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Bowers & Merena submission..Grades are in!!

jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
in U.S. Coin Forum
Anyone ever bid on a raw coin and win at Bowers and Merena. Well, I just did. I won lot 1059. They listed it at MS64. The picture is still on the site. It is a 1914D buffalo nickel. Today, I shipped it to PCGS to be encapsulated. I told them MS64 minimum. I have always been kind of wary of a company so large with raw coins. I will let you know what grade I got in 15 business days. Glenn

PCGS just posted #9006823
1914D MS64
1935 DDR VF25
1935 DDR VF20

Glenn

Comments

  • MadMonkMadMonk Posts: 3,743 ✭
    Good luck! No guts, no glory!
    Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
  • sinin1sinin1 Posts: 7,500 ✭
    I am curious what you will do if it comes back raw from PCGS?
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    imageimageimageimage
  • MarkMark Posts: 3,555 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A few years back I won a few "raw" coins from a B&M auction. One was an Eliasberg colonial piece B&M graded as MS 65 and PCGS graded as MS60. Another was an Isabella quarter B&M graded as MS65 and PCGS returned to me in a body bag. A third was a pattern that B&M graded PR64 and PCGS graded PR65. My read is that B&M is OK, but sometimes they miss on the high side and sometimes they miss on the low side. But, I presume that's the case for virtually all dealers.

    Mark

    Mark


  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Well, As you can see, the 14D is a little soft in the hair. I'm hoping it grades 64. I,ve got enough body bags.
    Glenn
  • MAULUMALLMAULUMALL Posts: 711 ✭
    Thats a nice coin.
    Whats your opinion,since you had it in hand.
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    I own 64's in this condition. I did'nt submit them. I have a NGC 62 pre PCGS61 that looks as good except for a small coin counter mark.
    Glenn
  • dorkkarldorkkarl Posts: 12,691 ✭✭✭
    whether "raw" or not shouldn't be the issue.

    did you see the coin in person??? if not, then you have violated the most basic rule of buying coins: do not buy coins sight-unseen. THAT should be your concern.

    that said, the digi-pic depicts an exceptional 14-d imo.

    K S
  • BigD5BigD5 Posts: 3,433 ✭
    The pic looks good, depends on the luster, hairlines etc., that a picture/image doesn't show. If the luster is there with that coin, it could 5. Seems nice. Good luck.

    *I would have forked over the extra money to get that coin back a little quicker. image
    BigD5
    LSCC#1864

    Ebay Stuff
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    It has hairlines on buffs hip. They kinda bother. The luster ib beautiful.
    Thanks Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    I did'nt see the coin in person. I got it at their on line auction. I can't afford to go to auctions all over the country. image
  • geb209geb209 Posts: 375
    That "do not buy sight unseen" rule is a little much. As long as there is a return policy, it's ok to buy sight unseen. I've even voided some auctions that did not have a return policy because the description was inaccurate. It really depends on the dealer and his policies.
  • SingaporeSingapore Posts: 578
    Jonesy -

    PCGS might call it a 62 or a 65. Or they might body bag it. Submit the coin raw to Bowers again for an upcoming auction and the same guy who called it a 64 this time (or whoever is doing the grading if that guy left) and they might call it a 63. Or a 64. Or a 65. Its not just subjective, its inconsistently subjective. So good luck.

    And Mark -

    Ditto. What was the Elaisberg colonial you bought raw as a 65? Still got it? Want to sell it?

    JA


    Singapore
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Singapore, That will probably be my only option if I don't get a 64. Bowers does
    not accept returns. Thanks for the snazzy idea. Glenn
  • MarkMark Posts: 3,555 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Singapore:

    The coin I bought isn't particularly rare and I misspoke a little about B&M's grade (because I was posting from memory). The coin was lot 35, a Wood's Hibernia Halfpenny, harp to left. B&M graded it MS60-63 (not MS65 as I mistakenly recalled); PCGS did grade it MS60. As far as selling it ... nah, it's waaaaaay tooooooo happy in my collection. image And I surely wouldn't want to make a coin unhappy. image

