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Lincoln values - a sea of red in the PCGS Price Guide

DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
Looks like fallout from the Jack Lee sale ...

One year ago, did anyone think we would enter 2009 with Red Lincoln Cents .... in the red??

Some of us copper collectors are thinking ... it's about time.

Doesn't bother me in the least. Research was my friend in the auction, along with a well trained eye (not mine). One of the coins I bought out of the sale was valued at $20k, and has now dropped to $17k. What did I pay for it? $10k. The coin in question graded a point higher than the one in my collection. Mine was a good one, and the best I had found over the last five years, so it was no slouch. I researched all of the coins I was interested in, and set appropriate values prior to the auction based on the coin -- not the holder. This particular coin was in an OGH when Mr. Lee bought it, but had been disguised by the pedigree reholdering -- a covert OGH coin in a nice new blue holder. What it would have brought if still in the OGH, no one can say.

I won a couple, and lost many, many more. The end result is that I am happy with each of my purchases, and only regret one that I didn't win (went for moon money). I can't say that about all of the auctions I have participated in. Maybe by sharing this, other collectors will realize that buying the coin not the holder, is truly the way to happiness in coin collecting.

I won't identify the coin until I can take my own pics of it.
Doug

Comments

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    ChrisRxChrisRx Posts: 5,619 ✭✭✭✭
    I ain't afraid of no ghost!

    I could care less if Lincolns see some red (just more purchases for me!) - Just a small correction in the market I believe.
    image
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    wondercoinwondercoin Posts: 16,723 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "One of the coins I bought out of the sale was valued at $20k, and has now dropped to $17k. What did I pay for it? $10k."

    Probably excellent work by Price Guide Editor to not just follow a single sale to come to price, but, take everything into account. image

    Wondercoin
    Please visit my website at www.wondercoins.com and my ebay auctions under my user name www.wondercoin.com.
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    ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,611 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unfortunate timing limited buyers at top pop grade and price. Probably just a short term blip unless PCGS 3000 continues downward, crosses below 6 mo. moving average and confirms a trend.

    More registry players at that level are holding, no need to sell (or need to buy another 66 or 67).

    I feel that once the dow goes above 10 and rocky is in office people will relax and spend again.

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    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,975 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>"One of the coins I bought out of the sale was valued at $20k, and has now dropped to $17k. What did I pay for it? $10k."

    Probably excellent work by Price Guide Editor to not just follow a single sale to come to price, but, take everything into account. image

    Wondercoin >>




    No doubt, one sale would not be a good reason to tank an entire market. But, this is the largest showing of red in the price guide in years. If you asked me a year or two ago what it would look like on 1/2/09, I would not have said red. No crystal balls out there ...
    Doug
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    At the auctions I see a lot of weak for the grade coins are being sold this impacts the price guide negatively - it may be people not wanting to sell their PQ coins in this market but still wanting or needing to raise cash
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    I was going to check what the last two sales did for Memorial prices. There were an awful lot of spotted and turned in the holder Lincolns that seemed to have sold for moon money. I've copied the images for my archives. There were also a lot of nicely toned Memorials at MS67RD, MS68RD and even MS69RD. I wonder if PCGS will reholder them at RB and BN and allow the numerical grades to stay.
    I'll check the prices in the next day or two and compare the changes.

    David
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    RBinTexRBinTex Posts: 4,328
    All that matters is where the bottom will be so we can load up again. image
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    cohodkcohodk Posts: 18,622 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Buy the rumor, sell the news.
    Excuses are tools of the ignorant

    Knowledge is the enemy of fear

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    SilverstateSilverstate Posts: 1,537 ✭✭✭
    Checking the vast majority of the numbers...

    They did not move down that much.
    Am I missing something?
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    illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Checking the vast majority of the numbers...

    They did not move down that much.
    Am I missing something? >>



    I agree... I was expecting to see a "sea of red." Instead I see just a few reds scattered on some very low pop high grade Lincolns... Maybe I'm missing something too...
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    sinin1sinin1 Posts: 7,500
    the only red I see are the top pops

    there aren't many coins affected
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    ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,611 ✭✭✭✭✭
    (nasty rumors spread by roosevelt dime collectors no doubt. those people are as bad as the french) image

    nothing red on any of the Lincoln proofs.

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    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ok, so it was a little exaggeration on my part with the title ... image ... but if you collect high end Lincolns, this is the first drop you have seen in quite a few years affecting more than a handful of dates. To me it is interesting that we meet 2009 with some blood in the price guide -- not something I would have believed even a year ago.

