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PCGS AU-58 1895-S Barber Dime, (updated)new mgoodm3 photo's added
66RB
Posts: 2,516 ✭✭✭
I bought this coin at the Parsippany Show yesterday, from forum member jimp. I saw the coin last month and failed to purchase it because I didn't know if the price was good or not, but, luckily, I saw he still had it yesterday. I was very happy to get it and I'll tell you why in a minute.
Even though the coin is in a PCGS holder, there is some light hairlining from being wiped on both sides. I also believe the coin has been re-toned. Even though I was aware of this, the coin in hand was too much of a 'looker' for me to pass up. The blue is very vibrant and electric-like
Now, why was I so happy to get it?
Well, when I saw the coin at last month's show, as I stated above, I didn't know if it was a decent price or not. When I got home I actually pm'd forum member 'dimeman'(who better to ask with a handle like that?) and he expressed that he felt it was a pretty good price.
So, of course I had failed to grab Jim's business card, but I thought I remembered exactly where he was sitting. Could I call the guy who helps organize the show and have him help me out with maybe getting the guy's phone #? Why, yes I could, I know the guy pretty well. On the phone with him, I describe one of two spots where he could have been sitting, and he gives me two names and phone#'s.
I call the first guy, very pleasant on the phone, but he does not have the dime.
I call the second guy, very thick Spanish accent. I introduce myself and explain to him why I am calling him on his cell phone. I ask him, 'Do you have an 1895-S dime in a PCGS AU-58 holder?'
'Yes, I have it' he replies.
'Great, I saw it on Sunday and I should have bought it!' I said.
I ask him if he has a store and he said he does in Long Island. So I said let me give you my credit card and you can send me the dime.
He asked me to call him back in a half hour when he was actually in his store. I did and he never answered the phone.
A week goes by, and I remember him saying that he was going to be at the Clifton show, which I had never been to.
So, I call him on the Saturday before the Clifton show, and ask him if he will be there tomorrow and to re-confirm he does in fact have the dime I was interested in. His reply to both was 'Yes.'
8:00 am Sunday morning, I'm out of my house and on a mission to get this dime. I find the building where the coin show is, go up to the door, and it is locked. But there are a few dealers in there! I walked around to the back of the building and entered in by the loading dock just in time to see the dealer closest to the locked door I was just at open it up and prop it open. I walked around for all of 2 minutes, as there was a grand total of 4 dealers, including one who had a dog under his table who wouldn't stop barking.
I called up the guy to ask him where he was, and he says he's at the flea market. I asked him where that was and he said 37th and Columbus. 37th and Columbus? In Manhattan? Yes, in NY he said.
For about two seconds I contemplated driving into NYC to find this guy at a flea market at 37th and Columbus, but ultimately decided I'd be better off hoping to find it at Parsippany, which he had previously told me he would be attending regularly.
So, in summary(you still with me?
) the guy who I was talking to over the course of three weeks never had the coin, but led me to believe that he in fact did have the coin. I almost gave him my credit card number to send me his coin. Who knows what I would have ended up with
Thanks to jimp and Dimeman for his advice, much appreciated!
I know a few people wanted to see this after mgoodm3 photo'd it for me, so I figured I'd just add it to this thread and bring it back to the top
You can now see the light hairlining the coin possesses....
Even though the coin is in a PCGS holder, there is some light hairlining from being wiped on both sides. I also believe the coin has been re-toned. Even though I was aware of this, the coin in hand was too much of a 'looker' for me to pass up. The blue is very vibrant and electric-like
Now, why was I so happy to get it?
Well, when I saw the coin at last month's show, as I stated above, I didn't know if it was a decent price or not. When I got home I actually pm'd forum member 'dimeman'(who better to ask with a handle like that?) and he expressed that he felt it was a pretty good price.
So, of course I had failed to grab Jim's business card, but I thought I remembered exactly where he was sitting. Could I call the guy who helps organize the show and have him help me out with maybe getting the guy's phone #? Why, yes I could, I know the guy pretty well. On the phone with him, I describe one of two spots where he could have been sitting, and he gives me two names and phone#'s.
I call the first guy, very pleasant on the phone, but he does not have the dime.
I call the second guy, very thick Spanish accent. I introduce myself and explain to him why I am calling him on his cell phone. I ask him, 'Do you have an 1895-S dime in a PCGS AU-58 holder?'
'Yes, I have it' he replies.
'Great, I saw it on Sunday and I should have bought it!' I said.
I ask him if he has a store and he said he does in Long Island. So I said let me give you my credit card and you can send me the dime.
He asked me to call him back in a half hour when he was actually in his store. I did and he never answered the phone.
A week goes by, and I remember him saying that he was going to be at the Clifton show, which I had never been to.
So, I call him on the Saturday before the Clifton show, and ask him if he will be there tomorrow and to re-confirm he does in fact have the dime I was interested in. His reply to both was 'Yes.'
8:00 am Sunday morning, I'm out of my house and on a mission to get this dime. I find the building where the coin show is, go up to the door, and it is locked. But there are a few dealers in there! I walked around to the back of the building and entered in by the loading dock just in time to see the dealer closest to the locked door I was just at open it up and prop it open. I walked around for all of 2 minutes, as there was a grand total of 4 dealers, including one who had a dog under his table who wouldn't stop barking.
I called up the guy to ask him where he was, and he says he's at the flea market. I asked him where that was and he said 37th and Columbus. 37th and Columbus? In Manhattan? Yes, in NY he said.
For about two seconds I contemplated driving into NYC to find this guy at a flea market at 37th and Columbus, but ultimately decided I'd be better off hoping to find it at Parsippany, which he had previously told me he would be attending regularly.
So, in summary(you still with me?
) the guy who I was talking to over the course of three weeks never had the coin, but led me to believe that he in fact did have the coin. I almost gave him my credit card number to send me his coin. Who knows what I would have ended up withThanks to jimp and Dimeman for his advice, much appreciated!
I know a few people wanted to see this after mgoodm3 photo'd it for me, so I figured I'd just add it to this thread and bring it back to the top
You can now see the light hairlining the coin possesses.... 
0
Comments
Mission complete!
I was actually able to keep up with your long story too, so you must have written it well.
Congratulations
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Thanks for the comments everyone!
Lincoln set Colorless Set
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
Nice looking coin and a great story to go with it.
Its "all in the hunt".
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Well, just Love coins, period.
Anyway good story and a very good find.
Jon
this is 1 of those coins where, if you like the coin, if you really, REALLY like it, then the price does not matter.
(nor does the grade)
K S
<< <i>i like it!
this is 1 of those coins where, if you like the coin, if you really, REALLY like it, then the price does not matter.
(nor does the grade)
K S >>
Nor does the fact it's retoned.
K S
Lincoln set Colorless Set
<< <i>I was happy you liked the 95-s Barber Dime.My story on this coin was not that great (to me anyway).I bought this coin out of a Stack's auction about six of seven months ago.I sent it off to pcgs.It came back AU 58 Great,I paid 63 money for it.Yes, that right 63 money.It does have great eye appeal,and it is a nice coin,but I was to pissed off to keep it.It was the last time I bought a coin out of a auction without someone looking at it for me if I could not attend. >>
This is an important story to be shared. Most of us can't view auction lots in person, therefore one should have a very trusted agent to offer an opinion before bidding.