Please define "filler".

ealandg

For those of you who missed it yesterday, I bought a coin on Ebay that had a picture of the reverse, no picture of the obverse. In the picture, there was no damage evident. The coin was described as a "filler".

I interpreted "filler" as "extremely worn". When it arrived, the coin was extremely damaged - bent and graffitied.

How do you define "filler"? Several people seemed to suggest that "filler" was synonymous with "damaged". What is your opinion on the word "filler"?

Baley

Filler; n. Some combination of: 1. so worn as to be barely recognizeable as type, and/or 2. severly damaged. See also: Piece of Sheet. origin: it will "fill the hole" until a decent piece is obtained.

a filler is not necessarily damaged, but it also not necessarily NOT damaged, it could be either.

it depends on the context. for a bust dime, I'd say any coin grading Poor-1, either by detail or net for damage, is a "filler"

edit: the above definition is for rare coins. for common coins, a filler might be an MS65 or MS66 until a really nice coin is located.

291fifth

A coin you don't want to own.

DHeath

Not collectible as a coin. Meant as a placeholder.

Donovan

"Filler" is subjective like "average circulated". Filler can mean worn, damaged, or both.

roadrunner

Filler is a coin in "a transitory state." It is not meant to be permanent or full-time. Sort of like a part-time job. It "fills a slot."
But there is no specific definition as to what condition "filler" fills.
Let's just call it's a "temporary" coin. And that's all that appears to be concrete. So a filler can be anything from an obliterated cull to a PF70 DCAM. Any of these is filling a hole or space until another more desireable specimen comes along. I just recently sold my filler Barber half. It was a PCGS MS66. I guess all my coins are fillers.

In the case of 1794 dollars and 1901-s Barber quarters, very desireable in "filler" grade. You got a 1873cc NA quarter in filler grade? Send it my way, I'll give you over melt for it.

roadruner

nwcs

To me, a filler coin is simply a junk coin (FR to G) that is used to fill the slot until a better one comes along. I usually think of culls and fillers as being the same with varying degrees of damage from none to a lot.

ldhair

A problem coin. Cleaned, damage, ugly ect.

Rampage

I define "filler" as most others, and that is either: extremely worn (barely identifiable), damaged, or both.

If an auction says the coin is a filler, then I would expect to get both damaged and worn. That way, when I get the coin, I am not unhappy.

I have owned a few fillers thoughtout my collecting history. I still have a couple. They are there as place holders. I agree, it sucks to have fillers, but for very rare coins, I can take a filler.

ARCO

I have never understood the concept of "filler". A rusty bottlecap probably looks nicer than most filler coins, and why even think of tainting a nice collection by adding a turd into it, if even only temporarily?

Tyler

tjkillian

<< <i>I have never understood the concept of "filler". A rusty bottlecap probably looks nicer than most filler coins, and why even think of tainting a nice collection by adding a turd into it, if even only temporarily? Tyler >>



Let's say the "filler" was an 1802 half dime? Or a 1808 quarter eagle? Let's say you are a very poor 10 year old and you find a 1899 indian cent that was a filler?

The important part of a filler is that it is genuine Check out Baley's 1796 half dollar. Would you rather have a filler or his?

Tom

LucyBop

I've often used the term filler for some of my Registry mint state coins, because a certian coin fills a spot till I aquire a better specimen....

Baley

my "filler" 1801 half dollar:



(still don't have the 1802 in any condition, nor the 1806/inverted 6)

Russ

Russ, NCNE

Baley

My 1796 dime, quarter, and half dollar are "fillers" by the Gallery mint because I cannot afford a "real" filler (yet!)





for these, right now, it's an empty hole or a "filler"?

jdimmick

I agree filler does not necesarily have anything to do with grade. Its a coin or whats left of one that is used to hold a place in a set until a beter one is purchased to replace it. A filler could be a higher grade coin that is pitted or extremely corroded, damaged to the point of little value. A filler could be an extremely low grade coin down around the Poor-1 or fair -2 category.

Personnaly, I would rather have the blank hole in the album, then to buy a coin in this shape (what most people call filler)

another thought
In actuality, a filler could be a relatively decent grade coin, but not in comparsion to the rest of the set being assembled. Lets say that someone was building a set of Liberty seated Half dollars in AU and higher. But the only availble 1878-s was in the grade of VG. Even this coin in this grade is beyond rare. So the person buys a Vg 1878-s until he/she can find not to mention afford an xf/au coin? So this coin is filling the postion until the other can be purchased. However as said, more people tend to associate the term filler with my earlier statement.

jim

an 1878-s half in any grade to me is an awsome coin!!

