If You Had To Choose...

Tassa

Suppose you need one key date coin to complete a set and your budget is limited. You've been searchig for years for this particular date and you find three that are within your budget. For the same price your options are a Fair-02 with original surfaces, a Fine-12 with damage-holed or corroded, or a decent looking AU that has been repaired. Which would you choose?

eyoung429

Since I collect errors and VAMS, this one is easy.....whichever one has the least damage and most appearant PUP's for the attributes.

EarlyTypeManJohn

The Fair 2 for a couple of reasons. One, I always prefer original coins over coins which have been worked. Two, if I ever had the money to upgrade it will likely be easier to offload an original Fair 2 than a problem coin.

kranky

I would take the Fair-2 coin, knowing it was at least untampered with. I would not want the F-12 holed or corroded coin at all, and while the repaired AU is tempting, I would stick with the original Fair-2.

wam98

I'd have to pick the Fair-02 coin. Original and not messed with mean a lot.

pontiacinf

it depends. some sets I build are just "play sets" so the coin to fill that hole would depend on price. and I would buy the cheapest

if it were a serious set I would go with the orig, or the au repaired

BlindedByEgo

The purist in me would prefer the Fair-02, but the realist would win out with the decent looking repaired AU (depending on just how decent looking). ANACS or NCS plastic to make it "market acceptable"

mgoodm3

Probably FA.

Trinketts

The origianl coin hands down....

seanq

Depends on the series. Large cents... sure, I'd take the Fair-2. Two centers... maybe the Fine-12. Mercury Dimes... I'd probably go for the AU. In other words, I'd want the coin that would least stick out compared to the rest of the set.


Sean Reynolds

PerryHall

A repaired AU coin beats an "original" slug any day of the year.

DIMEMAN

I'm with trinketts ........ original is the ONLY way to go!

topstuf

Repaired AU... Take a look at what they will bring if a 1796/7 half.

tsacch

I would take the AU coin...........as long as the repair was good.

ChangeInHistory

It would depend on how well it matched the rest of the set. A well repaired AU or the FR-02 are the only options. I think I'd pass all together on a holed and or corroded F-12-----even if the rest of the set was F/VF. Between the two, the FR02 has a slight edge over the repaired AU.

DHeath

I think Sean's on the right track. It would depend on the character of my set. I'd choose the one that matched it. If I were not set building, I'd pick the original coin.

rec78

I am a problem-free coin guy-i will have to with the FA02.

relayer

That's really a tough question.

I can make a case for all three.

But if I had to choose only one, I hate to say but I'd probably go for the decent repaired AU

A close second would be the FR02 one

ttxp

The fair, every time i looked at the other two all I would see is the damage, repaired or the hole. At least the fair shows only age and use.

LincolnCentMan

Fair 2 with original surfaces. This is a no brainer for me. I hate problem coins with a passion. Just because this is my preference doesnt mean it's the right choice for everyone. The buyer should get the one HE/SHE likes the best.

David

michael

fair 2 and with the au repaired a really close second

Mercury

<< <i>I think Sean's on the right track. It would depend on the character of my set. I'd choose the one that matched it. If I were not set building, I'd pick the original coin. >>





I would lean toward orginal, unless the set was mostly high end grades.

Myqqy

It would be really hard to pass up a nice AU that's been repaired well.....