    Somewhat of a perfect storm with Mr. Lee doing some slab purchasing and then his untimely demise, coupled with hard times in the financial markets. Frankly, PCGS could have written it down further, or chosen to do nothing with the sale. I don't think these coins are selling based on the price guide.

    Doug
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    SteveSteve Posts: 3,313 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    nothing red on any of the Lincoln proofs. >>



    I wonder what will happen to the 1909VDB MPL's in the PCGS price guide after the sale of the two NGC coins this coming week. Somehow, I can't see them selling for $37.5K and $50.0K each. Steveimage
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    lusterloverlusterlover Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    nothing red on any of the Lincoln proofs. >>



    I wonder what will happen to the 1909VDB MPL's in the PCGS price guide after the sale of the two NGC coins this coming week. Somehow, I can't see them selling for $37.5K and $50.0K each. Steveimage >>



    With all due respect, they shouldn't be affected at all since they're not PCGS coins. We all know they didn't cross.
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    The changes for Memorials were posted about two weeks ago and the red and green arrows have drifted off the current chart. I've only finished the Zincolns, but prices for the higher pop grades are almost dead on. The PCGS price guide starts to drift when the pops are under about 50. There are very low pop issues where PCGS is actually too high. I didn't find one more than $200 too high. On the other hand, there were lots of low pops where PCGS was more than $1000 too low. For the most part, the PCGS price guide is 25%-40% lower than the Bowers and Heritage sales in November and December. There are a few regular strike exceptions.

    Varieties are a major exception. Throw the price guide away for most of them. Almost all top pop prices are 75%-100% off.

    I was watching an eBay auction for one of the Jack Lee pedigree cents. The 2004 in MS68RD sold for $97.75 at the Heritage auction, even though it was a common grade and badly spotted. It resold yesterday on 1/2 for $111.00. Was the pedigree worth this much?
    A much nicer one sold for $380.00 at the Bowers aution two weeks earlier.

    David
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    STEWARTBLAYNUMISSTEWARTBLAYNUMIS Posts: 2,697 ✭✭✭✭

    A sea of RED my A$$........Jack Lee was one of the nicest guys I ever met. Unfortunately he was a target and he could not escape it. He was the target at the Joshua and Ally Walsh auction by a very unethical coin dealer. There were numerous times Jack could be seen bidding against himself at Public auction. Jack had a desire to pass me in the Set Registry even after I told him I have been collecting certified coins for 20 years. How can you get better coins than me in two years ?
    As an example lets take the 1935 s in the Jack Lee collection. This coin was bought by Mike Sadler for 50 cents in a 2x2 about 15 years ago He got very lucky and PCGS graded it ms 67 red.This coin had a predominently blue color. Very Psychedelic ! He sold the coin to Tom Mershon for $10,000. Nice Hit !
    This coin went unsold at the Tom Mershon auction. Next Heritage unloaded it to Jack Lee. Many of the coins in the Jack Lee collection have other sordid stories. I would personally advise buyers to remove the Jack Lee pedigree from their auction purchases.

    Lincoln Cents are just dandy ! If the Thomas Irwin collection or my collection came to auction some of the prices realized would make you guys wet your pants !!!!

    Stewart Blay
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    WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 6,711 ✭✭✭✭✭
    MHO is to watch what happens at FUN this week.

    WS
    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
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    cladkingcladking Posts: 28,353 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There's actually a little more green than red in the memorials.

    I posted years ago that the Lincolns would peak in the autumn of '08 though
    the memorials could continue much longer.

    It's too early to write off any of the Lincolns since there could be more sur-
    prises coming in the near future. I would be leery of holding any coomon coins
    from the series that sell for high premiums. This even includes some coins in
    circulated condition.

    While there will continue to be a flow of new and young collectors into the hob-
    by it might not be enough to hold prices up across the board.
    Tempus fugit.
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    He was the target at the Joshua and Ally Walsh auction by a very unethical coin dealer.

    Yes, I remember flying all the way to Florida to sit on my hands and watch as poor Jack was bid up by the guy that built the Walsh collection. I was a little less than pleasedimage.
    Anyway, I agree that Jack had the resources to pay inflated prices, which in turn was reflected in the PCGS price guide. I think the current "correction" is very appropriate.
    As a side note, I promise to wear a "Depends" undergarment to the auction of Stewart's collectionimage


    Jack



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    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,975 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i> I think the current "correction" is very appropriate.
    Jack >>



    Aren't Lincoln prices are high enough without the fluff and pumping??? I would be satisfied just buying 5-6 solid high end Lincolns in 2009. However, with the crap selling at a premium and solid coins bringing mars money, it's been a challenge for me. I would just like the good ones to come to market and be offered for standard moon money ....image

    Hopefully a correction or two like this will take that top edge off.

