What is the limit that you will spend-

Stunner

if you see a raw coin that you need for your registry set on an internet auction. The seller has a return policy of seven days, but that doesnt matter because you cant get it back from PCGS/NGC that quick.
It's a very expensive coin and if it doesnt grade, gets the bodybag your out big bucks.
Basically what would you gamble?

ellewood

I don't gamble anymore. I learned my lesson the hard way...buying raw off of eBay and trying to make a coin. 9 times out of 10, it's easier to buy it slabbed than making it yourself. I do have a bunch of lincolns in at PCGS as we speak...however they are lincolns that I got from a very trusted and experienced board member here.

Stunner

ellewood,
Sounds like good advice, I got to thinking after my initial post - the guy that's selling this coin also has alot of graded (slabbed) coins that he's selling. If you could have a coin graded and double or triple it's resale value, wouldnt he have already done it?

Atlantic

I would not even buy the raw coin, I have done this in the past and got burned, Wait for a pcgs slabbed coin to come along

morgannut2

My limit on Ebay is $75. My limit so far at live auctions, $1700.

cho10

I learned my lesson a long time ago as far as eBay is concerned.
Generally I pass on raw coins unless the seller is somebody I feel I can trust 100%.
I buy only certified now.
Hypothetically I would buy a raw coin from Dave Bowers and his colleagues or from JJ Teaparty to name a couple because my experience has shown me that there are still companies and people that can be trusted.
I don't know, however, whether either one sells raw coins any more.
I had a certain number of raw coins as duplicates and I had them certified by PCGS, NGC or ANACS.
While Raw allows you to "see" the rim while "slabbed" does not, the risks in today's world are just too high.

MrEureka

I'd go "all in" for the right coin.

COINDOG

David Bowers has a policy concerning raw coins : Never pay more than $ 100.00 for a coin that is not slabbed. Good advice in my opinion.

ColonialCoinUnion

<< <i>David Bowers has a policy concerning raw coins : Never pay more than $ 100.00 for a coin that is not slabbed. Good advice in my opinion. >>



You must be referring to Dave Bowers the entymologist, not Q. David Bowers the numismatist.

As for me, I'm with Andy - I would pay pretty much whatever it took to acquire the right raw coin.

tradedollarnut

I bought the Vermeule 1873-CC trade dollar for $75k raw from a Stacks sale. It's now in a 65 holder and worth double that amount. Same with the Amon Carter 1874-CC except it was $55k for an eventual MS66.

Of course, they don't all grade out - you pays your money and you takes your chances.

COINDOG

No I Am referring to Q. David Bowers. He has written about paying no more than $ 100.00 for a raw coin, several times.
The bottom line is : It's your money, also your risk ! If anyone buys enough raw coins on ebay, they are asking to be taken advantage of, and that will happen, sooner or later !

DennisH

I've done this I think three times, always with up-front disclosure to and blessing from the seller before even bidding (always sellers whom I knew and had done business with before.)

If memory serves, two were at or slightly above $2,000 each and the other was something over $1,000.

RYK

No I Am referring to Q. David Bowers. He has written about paying no more than $ 100.00 for a raw coin, several times.

Perhaps he is talking about sight-unseen transactions. Then, this comment would make sense to me.