Another submission form - a Secure Plus - Regular - was graded either late yesterday or this morning.
My 1895-O Dime in an OGH - with more scratches than I have ever seen on a holder - was sent thru Secure Plus and the result was all I got was a shiny new holder ! No upgrade. I guess I'll have to live with my AU 50 Dime for awhile longer.
My other 1895-O Dime in PCGS 64 Die Cap will have its formal auction debut soon. Stay tuned for an announcement on the Registry Forum.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Mike- I'm sure it's just so terrible to have to wake up with a 1895-O AU-50 Key Date Barber Dime ..Lol Congrats on a Very worthy Crossover into a much better Plastic..
Well, it would have been substantially less money if I just had the coin get a new holder and not regarded into a Secure Plus Holder.
I thought it would slide into a 53 any day of the week. I hate cracking out coins but it looks as if at times you have to if you ever want a higher grade. My luck: I'd get a NG.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Oh so the SecurePlus cost more than the normal grading fee?? PCGS is doing free crossovers at some Big Show. Atlanta maybe. How about a picture of the 95-O Die Cap
Here's the newest addition to my quarter collection. Arrived in today's mail courtesy of Dave Kahn. Im not sure how long this coin was on his site, but I was 100% compelled to buy it as soon as I saw it. This one just called my name….A common date and not one that I generally look very hard for, but I am very proud to be this one's new custodian PC/CAC 58.
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Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
<< <i>Oh so the SecurePlus cost more than the normal grading fee?? PCGS is doing free crossovers at some Big Show. Atlanta maybe. How about a picture of the 95-O Die Cap >>
Ok, why not - maybe some of the readership hasn't seen the image ...
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
That thing is extremely cool, Mike. I don't know the first thing about errors or die caps for that matter, but it sure looks neat. I also saw the info regarding value that you posted on another thread and that is pretty neat too
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
Does anyone in here think one of our fellow members has put a lid on Barber Half Dollar prices lol...my gosh, you could assemble an entire set on eBay tomorrow in any grade chosen if you wanted to!
Yes, there are some really nice Halves on eBay at the moment. I made an inquiry to another forum member about an upgrade for my set. I think it was priced fairly and look forward to its arrival. I'll post images later if I do go ahead with the purchase.
There are much fewer Quarters available in the grade range I am collecting in; I have upped the ante every so often, but I would rather keep my finds in 53-55-58. Occasionally an MS 63-64 slips in, and I really don't mind all that much.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Mike - Your pics look good, but that 95-O error really looks impressive in hand. I was fortunate enough to see it when Mike had it at the ANA last August.
Patches - It does seem as if Darrell has half the barber halves extant, and he's got quite a few of them listed on the bay.
Pics for tonight, a good looking dime still in the vicinity of Brier Creek, PC58:
Vern l It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Thanks again for posting pics of Barbers - not just from your fantastic collection - but also from the other collectors whose coins you must have imaged. Your expertise in imaging prompted me to have a coin mailed to me that I was on the fence about due to the Heritage Images ( they can be a crap shoot, can't they ? )
I noticed something I had long forgotten about, in January, 2007, at the FUN Show, Heritage had auctioned both my Die Caps; this was referred to in the current Heritage listing(s) for my consignment. Both went unsold. Obviously, they did not hit their reserves.
I'll get off my favorite toy, my iPad, later on today and post the images from 2007 and their images taken this month. Of course, Todd's images are vastly superior.
The 1898 Dime in ( looks ) 58, has an interesting die crack on the Reverse, by the ribbon ends at the Bow. It's a favorite date of mine ( I have way too many 1898 examples now, as it is, and certainly don't need another - so - this isn't a solicitation to buy - sorry, Walt 😉 !! )
An interesting question was posed to me yesterday, and I did not have time to check POP reports - and Prices Realized at Heritage. Are some Barber Quarters rarer in VF-AU than in MS. I scratched my head, and tried not to dwell too long on that question. A certain date was mentioned, since forgotten, but the premise still remains. Which are rarer, VF-AU's or MS. The POP reports shouldn't be used as the Say-All / Do-All of R-Ratings, but it was a sort of a newbie question that should be addressed.
My immediate reaction was/is : lesser valued coins are less frequently graded professionally and therefore it can be misconscrewed (sic) that they are rarer than MS coins. You have to look at the survival rate - and as is the case of the 1901-S, most of the lesser graded coins are done so strictly for the case of authenticity. Look at the POP on that date, very few coins are listed above the grade of F- VF. The pops are higher in MS than in higher circ grades. Now, without redefinition of "rarity" an argument could be made that the higher circ grades are really rarer (survival rate ) than the MS coins.
Ok, enough about that. I hope any and all who are planning on attending the ANA "Spring" Show the end of next month in Atlanta - will have an opportunity to stop by Glenn Holsonbake's table # 427 and say hello ! {let's all hope the weather improves dramatically !! }
Personally, I feel that these early in the year shows should alternate between two cities - San Diego and Fort Lauderdale. Both have perfect climates in the Spring.
Sorry, Portland, but you're not known for your warm Spring weather.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Mike- Thanks for your answer to my question.. I was referring to a MS 1897-S Quarter. Although a highER grade in MS is it more rare VF-AU because I have seen about 10 more MS than VF-AU and the Collector demand us mugh strongER in high circulated grades. Anyone wna chime in?
I can't get enough of this picture. So, I'm going to reply to it with an observation and a question.
If I would ever become a series, collect by date person, this is the way I'd do it. I can see it all together and enjoy the consistent appearance, care taken, and comprehensiveness of the collection. However, I would find collecting only one type to be incredibly boring. No insult intended - I like variety, am a type collector, and given limited resources, most can't collect everything in depth.
So for you Barber fanatics who so lovingly post here, describe to me why your focused passion is different or more satisfying to you than the type collecting approach?
I know by studying the series, one likely gets some satisfaction from that knowledge, but doesn't boredom set in at some point?
If you are buying mostly Barber slabbed coins (and yes, I understand all the reasons for buying certified examples), don't you find it disappointing not seeing it in an album so it can be "consumed" all at once?
What else should one know to understand the brain of a Barber fanatic?
Catbert - I have purchased exactly three non-Barber coins for my collection in the past 18-24 months, but I am far from bored I love the Barber quarter series for a variety of reasons. Here are a quick few off the top of my head:
-I love the way that original, mid grade circulated Barbers (all types) tend to color. I often feel like I may be in the minority, but I like the dark olive look that many VF/XF Barber coins attain naturally over time. -I love the complexity/depth of the series, and there are lots of dates to collect. Obviously there are the three key dates that everyone knows about, but not everyone knows just how tough it is to find an 09 O in AU, or how tough the 06 O is in nice, original, never dipped XF/AU. I could go on……. -I love that there are a lot of "low" mintage dates in the series compared with much higher mintages for many types with so many different dates/mint marks in the series. -I love the challenge that putting together a complete set of Barber quarters presents.
Mark - FWIW I completely agree with Doug.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
I would say almost without exception, barber quarters are scarcer in VF-AU than in MS.
Doug >>
There you have it Mark, a finite answer from one of the most authoritative collectors of this series that you will ever hear from. At times I wished I lived in Iowa just to be able to visit with Doug and talk about coins. { Then I realize he is residing in a snow belt state with sub freezing temperatures }..... Maybe this year, instead of being confined to a table for PNG day, we Barber fanatics should man the BCCS table prior to the ANA only show in August, then alternate personnel to man the table after that.
Imagine walking up to a table and seeing not one but four or five great sets of Quarters side by side. I'll try and talk another mid-westerner, DJ Rowbotham of ChuGum collection fame to display his sets as well. The BCCS table would be swamped with looky-Lou's and maybe we'd convert a few more collectors to the series we all love.
Dan, more on album collecting in a bit. That is how we all started, and I think most of us still prefer to collect that way.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
After being outbid on the PCGS XF-45 1899-S barber quarter (yes I see it's the same one pictured a few posts above mine) I decided to nab JJ Teaparty's AU-55 as I don't have many 'clean' coins in my collection, most are on the crusty side, so it's a nice change of pace.... plus this date is rare enough that it's annoying to have to keep looking for it. It may not be the last specimen of this date I purchase, or even the first one I own (the other ones are just VG raw crusty ones) ... undervalued date still, along with a few others.... actually this is the first coin I've bought in a few years.
The first image which I found google searching but was not the image listed on their site shows the luster better than the sale image, it also shows the obverse wear better denoting the AU-55 grade.
Mike, thanks for the kind words. You have an open invitation to visit me anytime in frozen Iowa.
Catbert, John made many good points on the appeal of collecting barber quarters. They are the perfect mix of being very challenging but not impossible. Seated quarters are close to impossible, standing liberty quarters are much more available than barbers and are a comparatively short set, and Washington quarters aren't much of a challenge. I love the different tiers of barber quarter availability- key dates, semi-keys, tough dates, and common dates. Nice original coins can be hard to locate, even for some of the common dates. And, you can collect and display your certified coins in albums, my set resides in three Eagle albums. I get the same satisfaction viewing my coins side by side in these albums that I did in the 70's and 80's with bookshelf type albums.
This particular page is awesome. Every time you go to it you get Vern's raw set in full zoom right at the top
Catbert's thought provoking post, combined with days off from work today and tomorrow, have led me to use some spare time this evening to try to come up with a more well thought out list of my current toughest Barber quarter dates in XF/AU. I put out a somewhat half-assed list a few weeks ago, so here is a more concerted effort…..with a twist. I thought it would be fun to try to put a "top 12" together while taking out the three key dates (96-S, 01-S, and 13-S), as well as many collectors might consider to be the "next three keys" in XF/AU (97-S, 09-O, and 14-S). Again, these are just my perceptions of market availability in the past 9-12 months………Probably best to take them with a grain of salt.
1. 1907 S 2. 1895 S 3. 1906 O (if we're talking in totally original condition this might be #1) 4. 1903 S 5. 1901 O (there have been some nice coins at auction in the past year, and there are also the moon priced eBay examples as well….) 6. 1911 S 7. 1896 O 8. 1897 O 9. 1905 S 10. 1905 O 11. 1902 S 12. 1913
Next three: 1909 S, 1912 S, 1892 S Toughest P dates (after 1913): 1894, 1895, 1896, 1910
I know this topic has been visited a few times in the past few months, I won't be offended by anyone who wishes to simply skip right through this post…….would love to hear from anyone with a comment, thought, or opinion though. I'd also love to see a similar list of dimes or halves someday from one of our many resident experts.
I have always been a true nerd about making lists
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
I know what you are saying .. I feel similarly to you in that the world of numismatics is so vast, to limit myself to 24 years of dates amongst one or two denominations would be missing out. But this falls into the category of "to each their own; collect what and how you like". I, like you, have grown away from a concentrated date/mint mark set of coins. I no longer aspire to put a full set together (unless it is in an album .. I would love to do a type set someday - that would be very interesting and very cool)
Prior to me "getting serious", I had a collection around 75% complete of Barber Halves and 50% of Barber Quarters in a mixed array of slabbed and raw coins mostly in VF to AU, many were cleaned for sure. ... along with miscellaneous half complete sets of Morgan Dollars, Walking Liberty Halves, Indian Cents and a vast array of Seated & Bust coinage. Then, I got "serious" and as Ambro so aptly put it in a post he replied to a few months back "I sold the dreck and bought PQ" ......
Eventually I was convinced/persuaded to join the registry which I found fascinating and fun .. for while. It had it's ups and downs .. but the positives were the opportunities to meet a lot of really advanced and knowledgeable people and the doors swung open to more avenues of obtaining coins. For the first year, it was double-shots of Kool-Aid ... straight up ... hold the water please.
I have partaken this ride of just Barbers (almost exclusively) for 6+ years. I had dabbled in other coins, medals, CWT, copper and even a little paper money. I was also a collector who would collect mostly raw coins. I had several slabbed coins for sure, but there was no requisite to have them all graded by PCGS et.al Only recently I began the process of dissolving my Barber Half Set that I worked so carefully and diligently on, particularly the last year or so. The 15 or so coins I have sold recently have received nothing but the highest praise and compliments from the newest owners. They have all been extremely pleased with the quality they have received. And I am happy they have so far landed with people who are so passionate and appreciative.
My Barber Half Set was actually 100% complete on the registry for a few months. all in PCGS XF or AU except the 1913-S and 1896-O which were both graded VF-35. I then looked at it and realized I had gone too fast, particularly in the beginning. I didn't like around 20 of the coins. I then decided I would never be happy with the less than nice coins, and would replace them and at the same time upgrade the whole set in choice AU. I started selling off the dogs and declared to myself, the next coin I buy to "fill a hole" will be my last. It would have to be so choice, there would be no need or desire to upgrade again. This happened and I stuck to the plan ... for about a year. And it wasn't like I was missing all the keys .. I had many very nice examples of dates that are amongst the toughest dates in the series. I had gorgeous examples of the 1893-S, 1895-O, 1896, 1896-S, 1898-S, 99-S, 1900-O, 1904-S, 1908-S, 1910, 1914, and several other semi keys .. I also recently successfully "made" the 3rd ever graded 1896-O PCGS AU58 .. originally purchased in a NGC-55 holder .. and after some trials and tribulations, got it to grade AU58 when submitted raw. For a while, I had what is likely the toughest "date trifecta" in the Barber half Series in PCGS 58 plastic: the 1896 year (P-O-S) ... But .. I still needed the 1901-O and S, 1897-O and S (I had all these dates in PC40 or 45 originally) .. I still have a Barber Quarter set registered with PCGS as it is 80 some odd percent complete although in many cases I have 2,3,4,5 or more duplicates of certain dates .. And as time has moved on, I have eliminated any coin I rate with an overall eye appeal/originality rating of less than 9. My goals have changed, my standards have risen. And I don't mean the grade I desire.. my standards are the same whether we are talking about a F-12 or an MS-65. In property they say: Location, location, location. In coins I say: Eye appeal, eye appeal, eye appeal .. - with a touch of originality (or perceived originality) since none of us really know for sure despite how often the term is tossed around.
So I have collected the dreck and the cleaned garbage and gone to the other end of the spectrum into full blown PCGS registry pursuit. At this point, I am collecting what appeals to my eye. I maintain a Barber Quarter collection, albeit not all in PCGS plastic. I have dozens of beautiful raw quarters that would grade anywhere from XF to MS63/64 and dozens in other holders ... I am also beginning to branch out and familiarize myself with other areas within numismatics .. I am in the read the book stage for the most part, all the while still looking to obtain choice, original Barber Quarters in AU-MS64 (I have a post looking to buy these on the BST).. I enjoy looking for them in the raw as it is like an Easter egg hunt to me .. And, not to copy Vern, I have never deserted my BQ Dansco album. Although I did remove anything under choice AU55 electing to try and do the album in AU/MS .. I can assure you the 1901-S and probably the 13-S will probably always remain empty.
So the long and short of it is .. I love collecting and I love learning. I really love learning and researching and using my brain .. I love to debate, I love to think. The hobby of collecting allows all of these things to blossom.. I still love and hold barber collecting dear to my heart. But I am at a point where I do not care if the coins are PCGS graded (unless I plan to sell them as one would be foolish not to). My goals and aspirations are to learn other series, tokens, medals, gold coins, etc. I am always open to learning and possibly collecting non-numismatic items.
