Gem Barber half with a nice upgrade to MS67
roadrunner
Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
Since gradeflation is such a hot topic, here's an old friend that I last saw in 2008 when a local dealer bought it raw over the counter and sent it in for grading. This 1902 half dollar came back PCGS MS66 and CAC'd as well in Nov 2008. It had a facial cut that kept it from a higher grade at that time. Other than that it was pretty flawless. The dealer sold it for approx $11,000.
Fast forward to this October 2016 GC auction and the coin reappeared. It fetched $11,220....though now a PCGS MS67 and unstickered.
greatcollections.com/Coin/387326/1902-Barber-Half-Dollar-PCGS-MS-67-Toned
A 1 point upgrade in 8 years is not that much out of the norm. But with a little digging that coin sold as a MS66 for $7,344 on Heritage back in July 2016, probably in the same holder from 2008. It shows up in Coinfacts as a 66+ in July....which could be an error as I can't find anything else to confirm that "+." And then a submission between Aug-Sept where it went to MS67. No changes for 8 yrs, then 3 months of rapid changes. Sometimes if you blink, you miss it.
Comments
Just to add to the discussion.....this one makes me sicker than any I've seen:
It started as a 64 for 2500. A dealer offered it to me for 2800 but I passed, because the big dig in the center of Liberty's skirtlines and the fields were scratched up and I also didn't like the re-tone. Another dealer bought it and was asking 3250 and added a CAC sticker.
NOW, it is a 65 and the latest dealer was asking 12500!!
It has a decent strike but everything else.....SHEESH!!
I didn't like it as a 64 and I sure as heck don't like it as a 65 for 4 TIMES as much $$$......
I'll see if I can find a reverse image.
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947)
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Here we are...
Keep in mind that it's a 65, now.........
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947)
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I hear you Walkerfan. I passed on a near gem 1860-0 seated quarter back in 1984 because I felt the coin wasn't pristine enough (blackened obv high points which is often rub and a sizable reverse field planchet defect/scratch). Today, that same coin I graded 64+ back then is now considered one of the premier seated quarters of any NO mint as a MS66. I must have gotten that coin very wrong. I've owned other NO mints graded only MS65 that I considered superior. But the TPG's have the final say. And even CAC liked this one. There was only a single PCGS MS65 1860-0 graded by Oct 1998....and I don't think it was this one. PCGS was very tough on awarding MS65 to NO mint seated quarters.
seateddimevarieties.com/Gardner_Collection/Quarter_BS_WithDrapResumed.htm
https://coins.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?Ne=16&N=790+231+51+365+1585+73+74+75&ic4=Refine-CoinGrade-102615
It is good to have A good eye or a big submitter.
Hoard the keys.
or BOTH.
To get those kinds of upgrades....I think it takes BOTH.
I need to find one of those "big submitters" to cross some coins for me if that's the case.
I've never played the crack out game on these super high end coins, but looks like the risk/reward can be nice. Even if they come back same grade at least it's in a fresh holder for retailing it.
At least that MS65+ that is featured under the TrueView images needed at least five submissions to get bumped up from MS65!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson