Best Teletrade purchase

DAM

There was a recent thread taking about the crappy coins for auction on Teletrade. Teletrade, the perverbial dumping ground for the coin hobby can also offer some good buys if your lucky. I'm wondering if anyone has been lucky enough to get a good coin there.

I'll start:

A few years ago, I was the successful bidder for a 1916 Lincoln MS67RD. My winning bid was $500 (plus the juice). I was extremely happy when I saw it, and still have it today. It's as nice a MS67RD as I've seen. At the time there was a dealer asking $1500.00 for the same date and grade. It wasn't the same coin because the ad ran for a few months and I even called to see if they had sold theirs on Teletrade. Buy-the-way, it is in the right holder (per B&M) too.

I also got an MS66RD 1864LM Two Cent piece. Nice luster, sharp strike, great detail. It has a few die cracks, something I'm not opposed to.

I have a couple more examples, just can't think of them right now.

When we run through this thread, I'll start one asking your worst stories. I've got a good one for then.

DAM

IrishMike

I routinely buy coins there, turn around sale them on Ebay for 10-25% profit. Takes a lot of time to studying the pricing and guessing trends, but it helps finance my hobby. Some folk only care what it says on that blue insert anyway. I've purchase some nice cameo Franklins there.

braddick

I purchased a 1982 PR69DCAM Washington commemorative half. I think I paid $45.00 or so. Now, this was about ten years ago before PCGS even put 'DCAM' on the inserts of any modern commemorative. This one had it. But, the big news: The auction description simply said, "nicely toned", or something along those lines. I took a chance as I had up to that point not seen one of these toned and grade out at PR69.
Well, the coin arrives and it has the most Monster Peac 0ck rainblow toning I've ever seen on a Modern Commemorative! It was my favorite coin until I sold it. (Another Thread: Top coins you wished you had NEVER sold. This one would top mine!)

roadrunner

3 years ago I picked up an NGC 68 1948d Roosevelt dime at a Connecticut Numismatic Auction. I paid $95 for the coin (I had left a high mail bid of $160). I really didn't have a clue as to the Registry Set idea or even that it existed. I just knew it was a neat bullet toned coin with a dead white center framed with reds and browns. It was mark free too and in an old holder. After seeing some "crazy" prices on Teletrade for 67 and 68 coins I decided to take a shot. Boy, was I shocked to see the little bugger bring well over $500 in spirited bidding. I had never seen a cleaner or more impressive Roosevelt dime. At the time, I thought everyone was nuts and I was darn happy to make a 400% profit. Of course, now I realize that the piece is probably one of the very best known and possibly sitting in an ICG-69 or even PCGS-68 holder now. I'm sure it's one of the highlights of someone's registry set. Of all the NGC 68 Mercs, Roosy's, and Washington's I've run across, that was the only piece that I would have graded a technical 68 as well as a 68 on eye appeal. Wouldn't mind having that one back.....but at $95. There are sometimes some very nice coins on Teletrade.

roadrunner

Cocoinut

I've probably purchased a couple hundred coins from Teletrade since 1990. Before they had pictures on the internet (and before I had internet access), it was often hit-and-miss. I used them to sell about 20 coins that I had purchased from them, but didn't care for. I have many coins from them that I really like; you just have to learn to read their descriptions carefully and, if in doubt, don't bid. Some of the best coins I've purchased from them (investment-wise) have been an 1873 Indian cent, PCGS MS64RD for $260 in 1990, a 1960 Large Date over Small Date cent, purchased about 10 years ago as a regular 1960 PCGS PR66CAM, and 2 MS67 1939-P nickels sold as a single lot in November 2000. The part of the description in bold print didn't mention one being a FS, but further into the description it did say that one was a "full strike" (not "full steps"). The bottom line was that for $110 I got the 2 MS67 '39-P nickels, but one was a FS coin. There have been many others where the quality has met or exceeded my expectations. Overall, it's still a good source for coins for those of us that aren't able to get to many shows.

Jim

Bcsican

I was one of the lucky ones a few of the coins in my former # 1 set of MS Kennedys came from teletrade one of the best coins I found was a 1995 D MS 68 Kennedy. I paid 168.00 dollars and was the high bidder, , the same coin today will bring over 1200.00 when you can find it a pop of 5..... I also had found the best 1989 P MS 67 on teletrade, screw the ones that think there is nothing but trash on teletrade, not true....

jcping

Still remember the good old days, auction 1110 lot 1425. It is a 1918/7S standing liberty quarter and its description showed "head is 50% full".
Nevertheless, the picture showed clearly it is a Full Head coin. Bought it and cross it over to PCGS. Right now, it is the lone AU53FH in the PCGS pop report.

CarlWohlforth

I've had to return several. I have had a few that surpassed expectations. I am not sure which was the best. I did get a few nice NGC coins that I was able to cross to PCGS. But lets say for now it might be a toned Mercury dime.

DAM

Sounds like there are some good buys, occasionally. Wish I had the postage money I spent returning the crappy ones. What's really helped in in recent years are the images. Though they're not always perfect, they give you an idea of the look of the coin. Expecially since they're not always good at giving accurate descriptions.

I'm not trying to promote Teletrade, rather I'm curious if others had the occasional good fortune like I have. I think jcping has a great success story. What a buy! Maybe not the lottery, but still a good feeling to cherry pick one.

Thanks for the info.

DAM