Oh .. btw JKT -- I respectfully must disagree with a portion of that list .. but that is just me .. Bookmark it or print it out and revisit it in 5 years and se if you still agree .. that would be fun! ..
The 1906-O is in the top 2 or 3 branch mints pops for MS coins. There are a ton of them. The easiest way to locate an AU would be to buy an MS62 and put it in your pocket for a few days and create a 55/58 .. it would probably bring more $$$$$ to those pursuing registry coins ..... MS62/63 1906-O have been selling in the 300s even recently ...There certainly has been a shortage of AU slabbed coins .. we must all remember 5-10 years ago the only slabbed BQ you would see were MS unless they were 1901-S/13-S/96-S which were slabbed primarily for authenticity reasons. It just wasn't worth slabbing a $100 coin .. and that is what most AUs cost 5-10 years ago .. around $100 or less for the common ones.
Awesome post and a great read as usual, Scott. Thanks for taking the time...
You have a really good point about my list in using the 06o 25c example as well, btw. I didn't really think about "pocketing" and MS 62 as an option, and that particular route isn't for me, but I am sure there are 58's being "made" from 62s and 3s as I type this, and that is a part of the landscape in the coin market that I need to consider more.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
Scott: ...An excellent discussion. I recommend that all Barber collectors keep building and don't sell until you are really ready to move on to something else. I should image all of the the pieces that are now in other collections, but I'll ruin my key board (the tears)! I had the full Barber Quarter set and thought that I was ready to move on. ...Fact is, I was only ready to expand into other areas.
For just a peek here's one that went bye, bye:
This is one of many that I put into plastic and later had CAC'd.
Labelman87 is correct, he's not as old as I am, he only looks older. 😎
I thought we ( Labelman87 & I ) were not going to show off old coins we sold; this was an agreement he and I had together so we wouldn't cry over spilt milk.
That 96-O shown previously is very nice, substantially nicer than what is available today. ( Yes, I am referring to the one at auction this week.) I am not overly enamored with that one. Personally, I would love to locate my old example, and repurchase it.
Yup, you just can't cry over spilt milk. I have been more fortunate locating my old Dimes occasionally, and in some cases have bought them back for less than I sold them at auction. Sometimes I have had to pay a small premium to get them back. Sometimes, they slip thru your fingers before you have a chance to actually secure them in your cart at check out on line, and then realize, sorry that coin is no longer in inventory ( this just happened to one of my old Quarters - a variety I wanted back. ) Well, no dice ... Wasn't too happy about that ... But what can you do ?
I guess I have been around these boards long enough to have seen the comings and goings of many a collector. We have seen ourselves quite clearly in Scott's self description of his collecting habits. I thought he was talking about me there for awhile. Seems many of us fall into the same form of collecting. I am still the same type of collector I have always been: Series and date collector. I like an orderly progression to my collection. I don't think I'd be too happy with a random string of non related coins.
There will come a time when I will follow Scott's lead and only keep the few things out of my sets that bring me the most joy and liquidate the other material.
Looking over JT's list, it mimics my want list ( yes, I have no intention of including the Top Three in this new set ). As I mentioned earlier, I am not such a purist, that I wouldn't mind having a few MS coins in the mix. The one date I have always found difficult, oddly enough as far as I am concerned, is the 1906-O in high grade AU.
EDIT: Sorry Labelman87 - but I couldn't resist:
{ I said to Labelman, I should have bought all his cast offs when I had a chance ! }
Maybe I will just find a choice MS version, and add it to the set ( I also am not a fan of cracking out MS coins to use as pocket pieces so they drop down a point or two.) I always wondered how strong the mental fortitude our friend Craig Petersen had cracking out all those 1905 Phila Halves in AU 50, so one of them would wear down enough to grade 45. That man was on a mission !!!
Whatever collecting habits we slide into, I hope that Barber coinage is always in- corporated in mine.
I received the grades of a small submission I dropped off at FUN. Two crosses and one disappointment. The 1896 Dime I found on a Heritage auction a couple of months ago, which I thought was grossly undergraded in NGC 55, well, it did not cross at any grade. Guess heavy rim toning isn't our graders "cup of tea". I was sorry to hear that bit of news; but it doesn't negate my fondness for the coin itself. It's one of the prettiest Dimes I have ever seen.
The 1906-D Quarter in NGC 55 that our friend MrkBrown827 sold me just prior to the Ghost S brew-haha, did cross as a 55 as I knew it would. An 1894-O Half in ANACS 40 that I was praying might upgrade to a 45, crossed to another 40. That's ok too, as now I have two 1894-O's both in 40, and I love them both, but once I get the newly graded coins returned, I'll make that cut and dry decision. ( I feel like the heroine in Sophie's Choice at times.)
Am getting very excited about what Scott is sending down this week. Even though it seems it's been footballed around quite a bit as of late, I wouldn't even had a shot at it until Scott changed his collecting outlook. I felt the same way over Walt's collections recent years. Talk about doing a "180" !! I have been the beneficiary of these decisions, and am thankful for it. Recently, I was able to pick up a half dozen beautifully toned Quarters, as well the group included my old 1905-O.
Ok, just when you think no one else is selling off his Barber Quarters, winds of change have whispered there is yet another large collection or hoard of Quarters being selectively secreted out of state to collectors. Seems this collector is following in the footsteps of a mutual friend in collecting Seated material. This certainly is a small enough community that we hear soon enough what is transpiring. As I mentioned earlier, I have seen my fair share of collectors come and go.
Life goes on.
Ok, Happy Hunting everyone !!
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
I was going to throw in my thoughts on the quarter list then got caught up in Scott's good post and then that purdy '96-o quarter pic and forgot what I was going to say... Just notes: I know I agree with the second big three because of the star appeal of each of them. So the 07-s really is one of the last few that are pop of single digits in each of 40 thru 58. You could argue its place at the top of your list for that merit. But it's been priced like a common date for a long time. Money could bring more out. Moon priced 01-o? Gee, I think the AU50 on eBay for $3500 is fair! This is never a dull topic. Good list.
We're all born MS70. I'm about a Fine 15 right now.
Labelman87, I see old habits die hard. You're still getting up with the chickens, arn't you !!
That scan of the 04-O just doesn't cut it. You need to have your coins professionally imaged. That coin is too nice to be represented by a scan. Bring in a box of twenty to the Atlanta ANA and have Todd have a crack at them.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Craig - that 96-O Quarter is the epitome of perfection in a choice AU BQ. The rarity of finding wholesome un-messed with BQ is undeniable. That said, I still feel many coins remain in "original" condition than most give credit for. The same is/was said for Barber Halves (BH for short). I have been at this hobby for many years less than some resident experts .. However, until I am proven otherwise (through my continued future years in this hobby), I stand behind my own :theory" that many of these coins have not been to the slab factories yet. Years ago, it was darn near impossible to find nice quality slabbed BH .. Mostly due to higher prices, (due to increased demand), the past 2 years have seen a spike in the number of slabbed Barber Halves in grades from F-AU. If one looks on eBay now for slabbed BH, one will find a bevy of them. The supply has sky rocketed while prices have remained somewhat stable. As the supply has gone up substantially and collectors have acquired the pieces they want, we are seeing many of the same coins sitting and growing stale, not just on eBay - I only use that as it is a quick, fast and easy reference for anyone bored enough to read this useless dialogue ..
