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Merc Guys: Weekend Discussion. "What do you Look For"

FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
in PCGS Set Registry Forum
Being that the Weather is suppose to be the Pits here in Beautiful Portland,Oregon this weekend maybe a discussion on Mercury Dimes is in order. What do you look for when Purchasing a Dime ? What is the Most important thing to you ? Strike,Lustre,Tone or No Tone,Number on the Slab and of course the Cost. Myself the two items I really look for is the Strike (For the Date) and Nice Lustre. If a 63 or 64 coin has these 2 items I will over look some Minor Hairlining and Contact Marks. Hope to hear from you as I am DOOMED to the Computer for the Weekend.image Chip in with other Comments about anything but How Nice The Weather is where You Live.imageTake Care: Ken

Comments

  • tggrtggr Posts: 748 ✭
    Hey Ken 75 here in Sunny Florida.
    When I look for mercs I look for white coins with lots of luster,full bands, great strikes. Good prices helps a lot.
    Now for the important thing.Would you guys stop bidding on all the auctions so i can have a chance!! LOL.

    Have a great day.
    Gotta love it.

    Rayimageimageimageimage
  • python1python1 Posts: 789
    Ken,
    Sunny and 60 here in Dallas, and 65 sunny tomorrow...imageimage
    Oh, you said forget about the weather...dang sorry, I wont edit this because most people dont like edits.lolimage
    The very first thing I try to get, is a BLAST White coin, after that the stike, then if it is a matter of just filling a hole till I can find the one I want, then that is the very last order for me, and the price that I pay will reflect all of the above. I guess thats why I still have a few holes, I wont pay for those coins that dont fit my set.image

    Ray,
    I will quit bidding on them, if I would quit living on the web...lol, I get up at 430 am to get ready for work, and dont get off the net till 9 pm, in my spare time at work, play on here as well. Its hard to let one go by that I need...sorry....image

    Have a great weekend all, except for Ken, he said his was raining..dang, I mentioned that stupid weather again...lol...sorry Ken.
    Dennis

    My Dimes

    << If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time! >>
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good Evening. Still Raining and maybe Snow late this evening or early Morning. Finally came across the Auction I have been waiting for. Is This Possible ? Check the Error description.
  • MarkMark Posts: 3,542 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Gad, let me tear myself from cursing the warm, wonderful weather--I might have mow my lawn soon and stop sun bathingimage--to discuss Mercs. I agree totaly with Ken, insofar as I prefer blast white coins. I realize these coins have been dipped. I just prefer to think of them as recently bathed! These coins generally have good luster, so that's typicaly not a problem. I presume the coin is already FB, so I don't worry too much about the strike, though it is an issue. But, after the blast white, we (my wife looks at EVERYTHING)look at whether the coin has little black spots visible under slight magnification and the number of dings on the coin. Little black spots instantly disqualify a coin as would too many dings. I don't mind the polishing spots where the mint polished the die so much that in that area the coin has no MS luster, only a brillant proof-like luster. The coin was struck that way and so I can easily live with these spots.

    But a "problem" I have with PCGS is that it is much harder to get rarer coins that are blast white. To me, it seems as if PCGS resists giving, say, a 45-P FB an MS65 unless the coin is more natural, eg, toned at least a bit. On the other hand, it's trivial to find a blast white 44-D in MS65FB or better. But, my opinion is "that if that's the way it is, that's the way it is."

    Mark
    Mark


  • python1python1 Posts: 789
    Ken,
    This is just plain funny, and the reason I say that, is the rotated reverse on mercury dimes is more common than the ones that are not.....more than half of my collection has some rotation to them....image
    Dennis

    My Dimes

    << If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time! >>
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dennis: I'm setting you up on this. Question: Is there any such thing as a Rotated reverse on a Mercury Dime ? Little Bit of Merc Trivia on this.
  • python1python1 Posts: 789
    Haven't read about it...is there?
    PS, I like it when you set me up, I always come away a smarter collector...thanks.image
    Dennis

