seated dolllar -what do you think?

1907Quarter

1871
F-15? Should I stay away because the reverse has a different kind of toning than the obverse? Original reverse or cleaned?

kieferscoins

Cleaned and retoning. Bodybag material.

Cameron Kiefer

dorkkarl

i like it a lot. borderline vf

K S

originalisbest

Anything but bodybag material - really a not bad coin, especially for the size of this Seated Lib. Not high enough in grade to get EVP after it, but this is a nice example of those dollars.

BillJones

While the color is not original, most of these coins have been played with at one time or another.

This is a very under rated type IMO. That are not many of these pieces that are properly graded and attractive. It depends on your budget. If this is the best you can afford, it's worth a consideration. The slabbed coins in AU-50 to MS-62 are almost always overgraded by 3 to 5 points. They are also worth more than bid in dealer to dealer transactions. I turned down an MS-61 graded piece last week that was really an AU-58. The price was still $150 over MS-61 bid, and coin sold quickly anyway, probably at full retail.

EVillageProwler

Do not be so sure that it's not EVP material. I saw this thread early on, but didn't have the time to reply. I kinda liked the coin, but refused to comment because it didn't look undeniably one way or the other (original or cleaned) to me.

For those who aren't aware, this series is unbelievably underrated in that low grade range. It is FAR more available in the EF to AU range. If this were undeniably original, then I would have snapped it up at over sheet in a heartbeat!

Original, problem-free Seated Dollars in ANY grade is tough to find and underrated. VF and lower and true UNC's are really tough to find. Well, except for the hoard coins...

My advice? Make sure that there's a return policy. If so, and everything else seems ok to you, then make an offer to the guy via private treaty so no one else can get the coin before you close the transaction.

Good luck!

EVP

originalisbest

Well, there goes my theory. I was hoping there's be some Seated $'s you'd leave for the rest of us.

coinkat

I doubt that the coin is original...especially the reverse. I think EVP summarized this one fairly well. I just want to add my view from the cheap seats on this series. Original, uncleaned examples of even some of the common dates 1871 or 1872 (W/Motto) are very, very hard to find in any grade from EF40 through AU58. Personally, I think this series would be more widely collected if there were just more original coins out there. Collectors tend to get very frustrated with this series. I always look but rarely find nice examples.

Coinosaurus

I collected seated dollars in G-F for about five years in the mid 90s. Got about half way through the set and finally gave up, some of these coins are just impossible. I picked nice coins and did very well on resale. I have found only one auction catalog which even comes close to having a full set of low grade seated dollars, that was Bowers Dartmouth mail bid sale in 1994 or so. Anyway, such things as an original 1861 dollar in no problem VG are either non-existant or maybe there are five or less of them.

EVillageProwler

I had considered chasing a set of these in original VF or less (no ChVF specimens!), but gave up on the idea because I felt it was easier to chase AU to MS specimens!!! If you think about it, the only showstoppers to an UNC set are the '71-CC and '73-CC. (I don't count the '70-S.) All others have a UNC pop of greater than 1. If you throw in NGC pops too, that still makes the total pop in UNC for the two coins to be like 5 total. That's pretty paltry.

But, aside from these two dates, the rest are obtainable in UNC with some effort. But, for original VF- specimens? Fuhggitaboutit!!! It'll take you more patience than even Gandhi had!

I once owned an 1849 in ChF (raw). It was lovely beyond compare. It had very pleasing even rose-purplish patina. Aside from honest wear, it was blemish-free. I was considering what to do with it and speaking with a SD specialist about it when someone walked buy and politely asked the dealer if he could look at my coin. I could tell from his eyes that it was love at first sight. He asked how much, mildly protested that I was asking sheet, and asked my dealer friend for his honest opinion.

After a bit more hemming and hawing on the buyer's part, and as I was just about to slip the coin back in my pocket -- it was my first pocket piece! -- he decided that the coin had him at hello. Guess what I said to him next... (Ok, it didn't quite go like that, but that's because this scene pre-dated the movie!)

Oh, btw, I still miss that coin. It was lovely for its delicate color as well as for its problem-free originality.

Sigh... I wonder where that old buddy went...

EVP

JD

What makes you think it's cleaned and retoned? Can't tell on my own, wish to learn the signs. Thanks, JD

dorkkarl

part of the problem is that most folks who claim they want "original" coins aren't willing to pony up the bucks. they want the coins at "greysheet" or whatever prices. i will very very gladly pay way over RETAIL for original bust coins (for example). i think the price guides indicate a price for AVERAGE population of coins, & that population will definitely many, many "non-original" or "not-quite-original" coins

the coin in question, original or not, is worth average $ for a borderline vf coin, imo. i wouldn't go higher though.

it's a series i appreciate, however, i'm not a seated dollar specialist, not by any means.

K S

BillJones

I don't think that it's been retoned. It's just been cleaned and has toned on its own. The toning appears to be the kind of stuff that forms when residues are left from the dipping solution. The color on the reverse is especially odd and relatively unattractive.

But then again the price is still under $200. You can't expect to get much in seated dollars for that kind of money.

dorkkarl

total agreement

K S

michael

ugly cleaned and yuk yuk it is a pass for mee i would wait there are many more nicer ones out there that you can find

also this is a coin that will not grow on you it will only get worse then better and then when you go to sell it will be a bear to get rid of and you might
take a loss

even if not i would be uncomfortable to sell a coin like this to someone as for me it would be my reputation selling an ugly crappy coin i would not feel good about

sincerely michael

originalisbest

Man guys, you're being a little harsh. The coin doesn't quite do it for me, but I guarantee you this, the amount of pure sludge I've seen in Seated Dollars makes this one quite decent by comparision (from what the photo tells me.) That said, yes, better ones can be found. Don't fool yourself into thinking they'll be a bargain, though!

Higashiyama

I was going to say the same thing! Michael, you're not pulling any punches -- it's not THAT bad. I may have to buy the poor unloved thing.