As many collectors are album collectors, quality raw coins had been attainable with some searching for reasonable and relatively (to today) low prices Demand spikes due to the CU Barber Mega Thread Prices start to rise --->>> Every Man sets are born and EM Registry sets blossom Slabbed pieces become "en vogue" Slabbed coins are HARD TO FIND, especially NICE !! Prices Spike ... then soar More coins come out of hiding and are submitted to slab factories Prices keep rising - supply keeps rising People's collections fill out (coins are acquired) Supply keeps growing as more and more F-AU cons find their way into slabs (some nicer than others) Coins stagnate as people will not spend $200 on what used to be a $40 coin 5 years ago
This is typical of any market ... People buy Apple stock at $10 .. then at $20 .. then friends tell friends and the stock hits $30..$40..bandwagon jumpers jump on .. $50..$60 ... Then ...??? Think of silver/gold/real estate ...
So .. BQ in F/VF/XF/AU .. weren't slabbed years ago as it simply wasn't worth it. Coupled with the fact that 5-10 years ago, most wanted them raw for albums ... Now we are seeing them being "pushed" ..
I have watched the pops grow before my eyes.. examples:
When I submitted the VF/XF Quarters (from the video in previous posts) ... three of those coins that came back were pop 1 or pop 2 at the time
1907-S VF30 - was pop 1 (now pop 9 !!) 1892-S VF35 - was pop 1 (now pop 4) 1893-S VF35 - was pop 1 (now pop 6)
Those are just a few examples ... it simply made little sense to submit them .. the 1907-S I bought raw as an "XF" for $50... today in that slab it would probably bring $150 .. NOW it IS worth slabbing.. especially if one goes out cherry picking raw BQ in the wild knowing they can make a healthy profit (Dave Kahn?)
Do not misunderstand .. I still believe many branch mint coins are tough to find in XF/AU as those grades in particular are very difficult to find problem free and "original" (I hate the word but until I find a better word I reluctantly use it) .. By nature and definition they are automatically scarce. Coins WERE saved in MS condition and hence their pops are higher (generally) than XF/AU.. the exception being the common Philadelphia coins and a few branch mint coins.
The 1907-S is a definite anomaly with low pops in circulated grades all the way up the ladder. There are a total of 27 PCGS coins graded PCGS XF40 to PCGS AU58 (4-3-6-6-3-5) .. It does remain scarce ... Ironically - it is this coin that made me "look in the mirror" ... I paid SEVEN TIMES PRICE GUIDE for this coin... Well over $2000 for this coin below. 1907-S PCGS MS64 examples had sold for $1700-$1800 .. Sorry - But that just makes me silly IMO .. Looking back, I would buy the MS64 EVERY SINGLE TIME. But Please don't get me wrong.. I love the coin .. I respect the rarity .. I know how hard it is to find - especially this nice. I actually jut sent the coin to another member for a show and tell (not the Midwest ) .. He probably wont send it back is what he told me In 5 years, will the pops still be this low? 10 years? Is it a good "investment"? Do I care? The answers are probably, maybe, definitely not and no in that order.
But this is the coin that seriously made me realize I would simply prefer to own the "nicer" coin. Now that I have purchased and owned several MS coins, these are what I would prefer to own over the slider. And it is not about "what will hold value/stand the test of time" .. as much as what do I like to look at/collect more .. It is just a natural progression (for me) if you will. AND COLLECTING IS ALL ABOUT WHAT THE COLLECTOR LIKES/WANTS TO COLLECT .. Simple as that ... Many may disagree .. it is completely individualistic .. It was an awakening if you will.. The logic is almost like - I can always "convert the MS64 to an AU58 but the reverse is impossible" <---- Talking theoretical here ... not literal .. although the theory is possible whereas the reverse is purely and undeniably impossible
So this coin has been posted before, but it seems apropos to post it again as many call it the king of the circulated AU58 outside of "The Big 3".. I am not sure I agree .. I do agree it is near the top but I liken it to a lottery ticket where buying 2 tickets absolutely will increase your odds of winning the jackpot . In fact they DOUBLE your chances of wining the jackpot. They go from 0.00000002% to 0.00000004%. ...
This coin looks so much nicer in hand .. the luster screams .. the coin just comes alive in hand.
Scott- Thanks for taking the time to write that up. It was a very nice read for me being a newbie to the series. I have not laid eyes on another 07-S in 58 as nice as yours. Very sweet coin and to me uts worth the premium you paid because if it were my option to buy and I had the cash I would definitely own it.. This is the reason I love this thread and visit it several times a day. There is so much knowledge a new collector as myself can obtain from the guys who have(been here and have been doing it)for years. I absolutely love BQ for the same reasons as many of yall. I look forward to learning more and expanding my collection and someday I may have some knowledge of the series to share...
Ok... my stomach is in a knot... that 07-S is a beauty - I'd be happy to have it in my collection.
The price however of what you had to pay to get the coin is, at face value, out of orbit.
In 1998, I paid the outrageous price of $244 bottom line for this coin in raw state. It made it out of the ANACS grading room as an AU 58, and crossed to PCGS as a 58. When it sold after thirteen years of ownership, it sold for $900 plus buyers fees or $1035. Now, this was two and a half years ago. The value has since doubled in two and a half years for a similar coin ?
I'm looking for a larger version of this image - I have more files to search - this image was on Photobucket Ok, here goes nothing...
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Hi Mike - I forgot to say what a terrific 1906-O That quarter is .. I meant to include in my previous post
I can't say the value has doubled in a 2.5 years time. However, the person selling it offered it to me for that number ($2150) .. Had another "lesser informed" dealer obtained the coin, and bought it raw and had it graded . perhaps they would have offered it for near the $300 PCGS price guide price .. this dealer is a "Barber specialist" and knew what he had .. ... I could have taken it or left it. Once coin was in hand I took it as the coin was absolutely amazing. I have the feeling had I said no, he would have had little problem finding someone else that would say yes .. Can't blame a guy for maxing out the value when his life is selling coins. He referenced the coin that sold at Heritage about 18 months ago ($2500) .. Have a look at the archives -- you will find it easy enough.
Back on July 4th I found a dealer on Collector's corner selling a 1902-S quarter in an NGC AU58 holder for $350. I had a PCGS 58 I had bought from Teletrade about 3 months prior for $700 (that coin is currently in the Iowa collection) .. That dealer certainly left several hundred on the table .. It all depends who is selling it I suppose (and what they paid for it) .. this is one of the reasons I love looking for these coins in the raw .. it is fun and can be very rewarding !!
Here is a 1909-S Quarter I bought raw at the March 2013 Baltimore show .. I graded it a solid XF40 at the time .. PCGS said XF45 .. I forgot how nice this coin was until I got it back (today) ... had been out of my possession for 2 months!! Fresh back from PCGS courtesy of submissions through a forum member enjoying the warm, sunny weather of southern Florida - thank you Mr. Paeasan!! I sold my previous XF45 on eBay even before knowing if this coin would grade or not ... Beantown's new rule of thumb ---> if the coin does not score a 9 on a scale of 1-10 in all categories (originality, eye appeal, luster if applicable for AU and up, surface quality and strike) ... it must be banished!! PCGS XF45
Mike - Love the 06o and the 07s you posted. Your story of finding that 07s raw and what has happened to it in the market since is very interesting indeed. Beautiful looking coin so not surprised to see it fetch such high prices.
Craig - Awesome 96o. Appreciate you biting the bullet and posting that one for the good of the Thread I am very excited about a nice looking AU example of that date that is on its' way to VA right now…
Scott - I LOVE your 07s. Your take on how that coin was a "game changer" for you was a great read. I don't necessarily disagree with your 58 vs 64 logic (and Ill be the first to admit that I probably overly romanticize the concept of collecting "circulated" coins). That said, add me to the list of interested parties if you ever decide to part with that beauty
Mark - You are probably right about the 96o being ahead of the 11s. FWIW though, I should've probably expressed more clearly that my "top 12" was about availability in the past year or so….not necessarily a list of historic "toughness". Still, I think you're probably spot on.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
The 1906-O in NGC 58 CAC, once belonged to Labelman87 - one of his "Cast Offs" - that I help market for him.
