thouhts on fresh coins

Gazes

I read a lot of commentary regarding the importance of fresh coins. I have some questions on this topic and would love to hear others thoughts.



The rule of thumb I always hear is that a coin that is off the market for 5 years is considered fresh when put back on the market. Do you agree? Do others feel like it should be shorter or longer?



The reason I think behind the desire for fresh coins are:



1) rarity---if a coin is sold often, it is less rare

2) a "fresh" coin generates a premium because it represents a small window in time to buy something that if missed could be another 5 plus years. Whereas a coin that isn't fresh may be available just down the road

3) the perceived idea that a coin that is being turned over quickly and resold has something wrong with it



Are there other reasons? Thanks again for any thoughts on the subject

rhedden

Two words: upgrade potential.

TwoSides2aCoin

I have thoughts on fresh coins in for grading right now.

DIMEMAN

Never understood the term. Like other "words" in our hobby.......all hype.

bolivarshagnasty

Speaking of hype......... here is some help.

Davideo

It seems to me to be mostly a marketing term. rhedden does rightly point out the possibility of upgrades.

I have a bunch of Lincoln Memorial cents that have not been offered for sale in over 20 years. FRESH!

stealer

Some coins look fresh, others look processed.

Many fresh coins are ugly.

sparky64

Perhaps another reason for interest is that maybe a new variety has been discovered since the "fresh" coins have last seen the sales floor.

Potential cherry pickin'.

roadrunner

I had some finest known/pop top seated halves returned to me by a dealer because they were not "fresh enough." They had been off the market for 5 years, and another 6 years on top of that by the prior owner. Only 3 people had owned them over the previous 30 years....no dealers....just bought out of major auctions by collectors and immediately buried. But this dealer only wanted coins 10 yrs or more off the market. So that's the definition I now use for "fresh."



As an example: A gem Eliasberg coin from 1997 that traded again in 2011 would not be considered fresh to the market, even if owned by only 3 people over the past 70+ years. For that matter anything out of Gardner, Newman, and Pogue that has traded a 2nd time since the auction is no longer fresh to the market....expensive retreads huh?



In summary, freshness is what you want it to mean. It can be a lot hooey too. I have an XF 1877-cc dime that I cleaned multiple times back in the 1960's to remove "unsightly" tarnish. It looks cleaned today too. It was given to me by my grandfather who said it came from a safe he opened. That's been off the market for over 50 years....is it fresh?

TopographicOceans

To me, fresh implies the owner held it for years and years until he passed away.

AUandAG

Never seen on the market before (taken out of circulation back in the day and just saved).





bob:

rhedden

Here's an interesting semantic conundrum. A brand new, 2016-minted coin isn't "fresh" by the definition most of us are using, but a tarnished old Seated coin found in the wall of a building tear-down is poppin' fresh.

ricko

To me, 'fresh' means it has not been to market before..... never put a time frame on it...

and five years is but a blink in numismatics. Cheers, RickO

SeattleSlammer

Originally posted by: bolivarshagnasty
Speaking of hype......... here is some help.

That's awesome.

garrynot

Is there a phrase generator from the buyers point of view?

SkyMan

Originally posted by: SeattleSlammer

Originally posted by: bolivarshagnasty
Speaking of hype......... here is some help.

That's awesome.

+1

Cougar1978

Its just a buzz word a lot of them use in material they perceive they can buy right (significantly below MV) or something they feel can upgrade.

Wow the phrase generator!

ebaybuyer

there is fresh bread, fresh fruit, fresh laundry, I dated a girl a while ago that was fresh, when referring to coins, the phrase is overused, over rated and not easily understood. as stated previously, fresh is what you want it to be. and kellie, I should have asked you out on a second date, I don't know what the heck I was thinking !