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Higher grade, common date or Lower grade, better date

Which would you rather have for the same money: A higher grade, common date coin or a lower grade, better date. For example, a 1877 Indian in XF or a 1906 in MS-66 Red?
Tom

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    rainbowroosierainbowroosie Posts: 4,874 ✭✭✭✭
    A roosie in 68 with a rainbow on it!!!!imageimage
    "You keep your 1804 dollar and 1822 half eagle -- give me rainbow roosies in MS68."
    rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
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    09sVDB09sVDB Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭
    Depends what I was looking for at the time but I always like the better dates.
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    merz2merz2 Posts: 2,474
    tj
    I'd have to say the 1877 XF.The MS will come along again.
    Don
    Registry 1909-1958 Proof Lincolns
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    mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    It all depends on the purpose of the coin. If I am filling my type set a high grade common date is nice, for cool factor the lower grade key is always nice. I like em all.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
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    JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have to go with the better date.
    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"
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    BaleyBaley Posts: 22,659 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It all depends on the purpose of the coin

    yep.

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

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    the better/key date. always.
    image
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    tjkilliantjkillian Posts: 5,578 ✭✭✭
    Interesting.... Me, I'd rather have a common date, high grade. I enjoy the beauty and history of coins, not just the fact that some are rarer than others. Since I collect indian cents, I need to get a 1877, but I don't collect Winged Liberty Dimes (Mercury), I have a common date, non-FSB dime in MS-65. I'd much rather have a common date in high grade than a very low end 1916-D.

    Tom
    Tom

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    BarryBarry Posts: 10,100 ✭✭✭
    Better date, definitely.
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    WondoWondo Posts: 2,916 ✭✭✭
    Better date IMHO
    Wondo

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    jdimmickjdimmick Posts: 9,632 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My sig line says it all!
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    onlyroosiesonlyroosies Posts: 3,288 ✭✭✭✭
    Give me the 06 66RD. An XF 77 is a dime a dozen. Theres several to choose from at every show.
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    airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,018 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm not buying key dates because I just want the type... if I were collecting a series, I'd probably go with the key dates, first...
    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
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    VeepVeep Posts: 1,412 ✭✭✭✭
    I'll favor absolute rarity (1877) over grade rarity any day. Of course, I'm going to hold out for an attractive for the grade XF.
    "Let me tell ya Bud, you can buy junk anytime!"
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    FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,415 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer.....Neither.

    Give me some nicely struck Semi Keys instead of Over Priced high grade common coins and Barf Style traditional so called Key Coins. The 16D is a good example of a Barf coin in low grade. JMHO

    Ken
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    I GO WITH THE LOWER GRADE BETTER DATE, THOSE RARE ONES WILL ALWAYS BE HARDER TO FIND, THUS DEMAND A PREMIUM.
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    fivecentsfivecents Posts: 11,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would go with rarity over grade most of the time.
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    Higher grade common date!
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,894 ✭✭✭✭✭
    RARITY image

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

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    mdwoodsmdwoods Posts: 5,538 ✭✭✭
    I like type coins so I would prefer a higher grade common date.
    National Register Of Big Trees

    We'll use our hands and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads.
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    A PCGS 1906 MS66RD is a pop 13/1 coin [2 were recently made] and worth at least between 3 and 4K. It is a difficult coin to find and I've seen at least five of them that I wouldn't want to own. I can think of a least 2 high grade registry collections that are in need of this not so common upgrade. Wouldn't on my foggiest day consider trading mine for a plebian XF 1877.




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    FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,415 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A comment on the 1906 Indian. Do people really consider coins minted before 1932 as common in high grades ? If so something is wrong with their thinking. The possibility of huge numbers being graded is just about nil. I would say a common coin is a coin after 1932 that does still have the chance on many being graded. I guess the common versus the rare debate is somewhat like the modern versus classic debate.

    That 06 is not common and if it was a choice between it and a XF 77 the 06 would win every time untill all that were graded were in my possession and then the 77 would be purchased.

    Ken
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    I always go for the nicest looking coin. I'm not into filling holes...





































    ...Yet. I'm not at the point where I need to be worrying about "better dates"

    image
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    Get this, Im digging through some mixed bags and boxes and I find an IHC I found in the late 70s, early 80s while refurbishing one of the fixers(homes) I used to buy and sell, first thing I thought of was this thread. If the date wasnt cleaned a bit, it would be next to impossible to make out! I think Im going to put it on Ebay, any guesses what I might get for it?

    Is this what you mean by lower grade, better date? image
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    Reverse image
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    ccexccex Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭
    I'm not working very hard on my type set anymore, and since I don't have the "stupid money" to allow me to compete seriously in registry sets, my vote is for a no-problem key or semi-key date coin in a series I collect.

    I think that my opinion is so widespread among collectors of series that some common date coins are actually selling too cheaply. My favorite series is Barber Dimes, where most already have an acceptable 1916 or 1892. These and other common dates in AU rarely bring CDN bid on eBay, but an AG to VG 1896-0 or 1913-S routinely bring well over Red Book or Trends.
    "Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity" - Hanlon's Razor
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    fivecentsfivecents Posts: 11,207 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Truth is, key dates are a DIME A DOZEN. >>


    Maybe so, but the key dates are always the quick sellers, where as the high grade common coins will sit in the dealers case until the right collector comes along. How many times have you heard dealers say they could have sold 20 1916-D's at a show if they had them.
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    UncleJoeUncleJoe Posts: 2,528 ✭✭✭
    Both!!!