Maybe some of you remember the large group of AU Quarters I had at FUN two years ago ? They were all Craig's and they were a wonderful group of coins, that's putting it mildly.
As he and I have been saying, you can't cry over spilt milk.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
One of the YN's who took my course in Barbers this Summer - notified me that there was an upgrade for my Dime set on line - I tripped over myself to order it - via my iPhone no less. I know only too well exactly how rare this date is - I'm beyond happy about this. JMW and I have looked for ages and it was Glenn who located a nice one for Joe - only took two + years !!
CANCEL THIS POST - The owner sold the coin at Long Beach earlier.
This is a PCGS 55
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Comments
<< <i>Lovely 96-o dime >>
I couldn't agree more. Seems my friend would rather sell retail
than wholesale to me ....
If you ever tire of it...
Thought this was a nice coin - added it from a fellow forum member, JT:
{ GTG ? }
Spotted this one as well and thought, in for a penny, in for a pound...
{ GTG ? }
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Hoard the keys
<< <i>Mike- congrats on the 99-S. Very nice addition to your hoard
A duplicate date does not constitute a hoard. LOL. It's still a collection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Hoard the keys
Well,
Another submission form - a Secure Plus - Regular -
was graded either late yesterday or this morning.
My 1895-O Dime in an OGH - with more scratches
than I have ever seen on a holder - was sent thru
Secure Plus and the result was all I got was a shiny
new holder ! No upgrade. I guess I'll have to live with
my AU 50 Dime for awhile longer.
My other 1895-O Dime in PCGS 64 Die Cap will have its
formal auction debut soon. Stay tuned for an announcement
on the Registry Forum.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Hoard the keys
Well, it would have been substantially less money if I just had the coin get a new holder
and not regarded into a Secure Plus Holder.
I thought it would slide into a 53 any day of the week. I hate cracking out coins
but it looks as if at times you have to if you ever want a higher grade. My luck:
I'd get a NG.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Hoard the keys
Pics for today, another selection from the Iowa collection, PC55:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
<< <i>Oh so the SecurePlus cost more than the normal grading fee?? PCGS is doing free crossovers at some Big Show. Atlanta maybe. How about a picture of the 95-O Die Cap >>
Ok, why not - maybe some of the readership hasn't seen the image ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
<< <i>I've seen it before but man, it never gets old. What a coin. >>
Amen!
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
Steve,
Yes, there are some really nice Halves on eBay at the moment.
I made an inquiry to another forum member about an upgrade
for my set. I think it was priced fairly and look forward to its
arrival. I'll post images later if I do go ahead with the purchase.
There are much fewer Quarters available in the grade range I am
collecting in; I have upped the ante every so often, but I would
rather keep my finds in 53-55-58. Occasionally an MS 63-64 slips
in, and I really don't mind all that much.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Mike - Your pics look good, but that 95-O error really looks impressive in hand.
I was fortunate enough to see it when Mike had it at the ANA last August.
Patches - It does seem as if Darrell has half the barber halves extant, and he's got quite a few of them listed on the bay.
Pics for tonight, a good looking dime still in the vicinity of Brier Creek, PC58:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Vern,
Thanks again for posting pics of Barbers - not just from your fantastic collection -
but also from the other collectors whose coins you must have imaged. Your expertise
in imaging prompted me to have a coin mailed to me that I was on the fence about
due to the Heritage Images ( they can be a crap shoot, can't they ? )
I noticed something I had long forgotten about, in January, 2007, at the FUN Show,
Heritage had auctioned both my Die Caps; this was referred to in the current Heritage
listing(s) for my consignment. Both went unsold. Obviously, they did not hit their reserves.
I'll get off my favorite toy, my iPad, later on today and post the images from 2007 and
their images taken this month. Of course, Todd's images are vastly superior.
The 1898 Dime in ( looks ) 58, has an interesting die crack on the Reverse, by the
ribbon ends at the Bow. It's a favorite date of mine ( I have way too many 1898 examples
now, as it is, and certainly don't need another - so - this isn't a solicitation to buy - sorry,
Walt 😉 !! )
An interesting question was posed to me yesterday, and I did not have time to check POP
reports - and Prices Realized at Heritage. Are some Barber Quarters rarer in VF-AU than in
MS. I scratched my head, and tried not to dwell too long on that question. A certain date was
mentioned, since forgotten, but the premise still remains. Which are rarer, VF-AU's or MS.
The POP reports shouldn't be used as the Say-All / Do-All of R-Ratings, but it was a sort of
a newbie question that should be addressed.
My immediate reaction was/is : lesser valued coins are less frequently graded professionally
and therefore it can be misconscrewed (sic) that they are rarer than MS coins. You have to
look at the survival rate - and as is the case of the 1901-S, most of the lesser graded coins
are done so strictly for the case of authenticity. Look at the POP on that date, very few coins
are listed above the grade of F- VF. The pops are higher in MS than in higher circ grades. Now,
without redefinition of "rarity" an argument could be made that the higher circ grades are really
rarer (survival rate ) than the MS coins.
Ok, enough about that. I hope any and all who are planning on attending the ANA "Spring" Show
the end of next month in Atlanta - will have an opportunity to stop by Glenn Holsonbake's table # 427
and say hello ! {let's all hope the weather improves dramatically !! }
Personally, I feel that these early in the year shows should alternate between two cities - San Diego
and Fort Lauderdale. Both have perfect climates in the Spring.
Sorry, Portland, but you're not known for your warm Spring weather.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Hoard the keys
<< <i>
I can't get enough of this picture. So, I'm going to reply to it with an observation and a question.
If I would ever become a series, collect by date person, this is the way I'd do it. I can see it all together and enjoy the consistent appearance, care taken, and comprehensiveness of the collection. However, I would find collecting only one type to be incredibly boring. No insult intended - I like variety, am a type collector, and given limited resources, most can't collect everything in depth.
So for you Barber fanatics who so lovingly post here, describe to me why your focused passion is different or more satisfying to you than the type collecting approach?
I know by studying the series, one likely gets some satisfaction from that knowledge, but doesn't boredom set in at some point?
If you are buying mostly Barber slabbed coins (and yes, I understand all the reasons for buying certified examples), don't you find it disappointing not seeing it in an album so it can be "consumed" all at once?
What else should one know to understand the brain of a Barber fanatic?
I would say almost without exception, barber quarters are scarcer in VF-AU than in MS.
Doug
-I love the way that original, mid grade circulated Barbers (all types) tend to color. I often feel like I may be in the minority, but I like the dark olive look that many VF/XF Barber coins attain naturally over time.
-I love the complexity/depth of the series, and there are lots of dates to collect. Obviously there are the three key dates that everyone knows about, but not everyone knows just how tough it is to find an 09 O in AU, or how tough the 06 O is in nice, original, never dipped XF/AU. I could go on…….
-I love that there are a lot of "low" mintage dates in the series compared with much higher mintages for many types with so many different dates/mint marks in the series.
-I love the challenge that putting together a complete set of Barber quarters presents.
Mark - FWIW I completely agree with Doug.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
<< <i>Mark,
I would say almost without exception, barber quarters are scarcer in VF-AU than in MS.
