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Large Cent Collectors - I need your help!

llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
On Monday, I'm buying a collection of Large Cents that have been stored in a SDB since 1973. The collection ranges from a holed 1793 to MS-something 1850s. These were purchased from the auction houses in the 1960s.

Which TPG should I send the collection to be graded?

Do I have to identify the Sheldon # or will the TPG identify the #?

What are the obvious things I should look for in copper... pitting? verdigris? ?

He also has approximately $100 in silver pulled from circulation in the 1940s-1960s.

How much is the Early American Cents 1949 Sheldon book worth?
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    CoinlearnerCoinlearner Posts: 2,464 ✭✭✭✭
    No responses yet?....Needs a bump image. The problem free coppers to PCGS...others to services that will assign a grade but note problem on label..........."Think" you have to do your own research on Sheldon numbers.........
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    SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Buying a collection of coins you don't know how to value? Hmm......
    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

    RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'

    CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
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    llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭


    << <i>Buying a collection of coins you don't know how to value? Hmm...... >>



    I've been married three times... are you challenging my judgement? image
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    ClosedLoopClosedLoop Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭
    LMAO
    figglehorn
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    SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You should be able to get a used copy of Sheldon's book for $50-$70 (more if it's in exceptional condition).

    If you are considering having the coins graded/slabbed, stick to varieties that are in the Red Book (especially for middle-
    and late-date large cents).

    Look for porosity/verdigris/tooling/recoloration. Many coins that sell raw, net graded according to EAC standards,
    will not grade if sent in to NGC or PCGS.
    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

    RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'

    CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
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    BigMooseBigMoose Posts: 1,469 ✭✭✭
    Attribute the coins by Sheldon and Newcomb numbers yourself as there may be some very rare varieties in the mix. You need to know what you have before sending the coins in for variety attribution because the services do make mistakes in attribution.
    Sheldon's 'Penny Whimsy' or 'Early American Cents' will get you through 1793 to 1814. John Wright's 'The Cent Book' covers 1816 to 1839 beautifully, and Bob Grellman's attribution guide covers 1840 to 1857 in great detail. Good luck! Hope you find an R-6 or r-7 variety! TomT.
    TomT-1794

    Check out some of my 1794 Large Cents on www.coingallery.org
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    dsessomdsessom Posts: 2,212 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>On Monday, I'm buying a collection of Large Cents that have been stored in a SDB since 1973. The collection ranges from a holed 1793 to MS-something 1850s. These were purchased from the auction houses in the 1960s.

    Which TPG should I send the collection to be graded?

    Do I have to identify the Sheldon # or will the TPG identify the #?

    What are the obvious things I should look for in copper... pitting? verdigris? ?

    He also has approximately $100 in silver pulled from circulation in the 1940s-1960s.

    How much is the Early American Cents 1949 Sheldon book worth? >>



    Wow, I'm jealous. I wish I could come across an early copper collection that's been in a SDB for almost 40 years! LOL

    If they dont seem damaged (holed, bent, corroded, pitted) I'd send them to PCGS (Use economy for a large number, otherwise it's going to cost you $50 per coin). I believe PCGS attributes major varieties without additional cost. Perhaps someone else could correct me if I'm wrong.
    The damaged ones could be sent to NCS if you wanted, otherwise just keep them raw in a 2x2 or something. I would LOVE to see photos when you can take some! image

    Best of luck!
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    Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,250 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Buying a collection of coins you don't know how to value? Hmm...... >>


    That's what I was thinking also.....I have been dabbling in large cents for over 20 years, and I'm still learning. An EAC collector/part time dealer friend of mine who has been doing large cents since 1960 acquired a complete set in a National Coin album this past summer (which had been assembled in the 1950's and 60's), and he spent at least a week on it, and still wound up needing some help from copper specialist Bob Grellman on some of them.
    I don't know how much time you have or the level of involvement you are willing to make. The Redbook is probably a good place for starters. I wouldn't worry about attributing Sheldon varieties (which end with the 1814 cent) and the Newcomb varieties (which start in 1816) just yet. The Greysheet is GENERALLY low on large cent values - but, may be useful to you. The Redbook prices likewise are way off, high and low, on many of the large cents. Copper Quotes by Robinson is good, but may be a bit complicated to use at this stage of the game. Problems of any kind, (you mentioned pitting and verdigris - there is also corrosion, scratches, rim dings, cleaned and recolored coins, burnishing, and other things which bring the values down considerably. Be careful with the key dates as well. There are multiple electrotype fakes of the early dates, and the 1799 (if the set has one) probably has more fakes then genuine coins in existence....and some of the alterations were done >100 years ago.
    Good luck and keep us posted. And don't be shy about offering them for sale on the BST if you aren't keeping them image
    Successful BST transactions with 170 members. Recent: Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
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    TPRCTPRC Posts: 3,764 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The aforementioned Bob Grellman used to attribute and grade coins in the EAC format for $1 per coin. In my pinion that is money well spent

    Tom

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    llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭
    Does anyone have Bob Grellman's contact info?

