What is the Eliasberg provenance worth?

Blade

I suppose it is worth more to some than others. I have read his biography by Bowers and own the 3 auction catalogs and find the history fascinating, but have not yet purchased a coin from the collection.

What do you think a reasonable markup is for the Eliasberg provenance? Assume the value would be compared to the identical coin without it. I have a chance to buy an inexpensive coin (Greysheet $200) that was part of the Eliasberg collection. It was part of a group lot, so certainly would not have the panache of one of the coins displayed in his exhibits. It looks like it is going to take $300 to get the coin. It is a nice coin - very attractive for the grade. I do need this coin as part of my type set, so it would fit in my acquisition plans anyway.

Would you pay a premium for an Eliasberg piece?

rays

The Eliasberg provenance is probably worth less now than in the original sale as many of the lots were sold raw and deliberately under-graded. As an example, many of the flowing hair half dollars cataloged as AU50-55 sold for mint state money and now reside in MS62 (or better) holders.

If you need the coin, and the premium is $100, I would go ahead and get the coin.

nwcs

To me, it is worth $0 but I know some who would pay around 10% premium for the provenance.

morganbarber

Buy the coin--not the holder.

MrEureka

$50 plus 5% of the value of the coin.

For example:

$100 no-name = $155 Eliasberg

$1000 no-name = $1100 Eliasberg

$10000 no-name = $10550 Eliasberg

OneYearTypes

to most, just the name alone on the slab i'd say equates to no premium. and you're considering a 50% premium. if you love how the coin looks and would by it for the same price without the pedigree, then definitely go for it. if you're certain you can find the coin elsewhere, then wait. 50% more is a lot to pay for anything.

Justhavingfun

I go the other way on the Eliasberg provenance. I've found the Eliasberg coins to be systematically overgraded, yet they usually cost extra. The name and the glamor surrounding it seems to blind many people to the coin itself.

Buy the coin not the provenance. When I'm sniffing at a coin and it turns out to be Eliasberg, if I can't see the coin first, I walk.

Good luck,


Just having fun!

relayer

I paid a $120 Eliasberg premium for an 1883 No Cents MS64, just because it had 2 stories that go with it.

Blade

Thanks all - Great opinions.

Relayer - Interesting, I'm looking at an MS65 of the same 1883 5c coin. I went back to the Eliasberg catalog, and there were 99 1883 No cents in the sale. 2 lots of rolls, 40 each, plus another 19 individual. So it is a fairly common coin to find from the sale. But kind of cool as a 1 year type.

The coin is nice, with a small luster scratch above Liberty on the obv keeping it out of 66. I'm on the fence. It would be much more interesting to own one of Eliasberg's standout coins that he proudly displayed.

Lakesammman

Don't think it's worth too much. What really matters is how the coin has been handled since!

Singapore

I personally would pay a substantial premium for a pedigreed Eliasberg coin provided it was one of the significant coins in the sale - with a decent photograph in the catalog and good write-up.

In the case of an 1883 nickel of which he had 99 I'd say its worth nothing.

Draco

If you have one of those Eliasberg 1883 V nickles that you don't think are worth anything, send them my way. They are worth something. . . .to me.

ldhair

The Eliasberg collection was one of the really great collections.
I was lucky enough to view much of it once.
Very large. Some coins I will probably never see again in my lifetime.
Like most large collections there was lots of just stuff.

I feel on some of the really special coins the name is worth keeping with the coin.
The few I bought at the Bowers auction, probably not.
The name will be worth something to some and not others.

Singapore

<< <i>If you have one of those Eliasberg 1883 V nickles that you don't think are worth anything, send them my way. They are worth something. . . .to me. >>



Draco -

I didn't say the coins were worth nothing, I said the Eliasberg pedigree on those coins did not increase their value in my opinion.

rays

After hearing the details of the coin, that it is one of 99, or really one of the "bulk" lots in the sale, I would say the provenance is not worth a lot in this case.

Draco

<< <i>I didn't say the coins were worth nothing, I said the Eliasberg pedigree on those coins did not increase their value in my opinion. >>


Sorry, I meant to say that I believe they are worth a premium over any other and I'd pay it.

Singapore

I think rays' rationale below is correct.

The provenance is worth something to me in cases where it seems that Eliasberg (a guy who obviously wanted the finest of everything - and could afford it) hand-picked a particular coin after sorting through and eliminating a bunch of others. By this definition, the coins that ended up in his collection were generally (though not always) the best ones he could get his hands on - and therefore really good.

The nickel described here was in a bulk lot and was evidently amassed as part of 2 complete rolls (plus some others) of that date.

Now its possible that Eliasberg hand selected the 99 nickels after looking at 5000 of them, but I suspect they were simply among the considerable 'extra stuff' he had piled in his safe when it came time for his heirs to sell.

Blade

Wow - this went for $405, over 100% above greysheet. Too much of a premium for me.

jbsteven

I bought the said coin above and don't mind paying what I did for the name on the holder. To me part of coin collecting is the HISTORY behind a coin and this one has HISTORY that is documented.