Doug >>
There you have it Mark, a finite answer from one of the most authoritative collectors of this
series that you will ever hear from. At times I wished I lived in Iowa just to be able to visit
with Doug and talk about coins. { Then I realize he is residing in a snow belt state with sub
freezing temperatures }..... Maybe this year, instead of being confined to a table for PNG day,
we Barber fanatics should man the BCCS table prior to the ANA only show in August, then
alternate personnel to man the table after that.
Imagine walking up to a table and seeing not one but four or five great sets of Quarters
side by side. I'll try and talk another mid-westerner, DJ Rowbotham of ChuGum collection fame
to display his sets as well. The BCCS table would be swamped with looky-Lou's and maybe we'd
convert a few more collectors to the series we all love.
Dan, more on album collecting in a bit. That is how we all started, and I think most of us still
prefer to collect that way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
The first image which I found google searching but was not the image listed on their site shows the luster better than the sale image, it also shows the obverse wear better denoting the AU-55 grade.
LINK
LINK2
Catbert, John made many good points on the appeal of collecting barber quarters. They are the perfect mix of being very challenging but not impossible. Seated quarters are close to impossible, standing liberty quarters are
much more available than barbers and are a comparatively short set, and Washington quarters aren't much of a challenge. I love the different tiers of barber quarter availability- key dates, semi-keys, tough dates, and common dates.
Nice original coins can be hard to locate, even for some of the common dates. And, you can collect and display your certified coins in albums, my set resides in three Eagle albums. I get the same satisfaction viewing my coins side by
side in these albums that I did in the 70's and 80's with bookshelf type albums.
Doug
Catbert's thought provoking post, combined with days off from work today and tomorrow, have led me to use some spare time this evening to try to come up with a more well thought out list of my current toughest Barber quarter dates in XF/AU. I put out a somewhat half-assed list a few weeks ago, so here is a more concerted effort…..with a twist. I thought it would be fun to try to put a "top 12" together while taking out the three key dates (96-S, 01-S, and 13-S), as well as many collectors might consider to be the "next three keys" in XF/AU (97-S, 09-O, and 14-S). Again, these are just my perceptions of market availability in the past 9-12 months………Probably best to take them with a grain of salt.
1. 1907 S
2. 1895 S
3. 1906 O (if we're talking in totally original condition this might be #1)
4. 1903 S
5. 1901 O (there have been some nice coins at auction in the past year, and there are also the moon priced eBay examples as well….)
6. 1911 S
7. 1896 O
8. 1897 O
9. 1905 S
10. 1905 O
11. 1902 S
12. 1913
Next three: 1909 S, 1912 S, 1892 S
Toughest P dates (after 1913): 1894, 1895, 1896, 1910
I know this topic has been visited a few times in the past few months, I won't be offended by anyone who wishes to simply skip right through this post…….would love to hear from anyone with a comment, thought, or opinion though. I'd also love to see a similar list of dimes or halves someday from one of our many resident experts.
I have always been a true nerd about making lists
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
I know what you are saying .. I feel similarly to you in that the world of numismatics is so vast, to limit myself to 24 years of dates amongst one or two denominations would be missing out. But this falls into the category of "to each their own; collect what and how you like". I, like you, have grown away from a concentrated date/mint mark set of coins. I no longer aspire to put a full set together (unless it is in an album .. I would love to do a type set someday - that would be very interesting and very cool)
Prior to me "getting serious", I had a collection around 75% complete of Barber Halves and 50% of Barber Quarters in a mixed array of slabbed and raw coins mostly in VF to AU, many were cleaned for sure. ... along with miscellaneous half complete sets of Morgan Dollars, Walking Liberty Halves, Indian Cents and a vast array of Seated & Bust coinage. Then, I got "serious" and as Ambro so aptly put it in a post he replied to a few months back "I sold the dreck and bought PQ" ......
Eventually I was convinced/persuaded to join the registry which I found fascinating and fun .. for while. It had it's ups and downs .. but the positives were the opportunities to meet a lot of really advanced and knowledgeable people and the doors swung open to more avenues of obtaining coins. For the first year, it was double-shots of Kool-Aid ... straight up ... hold the water please.
I have partaken this ride of just Barbers (almost exclusively) for 6+ years. I had dabbled in other coins, medals, CWT, copper and even a little paper money. I was also a collector who would collect mostly raw coins. I had several slabbed coins for sure, but there was no requisite to have them all graded by PCGS et.al Only recently I began the process of dissolving my Barber Half Set that I worked so carefully and diligently on, particularly the last year or so. The 15 or so coins I have sold recently have received nothing but the highest praise and compliments from the newest owners. They have all been extremely pleased with the quality they have received. And I am happy they have so far landed with people who are so passionate and appreciative.
My Barber Half Set was actually 100% complete on the registry for a few months. all in PCGS XF or AU except the 1913-S and 1896-O which were both graded VF-35. I then looked at it and realized I had gone too fast, particularly in the beginning. I didn't like around 20 of the coins. I then decided I would never be happy with the less than nice coins, and would replace them and at the same time upgrade the whole set in choice AU. I started selling off the dogs and declared to myself, the next coin I buy to "fill a hole" will be my last. It would have to be so choice, there would be no need or desire to upgrade again. This happened and I stuck to the plan ... for about a year. And it wasn't like I was missing all the keys .. I had many very nice examples of dates that are amongst the toughest dates in the series. I had gorgeous examples of the 1893-S, 1895-O, 1896, 1896-S, 1898-S, 99-S, 1900-O, 1904-S, 1908-S, 1910, 1914, and several other semi keys .. I also recently successfully "made" the 3rd ever graded 1896-O PCGS AU58 .. originally purchased in a NGC-55 holder .. and after some trials and tribulations, got it to grade AU58 when submitted raw. For a while, I had what is likely the toughest "date trifecta" in the Barber half Series in PCGS 58 plastic: the 1896 year (P-O-S) ... But .. I still needed the 1901-O and S, 1897-O and S (I had all these dates in PC40 or 45 originally) .. I still have a Barber Quarter set registered with PCGS as it is 80 some odd percent complete although in many cases I have 2,3,4,5 or more duplicates of certain dates .. And as time has moved on, I have eliminated any coin I rate with an overall eye appeal/originality rating of less than 9. My goals have changed, my standards have risen. And I don't mean the grade I desire.. my standards are the same whether we are talking about a F-12 or an MS-65. In property they say: Location, location, location. In coins I say: Eye appeal, eye appeal, eye appeal .. - with a touch of originality (or perceived originality) since none of us really know for sure despite how often the term is tossed around.
So I have collected the dreck and the cleaned garbage and gone to the other end of the spectrum into full blown PCGS registry pursuit. At this point, I am collecting what appeals to my eye. I maintain a Barber Quarter collection, albeit not all in PCGS plastic. I have dozens of beautiful raw quarters that would grade anywhere from XF to MS63/64 and dozens in other holders ... I am also beginning to branch out and familiarize myself with other areas within numismatics .. I am in the read the book stage for the most part, all the while still looking to obtain choice, original Barber Quarters in AU-MS64 (I have a post looking to buy these on the BST).. I enjoy looking for them in the raw as it is like an Easter egg hunt to me .. And, not to copy Vern, I have never deserted my BQ Dansco album. Although I did remove anything under choice AU55 electing to try and do the album in AU/MS .. I can assure you the 1901-S and probably the 13-S will probably always remain empty.
So the long and short of it is .. I love collecting and I love learning. I really love learning and researching and using my brain .. I love to debate, I love to think. The hobby of collecting allows all of these things to blossom.. I still love and hold barber collecting dear to my heart. But I am at a point where I do not care if the coins are PCGS graded (unless I plan to sell them as one would be foolish not to). My goals and aspirations are to learn other series, tokens, medals, gold coins, etc. I am always open to learning and possibly collecting non-numismatic items.