    Doug
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    I finished looking at the prices for Memorials in the guide last night. Where the Zincolns are undervalued for high pops, the 1968-1981 Lincolns in high pops are overvalued and the trend shifts for 1959-1967 with those being undervalued. There were not that many low pop coppers in the last two sales, but the prices for the low pops seem to track much closer to reality (~10% difference). I suspect the low pops on the coppers are so low that they don't come up for sale real often.

    Varieties are still an exception for coppers in the price guide too, but I suspect almost everyone that wants one already knows.

    David
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    DMWJRDMWJR Posts: 5,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks David, that's good to know. Collectors are more savvy nowadays, and the margins very wide between coins in the same grade holder. Price guides have always been relatively useless in this regard, and as we see "registry fever" slow a bit, the gap will probably widen even more. More people hopefully will be buying the coin and not the insert.

    A theory I have about the 1959-1967 coins is that there are loads of MS64-MS65 coins out there, but the terrible lack of detail due to various factors, makes availability of true 66-67 coins virtually an impossibility. Who wants to pay for an MS67 from the 60's when it is really no better than 65's out there. ( I don't mean to insult all 67's out there, just some image)

    People scoff sometimes about the Memorials and that there are millions out there waiting to be graded. That's not going to be true 10-20 years from now, and it will be interesting to see what the survival rates are going to be for zinc Lincolns, even within the graded populations. Those who shy away from collecting copper because of its volatility should not even think about collecting copper plated zinc.
    Doug
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    ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,611 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've just spent some time looking over the Heritage auction archives, looking at the Memorials, in MS68RD.

    Wow that is one sorry looking lot of coins.


    http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=28083&Lot_No=23206&src=pr


    You will need a Barf Bag.

    How are they putting these things into 68 holders????????
    Are these black pools not technically "SPOTS" ???

    After seeing that ms68 I posted here what can we grade this one I have, found in an old can of coins untouched since my late fatherinlaw dropped the last ones in in 1991

    if that dog was a 68 is this a 69?

    image

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    There were certainly a lot of Zincoln dogs in the Heritage sale. That 1991 is just typical. It's a real problem with the spotting on the modern planchets. I'll be dipping my 2009's before I send them in this year. It worked for the new silver commems, hope it works on cents.

    David
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    FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,408 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hey lincoln guys. What did the Jack Lee 26S sell for? If it is the same coin,with a finger print on the reverse, I saw at a dealers shop via picture would the coin grade the same today?

    I will wait untill someone comments and then tell you what else I saw at this shop.

    Ken
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    The Jack Lee 26-S did sell. I think it was a bit north of 100K.

    Jack
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    illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Seemed like a good time to bump this thread.

    Just was looking at my registry set and noticed the beating that the Lincolns just took. Some of them well over 25% down and a few almost 50% down on the PCGS Price Guide, even the key dates got hit (probably about time for some of the drops though). What bothers me though is when I go to the Price Guide, the drop isn't shown immediately. You need to go to the price changes section of the Guide and look at the current changes and scroll through the hundreds listed.

    Not sure why the complete guide can't be updated immediately. Seems like an opportunity for some trouble as someone could go to the Guide right now and check the price on an 1909-S VDB in 65RD and they'll see it's $7150. If they don't check today's price changes though, they won't see that it has actually just dropped to $6250.

    Anyways, I just hope the several dealers who like to price their coins at the PCGS Guide prices (some of them deservedly so) are aware of these huge price drops by later this week at the Long Beach show.
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    A little off point, but "Zincoln Cents" is about the funniest new term I've picked up lately. Sorry, guys, I'm a Lincoln lover, born and bred, but I agree with David insofar as the new alloy (and re-designed obverse for me) have always left me cold on the new coins in the series. I'll take the bronze and older design any day. We've gone from home made to toll house chocolate chips, IMO.

