If You Were Going to Buy one XF45 Liberty Seated Quarter...
OneCent
Posts: 3,561 ✭
Let's say you want to spend $300 - $400 on one XF-45 Liberty Seated Quarter. Which one would you buy and why?
Also, in looking around the web at various coin sites, it seems to me that a good number of Liberty Seated Quarters are un-naturally bright for circulated examples.
Give me some advice.
Also, in looking around the web at various coin sites, it seems to me that a good number of Liberty Seated Quarters are un-naturally bright for circulated examples.
Give me some advice.
Collector of Early 20th Century U.S. Coinage.
ANA Member R-3147111
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Comments
If not go down a grade. Original, eye appeal, etc...
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
The price guides do not reflect how tough this coin is though in my opinion, perhaps a sleeper should this series get more attention. This coin would be about 100 bucks in nice au if you could find one.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i>And the 1884 is as difficult to find in EF as the '70-CC. >>
I have an unc 1884. I'll use it as a pocket piece for a couple years and then trade for your EF 70-CC
Great call.
Consider this -- the A&R is common as dirt; the reason it is so in demand in this grade is that there is a hole for it in the most common type set album. What might happen if the N/D quarter -- a *much* less common type -- became more commonly thought of as a necessary part of the type set? I think you see my point. Also, while the differences are subtle, it's just a better design. They are really great looking coins.
My favorites - what can I say, I like the earlier dates.
1840 WD
1843-0 (if you luck into a Large O, nice job!)
1848
1849
1850
1851
1858-0
1859-0
I'm not a fan of most of the later Philly mints because the proofs are abundant and put a ceiling on the price of the circs. I'm going to pay $500+ for a circ 1887 for example knowing I can buy a proof for that same price or less. Out of the list above it might be tough getting in at $300. The 1851 and 1840 are probably underpriced in the PCGS guide but see if you can find them. I like any New Orleans
mint coin in orig XF45. The 58-0 and 59-0 probably have a surviving pop of <500 coins which makes them far rarer than a 1901-s quarter or a 93-s dollar. The 58-0 becomes much tougher as you approach mint state so a real cherry EF45++ bordering on AU could be a deal for $300-$400 considering AU's are pushing the $500-$1000 range.
I've always loved the 1848 date as well, a nice sleeper. But because the dollar and half are tough, it's no surprise that the quarter (and dime) are also tougher than you think. But of all those coins listed above, the 1851 is probably the toughest overall and you probably won't ever find an XF for $300 even though the guide says $190. It's probably worth $500 for a choice XF. And they are hard to find and much better than many of low mintage Philly circs of 1863 to 1873 (probably only the 66, 69 are better).
I also like 42-0, 44-0, 56-0, 57-0, and even 60-0. But I like the ones above a bit better. The 1842 LD lists for over $300 but is probably the toughest of the dates that aren't routinely to be thought of as rare. I'd jump at one of those if it became available in XF for $350-$500. I'm sure that Dick Osburn would be asking 2X that. If you look at enough 1853 A&R quarters in XF you will eventually find the 53/4 variety for no premium. Many are still unattributed. I was lucky to find one in an NGC 62 holder about 3 years ago - for no premium. Your best chance of scoring is probably with that variety as it is available and there were tons of 53 A&R quarters saved. It is the most common date seated quarter bar none.
Best yet, I'm not aware of any of the above coins ever going down in value in grades of AU or lower over the past 35 years.
Happy hunting.
roadrunner
<< <i>1838 No Drapery. If possible for that money.
If not go down a grade. Original, eye appeal, etc... >>
I purchased an XF-40 for $300, so it should be doable and is a better choice than my first suggestion.
<< <i>
<< <i>And the 1884 is as difficult to find in EF as the '70-CC. >>
I have an unc 1884. I'll use it as a pocket piece for a couple years and then trade for your EF 70-CC
I don't see anywhere in my post a claim to having an EF '70-CC. And you have an unc. 84 'cause that's the way most of them have survived; most didn't circulate. The OP asked about EF's. Rots 'O Ruck finding a legit EF '84. The point made was that with the proper knowledge, one can obtain a truly rare but unpromoted coin for a fraction of the price of others that have been heavily promoted.
Finding an EF '84 quarter would be akin to finding a choice EF or AU 1912-S nickel...
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
As for the 1884, I have a real XF as does Osburn but because it is hard to find you will not be able to touch one for anything close to $300 despite the price guides.
I picked up a premium, beautifully album-toned VF35 to EF40 1860-p on ebay last summer, BIN, for something ridiculously low like $50. Auction had a bad picture, but the coin was choice. Glad to see some others think it is an undervalued date.
1841
1871
1873 No Arrows Open 3
I might add the 1872 and 1870 just because I have not found a decent example for my own set. I don't think they should be in the price range you are asking about
I love many others, but I would pretty much have to list way too many coins. I would not buy any of the arrows or the no drapery coins.
