SEGS and gold

Oak

How does SEGS do with gold? I'm considering buying my second gold piece and would appreciate any insight that boardmembers care to offer. I agree with grade for the piece in question, but since I'm only able to view it from pics I can't tell if there are hairlines or any other problems.

Tom

eagle7

Stay away from SEGS and gold. I only purchased one gold coin on EBAY a few years ago in an SEGS holder. It was a ten indian, 1912 date. It was graded as an ms63 and was heavily hairlined. Would have bodybagged at PCGS and NGC, no doubt. I sent it back and never bought another in an SEGS holder.

RYK

PASS.

sliderider

Pass on gold in third tier holders. Not only might it bb for damage if you try to cross it, but it may even turn out to be counterfeit.

Baley

Segs may be a grade level generous for circ coins or a point or two for uncs, over what conservative PCGS or NGC would give the coin.

That said, it is risky to pay "all the money" for the full grade on the slab, for an important coin.

but for a "fun" coin, as long as you don't pay the full grade price you might do ok.

I only have one gold coin in an SEGS holder, this one:





care to guess what they graded it, and what it "really" grades?

ps: i got it at a good price, for what it is.

Oak

I'll guess they graded it AU 55 and it is really an XF45.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

TB

Baley

I'll guess they graded it AU 55 and it is really an XF45.

Oak

That looks to have a lot of meat and lustre for a XF40.

BillJones

I'm sorry Bailey, but I don't particularly like your 1838 half eagle. The coin is very well struck for the type, but the surfaces look like they have been worked on to me. They are a bit "sweated." Still if you paid $400 to $500 for the coin, you did OK.

BTW overgrading Classic Head $5 gold coins is pretty much par for the course for PCGS and NGC. NGC graded this one MS-61, and it's only a nice AU. I saw a PCGS graded MS-61 coin was pretty much a carbon copy of this one. I've found that you have to buy an MS-64 or better to get a true Mint State example of this type.

1946Hamm

Baley: Here is a 1838 Five that is different than yours. It is a Breen 6515 and was graded EF-45 by J.J. Teaparty when I purchased it. Compare your pics and mine for the differences. There is quite a bit of difference. Must have had a different engraver for some reason. Note the reverse is rotated also.

DaveG

Oak: I would pass on SEGS gold unless you're buying it in person and know what you're doing (or you know what you're doing and the seller has a solid return policy).

Baley: My monitor's not that good, but it looks to me like your coin would come back in a BB from PCGS or NGC or get net-graded by ANACS for cleaning.

Baley

Baley: My monitor's not that good, but it looks to me like your coin would come back in a BB from PCGS or NGC or get net-graded by ANACS for cleaning.

you are very probably right, and jimmy crack corn, but i don't care whether it would "cross".

edit: to clarify, I agree with you (and Bill Jones), however the price was right (well under $400) and I like the coin, as i said, for what it is, and as you may know, I would just as soon crack all my coins out

edit again: Oak, this illustrates a point others have made, SEGS will not always note problems that others might, for a given coin. Definitely something to be aware of if you are considering a coin graded by SEGS (or any other non-top-tier TPG)

Gary, what are the die differences that you see between your coin and mine? I've done some die variety collecting of bust quarters and halves, but am still on a type set basis for the gold (ah, to someday be able to collect gold by die variety and die state! )