Oh .. btw JKT -- I respectfully must disagree with a portion of that list .. but that is just me
The 1906-O is in the top 2 or 3 branch mints pops for MS coins. There are a ton of them. The easiest way to locate an AU would be to buy an MS62 and put it in your pocket for a few days and create a 55/58 .. it would probably bring more $$$$$ to those pursuing registry coins ..... MS62/63 1906-O have been selling in the 300s even recently ...There certainly has been a shortage of AU slabbed coins .. we must all remember 5-10 years ago the only slabbed BQ you would see were MS unless they were 1901-S/13-S/96-S which were slabbed primarily for authenticity reasons. It just wasn't worth slabbing a $100 coin .. and that is what most AUs cost 5-10 years ago .. around $100 or less for the common ones.
You have a really good point about my list in using the 06o 25c example as well, btw. I didn't really think about "pocketing" and MS 62 as an option, and that particular route isn't for me, but I am sure there are 58's being "made" from 62s and 3s as I type this, and that is a part of the landscape in the coin market that I need to consider more.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
For just a peek here's one that went bye, bye:
This is one of many that I put into plastic and later had CAC'd.
NOTE: I am not as old as MFH
_______________
Craig
<< <i>That was a very well thought,passionate,inspiring post Scott! >>
+1 for sure..
Mike-Thank you for helping me with my newbie questions just like you do so many times per week..
JT- i for 1 agree with your well thought and researched list. Although I would probably put the 96-O before the 11-S in choice XF-AU
Hoard the keys
he only looks older. 😎
I thought we ( Labelman87 & I ) were not going to show off
old coins we sold; this was an agreement he and I had together
so we wouldn't cry over spilt milk.
That 96-O shown previously is very nice, substantially nicer than
what is available today. ( Yes, I am referring to the one at auction
this week.) I am not overly enamored with that one. Personally, I
would love to locate my old example, and repurchase it.
Yup, you just can't cry over spilt milk. I have been more fortunate
locating my old Dimes occasionally, and in some cases have bought
them back for less than I sold them at auction. Sometimes I have had
to pay a small premium to get them back. Sometimes, they slip thru
your fingers before you have a chance to actually secure them in your
cart at check out on line, and then realize, sorry that coin is no longer
in inventory ( this just happened to one of my old Quarters - a variety
I wanted back. ) Well, no dice ... Wasn't too happy about that ... But
what can you do ?
I guess I have been around these boards long enough to have seen the
comings and goings of many a collector. We have seen ourselves quite
clearly in Scott's self description of his collecting habits. I thought he was
talking about me there for awhile. Seems many of us fall into the same
form of collecting. I am still the same type of collector I have always been:
Series and date collector. I like an orderly progression to my collection.
I don't think I'd be too happy with a random string of non related coins.
There will come a time when I will follow Scott's lead and only keep the
few things out of my sets that bring me the most joy and liquidate the
other material.
Looking over JT's list, it mimics my want list ( yes, I have no intention of
including the Top Three in this new set ). As I mentioned earlier, I am not
such a purist, that I wouldn't mind having a few MS coins in the mix. The
one date I have always found difficult, oddly enough as far as I am concerned,
is the 1906-O in high grade AU.
EDIT: Sorry Labelman87 - but I couldn't resist:
{ I said to Labelman, I should have bought all his cast offs when I had a chance ! }
Maybe I will just find a choice MS version, and add it to the set ( I also am not
a fan of cracking out MS coins to use as pocket pieces so they drop down a point or two.)
I always wondered how strong the mental fortitude our friend Craig Petersen had cracking
out all those 1905 Phila Halves in AU 50, so one of them would wear down enough to grade 45.
That man was on a mission !!!
Whatever collecting habits we slide into, I hope that Barber coinage is always in-
corporated in mine.
I received the grades of a small submission I dropped off at FUN. Two crosses and one
disappointment. The 1896 Dime I found on a Heritage auction a couple of months ago,
which I thought was grossly undergraded in NGC 55, well, it did not cross at any grade.
Guess heavy rim toning isn't our graders "cup of tea". I was sorry to hear that bit of news;
but it doesn't negate my fondness for the coin itself. It's one of the prettiest Dimes I have
ever seen.
The 1906-D Quarter in NGC 55 that our friend MrkBrown827 sold me just prior to the Ghost S
brew-haha, did cross as a 55 as I knew it would. An 1894-O Half in ANACS 40 that I was
praying might upgrade to a 45, crossed to another 40. That's ok too, as now I have two
1894-O's both in 40, and I love them both, but once I get the newly graded coins returned,
I'll make that cut and dry decision. ( I feel like the heroine in Sophie's Choice at times.)
Am getting very excited about what Scott is sending down this week. Even though it seems it's
been footballed around quite a bit as of late, I wouldn't even had a shot at it until Scott changed
his collecting outlook. I felt the same way over Walt's collections recent years. Talk about doing a
"180" !! I have been the beneficiary of these decisions, and am thankful for it. Recently, I was
able to pick up a half dozen beautifully toned Quarters, as well the group included my old 1905-O.
Ok, just when you think no one else is selling off his Barber Quarters, winds of change have whispered
there is yet another large collection or hoard of Quarters being selectively secreted out of state to
collectors. Seems this collector is following in the footsteps of a mutual friend in collecting Seated
material. This certainly is a small enough community that we hear soon enough what is transpiring.
As I mentioned earlier, I have seen my fair share of collectors come and go.
Life goes on.
Ok, Happy Hunting everyone !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Just notes:
I know I agree with the second big three because of the star appeal of each of them.
So the 07-s really is one of the last few that are pop of single digits in each of 40 thru 58. You could argue its place at the top of your list for that merit. But it's been priced like a common date for a long time. Money could bring more out.
Moon priced 01-o? Gee, I think the AU50 on eBay for $3500 is fair!
This is never a dull topic. Good list.
Truly, it was educational and gave me valuable insight. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Here is something I haven't imaged in a bit:
______________
Craig
That scan of the 04-O just doesn't cut it. You need to have your coins professionally imaged.
That coin is too nice to be represented by a scan. Bring in a box of twenty to the Atlanta ANA
and have Todd have a crack at them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Craig - that 96-O Quarter is the epitome of perfection in a choice AU BQ. The rarity of finding wholesome un-messed with BQ is undeniable. That said, I still feel many coins remain in "original" condition than most give credit for. The same is/was said for Barber Halves (BH for short). I have been at this hobby for many years less than some resident experts .. However, until I am proven otherwise (through my continued future years in this hobby), I stand behind my own :theory" that many of these coins have not been to the slab factories yet. Years ago, it was darn near impossible to find nice quality slabbed BH .. Mostly due to higher prices, (due to increased demand), the past 2 years have seen a spike in the number of slabbed Barber Halves in grades from F-AU. If one looks on eBay now for slabbed BH, one will find a bevy of them. The supply has sky rocketed while prices have remained somewhat stable. As the supply has gone up substantially and collectors have acquired the pieces they want, we are seeing many of the same coins sitting and growing stale, not just on eBay - I only use that as it is a quick, fast and easy reference for anyone bored enough to read this useless dialogue ..
As many collectors are album collectors, quality raw coins had been attainable with some searching for reasonable and relatively (to today) low prices
Demand spikes due to the CU Barber Mega Thread
Prices start to rise --->>> Every Man sets are born and EM Registry sets blossom
Slabbed pieces become "en vogue"
Slabbed coins are HARD TO FIND, especially NICE !!
Prices Spike ... then soar
More coins come out of hiding and are submitted to slab factories
Prices keep rising - supply keeps rising
People's collections fill out (coins are acquired)
Supply keeps growing as more and more F-AU cons find their way into slabs (some nicer than others)
Coins stagnate as people will not spend $200 on what used to be a $40 coin 5 years ago
This is typical of any market ... People buy Apple stock at $10 .. then at $20 .. then friends tell friends and the stock hits $30..$40..bandwagon jumpers jump on .. $50..$60 ... Then ...???
