I observe something different about buying/selling of certified coins than most describe here

mercurydimeguy

A good number of posts talk about the coins will sell for what they sell for because nice for the grade coins are preferred by collectors and they will sell for more $$ than comparably graded siblings.

However, as a part of a longer-term (in the last 12 months) analysis/observation I've noticed quite the opposite.

For example (and this is a real example): A coin with a PCGS price guide of $750 having a CDN bid of $510.

Terrible examples of this coin (and most overgraded by at least 1 point) will sell for $500 - $530, while a STUD and perhaps 1 point undergraded coin will sit and sit at $575. At the next grade up the STUD is a $950 CDN bid coin, but collectors will opt to pay $50 less for the same piece of PCGS plastic (and not as nice of a coin).

A good number of folks here seem to imply that the nice for the grade coins are the ones that are bought while the crap just sits out there. However, I've observed just the opposite.

Do the folks here represent the very, very, very small minority of .05% of the collectors out there, and do most collectors prefer to buy the same numerically graded piece of plastic at sometimes very small discounts to much nicer coins, or do people philosphically say one thing but in practice do something very different.

Any thoughts/your own "real" personal observations of consumer behavior??

Barndog

So are you saying the "unwashed masses" will buy the holder, not the coin...especially if there is a ten percent discount?

That pretty much sums up my observations.

mercurydimeguy

<< <i>So are you saying the "unwashed masses" will buy the holder, not the coin...especially if there is a ten percent discount?

That pretty much sums up my observations. >>



Yes, that's what I'm asking...thanks for your feedback.

RedneckHB

I see some people who compare grades on the slab and others who compare the coins in the slab.

This is especially true of coins with great eye appeal as compared to widgets.

Steve27

There's definately what I call a "Registry Set Effect" wherein a dog of a coin in a 66 holder will sell for more than a nice coin in a 65 holder.

UncleJoe

Do the folks here represent the very, very, very small minority of .05% of the collectors out there

Yes!

I find very often what is written on these boards to be in direct conflict with reality. It doesn't mean that what is written here is wrong, it just means that the average "Joe" buys and sells for his own reasons. Those reasons are very often different than what many posters here believe are the "right" reasons to buy or sell.

People tend to think that others think as they do.

Joe. IMO

cho10

<< <i>A good number of folks here seem to imply that the nice for the grade coins are the ones that are bought while the crap just sits out there. However, I've observed just the opposite. Do the folks here represent the very, very, very small minority of .05% of the collectors out there, and do most collectors prefer to buy the same numerically graded piece of plastic at sometimes very small discounts to much nicer coins, or do people philosphically say one thing but in practice do something very different. Any thoughts/your own "real" personal observations of consumer behavior?? >>


That is an interesting topic. I can only tell you what my opinion is.
a) there probably are a handful of "Rockerduck" type people that are active in the U.S. Coin and Registry Forums that work on their Registry Sets and don't need to worry about the money they spend on coins.
There are of course a few dealers that cater for the super rich and simply adore telling all of us how the world should work. A parallel with Marie Antoinette could be made. (She was told that most of the population was not eating bread and she answered "if the masses are not eating bread let them eat cake").
b) the majority of the participants (many of whom don't have the time or the desire to expose themselves) are "lurkers" that read all the posts here and rarely (if at all) write stuff here. Fairly frequently these are "real" people that can afford to buy coins at a certain level but will not be buying 1927-D Double Eagles, 1804 Dollars, 1884/1885 Trade Dollars, etc, etc.. Out of the thousands of people that are enrolled in this forum the number of active writers is a small percentage. A nice 1883-O Morgan in MS66 is a true prize for that sort of collector (and I am very happy to be in that slot).
c) if you look at the listings of Morgan Dollars issued by Dealers such as David Lawrence, Heritage, ANR, NACT, G.R. Tiso, PQDollars, Barry Stuppler, NorthEastern Coins you may find, in some cases, coins quoted at different prices even if at the same nominal grade and certified by the same TPG. As an example an 1883-CC Morgan in MS66 can vary from $600 to $1180. It is not just due to markups. Another case that comes to mind is the 1921-S Morgan in PCGS MS65 which can vary from $700 to $1,400 and varying prices in between.
The eye appeal factor is what counts for the specialist dealer and their prices are cited accordingly. It is up to the savvy buyer to choose which coin can reconcile with his/her budget and quality expectations.

Baley

It is up to the savvy buyer to choose which coin can reconcile with his/her budget and quality expectations.

Well put.