Questions about a key date coin with a hole in it.

SanctionII

In my Type Set I have an 1867-P Seated Liberty Half Dime. Less than 9,000 were minted and it is a key date in the series. Even in G4 it is about a $300-$400 coin. Mine is probably VF and maybe EF. However, it has a hole in it right on the top of lady liberty's head (it probably was at one time attached to a charm bracelet).

I like the coin very much but do not like the hole. I have heard of holes being filled in and damage to the coin repaired. I have many questions that you forumites may be able to answer.

What does this process entail?

Has anyone had a holed coin repaired? If so, who did the repair, how much did it cost and were you happy with the results?

What is a holed coin worth compared to an identical coin with no hole?

What is a repaired holed coin worth compared to an identical coin with no hole?

Who do you know that repairs holed coins and what is the persons phone # or e-mail address?

Should I leave the coin "as is" (and become a member of the holed coin club) or should I consider having it repaired?

Thanks in advance for your replies and happy new year to all. SanctionII.

coinguy89

I have seen coins holes plugged but it's usually not liked unless it's a super rarity and it was a well done job. I would say that you keep the hole there. It probably looks pretty cool. IMO, coins that have been filled will be worth less than those that are just plain holed. In fact some will pay a premium for such holed coins. LM told me once what the price for a holed coin on average is, like some percentage but I forgot. I would PM him about it and include pictures to get a ballpark guess on value. IMO it's about a $200 coin.

dthigpen

As-is, based on the details in the range you gave and the exact location and type of hole, it would likely bring between $100 and $250 in auction. Whether or not you wish to repair it is your choice, but I sort of think it's silly to do so.

morgannut2

Then of course there's the 1794 Siver Dollar with a repaired hole bid at $24,000.00 plus 15% buyer's premium at Heritage Fun Sale as of today!!! If you really can't stand it, and can't afford a problem free example, contact Allen Stockton
(HC 86 Box 200A Monticello, KY. 42633...or....www.crs-stockton.com. ). Selling a repaired coin and representing it as problem free is civil and criminal fraud best protected against by having in certified as repaired (photo before sale).

dthigpen

<< <i>Then of course there's the 1794 Siver Dollar with a repaired hole bid at $24,000.00 plus 15% buyer's premium at Heritage Fun Sale as of today!!! If you really can't stand it, and can't afford a problem free example, contact Allen Stockton
(HC 86 Box 200A Monticello, KY. 42633...or....www.crs-stockton.com. ). Selling a repaired coin and representing it as problem free is civil and criminal fraud best protected against by having in certified as repaired (photo before sale). >>



I would likely have bid that high with the hole still in it, and when I do buy high dollar repaired coins, the first step I take is generally removing the plug (Very carefully) and slabbing them at ANACS.

morgannut2

In the case of the 1794 Dollar, I suspect it would be worth considerably more if the owner had left it alone. As in my one example and for some collectors, they simply want a restored coin so if you want to pay extra it's a personal preference IMO.

pocketpiececommems

I would leave it as it is. A repaired coin just doesn't look right. A holed coin had a purpose at one time in it's life and the person that holed it wasn't worried about the date value of the coin at the time.

Conder101

My first question is, Are you SURE it is an 1867-P? The S mintmark on the 1867-S half dimes is often very weak plus the location of the hole also would go pretty much through the area where the mintmark would be. Has it been confirmed by date position and reed count?

morgannut2

For what it's worth, the coin that has turned out to be one of the favorites in my collection is an 1888S Morgan DMPL that
without a small knife cut would be a lock MS-66DMPL and worth $10,000 plus. I wrote the value on the holder, then crossed it
out to what I paid ($80), and now it's always a great conversation piece. Everyone trys to guess what could have caused
someone to put a knife cut on a $10,000+ coin!! No it wasn't my ex, either!!

SanctionII

Update time.

After reading Condor's reply I took the coin out of the Dansco album and looked at it closely under a loupe.

Big time egg on my face. The hole in the coin goes through where the mintmark would be. Just outside of the rim of the hole I, for the first time, have seen a top of an "S" mintmark.

The coin is not the key date 1867 P that I thought it was. I still like it though. Part of me wishes it did not have a hole in it, but the other part of me says that the coin is "Way Cool".

Thanks Condor for your insight. SanctionII.

lordmarcovan

Cool. Now you can join us Holey Coin folk without any reservations.

And you don't have to consider... *gasp*... repairing the coin!

Sounds like a kewl keychain piece to me!

SanctionII

Lordmarcovan, consider me signed up in the Holey Coin Club. Since I have only one holey coin, I should get another so that it does not feel isolated.