Have you ever bought a "plugged" coin?

RB1026

I collect early American colonial and federal coins and occasionally run across nicely detailed examples that have been been plugged. Sometimes the repair is hideous but in other cases it's been done very expertly. Often times, the piece is an example that without the damage would be far beyond my budget. I've resisted the temptation to consider these types of coins for my collection was wondering if others are as bothered by this "less than original" condition. A disclaimer.....I collect primarily for the history of the coins with investment a secondary consideration.



So, do you own any plugged coins? Why/why not?



Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

MICHAELDIXON

I bought an 1843 large cent many years ago (1985-86) in Hawaii with a hole, so I crudely plugged and sold it. Whenever I was in Korea in 1997, I bought an 1843 through an online auction without pictures. And...guess what? The coin arrived and it was the one I made the crude plug in! I laughed and still have the coin! It is the only plugged coin that I own.

lordmarcovan

In the early 1980s, as a YN, I had the opportunity to purchase a plugged 1798 Bust dollar that was probably solid VG+ details (maybe even borderline Fine) and quite decent looking... for $200.



I didn't have a driver's license yet, so had to go with my Mom on errands or something (plus, she had veto power over my coin money), so it was later in the afternoon before I got back to the shop with money in hand to buy the coin.



It was gone. Somebody beat me to it by only an hour or two.

Jackthecat1

I do not recall ever purchasing a plugged coin but if it was a rare variety I needed for a collection at a reasonable price I probably would. I would understand that resale value might be virtually nil.

lordmarcovan

This one had a crude and ugly blackish plug in the hole, which I drilled back out so I could put the coin on my "Holey Gold Hat".

2ltdjorn

I have a AU 1955 DDO 1C that was holed, and plugged when I bought it. Sent it to PCGS and came back without the plug.

ricko

No plugged coins....Would I buy one?? It would depend on the coin and how well it was plugged...If it was an early American coin, I likely would buy it. Cheers, RickO

RB1026

Thanks for the replies. I don't know if I ever will actually pull the trigger on one but it's nice to know I'm not totally going against my 48+ years of Jedi training by starting to open my mind to the idea



The thing about my area of interest is that there are an ENORMOUS amount of damaged/altered/troubled pieces to sift through. Seemingly every listing has some sort of detracting feature. Truly original examples in G/VG or above command real premiums in almost all cases. Surely, those are the ideal targets. However, it's also kind of boring to never find anything desirable that you also feel you can justify the expense. So, I am contemplating loosening the standards for my collection just a bit to make the game more fun again. After all, for me personally, it's almost entirely about the historical connection anyway.

golden

No.

LindeDad

Yes but sold at first offer that made money.

(1839-O Half)



Rather have the hole in the set than that coin.

johnny9434

no, i never have.

Overdate

I once bought a coin that was plugged on TV.

Heynow

There was an article in Coinworld about it a while back. Not sure if it was just about holed or other damage. Their moral to the story was that for a collector, its may be a way to get a coin that you could otherwise not afford. So to me, if the discount versus undamaged is significant, and its a tough coin, it makes sense. I have looked at some of the 1943 and 1944 transitional cent errors with damage and made offers, but no acceptance.

Heynow

Originally posted by: Overdate

I once bought a coin that was plugged on TV.

Tomaska? LOL!!



Boy, he can plug. He does have some interesting stuff now and then. But I have not bought anything.

HoledandCreative

lordmarcovan

Wow, H&C- impressive as always!

Baley

I have a couple nice plugged rare coins. I'd show them, but can't find the pictures because search is broken and the forum deleted our picture options.

mannie gray

Originally posted by: lordmarcovan

Wow, H&C- impressive as always!

Crazy cool, in some ways more appealing than a "nicer" coin!

2ltdjorn

carabonnair

Years ago I bought a couple unintentionally, from dealers who did not notice or care that the coins were plugged. I check all early coins carefully now.



I'm not sure why I have this one:



Perhaps I thought I could identify it some day.

Walkerfan

No, and I never would.

MICHAELDIXON

I bought a 1795 dollar with a mint plug and still have it. It slipped my mind until I took it out of the safe and took it to the New Market show earlier this month.

Cougar1978

Yes - at a show when I was a 11 yo kid. The coin looked nice and was glad they fixed it (filled the hole) plus it was cheap.

BIGAL2749

I have a plugged dollar and couple of halves and even paid a premium since the mint did such a nice job

topstuf

I bought a couple holed dollars from a pawnshop in the seventies.
1795 and 1870 CC.
The seated dollar also had about 50 knife hacks into the rim.
I sent them to PE Stockton with a note to just fill the holes as I thought the coin was a goner and was going to make both into belt buckles.
I'm glad I made pencil rubbings because they came back undetectable.

Bayard1908

I've owned a few plugged Bust dollars in the past. They were VF or EF details and priced too low to pass up.

BillJones

I have never knowingly purchased a plugged coin. When I was a YN I bought a few coins with a hole. The one that comes mostly quickly to made was an almost beautiful 1806 half dollar. It had VF-EF sharpness, beautiful toning and hole that was just to the right of the date. It cost me $6. Since I couldn't afford a nice Draped Bust type silver coin at that time, I enjoyed owning it as a filler.

I own many 19th presidential campaign tokens that have a hole. That is actually a part of those pieces because they were intended to worn like a political campaign buttons are today. Sometimes the old time collectors filled in the hole with something that was like a wax, but it was not what you would call a plug.

Here is political piece that also listed as a Civil War token. It is part of the "Wealth of South" series, a piece for John Bell who ran on the Constitutional Union Party line in 1860. He represented the moderate southerners who wanted to stay in the Union. The hole might lower the value of this piece for some people because a hole was almost never a part of a Civil War token's. Other than a political piece like this, the only other one I recall is a bagage claim check piece that is listed as a CWT. This Bell token is a rare piece.

Bob1951

No, and I never will, at least not for my collection. If I knew that I could sell it at a profit, I would buy it and resell it. I like holed coins better then plugged coins. A long time ago I decided not to purchase any damaged, whizzed, altered or otherwise messed with coins and I am glad that I made this decision. I have the patience to wait for the right coin even if it costs more than I want to pay. Does anyone here collect plugged or otherwise damaged coins?
Bob

HoledandCreative

Since you asked, I collect holed, plugged if holed not available,love tokens, and looped coins by date and mint mark.