And people say you shouldn't buy from Great Southern....

jwitten

Just read a guy's story on another forum about this cherry pick. This auction:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-Lincoln-Cent-Wheat-Penny-Free-Shipping-/291969657641?hash=item43fabf6b29:g:kzEAAOSw-0xYS1fa&nma=true&si=EGomZuW7UXHEQ3QxapCwh1t8izI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Turned into this:
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094854

boyernumismatics

You're kidding me, right?

2ltdjorn

Impressive

jwitten

Nope, why would you think I am?

boyernumismatics

@jwitten said:
Nope, why would you think I am?

Whoever that is should play the lottery with that luck.

learningcoins

somebody is paying attention...great score!

zippcity

nice.

Flatwoods

Looks like the same coin to me. I would have never guessed that.

messydesk

JazzmanJAB

Sweet Pick.

Wabbit2313

What a great story! 40K coin? SWEET! And the color is amazing.

jwitten

Here's the story for those interested:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ebay-still-a-cherrypickers-paradise-2017.290909/

Goldbully

@jwitten said:
Just read a guy's story on another forum about this cherry pick. This auction:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-Lincoln-Cent-Wheat-Penny-Free-Shipping-/291969657641?hash=item43fabf6b29:g:kzEAAOSw-0xYS1fa&nma=true&si=EGomZuW7UXHEQ3QxapCwh1t8izI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Turned into this:
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094854

ricko

That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

boyernumismatics

@ricko said:
That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

I'll say whoever it is, is VERY happy to report that on their income taxes upon sale... LOL

Boosibri

I don't want to believe it but.....

jwitten

@Boosibri said:
I don't want to believe it but.....

I didn't believe it at first since they did not post a link to the auction. But I did a little digging, and sure enough!

oih82w8

One cannot dismiss someone in it's entirety because things do turn around every once in a while.

Their descriptions are horribly inaccurate at times. I did send them a few "corrections" when I knew that I was for sure certain, and then they put me on their "Blocked" list. I have not been able to bid on any of their "stuff" for over two years. Some people cannot accept criticism.

Nice score for whoever found it.

Walkerfan

Glad to finally hear something positive come from this firm! Magnificent!!

messydesk

One die marker I thought was on all 09 VDB proofs was a little, raised tick to the right of the M in UNUM. Is this not the case, or am I just not seeing it in the pictures?

Edit: This marker:

Coin Finder

Really a great pick for all time. I swear every time I see a great coin on the Bay from anyone ebayers are on it faster than poop though a goose...

Wabbit2313

Good thing he didn't listen to the "Expert".

lusterlover

I'm curious why Brian Wagner said no.....
I'd love to see a blow up of the reverse.

WoodenJefferson

This qualifies as a "ultra-you suck" award.

DIMEMAN

All I can say is WOW! And this should not have been told. They WILL check their coins now!

DCW

Dude said he decided to take a "leep of fate."
I am picturing that little Chinese dude from "The Goonies" bidding on this coin!

gtstang

Great score!

BLee23

If you do some digging, you will find that this is far from the first very nice pick from GSC. I believe one of our fellow forum members cherried two PR Buffalo Nickels being sold as business strikes on two separate occasions.

LanceNewmanOCC

@lusterlover said:
I'm curious why Brian Wagner said no.....
I'd love to see a blow up of the reverse.

big image link warning.

https://images.pcgs.com/TrueView/83094854_Max.jpg

added

cf-bn - images

cf-rb - images

cf-rd - images

secure service

851 - nothing
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094852 - 54p 1c 65rd
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094853 - 54p 1c 65rd
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094854 - cha ching?
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094855 - 20s 1c au det
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094856 - 96 1c vf det
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094857 - 89cc $1 au det
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094858 - 93s $1 au det
http://www.pcgs.com/cert/83094859 - 70 $1 au det
i stopped here
.

DoubleEagle59

Is everyone in agreement that the coin is definitely a proof?

The rims aren't very square and that's what is troubling me.

OldIndianNutKase

Story of the Year so far.

OINK

DCW

To me, it looks like a nice, colorful business strike. As @DoubleEagle59 stated the rims aren't very square.
Brian Wagner, the authority on these things said "no."
PCGS says "yes."
Interesting story. I have a hard time buying that this is a 1909 VDB matte proof, though. Especially after reading the collector's cointalk thread. It is just outrageous.

messydesk

@DoubleEagle59 said:
Is everyone in agreement that the coin is definitely a proof?

The rims aren't very square and that's what is troubling me.

That and the fact that I can't see the marker I posted above are giving me pause. If it's legit, though, the "impressive" bit stands.

logger7

Great Southern is no doubt going through paroxysms of angst over this epic failure to notice or even suspect the issue. Juiced images on problem raw coins is par for the course with them. They probably just saw it as another 1909 wheat cent worth under $100.

Justacommeman

I don't think it's a proof either based on the images

mark

OldIndianNutKase

@messydesk said:

@DoubleEagle59 said:
Is everyone in agreement that the coin is definitely a proof?

The rims aren't very square and that's what is troubling me.

That and the fact that I can't see the marker I posted above are giving me pause. If it's legit, though, the "impressive" bit stands.

I found the GSC photos of the coin to provide more detail than the TrueView images. Definitely cannot find the die marker, but I have a hard time finding the die marker on most of the BN and RB coins in CoinFacts.

