Hidden gems in one's collection

scottgardener

The white "scratches" are on the scanner, not the holder, and certainly not on the coin itself.

I bought the above coin way back in the eighties for maybe two or three bucks, so I could have something to fill a spot in a coin album. Since then, my Lincoln cent raw folder has kind of been pushed to one side by my transition over time to certified coins, gold, and the like. But, when the latest collector's club special involved coins with a portrait of Lincoln, I took a look back through my old folder to see what I had, and I noticed how weak the D mint mark looked. A little reading, and I realized that my coin had been made on the same dies that eventually wore out enough to make the coveted 1922 No D cents. When I got it so many years back, I thought it simply was very worn and circulated, maybe a G4 or AG3 grade piece. But, I came to realize that it was actually somewhat better--VG, possibly F, and that its apparent weakness was from the original strike on an overused and worn die. As it turns out, it's a VG10, and it's worth $90 right now in the price guide. I'd have continued quietly overlooking it for another decade or two were it not for the collector's special forcing me to step away from the gold and the Morgans to see what else I had. Amazing how one can discover an interesting find hidden right inside your own collection!

Anyone else had any surprises? When you collect coins for long enough, you'll go back and look at your old collections with new eyes, maybe noticing something you haven't previously seen. The recognition of varieties certainly has opened up these kind of opportunities.

garsmith

good find and good story. I have a bunch of raw coins that I got from my grandmother. I was going to list them on the Bay because most of them are not what I collect. But in looking a the couple of Morgan's and Peace Dollars I have found 2 vams so now I have decided to find out a little more about the others before I sell them. I don't want to become a cherrypickers delight

speety

With the huge focus being on the seated dollar set right now, i often forget some of the type and liberty nickels in our collection. So whenever we do a big layout of the coins in the safety deposit box, once a year or so, I get to see all of these hidden gems that I often times completely overlook.

I don't think this is quite what you are saying but it still brings a smile to my face for about the same reason.

scottgardener

A lot of our surprises do come from coins outside our preferred specialties. The happiest coin collectors, the ones with the best rewards, are the ones who can enjoy the full dimensions of the hobby, rather than getting caught up in the tunnel vision of specializing in one type, or the elitist notion that only so-and-so's are "real" coin collectors or that coins minted after such and such date are lacking in merit.

IloiloKano

<< <i>the elitist notion that only so-and-so's are "real" coin collectors >>

I think I met a few of those "so-and-so's".