Cherry-picking early type?

rhedden

Has anyone had any success lately "cherry picking" rare varieties from the early series- large cents, half cents, bust coins, colonials, etc.? Tell me about your finds- I'd love to hear about them.

Shamika

I would think that large cents and half cents have been picked clean. I would love to hear a story however.

rhedden

I also think early copper is picked clean... I just thought I'd post this and see if anyone has found otherwise.

Nysoto

I bought an 1805 O.105 half for $165 at the Portland ANA, just a VG10, but I have been looking for this variety for 5 years, a great big rim cud on the reverse. No public auctions since 1999, the outdated 1990 Overton book has this variety as an R.4, but it should be an R.5+. The last one I saw was on ebay in 2000, a PCGS VG10 for $605.

Not really a cherrypick, but last month I bought an 1806 O.124 E/A R.6 for $1500 the first day on a fixed price mail list. About 20 are known, Al Overton never saw one. The dealer knew the variety, but not the rarity or pricing. He listed the coin as an original VF30, which should be a $4000+ coin. When I received the coin, it was overgraded 10 points and had a reverse scratch, but it is still an easy $2500 coin. I later called the dealer to get some pedigree info, he said "I had 20 calls on that coin, I should have priced it $1500 higher!

I have heard of many cherries in the bust half world the last five years, mostly R.4's, but some rarities also.

Barry

I don't think many variety collectors check Ebay. I have listed an 1833 JR-8 (R5) dime twice with no bids.

JohnsCoins

I bought a group of large cents in a local auction a year or so ago. Think I paid 200.00 for 15 or 18 coins. There was a 1794 in the lot that looks to be the head of the 93. Also got an 1807/6, 1811/0 and an 1847/sm 7 in the lot. I don't remember what the rest were but I was able to fill several holes. I was real pleased.

John

rhedden

JohnsCoins,

Post a pic of the 1794 and I'll gladly tell you whether it's a Head of '93 and give you an attribution.

coachleonard

Somone is about to cherry-pick my 17th Century peripheral Louis 14 French Colonial silver coin for $5 in about 20 minutes.

JrGMan2004

In my Capped Bust Half-Dime puchases, though only 2 so far... I've gotten an R-1 and an R-3... so not really any cherrpicking there... but... maybe in the near future I can grab a higher rarity die marriage for regular money...

rhedden

Half dimes might be easier to cherry pick because there aren't a ton of people looking them over. Large cents and Bust halves are a different story.

JrGMan2004

It's a very undervalued series. If demand were to increase, even by the slightest amount, I think prices would skyrocket because of the general scarcity of the issue... and the supply of undamaged, mostly problem free coins...

rhedden

Demand is low for half dimes because they aren't common enough to get a lot of dealers involved. Truly rare series have a small collector base because dealers can't promote them and start a buying frenzy like they can with common junk. Show a nice BU half dime to a dealer at a show and you will probably hear "pass, not for me." Show him a beat up 1884-CC Morgan and it's an instant sell because 50 people want it.

Baley

I've had a few among the bust quarters and half dollars, for example here's a goodish 1806 quarter that cost about $150, a fair enough price for a common variety.



I recognized it as a B-5, because of the spacing of the stars to the L and Y of LIBERTY



as well as the relationship of the 5 and C to the eagle's tail, and the stem over the C.



and for confirmation, could just make out the die crack to the second feather on the left



Browning/Breen list this as a "High-R6, nearly R7" but of course that's probably a little inflated and the coin is not quite that scarce. Nevertheless, it's scarcer than the most common varieties of the date, was identified as such before purchase, and bought for the price of a common variety, meeting the most understood definition of "cherrypick"

Another kind of 'pick is the serendipitous occasion when you buy a coin you like for its eye appeal (or some other reason) at the normal price, not knowing the variety but intending to look it up upon arrival, and find that it's either a rare variety or possibly even an unlisted, newly discovered one!

Varlis

<< <i>I don't think many variety collectors check Ebay. I have listed an 1833 JR-8 (R5) dime twice with no bids. >>



Well... depends on the series, as people have said. I collect bust quarters and I watched this coin with amazement.

Without that seemingly insignificant blob on the 5 in the reverse, it's a well-worn, cleaned $40.00 coin at best--with the blob, however, it's a well-worn, cleaned $1,800+ coin! Go figure!

(And I know it's rare because I've never seen another one...)

JohnsCoins

I am not sure if I can get a picture that will be any good. The coin is low grade, p2 or ag3. It has a strong date and the profile shows good when you look at it just right. I will get my wife to try and take a picture of it and maybe we can figure out how to PM it to you or post it. Its not a prize but it helps fill the holes. My orginial goal was to try to get one coin of every regular issued cent. My IHC and Lincolns are complete and the lg cents are complete after 1823. Probably missing 9 or 10. I am not planning on getting the 1793, 1795 or the 1799 but I didn't plan on all the varities either, they just keep adding up.

Thanks
John