New Purchase - 1903 US-PI Centavo turned out to be a proof

IloiloKano · January 31, 2009 12:56PM

I bid on this item in an ebay auction because I thought from the pictures it could be proof. When I received it this week, I discovered that it was. This makes the second US-PI Proof I have picked up this month for MS money! The other one was a 1904 Centavo with beautiful blue-green coloring. This one is mostly red, but I noticed some nice color also when I turned it to check for surface reflectivity. I have imaged the coin both head on and at a slight angle to display the beauty of my new pickup.

The first image reproduces the color well, while the second brings out the detail, subtle coloring and reflective nature of the surface.
Would anyone offer their assessment as to what PCGS might grade this coin, based on images alone, of course?
Comments will be welcomed and appreciated.

JCMhouston · January 31, 2009 1:53PM

That is a lovely pick up, sorry I can't ehlp on the grading as I don't know the series at all.

Scavenger · January 31, 2009 2:49PM

There were 2,558 mint sets produced in 1903. The coin you have there is beautiful. A lot of people including myself, missed out on that one.

jetblack740il · January 31, 2009 9:21PM

Not a bad pick up for $40.00. Grade wise from the photo, I would say 64RB.

coinkat · January 31, 2009 9:32PM

congrats

IloiloKano · February 1, 2009 1:09AM

<< <i>Not a bad pick up for $40.00. Grade wise from the photo, I would say 64RB. >>

Thanks. I was hoping for at least PR63, and I thought it would likely get a Red-Brown designation also. Too bad there isn't a designation distinguishing between those barely making Red-Brown and those which are nearly all Red, as is this one.

At PR63, book value is $100, and I placed a snipe bid at $37.77. Someone else must have sniped at $37.75, and since ebay doesn't get the next required bid set, (when bids arrive at the last second), mine apparently took precedence instead of being rejected for not being 25 cents higher than the next highest bid. If I had lost it because I didn't bid $38, I would have been upset at myself, but I also expected others would bid MS money ($40 in MS63, but shipping was $3), and it looks like I was right. So I ended up paying $40.77 with shipping.

I don't really collect the proofs, since I can't afford them all, but once I get this and the Proof 1904 Centavo certified, I'll either sell them or attempt to trade them for certifed circulation strikes that I need.

Hussulo · February 1, 2009 1:18AM

That is good news. I like hearing about when newly purchased coins turn out to be better than expected.
Nice find and a lovely looking coin.