    My Dimes

    << If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time! >>
  • JoshuaJoshua Posts: 56 ✭
    ken: its even in the high 40's and sunny back east. While blast white coins are nice, I try to look for colorful toned coins. They are far more original and add a little uniqueness to the coin. And they hide a lot of imperfections that white coins don't. It is very rare to see a coin grading 68 that does not have color. Almost all high grade 39-D 's are very colorful. Sorry, its going to be in the low 50's and sunny.
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    David W Lange authored The Complete Guide To MERCURY DIMES. This,IMO, is a very good book that every Merc Collector should have.On page 65 under varieties he explains why there is NO rotated reverse for a Merc. In the Merc series the reverse is the hammer die and the obverse is the anvil die. Since the hammer die cannot in any way move the reverse cannot rotate. On Mercs the obverse is what rotates from the anvil position. Obscure but true.image Mark was talking about how hard it is to find a original White Merc Dime. IMO very,very few original white Mercs exist. Some day just for kicks take a Digital Photo of one of your Blast White coins and then put it up on your computer screen and see what it really looks like. You just might be suprised.image Below is my 43D PCGS 66 coin. Notice the milky look on Miss Liberty. In person you can hardly see this,but the camera really brings it into focus. A trait of a Processed Coin.
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Joshua: If the rest of that Outstanding Collection of yours looks anything like the Kritzman 1920S you bought I can't wait for you to put Pictures Up.image Toned Coins are my preference also. Little harder to get a grade on but IMO they are No Question original specimens. Take Care: Ken
  • python1python1 Posts: 789
    Ken, I just read that article out of the same book, thanks, and I have not read the entire book that I have had for more than a year now. I like you keeping me on my toes!!!!
    And looking at a photo of a blast white coin, well I bought a stereo microscope, 20 to 40 power, and man let me tell you, I thought a ms 65 coin was a goodlooking coin, not at 20x...lol,
    a 67 on the other hand is a real nice coin! but even a 67 has a few imperfections, that you cant see with a say 5x or 10x. I was real shocked to see some of my 65's under power. Glad I cant see them when I buy them, I might not even consider some of them.....
    Josh is correct, the more colorful coins, do hide a lot....and I must admit they are pretty and very original looking, and maybe one day, after I get this set finished, I too will put together the first "Multi-Colored" Merc set, this to would be difficult, with all the BATHED coins going around.
    Happy collecting...........
    Dennis

    My Dimes

    << If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time! >>
  • DeepCoinDeepCoin Posts: 2,781 ✭✭✭
    I used to like the blast white coins, but I find I am being pulled slowly towards toning, as I am beginning to appreciate a nice golden tone more these days.

    The strike and lustre are all dependent upon the coin and my budget. We all like a nice strong strike (of course being the No Bands collector I am that is a bit different for me) and mint lustre.

    Retired United States Mint guy, now working on an Everyman Type Set.
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    David Lange is suppose to be putting out a newer version of the book. Should be interesting if his opinions on some of the dates will change. When comparing a In Depth Study of Mercury Dimes authored by Dean Howe in 1988 and David Lange's book you can really appreciate how much Rarer high grade Mercury Dimes are since the advent of the Grading Services. I suppose this is true with other Coin series also. No Rain or Snow yet.image Heck the Weather Man is as accurate as Other people I know.image Did you Guys see that Oreville and Joshua had posts on Marks Thread. Both seem like nice and knowlegable Collectors. Fine guys to have around to keep Us on our toes.image Take Care: Ken
  • orevilleoreville Posts: 11,995 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ramblings and free form and unedited:

    Many people look for the strike and the lack of imperfections in a merc dime. While those two traits are indeed important the kind of luster on a merc dime is important to me as well.

    Well do I like white creammy luster or satin brilliant luster? Or do I like the hues of pale colors? One would argue that they are all great!!

    But I have yet to fixate on what please me most but I do seem to enjoy blast white creamy luster coins with peripheral toning closer to the rims. I realize that this often means a softer strike as the die has probably been used a little longer.

    That is not to say that often enough I do jump on a gorgeous satin finish luster coin that looks just like a proof!

    But I do notice that creamy white surface coins tends to display toning much more nicely as there is more of a contrast created.

    Hard to put into words but does that last comment make sense?

    ------------------------

    Oreville
    A Collectors Universe poster since 1997!
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "Blast White With Some Ice Blue Toning"
  • tggrtggr Posts: 748 ✭
    Hey Ken,
    Great ice blue toning.
    Better you than me LOL.
    I need my shades to look at that toning.
    Oreville I feel the same as you about my mercs.Now If I had a set like yours I would be a happy man.

    Rayimageimageimage
  • python1python1 Posts: 789
    Ken,
    The ice blue toning seems to have hidden the fact that the Die crack running in lower left hand corner, is in fact die mechanical doubling, and PCGS wont slab that one! LOL image
    To much fun!
    Dennis

    My Dimes

    << If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right the first time! >>
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