    Mark
    Mark


  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    This evening 04/03/03, PCGS emailed me with acknowlegement. Coin recieved.
    Glenn
  • dorkkarldorkkarl Posts: 12,691 ✭✭✭


    << <i>That "do not buy sight unseen" rule is a little much. As long as there is a return policy, it's ok to buy sight unseen. >>

    hey geb209, i always say that a return policy on a coin not bought in-hand qualifies as "sight-seen", but it's my uinderstanding that b&m does not offer a return policy. if they do, then i retract my previous statement

    but i will always, ALWAYS stick to my guns on this. no matter who slabed it, who told you to buy it, no matter what pcgs says about slabed coins being commodities, no matter how saintly the seller is: do not buy coins sight-unseen. it will always be the most fundamental rule of buying coins.

    K S
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Thanks K S, unfortunately I can't go to these auctions. I try to buy from online auctions that have pretty good scans on them. Like BigD5 said, If it doesn't have troublesome die cracks, It should be okay. Die cracks are had to see on scans. This coin does have a die crack that seems to circle the hip. If you look at the scan, You can just make it out. Thanks for all the wisdom from all the collectors.
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Still patiently waiting. image
    Glenn
  • MapMakerMapMaker Posts: 252
    TEST ONLY
  • MapMakerMapMaker Posts: 252
    TEST COMPLETE!
    I bought my first coin at auction in the early 1980's from then "Bowers& Rudy" It was a 1903 Morgan. Paid $500.00 For it . Was supposed to be MS-65 Gem. 5 Years later had it Graded. Came back- PCGS MS-63 Sold it at my local Coin Club last year $50.00 and it was the best lesson I ever had. I never got taken after that & never have bought anything but PCGS coins from !988 to date! Well worth the $450.00 but it could have been avoided.
    Little Old Mapmaker Me
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,310 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Though they state otherwise both Stacks and B&M will accept returns from auctions if the coin was overgraded, bid placed by mail or other pre-sale means, and the buyer sticks to his or her guns. While they may not do this even the majority of the time, they will do it to maintain the good grace of their customers. So never say never.

    roadrunner
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Really. Well, lets see what happens first. Thank everyone on the input. Still waiting patiently. image
    Glenn
  • JoyofCollectingJoyofCollecting Posts: 682 ✭
    I won lot #1262 in the same auction (1847 seated dime). B&M graded the raw coin as MS63. I just received it back today from an ANACS 5 day submission and it is now in an ANACS MS62 holder.

    Lot #1263 which was the same coin in a PCGS MS60 holder went for $100 less than my lot. This is what I expected when I bid (MS61-62), so I am satisfied with the result. I hope you are satisfied with your result as well.

    Good luck.
    Go well.
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    I,m hoping to get what I paid for. MS64. Thanks for your input. Still waiting patiently. image
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    I would think a place like Bowers & Merena would grade it's raw coins conservatively than liberally.
    Still waiting patiently. Should know next week.image
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Day 16. Results should be in this week. Still waiting patiently.image
    Glenn
  • caitlincaitlin Posts: 858 ✭✭✭
    Glenn
    Good luck and keep us posted.
    A collector of high grade TONED BUFFALO NICKELS ,working on a PCGS REGISTRY SET.
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Still waiting patiently. The grade is due by friday. Wish me luck.image
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    The grade is due today. Tomorrow if PCGS was closed for Good Friday! Still patiently waiting. image
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Grades are in!!
    Glennimage
  • MadMonkMadMonk Posts: 3,743 ✭
    What are your resultsimage
    Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    1914D MS64
    1935 DDR VF20
    1935 DDR VF20
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    today
  • darktonedarktone Posts: 8,437 ✭✭✭
    jonesy that's great news! I am very happy for you. Do you think this thread could have had any affect on the coins grade? I mean B&M and PCGS are owned by the same company. mike
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    I sure hope not. imageimage
    Glenn
  • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
    Surely not. It would have already been in a slab.imageimage
    Glenn
  • darktonedarktone Posts: 8,437 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Surely not. It would have already been in a slab. >>
      that's kind of what I was thinking but for different reasons! mike
    • jonesyjonesy Posts: 5,031
      Well Darktone, please explain. image
      Glenn

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