    I buy and sell key and semi-key coins as they are quick sellers maintain their value and tend to rise in value at a higher rate than common coins.

    For my own collection which is basically a type set, give me the best looking coin possible. I show my type set to mostly non-collectors. The ooohhss and aaahhss are always over the great looking coins never the lower grade rare coins.

    Joe.
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    << <i>

    For my own collection which is basically a type set, give me the best looking coin possible. I show my type set to mostly non-collectors. The ooohhss and aaahhss are always over the great looking coins never the lower grade rare coins.

    >>




    Exactly, Im going to collect the set that I can afford to collect in high grades, I like to hear ohhs and ahhs no matter whos looking at my coins!
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    cladkingcladking Posts: 28,454 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This question is about equivalent to asking "which is better; a well prepared
    vegitable dish or a typical piece of meat?". A collector can decide for himself
    which "dishes" go to make up a collection while a diner does well to try to
    maintain balance.
    Tempus fugit.
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    Interesting.
    If it's seated half dime whitch I collect by date&MM, I don't want to miss a key date when it appears.
    But when it comes to otheres whitch I collect as type, I would like to choose one in better condition.
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    BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,017 ✭✭✭✭✭
    << Truth is, key dates are a DIME A DOZEN. >>

    Which is why I tend to lambast the eBayers who tout certain coins like the 93-S Morgan as very rare etc. when in reality it is merely scarce. There are usually a dozen or so up on eBay at any given time; hardly the mark of a rare coin. The same cannot be said for the 1804 Dollar.
    For a number of reasons I would prefer a nice lower grade key or semi-key date coin.
    theknowitalltroll;
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    cladkingcladking Posts: 28,454 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>. The possibility of huge numbers being graded is just about nil. I would say a common coin is a coin after 1932 that does still have the chance on many being graded.



    Ken >>



    There are many "common" coins made after 1932 with virtually no chance of many more being graded.
    Not all of these coins were saved in substantial numbers and some were made so poorly that even if
    all had been saved there would be little chance of large numbers of high grade coins existing.
    Tempus fugit.
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    << Truth is, key dates are a DIME A DOZEN. >>

    Really? Pick me up some 1901-S quaters, would you please? The hobby revolves around semi-keys and keys; comments about pop top coins not withstanding. During coin market downturns, it's the better dates that sell and they sell in all grades.
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    IrishMikeIrishMike Posts: 7,738 ✭✭✭
    The question was which would you rather own for the same money, a beautiful example of a coin that shows the entire artistic rendition of the coin or a worn coin that has the lowest population in the series. There is no right answer and the question wasn't asked which coin might maintain its value better. They aren't going to make any more 66 red 06 IHC's or 77's so it comes done to what your personal preference is in collecting.

    My personal preference is to own the 06 as it show the beauty and design of the coin. As has been said before most keys can be picked up almost anytime. The arguement of its increase in value in the coming years is moot unless you collecting as an investment. If your goals are just to have a coin of every date in the series then buy the key, but I doubt if you will take it out and look at it and admire it as much as you do the 66 red. To me the 06 is the better collecting value.
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    1040taxman1040taxman Posts: 153 ✭✭✭
    KEY COINS A DIME A DOZEN??? Try finding a decent 16-D Mercury in XF.I would prefer rarity to "flash" any day.Key coins are always in demand.They are your most solid and conservative investment.TOM
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    Well, Its about to be sold! 1877
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    hookedoncoinshookedoncoins Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭
    I could care less about rarity... i just want coins that look good (i.e. higher grade, common date).
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    wallstreetman,
    With all due respect, are you 100% certain that's an 1877? It had a strong N in "ONE" on the reverse, and the Indian's last feather is between C and A, which suggests 1886 or later...

    -matt
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    JohnZJohnZ Posts: 1,732
    I think wallstreetman is joking. The date on that coin is much ligher than the rest - a clear sign of retooling.

    We ARE watching you.

    image
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    So is the eBay auction a joke too? I'm confused...!!!
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    Its obvious the dates been cleaned to bring it out!
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    Seriously, are you kidding? I'm confused... sorry!
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    JohnZJohnZ Posts: 1,732
    The auction is real, but the coin may not be.

    Current high bidder is a newbie by his bid history - overpaying for everything.

    We ARE watching you.

    image
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    And judging by his username, he's 19 years old!
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    JohnZJohnZ Posts: 1,732
    And judging by his username, he's 19 years old!

    I hadn't caught that. Explains a lot.

    We ARE watching you.

    image
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    The coin is as I found it, your the first to question it! Ive shown it to many at Long Beach!
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!
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    JohnZJohnZ Posts: 1,732
    The coin is as I found it, your the first to question it! Ive shown it to many suckers at Long Beach!



    image

    We ARE watching you.

    image
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    I bet nobody bothered to question it because a coin that damaged can't possibly be fake!!!!!!!
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    Look how many people have looked at my auction, you would think someone would have emailed me if they thought it wasnt a 77!
    You can fool man but you can't fool God! He knows why you do what you do!

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