    I'm not keeping any and will offer them all on the BST, including the silver... or maybe I'll offer them in Long Beach or St. Louis?
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    Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,250 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bob Grellman had declared the 1799 cent from that set genuine, and that was good enough for me to lay out the long dollar for it, even though it did not have the usually but not always present die chip on the rev. I also sent scans to a couple of fellows on the forum to help me determine a fair 'net' price for it (the asking price came in well under that, so that was good). Some time after I purchased it, I showed it to Chris McAwley, who also declared it genuine. So, back to my point for the OP, even with a lot of copper experience under my belt, I still needed a lot of help!
    Successful BST transactions with 170 members. Recent: Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
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    jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you come to St. Louis with them, there are several Large Cent dealers who will be there. And if you do, let the rest of us know how to contact you.
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
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    llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭


    << <i>If you come to St. Louis with them, there are several Large Cent dealers who will be there. And if you do, let the rest of us know how to contact you. >>



    I'll be the guy carrying 100 Large Cents with the deer in the headlight look on his face... should be easy to spot! image
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    Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,250 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Several flips that I have only have 'Attributed by J. R. Grellman EAC #575' but maybe if you Google that, you can find something more substantial. If you can't find anything and no one else on here can help, I'll call my dealer friend.
    Successful BST transactions with 170 members. Recent: Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
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    llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭


    << <i>Several flips that I have only have 'Attributed by J. R. Grellman EAC #575' but maybe if you Google that, you can find something more substantial. If you can't find anything and no one else on here can help, I'll call my dealer friend. >>



    I just sent him an e-mail asking if he was attending Long Beach.
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    TevaTeva Posts: 830 ✭
    Post them all we all love a challenge.
    You have to identify the variety to have PCGS
    acknowledge it . For my money I would send them to our host.IMHO
    Give the laziest man the toughest job and he will find the easiest way to get it done.
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    shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,445 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bob is at:

    PO Box 161055 Altamonte Springs FL 32716-1055

    407-682-9592

    ljefferys@cfl.rr.com

    and he does still attribute and grade (EAC grades) for $1 per coin.

    If you're asking how much to pay for that book from the collector...I'd say $35 if it's raggy, $50 if it's nice worn book and the dustjacket isn't shredded, $75-$100 if it looks like he bought it yesterday.
    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
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    shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,445 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you post them on here, we can do a first pass on what you should and shouldn't send in.

    FYI, even most EAC guys don't attribute late dates because there are so many. Grellman is one of a very few who can eyeball attribute them (i.e. without a book!!!).

    Have fun!!
    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
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    MikeInFLMikeInFL Posts: 10,188 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Bob is at:

    PO Box 161055 Altamonte Springs FL 32716-1055

    407-682-9592

    ljefferys@cfl.rr.com

    and he does still attribute and grade (EAC grades) for $1 per coin. >>



    A big +1. If I were in the OP's shoes, I'd get them all to Bob.
    Collector of Large Cents, US Type, and modern pocket change.
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    BochimanBochiman Posts: 25,321 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Does anyone have Bob Grellman's contact info?

    I'm not keeping any and will offer them all on the BST, including the silver... or maybe I'll offer them in Long Beach or St. Louis? >>



    Nah, do the board first. Unless you get a very honest dealer, who knows what he is doing, and is honest (did I say HONEST?), then you will likely do the best on the BST.
    Good ones should sell quickly if priced right and the others will still sell as well....whereas maybe some dealers would lowball a bit on the lesser ones in particular....

    Congrats on getting a chance like this....I'm jealous image

    I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment

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    Billet7Billet7 Posts: 4,923 ✭✭✭
    I never get chances to buy collections, consider yourself lucky!
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    rheddenrhedden Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭✭✭
    These should be fun to look at. I bought a collection that exactly matches your description back in 2002. There was a chain cent with F details, a 1793 wreath, a 1794 that made PCGS XF40, and 1804 in nice VG8, and about 10 Unc. coins from the 1850s, most of which made MS64 and 65 BN or RB at PCGS. The weird thing about that collection was that most of the middle dates were missing. There were 97 coins total, all in the SDB since 1961. I hope you have a similar good experience.

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