I just purchased a $20 st gauden MS66 from NTC it appeared that the coin was cheap but I'm know starting to have doubts on the unknown. Can someone help me out here?
ocstockpicker: If you'd care to post an image of your coin on this thread we'll take a look at it and provide you with our opinions on the coin's grade if you'd like... I am quite familiar with the St Gaudens series....
Stuart
Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal
"Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
The bad news is that you Saint Gaudens is almost certainly not an MS66. The good news is that it probably IS a genuine Saint. (Some of the less reputable services, such as ACG, have been known to slab counterfeits).
If you plan to keep it, crack it out of the holder. If you want to sell it, send it to PCGS (or to ANACS if it's been cleaned).
I'm no defender of NTC, but the reference to "counterfit" did jog a recollection of a test sampling that was done a year or so ago with one of the "reputable" grading services not catching the counterfit while I believe either Accugrade or NTC did. Anyone who recalls the experiment in more detail please feel free to add or correct.
New Mis Trust grades a Full Grade or Two high on circulated coins (their EF is everyone else's Fine or VF) and at least a point or two high on uncirculated coins.
An NTC 66 saint is likely to be somewhere between AU58 and 65, most likely is a decent MS64 coin.
have to be aware of fakes....two guys stopped at my table 2x today to sell me 3 gold coins ....2 saints and 1 mexican.....the mexican was ? one saint was cleaned beyond belief and the nice looking saint that he wanted $650 for was fake....you should have seen his face when I pulled out my fisch to check the coins...
I think it is about a 63 at most. The color seems splotchy so it might have been cleaned at some time. $860 seems like alot to me but I have not priced saints in while. On the plus side it looks to me to be well struck.
After taking a quick look at prices if it were me I would return it.
It could just be the scan, or the coin may have been cleaned, but I do not have a good feeling about that one, it has this dull look that makes me uneasy. It would not be the first fake in an NTC holder!
If you are in the Western North Carolina area, please consider visiting our coin shop:
It would appear that you got a coin worth about $625 or less. In my opinion you should take advantage of the seller's return privilege and only look at coins certified by one of the grading companies that stand behind their grading (more or less) like PCGS, NGC and ANACS. Just because someone on ebay put a coin between two pieces of plastic and stuck a label in there doesn't mean the coin is what it is purported to be. And don't shop by price, cheap coins aren't nice and nice coins aren't cheap. Buy a few of both and see what a difference it makes when you go to sell.
'Insurance Message: RETURN POLICY: Items may be returned for credit or refund less shipping, PayPal fees. Items must be postmarked within three days of receipt. The item can not be removed from original holder and/or plastic flips. NO RETURNS after three days of receipt, if removed from original holder or packaging, if it is damaged or the seal on the packaging is broken.
First of all, I thought it was Illigal at Ebay to charge for paypal fees even when returning.
Second, it says no returns if removed from holder or "Packaging" does he mean if you open the package that comes in the mail you must keep the coin? He even goes so far as to say the seal on the packaging.
Since nobody else has, I'm going to ask the obvious question. Did you even look at those images before bidding? It's very obvious the coin grades nowhere near MS66.
Just talked to my local coin dealer who came back from a major show. He reported there were a lot of coins out there in questionable holders (PCI specifically) which had high grades and then the dealers were discounting them for sale. Apparently there are buyers (including dealers) willing to pay for coins they recognize as overgraded even if the selling price is more than the actual grade would merit. This works great for everyone in the purchasing scheme until you get to the ultimate consumer who gets stuck with the coin and then tries to resell it for what he paid for it.
mrpaseo, it *is* against the rules to include a surcharge for PayPal, however, sellers are free to choose how much, if any, money they are willing to refund their buyers. Some have an "all sales final" policy, others range anywhere from "minus shipping, eBay fees, PayPal fees, gas to the post office, and a tip for my postman" to "110% satisfaction guaranteed."
To the original poster, I'm very sorry for your bad experience, but how long have you been collecting coins? The first thing you should have done is, at very least, look up the definition of MS66 on the internet. At that point it would have been abundantly clear to you that the coin could not be anywhere close to MS66. The flaws on an MS66 coin are so miniscule that at first glance the picture probably would have looked perfect. Fifteen minutes of research can save you many hundreds of dollars. Nobody can accurately grade a coin by a picture, so if it looks MS63 and says MS64, maybe it is. But if it looks MS62 and says MS66, there simply is *no way* that's right.
I heard they were making a French version of Medal of Honor. I wonder how many hotkeys it'll have for "surrender."
Comments
Russ, NCNE
Stuart
Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal
"Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
If you plan to keep it, crack it out of the holder. If you want to sell it, send it to PCGS (or to ANACS if it's been cleaned).
-Jay
e-mail me here
WINNER:
POTD 8-30-05 (awarded by dthigpen)
POTD 9-8-05 (awarded by gsaguy)
GSAGUY Slam 12-10-04
Russ, NCNE
An NTC 66 saint is likely to be somewhere between AU58 and 65, most likely is a decent MS64 coin.
how much did you pay?
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
How do you check a coin with a fish??
Our eBay auctions - TRUE auctions: start at $0.01, no reserve, 30 day unconditional return privilege & free shipping!
Our eBay auctions - TRUE auctions: start at $0.01, no reserve, 30 day unconditional return privilege & free shipping!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3905615406&category=39472&sspagename=STRK:MEBWN:IT&rd=1
42/92
$860 seems like alot to me but I have not priced saints in while.
On the plus side it looks to me to be well struck.
After taking a quick look at prices if it were me I would return it.
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
Should possibly survive as a MS-62.
'Insurance Message:
RETURN POLICY: Items may be returned for credit or refund less shipping, PayPal fees. Items must be postmarked within three days of receipt. The item can not be removed from original holder and/or plastic flips. NO RETURNS after three days of receipt, if removed from original holder or packaging, if it is damaged or the seal on the packaging is broken.
First of all, I thought it was Illigal at Ebay to charge for paypal fees even when returning.
Second, it says no returns if removed from holder or "Packaging" does he mean if you open the package that comes in the mail you must keep the coin? He even goes so far as to say the seal on the packaging.
I wouldn't touch this guys auction.
Sorry, I hope things work out.
(I reciently learned my lesson)
e-mail me here
WINNER:
POTD 8-30-05 (awarded by dthigpen)
POTD 9-8-05 (awarded by gsaguy)
GSAGUY Slam 12-10-04
Russ, NCNE
To the original poster, I'm very sorry for your bad experience, but how long have you been collecting coins? The first thing you should have done is, at very least, look up the definition of MS66 on the internet. At that point it would have been abundantly clear to you that the coin could not be anywhere close to MS66. The flaws on an MS66 coin are so miniscule that at first glance the picture probably would have looked perfect. Fifteen minutes of research can save you many hundreds of dollars. Nobody can accurately grade a coin by a picture, so if it looks MS63 and says MS64, maybe it is. But if it looks MS62 and says MS66, there simply is *no way* that's right.