RARE 1909VDB LINCOLN MATTE PROOF ON EBAY

Steve

I just noticed that this very rare Matte Proof Lincoln cent is being auctioned on EBAY today. (Item number 3300118628- If someone can link to this thread, I would appreciate it.

The interesting thing about this is it is slabbed by PCI as MS63RB and currently has 22 bidders with a top bid under $600. Those Lincoln Cent collectors who have knowledge in the series KNOW that this is the rarest proof coin in the series and is just about unobtainable for less than $2K. The real coin has three diagnostics that identify it. I truly wonder if this PCI graded coin has those diagnostics. If it does, then this coin is a real "steal" at current bid levels. I would be interested in comments from other Lincoln collectors on their view of this auction on EBAY and the coin in particular. Thanks, Steve

nwcs

your link, sir

kieferscoins

Link

Cameron Kiefer

dorkkarl

beware of centsles. i'd wager the coin's cleaned. in such case, i would value at no more than $1000.

K S

braddick

What is the problem with Centles? I've had some purchases through him and each was problem free with the coin arriving and as expected.

I'm sure he would take the coin back if upon its delivery to you it is discovered this one isn't a Matte Proof.

shirohniichan

I know someone who got burned buying ACG slabbed crap from Centsles, but I won't mention his name here in case he doesn't want others to know who he is.

braddick

What would be the scenerio that would allow someone NOT to be burned buying ACG stuff?!

shirohniichan

That's true. My response was in your question about what was wrong with centsles. One problem is that he sells overgraded junk in ACG slabs and doesn't disclose the problems (e.g. ACG AU-50, really cleaned, tooled with EF-40 details).

Johnscoin

I have a file at home that gives the diagnostics of the matte proof Lincolns that the ANA put out. I hope I can check it before the auction ends...It's still at a reasonable price...
Interesting...
John

IrishMike

I bought two ACG IHC's from him that were graded 64 & 65 for relatively no money for my detection set. I wasn't disappointed, they were cleaned and recolored as I suspected when I bought them. There was no mention of this in the auction, however.

CarlWohlforth

Thanks for pointing this out. I am looking for a matte proof Lincoln. This one isn't it though, I'm looking for more wild color...

coppercoins

There's no way to tell from the images in that auction whether that coin really is proof. I would never come close to trusting PCIs opinion, they've been wrong with practically every coin I have ever seen them slab. Grades up to four points off, attribution of junk as a high dollar die variety - I'd stay completely away from buying PCI sight unseen, and a simple scan in an auction IS sight unseen.

dorkkarl

dudes, i have known centsles personally for years, that is to say, the guys who form "centsles". you can buy from them, just be extremely careful. suggesting that you buy sight-seen only from them.

K S

flaminio

PCI Gold Label, questionable eBay seller -- blech. I wouldn't touch it.

DesertLizard

PCI slab, trashy manipulative sneaky seller and looks cleaned.

STAY THE HECK AWAY!

merz2

I have to jump in here.Years ago I made a few purchases from centsles,the coins were cleaned.There was no mention of it in the description.

Steve

A little more than an hour to go and the lot is at $700. Something is wrong here. If the coin is truly the recognized 1909VDB Matte Proof it has a value exceeding the current price. Given that the seller is even selling at this price tells me he got it cheap because it isn't real (ie) one of the 420 made. Leonard Albright wrote of the three accepted diagnostics for this coin in 1984. I am surprised that a grading service would not know of these diagnostics. Believe me, if this was the real thing (even if cleaned) a Lincoln specialist would jump for it. I found that if it is the real thing, PCGS would slab an early classic low mintage problem coin. There are less than 150 slabbed by ALL the grading services on this variety. Let's see what happens. Steve

agentjim007

I just bought my first coin from Centsles last night, gave him a card # today and received notice the coin has been shipped and I've already received pos. feedback. Can't get much better than that. The guys sells alot of ACG, NTC if you buy this from him or anyone else you know by now to expect crap. He does have a return if you need to look at that coin but I doubt it's a matte proof.

Steve

The coin sold for $1,525 with 10 of the 37 bids coming in the last minutes. I guess the consensus was that (at least for those bidding) the coin WAS a Matte Proof 1909VDB and if they wanted it, they would have to bid much higher than the original $700. Only the new owner of this coin will know one day whether he made a good buy or not. I kind of think the seller made out "big time" on this coin, based on his lack of a higher reserve. JMHO. Steve

IrishMike

I'll stick my neck out on this one, I saw it when it first got listed, my immediate reaction was and still is that it has been cleaned. The color in the picture is symptomatic of a cleaned copper coin.

dorkkarl

i do think it is a matte proof - it's actually very difficult to screw up & mistake a b.s. for a matte-proof, unless your a total , uh, in-experienced person. but like i said, i would expect the coin is cleaned, & rare as they are, wouldn't go over $1000 on a cleaned 1. they are available prob-free.

K S