends. It does not appear that the coin will reach the reserve the sellers have set. Send the seller a message stating your interest (send this message before auction ends). I would suggest requiring that the seller get the coin slabbed by ANACS first and that you would then honor your agreed upon sales price. I've been successful in several purchases going this route.

Pushkin

KoinKollector

Not from that seller...

Outhaul

If the dealer would submit it to ANACS who will authenticate it along with any faults. Other than that, I wouldn't. But then, I never buy raw coins on eBay or any other web site. Good luck, Pushkin...whatever your decision.

Cheers,

Bob

keets

i hesitate to buy anything raw on eBay. that goes for something worth $10, so i can't imagine buying something approaching $5000. i can't understand why someone trying to sell that coin would do so raw when the cost of slabbing would be more than recouped in the reassurance any potential bidders would feel knowing that a grading service has authenticated it.

al h.

greghansen

I've bought from him before. Never had a problem, but none of my purchases were for more than a couple hundred bucks. He's clearly standing behind the coin, but before bidding, I'd try to get an even firmer committment from him regarding the coins authenticity, so that if ANACS won't give it a net grade, the deal could be broken. There's a good chance it was in a net grade holder at one point, but broken out because its detail was two grades better than net grade. Sheer speculation I know, but this guy sells lots of certified coins, and he would surely get this in an ANACS slab if he felt the net grade would help him. I think it will net grade F12 if its authentic.

MrKelso

NOPE

Bulldog

$4,500 and it has yet to meet reserve. Afraid I would have to let this one pass and finish my DCAM Frankies first.

Bulldog

shylock

Even as a re-toned example at the right price I'd pass due to the "look". I've never seen a Flying Eagle, let alone a 56, with a nick right down the center of the beak. It gives this eagle the look of a platypus.

leothelyon

Perhaps it has been authenticated by Anacs but as a fake.

Leo

Pushkin

dorkkarl

if it was real i;d buy it in a second (can't tell for sure from the awful digipic, but it looks right). who cares about funny color on it??? IT'S A 1856 FE!!!

that said, howard's direct is an awful seller - met him a couple of times, & the guy's a bumbling idiot, a total coin nincompoop.

K S

Cam40

If I didn`t know better I,d say it was originally a 1857,or 1858.I just can`t see the `5` well enough to say for sure.
For a `smart`coin collector for this coin not slabbed(by one of the top three sevices atleast) should mean `no sale`,`no way`.