What was your biggest find (eBay or otherwise)?

CertifiedGoldCoins

Here's mine, $700 on eBay

Though a fuzzy picture, I could see FIVE tailfeathers. BINGO!

That ugly ducking became this:

Much better picture. Heritage will be selling it in January, at F.U.N. in Orlando.
For a wee bit more than $700.

hchcoin

1922 plain VF20 lincoln cent found in a jar of old wheat cents given to me by my grandmother
1786 Maris 25 S R5+ New Jersey Copper given to me by my grandmother in a box full of coins

drddm

Found this unattributed 1809 bust half PCGS 55 in a dealer's inventory around 2010 and paid $1250 for it. Got it in hand and realized it was the XXX variety and got it relabeled as such from PCGS. That was a really good day!

joeykoins

My biggest find came right off the sidewalk! In 2000, I found a 1999p Lincoln Cent. It turned out to be the popular variety, Wide A.M. Yes, it was the big one of the three Wide A.M.'s. I sent it in across the street and it came back a "ms 64 RB". Worth anywhere between $200-$300! I end up selling it for $200. So, after spending $35 on grading it, I made a $165 profit. or when I cherrypicked both, the famous "Superbird" Quarter and the "1999 Proof set, Close A.M." off the same dealer in one transaction! I don't know which finds were the better one?

clarkbar04

Raw 1913 matte proof buff listed as Gem BU, graded MS66, raw 1927-S quarter graded MS63.

CertifiedGoldCoins

@drddm said:
Found this unattributed 1809 bust half PCGS 55 in a dealer's inventory around 2010 and paid $1250 for it. Got it in hand and realized it was the XXX variety and got it relabeled as such from PCGS. That was a really good day!

I was stumped, so I had to look that up. There were X's added to the edge lettering as an experiment, and another with lines like reeding. Maybe someone knows more about this?

DNADave

I won two Kiangse 20 coppers notes at a local auction for less than $10.00.

Sold the lesser of the two on eBay for 1250.00

In coins, a raw 1921 peace for less than $70 on the bay ended up a PCGS ms64

Sandman70gt

Bought a complete mercury dime set for 1249.00 on ebay auction. Had a pcgs16d g6 that regraded to vg8, and a raw 42/1, that came back at vf25. Traded in the 16d and got 1350.00. A year later thru this forum l read about the recent 1919 ddo discovery and that set had one in it. Pcgs graded vg10.

jtlee321

Mine was a 1919 DDO Mercury Dime picked raw from a local show for $7.00 and graded EF-40 and I sold it for $5250.00 Which then later sold on Great Collections for $8250.00 hammer.

jtlee321

@CertifiedGoldCoins said:
Here's mine, $700 on eBay

Though a fuzzy picture, I could see FIVE tailfeathers. BINGO!

That ugly ducking became this:

Much better picture. Heritage will be selling it in January, at F.U.N. in Orlando.
For a wee bit more than $700.

That is a sweet pick!! I've nabbed a couple RAW BU '42 DDR off of eBay.

DollarAfterDollar

I recently "found" an 1878 8 T/F Morgan in a PCI holder Graded MS 65.
PCI wrote the variety in a font that was 10% the size of the date and easily overlooked. I bought it for less than a hundred bucks and sold it in a PCGS MS 64 holder for $400.

mbogoman

Biggest find??? Unfortunately, it was not my biggest score. I was the underbidder (and only other bidder of consequence) on a Willow Tree shilling a couple years back. The seller didn't know what he had, it was listed as a "Boston Shilling" under Currency, in auction format ending around 2:00 AM. I sniped north of $13K and lost to one of the big names in the business (FWIW - I am a just lowly collector)

erwindoc

Picked up a 32D Washington in VG out of a pile of junk silver from a pawn shop about 15 years ago for melt; sold it for just over $100.

BillJones

I am not much of an eBay person. The highest priced item I ever bought was an 1864 Lincoln campaign ferrotype (a Lincoln picture button), and I didn't steal it. I paid the going rate at the time.

I hear about "eBay 'rips' all the time, but how many of them involved real collectors' items? Search me, but it it's like it was years ago, dry holes are far more common than paydirt. On the other hand if you provide goods to the people who look for gold, might come out on top.

My grandfather made a lot of money out wast before he married a person from our old arean

jwitten

4 good finds for me. 3 1911 $2 1/2 Indians bought raw graded as 1911-D. 2 were xf45, one AU50. Each was under $250. 4th coin was a raw 1914 $2 1/2 Indian for under $300 that graded MS63 I believe. I sold it for a few grand.

ModCrewman

Just got the grade on a 1954 proof Franklin this week...picked the whole set off Ebay for about $75...graded PR67DC at PCGS. Guide is $2,250. Not my biggest score, but it is the most recent!

BustHalfBrian

Most of mine have been Bust halves, as you can imagine. I think I made my very best find just this week; an 1827 O-144 Bust half in NGC AU53. It's the third O-144 I've cherrypicked, but the other two were VF. I've managed to pluck a handful of other Bust half varieties from eBay over the last few years.

Non-Bust half wise? One I can remember is a raw AU (I think I paid $150) 1901 Morgan dollar that graded AU58. And no, it wasn't the Shifted Eagle DDR; I'm not THAT lucky.

Now where's coinlover22 to show us who's boss?

CertifiedGoldCoins

@jtlee321 said
That is a sweet pick!! I've nabbed a couple RAW BU '42 DDR off of eBay.