    Was the Mint not planning to replicate a 2009 Lincoln matte proof with 1909 composition and design standards, or is that wishful thinking?
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    lasvegasteddylasvegasteddy Posts: 10,408 ✭✭✭
    interesting lil insider stuff there illini420

    yup...i'd think it'd be a one click update and all associated links would bear any changes
    everything in life is but merely on loan to us by our appreciation....lose your appreciation and see


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    illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>interesting lil insider stuff there illini420

    yup...i'd think it'd be a one click update and all associated links would bear any changes >>



    Yeah, seems to take a day or two for the prices to acutally update on the normal PCGS Guide pages... When I notice certain coins or series taking huge jumps up in the Price Guide in the price changes section, I've sometimes considered rushing out to the local B&M or just going to to dealer websites and buying up what is available at the previous price levels which still show as current in the regular section. Haven't done that before as I imagine it would be alot of work for what is usually not that big of a price change, but I could forsee some folks taking advantage of this pricing delay if the change were significant enough. Of course I know this is only one price guide, but a lot of buyers and seller seem to rely on it.

    Back to the topic, I still think we're in for more red in the price guide for Lincolns unfortunately (unless you're buying image )
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    ""Not sure why the complete guide can't be updated immediately.""

    Because the pricing is manually judged and changed (see the Davis Hall explanation on the home page). Jaime Hernandez, the PCGS price guide editor, is a one man show, and up to his eyeballs in price fluctuations on all series at all times. Along with his many many other work responsibilities. Heavy load. But you can actually call him and his is very receptive. Jaime is also an avid collector of IHCs and Lincolns and a knowledgeable copper lover himself. Take care.
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    illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>""Not sure why the complete guide can't be updated immediately.""

    Because the pricing is manually judged and changed (see the Davis Hall explanation on the home page). Jaime Hernandez, the PCGS price guide editor, is a one man show, and up to his eyeballs in price fluctuations on all series at all times. Along with his many many other work responsibilities. Heavy load. But you can actually call him and his is very receptive. Jaime is also an avid collector of IHCs and Lincolns and a knowledgeable copper lover himself. Take care. >>



    Duane, I can definitely appreciate all of the hard work that it takes to keep the Guide up to date and I think they do an awesome job. My point was that once the information is in their system and uploaded to the page that displays the price changes in the last day the information is already in electronic form and in their system. But the main section of the price guide doesn't update until a day or so later.

    So, right now when I go to the Lincoln Cent page of the Guide, my 1909-S VDB in 65RD shows a value of $7150. But when I look at my registry set, look at today's price changes or when I look up my coin number, they each show a value of $6250. So the hard work by the "one man show" in updating the value has been done. Just that the last step in displaying that update the main section of the Guide has not been completed.
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    Thanks. My misunderstanding....
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    WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 6,711 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think it is on purpose to slowly post reds so that a "panic" does not start as it would not be in the companies interest to honestly post all at once what we already know.

    WS
    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
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    bolivarshagnastybolivarshagnasty Posts: 7,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm sure the see of red that was seen on the 3rd of January is nothing like what we are seeing posted this week!!image Looks like the high end reds and the keys took it on the chin. I think much of it is due to the economy, with the Lincolns lagging just a bit. No fresh money going into the series, ie. more supply than demand. What's everyone else think? Shag
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    illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks like the sea of red has made it to the main price guide listing for Lincolns... looks like just about all of the keys in mint state are hit pretty hard, and those top pop steel cents really got spanked!!!

    Once these price changes trickle down to the dealer tables who use this pricing, might present some buying opportunities for those who haven't jumped in all the way yet. I've always sort of wanted an MS68 steel cent and now they look a little better to me image I think my MS67 steelie for a small fraction of the price will hold me over for quite awhile though.
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    lasvegasteddylasvegasteddy Posts: 10,408 ✭✭✭
    <<< I think much of it is due to the economy, with the Lincolns lagging just a bit. No fresh money going into the series, ie. more supply than demand. What's everyone else think? Shag >>>

    there's always those that will defy any and all

    the 1964 sms ms65rd totally shattered established price just last month by going over 50% of guide price...a meek existence will always hold demand over supply...i think it was a $4k to $5k sales track that hammered at $8k approx

    i still hold reguard in those 1965-1967 pcgs sms cameo's as holding demand over supply too

    matte proofs in a common man's affordability range should hold fine too

    certain areas i just don't see red pricing to happen or supply passing demand
    everything in life is but merely on loan to us by our appreciation....lose your appreciation and see


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    cladkingcladking Posts: 28,353 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ouch. I hate to see some of those decreases.

    It looks like the memorials are still doing reasonably well with more plus signs than minus.
    Tempus fugit.
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    renomedphysrenomedphys Posts: 3,509 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's the most appaling sea of red I've ever seen, especially at the end of the spectrum that I like to collect. I know that if I were still holding my MS Lincolns right now, I'd be throwing up.
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