Edit: This is just my opinion. I like the 47-O as date, but finding a true XF45 1847-O for $300-$400 is a stretch...I don't think it can happen, unless the coin is severely lacking. If you find one in that range, I would buy it.
https://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/collectors-showcase/world-coins/one-coin-per-year-1600-2017/2422
Undervalued S mint coins. The 73 will cost more then the 74
I couldn't look at all available different variables, and say one is best as a representative.
I do like Arrows and Rays, but I like ND, PD, Arrows (54, 55 and 73, 74) as well as with and without mottos. So I would have to buy one of each.
The last time I owned one was when Mr. Eureka sold me 3 of them for $185 each back in the 1980's. While we both knew they were
great coins, it was still 20 years before "their time." And with today's easy grading at least one of those was AU50. It's a great date and the most underrated of the "scarcer" O-mints. It's probably rarer than the 91-0 (at least below XF) and only exceeded by the 42-0 SD, 1849-0, 51-0, and 52-0. Some of the Lg O varieties are tougher but I don't include those as "dates." If you see a 47-0 in EF45 for $300 please fast forward to Mr. Breeze or myself for a nice, well-deserved profit.
Very early on I was looking for 41-0, 43-0, 47-0, 58-0, and 59-0 as underrated dates. The 47-0 was the best in the group. And in 1983 a hoard of 41-0's was found that took it off my list. Prior to that a well struck XF45-AU 41-0 was a real prize as uncs essentially were non-existant. The best percentage O mint I ever cherried was a Fine 1852-0 for $20. My local shop had it and it was toned oddly right over the mintmark so he sold it as an 1852-P. At the time in 1975 that was a $250 coin.
roadrunner
<< <i>I love the look of the Arrowsd and Rays quarters. That would be my choice. >>
Shsssh....
Does Dick Osburn do the show circuit? No pictures on the website
Collector of Early 20th Century U.S. Coinage.
ANA Member R-3147111
The 1854, 1855, 1873, 1874 come with just arrows.
<< <i>Let's say you want to spend $300 - $400 on one XF-45 Liberty Seated Quarter. Which one would you buy and why?
Also, in looking around the web at various coin sites, it seems to me that a good number of Liberty Seated Quarters are un-naturally bright for circulated examples.
Give me some advice.
1860-S, if someone could produce one and sell it for that kind of money.
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I ask because I am not convinced that this long standing trend will continue...
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I would prefer a nice circulated vf-xf coin, and I would prefer to technically have a business strike over a circluted proof. But if the price is half the cost for the proof I would substitute. This is one costly series and proofs are a way to help certain tuff philly coins.
If one considers the business strikes as "varieties" rather than just a date of which a proof would suffice, then you will have people who will only be satisfied with a circ example of a low mintage Philly date.
Of course it is critical that the proof die be 100% distinguishable from the business strike dies or what prevents a proof from becoming a pocket piece and gaining in value as it wears to XF? The 1866 is the leader imo of the with motto Philly circs as the date is rarely encountered below AU/UNC. And of course some people will be trying to pawn off circ proofs as circ business strikes. The 1869 and 1886 follow.
Of the 1879-1890 Philly dates the 1879 is the most common and in my surveys, 40% of those encountered are circs. Compare that to the 1886 which might be as low as 10% found in circ. All of these dates are easier to find in UNC, Ch UNC and even Gem unc rather than VF-XF. It is possible and probably expected for the circs of 1866, 69, 82, 86, 87, 88 to continue to rise in price against the proofs. The 79, 80, 81, 83, 89, 90 are more frequently encountered and I think they will remain contained in price by the proofs (ie will stay under the $600 in XF/AU). There are enough to go around for years even as the collector base expands. But it will always be true imo that the 1879-90 dates in UNC will always be available as semi-type coins in the $500-$700 price range. There are just too many of them which is no surprise since small hoards were saved at time of issue. The 1886 for example might always carry a modest premium due the low mintage and apparent scarcity but Philly dates 1864-1873 NA are generally far tougher in unc imo. despite the much higher mintages. Seated quarters were in general not saved. So the fact that hoards of uncs exist of the 1879-90 dates is rather amazing. And because of those quantities they are not much more than type coins in ch/gem unc. I would not be surprised if the total # of uncs of those dates combined is > 1000 pieces....more than enough to satsify the 30 or less "unc" date collectors out there.
roadrunner
very funny sig line... why is it that I have contemplated that question more than once?
Thanks for the comments. I really am not much of a proof collector.
Roadrunner:
Thanks for the commentary... sound reasonable and really boiling down to supply/demand
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
He is generally over priced (at least on hard to find coins)"
If you think Dick Osburn is overpriced, then you should go
to J.J. Teaparty's website and see the Newps they have up.
Seated Halves, common dates, in XF-45 for $300??????????
Seems to be some kind of pricing explosion going on.
Regards, Steve K.