Your eyes are better than mine. I had to buy one.
Here's the tell for me

@mbogoman said:
Biggest find??? Unfortunately, it was not my biggest score. I was the underbidder (and only other bidder of consequence) on a Willow Tree shilling a couple years back. The seller didn't know what he had, it was listed as a "Boston Shilling" under Currency, in auction format ending around 2:00 AM. I sniped north of $13K and lost to one of the big names in the business (FWIW - I am a just lowly collector)

Those are so rare. Six figures mostly. But I'm glad I suggested "biggest find" to include the big fish that got away, because that one was a whale.

Boosibri

I've made a few big gold scores from raw coins in Europe. One tough Indian $10 bought for near melt which went 62 was memorable

MWallace

I found a General Motors Roller Dies trial piece in a dealers junk box for $5.

Nap

Misattributed British Anglo-Saxon coin of Aethelwald Moll. Listed as the wrong monarch in a highly publicized auction, despite known provenance back to 1840. 3 known.

I don't think it was a rip, and would venture to guess it was close to full value, but a few bidders likely kept away because of the incorrect description.

BigA

Listed as a "Beautiful 1884 Morgan Dollar" and got it for $42 from a seller that sells mostly toys. Not a four figure grab but still nice....(pics on the ad were VERY out of focus but I took a chance on the blur on the reverse below the eagle)

mbogoman

"Those are so rare. Six figures mostly. But I'm glad I suggested "biggest find" to include the big fish that got away, because that one was a whale. "

Yeah, that one hurt. I ended up talking to the winner of the Willow Tree at a subsequent show in Long Beach. I still fret over it.

But, I have had some great scores over the years on Ebay. Just last year alone I cherry-picked these raw (subsequent grades in parens): four 1918/7-D Buffs (G4 - F12), a dateless 1916 DDO buff (FR02), a dateless 1916 SLQ (FR02), three 1901 DDR $1 (AU55, AU53, F12), two 1876 Type 2/2 Trade dollars, an 1875-S/CC Trade $1 and an 1888-O Scarface H8 (Unc Details).

This year has been slower, but I did pick up a couple whales about a month ago: a 1918/7-S SLQ in about F12 and an 1876 Proof Trade dollar Type 1/1. Both are waiting to be graded.

Needless to say, I spend a lot of time on Ebay

AUandAG

Bought 3 Unc dollars off ebay, raw. Sold two off and that meant that this one cost me about $500.
Submitted and came back MS63, CAC'd and sold on Great Collections for just north of $10,000.

bob

CertifiedGoldCoins

@mbogoman said:
Yeah, that one hurt. I ended up talking to the winner of the Willow Tree at a subsequent show in Long Beach. I still fret over it.

But, I have had some great scores over the years on Ebay. Just last year alone I cherry-picked these raw (subsequent grades in parens): four 1918/7-D Buffs (G4 - F12), a dateless 1916 DDO buff (FR02), a dateless 1916 SLQ (FR02), three 1901 DDR $1 (AU55, AU53, F12), two 1876 Type 2/2 Trade dollars, an 1875-S/CC Trade $1 and an 1888-O Scarface H8 (Unc Details).

This year has been slower, but I did pick up a couple whales about a month ago: a 1918/7-S SLQ in about F12 and an 1876 Proof Trade dollar Type 1/1. Both are waiting to be graded.

Needless to say, I spend a lot of time on Ebay

Wow. Impressive. I hope the grading gods reward you for your knowledge and hard work. The overdates are not easily found, and with some eBay pictures, guessing right is sometimes required. Looks like @AUandAG has one of those Scarfaces.

mbogoman

@CertifiedGoldCoins said:

@mbogoman said:
Yeah, that one hurt. I ended up talking to the winner of the Willow Tree at a subsequent show in Long Beach. I still fret over it.

But, I have had some great scores over the years on Ebay. Just last year alone I cherry-picked these raw (subsequent grades in parens): four 1918/7-D Buffs (G4 - F12), a dateless 1916 DDO buff (FR02), a dateless 1916 SLQ (FR02), three 1901 DDR $1 (AU55, AU53, F12), two 1876 Type 2/2 Trade dollars, an 1875-S/CC Trade $1 and an 1888-O Scarface H8 (Unc Details).

This year has been slower, but I did pick up a couple whales about a month ago: a 1918/7-S SLQ in about F12 and an 1876 Proof Trade dollar Type 1/1. Both are waiting to be graded.

Needless to say, I spend a lot of time on Ebay

Wow. Impressive. I hope the grading gods reward you for your knowledge and hard work. The overdates are not easily found, and with some eBay pictures, guessing right is sometimes required. Looks like @AUandAG has one of those Scarfaces.

If it weren't for Bob (AUandAG), that list would be a lot longer!

silverpop

this 1943d war nickel is one if my biggest finds since it was found in change

asheland

My best finds aren't coins but silver.
This:

Type2

Nice stuff, a lot of items out there to fine just need to turn over the rocks and you will find some nuggets. I don't know where to start but will say I have done very well.



Just some that paid over $10K ea. I don't post much any more but it's not because it does not happen any more just keeping low pro.

stealer

Purchased raw as a business strike

Boosibri

I bought this very tough 1859-S $5 in an ICG holder on eBay and it is now P53 CAC.

Mdftx1

I've had a good year on amazing finds....however this is my all time winner

Picked up a 1797 half cent at a show and when I took out of 2x2 noticed it seemed to have rim markings along the lines of a gripped edge...put it in the pile to get certified one day, thinking it just couldn't be so... Well it was...

Sold at recent heritage auction for $54,000

https://dyn2.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path[1/4/3/8/8/14388823],sizedata[850x600]&call=url[file:product.chain]