What Grade Needs Most to be Seen in Hand?

AngryTurtle

A few days ago, our own CoinRaritiesOnline replied to someone who bought an coin from a auction from only the online pictures, that the coin needed to be seen in hand, "especially at the grade of MS-67". This started me to thinking, obviously as you go up in grades the money involved increases, so the higher the grade the more you need to see it in hand. But what about the coin?

Several questions came to mind:

1) what about technically, disregarding the money factor? What grade has the highest percentage of "clunkers": Technically correctly graded coins (including eye appeal) that you wouldnt buy? I would think this is probably different for copper, vs silver for example.

2) Alternativly, What grade would have the worst luck being CAC stickered?

Steve27

It's the grade at which the value increases exponentially e.g. the 1921-S WLH is cheap in grades up to VG but jumps by an order of magnitude to F and another to EF etc.; thus, it depends on the coin.

BECOKA

<< <i>It's the grade at which the value increases exponentially e.g. the 1921-S WLH is cheap in grades up to VG but jumps by an order of magnitude to F and another to EF etc.; thus, it depends on the coin. >>



Great answer. Many coins jump considerabley from MS63-64-65-66 etc... and hairlines just do not show up in photos well so pretty much anything needs to be seen in hand. Also not too many sellers are expert photographers so minor rub determining AU from MS is very difficult to distinguish.

Barndog

<< <i>It's the grade at which the value increases exponentially e.g. the 1921-S WLH is cheap in grades up to VG but jumps by an order of magnitude to F and another to EF etc.; thus, it depends on the coin. >>

rec78

1 & 2. for Morgan dollars i would say that ms61 & ms62 have the most clunkers and probably none would get a cac sticker.
I would buy anything if the price was right, grade nonwithstanding. I would also buy any coin for my collection that met my collecting standards if i like it. Slabbed or not. It is my opinion that counts when i purchase a coin-not the slabbers. JMO. Bob

Fairlaneman

<< <i>

<< <i>It's the grade at which the value increases exponentially e.g. the 1921-S WLH is cheap in grades up to VG but jumps by an order of magnitude to F and another to EF etc.; thus, it depends on the coin. >>



Great answer. Many coins jump considerabley from MS63-64-65-66 etc... and hairlines just do not show up in photos well so pretty much anything needs to be seen in hand. Also not too many sellers are expert photographers so minor rub determining AU from MS is very difficult to distinguish. >>



I agree with every word said above by the two posters.

With Mercs I am very cautious with the MS63 grade and above MS66 when they are slabbed. Very Very wary with Mercs that are called AU on ebay since I am trying to put a nice raw AU set together. Most of the time the sellers go by the details only and forget about the luster needed for a AU coin.

Ken

ColonialCoinUnion

<< <i>A few days ago, our own CCU replied to someone who bought an coin from a auction from only the online pictures, that the coin needed to be seen in hand, "especially at the grade of MS-67". >>



I don't remember saying that and could not find any such reference in the archive.

So can tell me where I said that?

Assuming I did, I suspect I would have been referring to the cost of the item, as in buying an expensive coin sight unseen is an even worse and riskier idea than buying a cheap one.

Longacre

Personally, I would only buy cheap coins sight unseen. So I guess I would go by the dollar value when deciding what grade needs to be seen in hand.

AngryTurtle

Ooops! I misattributed my original quote:

It was CoinRaritiesOnline:
"Even well meaning photographers, catalogers and auction firms cannot substitute for seeing a coin in person. This is especially true if one is collecting at the MS67 level. "

I will edit my OP

Longacre

<< <i>Ooops! I misattributed my original quote:

It was CoinRaritiesOnline:
"Even well meaning photographers, catalogers and auction firms cannot substitute for seeing a coin in person. This is especially true if one is collecting at the MS67 level. "

I will edit my OP >>




I thought they were one and the same, sort of like Batman and Bruce Wayne.

AngryTurtle

<< <i>

<< <i>Ooops! I misattributed my original quote:

It was CoinRaritiesOnline:
"Even well meaning photographers, catalogers and auction firms cannot substitute for seeing a coin in person. This is especially true if one is collecting at the MS67 level. "

I will edit my OP >>




I thought they were one and the same, sort of like Batman and Bruce Wayne. >>



I have to admit, me too...

savoyspecial

ms70 (because i tend to discredit anything billed as flawless)

also, its not technically a grade but rather a designation but any Franklin labeled as FBL should not be relied upon sight unseen

greg