The rims a definitely not what I would expect to see on a proof, but could it be that the TrueView image was over cropped? The GSC photo does not show proof rims either.

Probably a MS.

OINK

ksuscott

I am a skeptic...it doesn't look like a proof or a 65 to me. I don't see the rims or die markers. Compare the photos below. Am I missing something?

https://images.pcgs.com/TrueView/83094854_max.jpg

pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/3301

robec

I'm not seeing any of the diagnostics, plus the rims don't resemble MPL rims in the slightest.

Missing

Die scratches in front of nose

Curved die scratch from the B in LIBERTY

Crescent shaped die gouge after the M in UNUM

Rims aren't sharp

lkeigwin

It doesn't look like an MPL to me either, FWIW. PR65 is very generous.

If it turns out to be MS, will PCGS call it a mechanical or make a big payout?
Lance.

logger7

If you run the certification numbers around this coin, it looks like a lot of low grade and problem material that the submitter sent in with it. How much would he have paid on a $40K value coin in PCGS fees?

Wabbit2313

If it is not a mechanical error, the big wigs have to finalize a coin of that value. It is hard to imagine a 40K coin went out the door mechanical error.

BAJJERFAN

@boyernumismatics said:

@ricko said:
That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

I'll say whoever it is, is VERY happy to report that on their income taxes upon sale... LOL

Why would you assume that?> @lkeigwin said:

It doesn't look like an MPL to me either, FWIW. PR65 is very generous.

If it turns out to be MS, will PCGS call it a mechanical or make a big payout?
Lance.

I'd sell it before PCGS changes their mind. I wonder if threads like this pique their interest enough to flag it in their database in case it is submitted for review or correction.

boyernumismatics

@BAJJERFAN said:

@boyernumismatics said:

@ricko said:
That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

I'll say whoever it is, is VERY happy to report that on their income taxes upon sale... LOL

Why would you assume that?> @lkeigwin said:

It doesn't look like an MPL to me either, FWIW. PR65 is very generous.

If it turns out to be MS, will PCGS call it a mechanical or make a big payout?
Lance.

I'd sell it before PCGS changes their mind. I wonder if threads like this pique their interest enough to flag it in their database in case it is submitted for review or correction.

Well, simply because they bought the coin for $56...and the retail is $40,000.

WingedLiberty1957

NOT A PROOF !!!

WingedLiberty1957

My 1909 VDB looks more Prooflike (esp the rims) ...
And it's a rock solid Biz Strike
MS65RB

lkeigwin

What do you make of the damage under the date?
Lance.

BAJJERFAN

@boyernumismatics said:

@BAJJERFAN said:

@boyernumismatics said:

@ricko said:
That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

I'll say whoever it is, is VERY happy to report that on their income taxes upon sale... LOL

Why would you assume that?> @lkeigwin said:

It doesn't look like an MPL to me either, FWIW. PR65 is very generous.

If it turns out to be MS, will PCGS call it a mechanical or make a big payout?
Lance.

I'd sell it before PCGS changes their mind. I wonder if threads like this pique their interest enough to flag it in their database in case it is submitted for review or correction.

Well, simply because they bought the coin for $56...and the retail is $40,000.

I wouldn't assume that to be the case.

Zoins

From the photos, it does not look like a MPL to me. Has it been sold since it was slabbed?

boyernumismatics

@BAJJERFAN said:

@boyernumismatics said:

@BAJJERFAN said:

@boyernumismatics said:

@ricko said:
That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

I'll say whoever it is, is VERY happy to report that on their income taxes upon sale... LOL

Why would you assume that?> @lkeigwin said:

It doesn't look like an MPL to me either, FWIW. PR65 is very generous.

If it turns out to be MS, will PCGS call it a mechanical or make a big payout?
Lance.

I'd sell it before PCGS changes their mind. I wonder if threads like this pique their interest enough to flag it in their database in case it is submitted for review or correction.

Well, simply because they bought the coin for $56...and the retail is $40,000.

I wouldn't assume that to be the case.

ASSUMING the coin is actually a PR, then i would stick to my affirmation claim.

BAJJERFAN

@boyernumismatics said:

@BAJJERFAN said:

@boyernumismatics said:

@BAJJERFAN said:

@boyernumismatics said:

@ricko said:
That is incredibly awesome....what a great story and coin.... Good for that person... Cheers, RickO

I'll say whoever it is, is VERY happy to report that on their income taxes upon sale... LOL

Why would you assume that?> @lkeigwin said:

It doesn't look like an MPL to me either, FWIW. PR65 is very generous.

If it turns out to be MS, will PCGS call it a mechanical or make a big payout?
Lance.

I'd sell it before PCGS changes their mind. I wonder if threads like this pique their interest enough to flag it in their database in case it is submitted for review or correction.

Well, simply because they bought the coin for $56...and the retail is $40,000.

I wouldn't assume that to be the case.

ASSUMING the coin is actually a PR, then i would stick to my affirmation claim.

Well, you may be happy to pay taxes on the gain, but that doesn't mean that the owner of the coin would.

I didn't intend to post that. Had it saved as a draft, but when I went to post something else this STUPID SOFTWARE posted the saved draft too. I wish they'd add a CANCEL button for if you change your mind about something you want to post.

WingedLiberty1957

Proofs look like this ... razor sharp wide rims all the way around.
But you need those diagnostics to match to verify

PR65RB

PR66BN