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Hardest eBay series to cherrypick in

stealerstealer Posts: 3,968 ✭✭✭✭
In your experience, what's the hardest series of coins to cherrypick on eBay?
Post your responses with the following format:

I look for: high grade or quality, proofs

Hardest series for me to cherrypick: Buffalo Nickels, Standing Lib Quarters, Peace $, Seated $, any Draped/Capped any denom

Comments

  • BustHalfBrianBustHalfBrian Posts: 4,120 ✭✭✭
    I don't know if it's the "hardest" but there is a lot of competition in the VAM department, especially Morgan Dollars.
    Lurking and learning since 2010. Full-time professional numismatist.
  • erwindocerwindoc Posts: 4,925 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In the Roosevelt market, you can occasionally find FB/FT dimes in old holders prior to the strike designation being awarded by both PCGS and NGC. Problem is photo quality often makes it difficult to cherry pick the dimes.
  • mannie graymannie gray Posts: 7,259 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Large cents/half cents
  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,722 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd be real reluctant to try to cherrypick in series that are heavily counterfeited. Photos aren't always good enough to keep you out of trouble.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I enjoy some relatively easy pickings in the Love Token category due to its rather esoteric niche status, but the downside there is that all those crappy fake "brothel" token fantasies end up there and clutter up searches terribly. Not to mention all the cutesy-pootsie "pocket angels" and "good for one hug" modern pewter stuff, and the "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" nudie tokens and similar low-class garbage.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 11,869 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It depends on your expertise and good, clear images.



    I would agree on VAM's being difficult, I base that upon my lack of experience in the series.
    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

    BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug...
  • mbogomanmbogoman Posts: 5,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you don't hit a BIN, you rarely see them go for under what they're worth. Watch any unattributed '90-CC Tailbar, for example...




    In general, true, but there are exceptions. Sweating it out and waiting for the auction to end is tortuous to say the least!!! But last April I picked off two 1918/7-D Buffs in auctions in the same week. One went for $11 the other for $42. They were both raw, in small lots and ended up grading G04 and G06 (looks VG with bold overdate).

  • seanqseanq Posts: 8,568 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have done a lot of cherrypicking on eBay over the years, I have found it almost impossible to look for modern proof varieties. I am sure you can still pick off the occasional cameo or ultra high grade coin, but generally the pictures are either generic or never high enough quality to attribute any varieties. I've had the most luck looking for seated dimes and shield nickels, as many of the best varieties in those series are visible even in terrible photos (if you know where to look image )





    Sean Reynolds
    Incomplete planchets wanted, especially Lincoln Cents & type coins.

    "Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
  • DIMEMANDIMEMAN Posts: 22,403 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Of course you have to have good clear pics, but in general the Buffalo Nickel varieties are the hardest to see on ebay...especially the DDO's and DDR's.
  • shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,445 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Something that confuses me is that bust halves get picked all the time, even though there are dozens (or hundreds) of bust half addicts competing.
    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
  • WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 6,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There is such a learning curve regardless of the series. Then you add in crappy pictures, etc...its a wonder to find what we do LOL

    WS
    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
  • OriginalDanOriginalDan Posts: 3,713 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Trade dollar varieties have been fairly tough to pick over the last few years, primarily due to this pesky college kid who must have more free eBay time than I do image
  • seanqseanq Posts: 8,568 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: WaterSport

    There is such a learning curve regardless of the series. Then you add in crappy pictures, etc...its a wonder to find what we do LOL



    WS




    I agree with this 100%. Learning the pick up points for varieties is easy, but learning to recognize them in tiny, blurry pictures takes a long time to master. Go back through most of the threads here where people show their eBay cherrypicks and invariably there are a couple of replies along the lines of, "How in the world did you see that?!"





    Sean Reynolds



    Incomplete planchets wanted, especially Lincoln Cents & type coins.

    "Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
  • stealerstealer Posts: 3,968 ✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: OriginalDan
    Trade dollar varieties have been fairly tough to pick over the last few years, primarily due to this pesky college kid who must have more free eBay time than I do image


    image

    Originally posted by: shorecoll
    Something that confuses me is that bust halves get picked all the time, even though there are dozens (or hundreds) of bust half addicts competing.


    One thing that makes bust halves so hard for me is valuing the coins. Some dates in particular have multiple varieties that inflate auction results.

    Thanks for the responses guys. It's always fun to hear other peoples' experiences.
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,412 ✭✭✭✭✭
    half cents then large cents
  • clarkbar04clarkbar04 Posts: 4,922 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I only look at a handful of series, you guys can have the rest! The 3 I look in present enough opportunities for me to eat up all of my disposable income anyway, so looking in more would not do me much good.
    MS66 taste on an MS63 budget.
  • PurfrockPurfrock Posts: 545 ✭✭✭
    Half and Large cents. Us EACers are a competitive group.
    EAC, ANA Member

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