ARCO

Baley I am going to have to politely ask that you not show your type set any more...I am out of depression medication!!

I agree about using a "filler" if it is nice and purdy like Baley's 1796 Half. Imagine if Baley had put a slug of a 1796 Half as a filler in his beautiful set. It would make one turn in and reel in horror and the contrasts between the beautiful type coins and the one cancer in the dansco set.

Baley I think I remember seeing a nice 1796 and 1797 Half for sale somewhere the last week or two. Heritage maybe?

Tyler

Dog97

Even if a coin is called filler any damage must be noted when grading coins according the the ANA grading standards.

Baley

ok no more showing the type sets, unless to illustrate a point or question

anyway my eventual goal is to get a nice, Good or VG 1796 or 1797 half dollar one day and have a set that looks all "original"

would be willing to accept a more detailed piece with a small problem such as a "test mark" or light cleaning.

but basically, ANY genuine coin would be a lot better filler than a replica.

problem is, some Poor-1 "fillers" are still mid-4 figure coins (small eagle halfs, chain cents, 1796 quarters)

ealandg

In this situation, I felt there was an element of deception because of the photography. I am going to guess that it took several tries to get the reverse angled "just so" to avoid showing the ugly letters gouged into this classic coin.

I would not buy a common date, damaged draped bust coin just to have. I don't mind something that is low grade and undamaged.

I think most numismatic literature out there says that damage, cleaning, etc. should be noted when describing the coin.

relayer

filler: a piece of metal inserted into an album until a nice sample can be found

ColonialCoinUnion

Well, if you bought it thinking it was a nice but worn example then I think you were being naive. Nice but worn examples are generally described as nice but worn examples, not fillers.

In my experience, the term filler is used to describe a coin that is nothing more than a legitimate example of the particular date and type - it can horrendous, holed, bent, graffitied, corroded, or otherwise not a nice but worn example.

If the seller had an intent to deceive that would suggest he had an intent to extract some excessive money from someone, which you generally can't do by throwing around the word 'filler'. That word generally doesn't get people leaping for their wallets.

My two cents,

Union

tompkins

There is a wide range of opinion as to what 'filler' means. In fact, it obviously means different things to different people. Maybe it even means a PR70DCAM to braddick and his 'worst possible' set--
Since there are so many different opinions, and the coin in question definitely falls into what many have defined as filler, it would be very hard to say that the seller intentionally misled. I sort of figure if you can tell what type of coin it is, 'filler' is a fair description no mater what else is wrong. --- that is, it legitimately "fills" the labelled slot in the album.

Pete

Casey

I love it when Tyler refers to coins as turds! I laugh everytime thinking of some of the turds I need to remove from my Dansco!

mgoodm3

"Filler" in Dog food is "Meat byproducts" - that would be snouts and hooves. The same applies to coins.

nOoBiEeE

From a newbies perspective...

A ratty/cheap/damaged coin used to fill an empty spot until enough money is accumulated to purchase one in much, much better quality and condition. Just save the money until the right one comes along (so long as it's in you budget).

edsondl

Filler:

A coin of such state or condition that would not normally be found in your collection, except that in this case the date, mintmark or variety is one which is expensive or difficult to locate in the condition to which you normally aspire. Rather than leave a "hole" or space in your collection, you buy the coin solely to occupy space until a more befitting specimen is attained.

Prometheus183

Filler:

1. A coin intended to fill the hole in an album that lacks the presents of a higher quality piece. It should resemble the intended "keeper", but often is heavily worn, in poor condition, and has little value.

2. A coin sold on eBay. Usually described as better than average, over priced, over graded, and heavily over bidded.

3. A piece that tends to leave the buyer relatively disgruntled, especially if the piece is purchased from an eBay auction.

4. Crap or crappola. Feces, fecal matter, dung, scrat, manure, waste, excretion, or just plain sh*t. Truly worthless in very way.

There are more, but I just don't have the time.

Craig

aem4162

hmmmmm....most of my collection would be considered filler

DennisH

Something that takes up space until you find something you can stand to look at and show to others.

It's a genuine Mint-made product.

The date is there, but the entire coin might well not be.

Likely is either holed, bent, cut, or in some other way mutiliated.

If cleaned, the cleaning is toward the bottom of its list of problems.

To me the perfect filler is a coin with totally original surfaces whose only "problem" is massive wear... and those are not as easy to find as you might think.

coachleonard

Filler coins are such UTTERLY worthless pieces of garbage, that I will ONLY pay $100 for anyone's beat-up but genuine and identifiable Massachusetts Pine Tree 6 pence or Shilling!