By popular request, the Chain cent (updated with improved photos)
RYK
Posts: 35,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
Several have asked (publicly and privately) to see a photo of the Chain cent. Photography is not my strong point, so I am a bit hesitant to image such an important coin. Nonetheless, here are my quickie pics. In hand, the coin is lighter in color and has a less porous surface than suggested by these pictures. In fact, what attracted me to the coin was the fact that all of the legends were readable (with the date particularly strong), and the planchet was of unusually high quality for the type. The consenus grade of the people who viewed the coin (independent of the seller) is that it is Fine-12/Net VG-10 Avg +. I am a newbie to early copper, but the grade seems like it fits the coin pretty well.
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Comments
I'm seeing considerable verdigris. Yes? Or, is that just your photography?
<< <i>Very nice.
I'm seeing considerable verdigris. Yes? Or, is that just your photography? >>
Photography.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>VG8, porous surfaces, net G4. I think calling it F12 is being very optimistic. >>
My photo is lousy. If you saw the coin in-hand, you would agree with the quoted grade. The coin is not nearly as dark or porous as suggested. Again, two very critical, experienced copper collectors came to the same grading conclusion as I quoted above. This was not my grade, nor the grade of the seller.
<< <i>RYK---Neat coin. Congrats. Are you going to get it slabbed? >>
No way! Although, again, one of the copper specialists told me that he believed that this was the quality of coin that should/would slab if I wanted to do so.
<< <i>
<< <i>RYK---Neat coin. Congrats. Are you going to get it slabbed? >>
No way! Although, again, one of the copper specialists told me that he believed that this was the quality of coin that should/would slab if I wanted to do so. >>
I've seen worse in top tier slabs. Since you are keeping it raw, did you buy a camel hair brush so you can brush it once in a while?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>RYK---Neat coin. Congrats. Are you going to get it slabbed? >>
No way! Although, again, one of the copper specialists told me that he believed that this was the quality of coin that should/would slab if I wanted to do so. >>
I've seen worse in top tier slabs. Since you are keeping it raw, did you buy a camel hair brush so you can brush it once in a while?
Why do it manually when he has a perfectly good bench buffer in the garage?
<< <i>I may be wrong. But the TPG's will not grade it and body bag it because of the porosity. But, it could be slabbed (without grade) as genuine. >>
Everyone is an expert at grading photos! In hand, the degree of porosity is quite minimal and less than I saw in other 1793 examples in PCGS slabs.
I do not plan to do any brushing, either.
<< <i>Looks nice. Gotta get me one of them someday. >>
It would look nicer if you photographed it.
AJ
PCGS Registries
Box of 20
SeaEagleCoins: 11/14/54-4/5/12. Miss you Larry!
Here is a pic of the one I picked up from Anaconda last week ... also an S-3.
Drunner
Nice pic up and thanks for sharing. I like the even color too!
Tbig
PS the lack of any obvious problems like rim hits (Only one at 9:00 o clock) and goudges, scratches, retooling etc makes for the ave plus designation. If there was no poristy and a chocolate brown planchet, I would call it choice!
Capped Bust Half Series
Capped Bust Half Dime Series
the perspective of age, but yikes, it is ugly.
sorry ryk, please still send me my coin ;-)
i hate being the fly in the soup, but i think it is best to give
an honest opinion, good or bad.
<< <i>hm. i would have passed on that coin. yes it is a neat coin from
the perspective of age, but yikes, it is ugly.
sorry ryk, please still send me my coin ;-) >>
If you saw the coin in hand, you would not have passed. Maybe passed out from the price.
That is the danger of rejecting coins on the basis of images.
i had a feeling after fletcher showed a non MS coin for once, it must
be truly expensive. ;-)
<< <i>i had a feeling after fletcher showed a non MS coin for once, it must
be truly expensive. ;-) >>
Lol ... I have to agree with you. However, the price was fair. Interestingly, on the day I purchased my chain cent (PCGS XF40) last week there were two other similarly graded chain cents for sale at the show that gave me the rare opportunity to compare like chain cents before purchasing. I paid full retail but there was another PCGS XF40 at Kagin's table that was $25k more than mine ... and it deserved to be. It was from the ANS collection and looked like a solid AU53-55 in amazing condition. I think that it was definitely undergraded. Conversely, there was a PCGS XF45 at another dealer's table that looked 5 points overgraded, had a bunch of bad rim dings, and the color looked very odd ... the dealers offered it to me for the same price that I ultimately purchased my XF40 from Brandon for. It was a unique opportunity for me to be able to view several examples of such a rarity in XF before making my decision and that really helped me purchase the correct coin ... my chain is high-end for the grade, but not undergraded, has great eye appeal, and has not been messed with. I am constantly working on my ability to identify those qualities in a coin and have been lucky to partner up with the right dealers who help me to hone that skill.
Apropos of the coin posse/aka caca: "The longer he spoke of his honor, the tighter I held to my purse."
RYK and Fletcher...fantastic coins!
The Chain "wild woman" Cent is truly a classic with a nice story.
siliconvalleycoins.com
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
<< <i>Nice! Why does Liberty look like she's in a fright?
She was arguing with Mrs. Longacre at Tiffany's over a piece of jewelry.
<< <i>hm. i would have passed on that coin. yes it is a neat coin from
the perspective of age, but yikes, it is ugly.
sorry ryk, please still send me my coin ;-) >>
FC, you really trip me out dude!!
<< <i>
<< <i>Nice! Why does Liberty look like she's in a fright?
She was arguing with Mrs. Longacre at Tiffany's over a piece of jewelry.
Mrs. L is at Tiffany's in Westport, CT more often than she is at Starbuck's.
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
This coin looks like it circulated (remember that was the whole point of coinage in the first place) and what an amazing piece of history.
You know the negativity on these boards is high when such a coin is given "the business."
Just a super example.
Nice BOLD 1793 as well. Dreamy!
I’m sure PCGS would slab it, but I’d let it be free! Great coin!!!
Dave
You are a man of steel if you don't give up that Southern Gold for copper !! Beautiful Chain !!!
<< <i>Beautiful Chain RYK ... just out of curiosity, why, in your first post, did you give it a net grade? I don't see any rim dings, scratches, porosity or other indications that would cause it to be net graded. >>
There appears to be some minor surface or planchet roughness at the back of the upper portion of LIBERTY's hair and a few old shallow hairline scratches that might net the grade. A 2 point deduction is nothing on this coin, and it's still an average plus example. Love it
what a great coin. got to get me one of those some day.