Think of silver/gold/real estate ...
So .. BQ in F/VF/XF/AU .. weren't slabbed years ago as it simply wasn't worth it. Coupled with the fact that 5-10 years ago, most wanted them raw for albums ... Now we are seeing them being "pushed" ..
I have watched the pops grow before my eyes.. examples:
When I submitted the VF/XF Quarters (from the video in previous posts) ... three of those coins that came back were pop 1 or pop 2 at the time
1907-S VF30 - was pop 1 (now pop 9 !!)
1892-S VF35 - was pop 1 (now pop 4)
1893-S VF35 - was pop 1 (now pop 6)
Those are just a few examples ... it simply made little sense to submit them .. the 1907-S I bought raw as an "XF" for $50... today in that slab it would probably bring $150 .. NOW it IS worth slabbing.. especially if one goes out cherry picking raw BQ in the wild knowing they can make a healthy profit (Dave Kahn?)
Do not misunderstand .. I still believe many branch mint coins are tough to find in XF/AU as those grades in particular are very difficult to find problem free and "original" (I hate the word but until I find a better word I reluctantly use it) .. By nature and definition they are automatically scarce. Coins WERE saved in MS condition and hence their pops are higher (generally) than XF/AU.. the exception being the common Philadelphia coins and a few branch mint coins.
The 1907-S is a definite anomaly with low pops in circulated grades all the way up the ladder. There are a total of 27 PCGS coins graded PCGS XF40 to PCGS AU58 (4-3-6-6-3-5) .. It does remain scarce ... Ironically - it is this coin that made me "look in the mirror" ... I paid SEVEN TIMES PRICE GUIDE for this coin... Well over $2000 for this coin below. 1907-S PCGS MS64 examples had sold for $1700-$1800 .. Sorry - But that just makes me silly IMO .. Looking back, I would buy the MS64 EVERY SINGLE TIME. But Please don't get me wrong.. I love the coin .. I respect the rarity .. I know how hard it is to find - especially this nice. I actually jut sent the coin to another member for a show and tell (not the Midwest
In 5 years, will the pops still be this low? 10 years? Is it a good "investment"? Do I care? The answers are probably, maybe, definitely not and no in that order.
But this is the coin that seriously made me realize I would simply prefer to own the "nicer" coin. Now that I have purchased and owned several MS coins, these are what I would prefer to own over the slider. And it is not about "what will hold value/stand the test of time" .. as much as what do I like to look at/collect more .. It is just a natural progression (for me) if you will. AND COLLECTING IS ALL ABOUT WHAT THE COLLECTOR LIKES/WANTS TO COLLECT .. Simple as that ... Many may disagree .. it is completely individualistic .. It was an awakening if you will.. The logic is almost like - I can always "convert the MS64 to an AU58 but the reverse is impossible" <---- Talking theoretical here ... not literal .. although the theory is possible whereas the reverse is purely and undeniably impossible
So this coin has been posted before, but it seems apropos to post it again as many call it the king of the circulated AU58 outside of "The Big 3".. I am not sure I agree .. I do agree it is near the top but I liken it to a lottery ticket where buying 2 tickets absolutely will increase your odds of winning the jackpot . In fact they DOUBLE your chances of wining the jackpot. They go from 0.00000002% to 0.00000004%. ...
This coin looks so much nicer in hand .. the luster screams .. the coin just comes alive in hand.
PCGS AU58 CAC
Hoard the keys
The price however of what you had to pay to get the coin is, at face value, out of orbit.
In 1998, I paid the outrageous price of $244 bottom line for this coin in raw state. It made it out of the
ANACS grading room as an AU 58, and crossed to PCGS as a 58. When it sold after thirteen years
of ownership, it sold for $900 plus buyers fees or $1035. Now, this was two and a half years ago.
The value has since doubled in two and a half years for a similar coin ?
I'm looking for a larger version of this image - I have more files to search - this image was on Photobucket Ok, here goes nothing...
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
__________
Craig
I can't say the value has doubled in a 2.5 years time. However, the person selling it offered it to me for that number ($2150) .. Had another "lesser informed" dealer obtained the coin, and bought it raw and had it graded . perhaps they would have offered it for near the $300 PCGS price guide price .. this dealer is a "Barber specialist" and knew what he had .. ... I could have taken it or left it. Once coin was in hand I took it as the coin was absolutely amazing. I have the feeling had I said no, he would have had little problem finding someone else that would say yes .. Can't blame a guy for maxing out the value when his life is selling coins. He referenced the coin that sold at Heritage about 18 months ago ($2500) .. Have a look at the archives -- you will find it easy enough.
Back on July 4th I found a dealer on Collector's corner selling a 1902-S quarter in an NGC AU58 holder for $350. I had a PCGS 58 I had bought from Teletrade about 3 months prior for $700 (that coin is currently in the Iowa collection) .. That dealer certainly left several hundred on the table .. It all depends who is selling it I suppose (and what they paid for it) .. this is one of the reasons I love looking for these coins in the raw .. it is fun and can be very rewarding !!
Here is a 1909-S Quarter I bought raw at the March 2013 Baltimore show .. I graded it a solid XF40 at the time .. PCGS said XF45 .. I forgot how nice this coin was until I got it back (today) ... had been out of my possession for 2 months!! Fresh back from PCGS courtesy of submissions through a forum member enjoying the warm, sunny weather of southern Florida - thank you Mr. Paeasan!! I sold my previous XF45 on eBay even before knowing if this coin would grade or not ... Beantown's new rule of thumb ---> if the coin does not score a 9 on a scale of 1-10 in all categories (originality, eye appeal, luster if applicable for AU and up, surface quality and strike) ... it must be banished!!
PCGS XF45
Mike - Love the 06o and the 07s you posted. Your story of finding that 07s raw and what has happened to it in the market since is very interesting indeed. Beautiful looking coin so not surprised to see it fetch such high prices.
Craig - Awesome 96o. Appreciate you biting the bullet and posting that one for the good of the Thread
Scott - I LOVE your 07s. Your take on how that coin was a "game changer" for you was a great read. I don't necessarily disagree with your 58 vs 64 logic (and Ill be the first to admit that I probably overly romanticize the concept of collecting "circulated" coins). That said, add me to the list of interested parties if you ever decide to part with that beauty
Mark - You are probably right about the 96o being ahead of the 11s. FWIW though, I should've probably expressed more clearly that my "top 12" was about availability in the past year or so….not necessarily a list of historic "toughness". Still, I think you're probably spot on.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
The 1906-O in NGC 58 CAC, once belonged to Labelman87 - one of his
"Cast Offs" - that I help market for him.
Maybe some of you remember the large group of AU Quarters I had at
FUN two years ago ? They were all Craig's and they were a wonderful
group of coins, that's putting it mildly.
As he and I have been saying, you can't cry over spilt milk.
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
_________
Craig
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
but I found this on Glenn's site.
Just found this coin on line thru - who else ? - Heritage !!
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
for my Dime set on line - I tripped over myself to order it - via my iPhone no less. I know only too well
exactly how rare this date is - I'm beyond happy about this. JMW and I have looked for ages and it was
Glenn who located a nice one for Joe - only took two + years !!
CANCEL THIS POST - The owner sold the coin at Long Beach earlier.
This is a PCGS 55
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
<< <i>This is for the 1906-O fans. My PCGS MS64 CAC crossover:
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Craig >>
I never found an AU - of the 1906-O back in the day:
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases