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Isabella Quarter Commem frustration!!!!!!
keets
Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
Ever looked for a coin in a grade/price you wanted and met with total frustration trying to find a nice one?? That's where I'm at with an Isabella Quarter. After looking at shows and online for the past 18 months it seems there are two kinds, really nice and really bad, with very little in between. Sometimes it seems I've looked at the entire extant population and it's starting to gross me out seeing all the cleaned examples posted at eBay as BU's or AU's or pristine this's or that's.
I just gave another look at the past two days listings on eBay and at least one seller had the guts to say his coin had been cleaned, as if viewers wouldn't be able to tell!!! So many of the sellers doctor their pictures to try and hide the telltale signs, primarily the abrupt color/texture change where the fields meet devices or lettering.
With regard to the two extremes in quality, it would appear that collectors from the past either cared for the coins properly and they made it to the present with nicely toned surfaces or they were subjected to rub and the cleaning cloth. The price jump from AU to low MS grades is modest, but starting at MS64 the value climbs quickly. I'm wondering why there aren't more MS60-63 coins which aren't brilliant or darkly and unattractively toned. It's sad that such a nice design in the unique commemorative denomination of twenty-five cents has been so abused.
But, I shall continue to hunt. The ANA offers me hope.................and probably a lighter wallet to boot!!!
Al H.
I just gave another look at the past two days listings on eBay and at least one seller had the guts to say his coin had been cleaned, as if viewers wouldn't be able to tell!!! So many of the sellers doctor their pictures to try and hide the telltale signs, primarily the abrupt color/texture change where the fields meet devices or lettering.
With regard to the two extremes in quality, it would appear that collectors from the past either cared for the coins properly and they made it to the present with nicely toned surfaces or they were subjected to rub and the cleaning cloth. The price jump from AU to low MS grades is modest, but starting at MS64 the value climbs quickly. I'm wondering why there aren't more MS60-63 coins which aren't brilliant or darkly and unattractively toned. It's sad that such a nice design in the unique commemorative denomination of twenty-five cents has been so abused.
But, I shall continue to hunt. The ANA offers me hope.................and probably a lighter wallet to boot!!!
Al H.
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Comments
It's amazingly difficult. The really nice ones are pretty tough, and very expensive and the crummy ones are just that.
To see a larger picture, click here
Tom
Why would anyone want a coin that's easy to find?
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
bruce scher
I dont even buy commem's but saw anice one last week in a shop the guy had priced at Ms-60 money, It looked extremely nice and full of original luster with prephiery light toning. Similar to TOM's posted coin, but a little lighter. I have it pegged to grade MS-63, several have told me it will grade higher min 64? Its on it's way to PCGS as we speak!
jim
keep posting pictures of the end to your own personal hunts.
al h.