Liberty Seated Half CC premiums?

thisnamztaken · January 22, 2015 9:10AM

I don't get out to shows anymore but have noticed that online sellers are asking $100. or more premiums over the PCGS price guide for even very low grade CC Halves. Why? Have they suddenly become that scarce?

rhedden · January 22, 2015 9:12AM

They've never been common compared to the CC Morgan dollars. Liberty Seated halves started to grow in popularity as Bust half prices got driven up and nice coins became harder to find. A truly original XF-AU of any CC date is a real find. Now there are few underrated dates left in the Liberty Seated series, and any better date is likely to be marked up, especially CC mints.

thisnamztaken · January 23, 2015 8:35AM

What surprises me is that even very low grade PCGS slabbed LSH CC's (like "common" date AG-VG10) prices are jacked up way over the PCGS price guide! I know the guides are just a general estimate for average coins, but it seems to me that either PCGS needs to update their low grade CC prices or that many sellers are trying to gouge buyers and/or make a false market for them.

Barberian · January 23, 2015 9:12AM

<< <i>What surprises me is that even very low grade PCGS slabbed LSH CC's (like "common" date AG-VG10) prices are jacked up way over the PCGS price guide! I know the guides are just a general estimate for average coins, but it seems to me that either PCGS needs to update their low grade CC prices or that many sellers are trying to gouge buyers and/or make a false market for them. >>

They have always been way higher than PCGS and NGC price guide prices in lower grades, even for $0.99 start Ebay auctions. Some dates have sky rocketed, even common dates like 1876-CC in low grades. I say find a nice example and be willing to pay up for it. It will probably pay off for you when it comes time to sell. This coin has probably doubled in value in the past 5 years.

Overdate · January 23, 2015 10:04AM

I just checked eBay for "CC" under U.S. coins to find the number of auctions. They were

Dollars (Morgan) 5,364
Dollars (Trade) 113
Dollars (Seated) 22
Dimes 468
Quarters 454
Twenty Cent Pieces 231
Half Dollars 202
Gold (Pre-1933) 110

Apparently CC halves are scarcer than any other Seated fractionals, even the higher-priced (and single date) 20 cent pieces. So premium prices for CC halves makes sense.

GotTheBug · January 23, 2015 10:25AM

Cougar1978 · January 24, 2015 1:08AM

CC coins will always be tougher to find near sheet. Expect to pay thru the nose for nice, hard to find ones. Any dealer knows that if he has a nice CC coin (like a quality CC Double Eagle) he probably has the only one in the bourse room. A buyer will either pay his price or walk away without one.

Year ago I bought a really nice 1890-CC PCGS graded Double Eagle. I had to pay a premium over market retail for it and was glad to get it. It has been in my bank box ever since with my quality Double Eagle portfolio. Its value is well above what I paid. When gold increases I may get it out and have in my case at a show. They will pay my price or else won't get the coin.

That 1876-CC Half is one I would bid up to get if on the Bay, a really nice coin.

rhedden · January 24, 2015 1:14AM

I wanted to buy an original toned, CC-mint Trade Dollar last summer. I found an NGC AU55 1874-CC with ample luster under thick skin, but the price was more than I wanted to pay. Bought it anyway because I know I can always sell it for the same amount or close to it.

Edited to add: here are a few crusty CC Seated halves from my set.

Walkerguy21D · January 24, 2015 1:27AM

Interesting thread, and great coins posted by rhedden.
Unfortunately when I sold off my set a couple years ago I didn't charge much of a premium at all for the CC halves.

crypto79 · January 24, 2015 1:30AM

<< <i>I wanted to buy an original toned, CC-mint Trade Dollar last summer. I found an NGC AU55 1874-CC with ample luster under thick skin, but the price was more than I wanted to pay. Bought it anyway because I know I can always sell it for the same amount or close to it.

Edited to add: here are a few crusty CC Seated halves from my set.
>>

Wise choice on the trade dollar date, if I had to wager I would say the 74cc is the most under valued CC date for the series. The 73cc is over valued esp in circulated grades and the 78cc is no secret while the 75cc is pretty Common. The 76 & 74 are bears to locate and even more so nice and the latter has the impression of being common as there are numbers of them chop marked but most collectors don't really want those. Try to find a choice 74cc for anywhere near book.

mbogoman · January 24, 2015 2:11AM

Never mind, move along...

thisnamztaken · January 24, 2015 9:18AM

Thanks for your opinions, experiences, and great photos, everyone. Good stuff.

roadrunner · January 24, 2015 9:49AM

CC's have come a long way in the past 10-20 years. I look for better O and S mints now as they have better potential. When I bought my first 1870-CC half in FINE for $175, that was a good deal. These days, that date is an arm and a leg. The 74-CC half was probably the last CC I actively looked for....but that was over 10 years ago. The last CC half I owned was in 2011 (NGC MS67 1877cc pop 1). When I see 1875-cc quarters in MS65 going for $35K-$50K I just have to shake my head....especially when the sellers state what bargains they are. The last low grade CC half I sold was a 72-cc in VG for $75 back in 2004-2006. I had paid $60 for it and flipped it.

rhedden · January 24, 2015 10:39AM

<< <i>CC's have come a long way in the past 10-20 years. I look for better O and S mints now as they have better potential. When I bought my first 1870-CC half in FINE for $175, that was a good deal. These days, that date is an arm and a leg. The 74-CC half was probably the last CC I actively looked for....but that was over 10 years ago. The last CC half I owned was in 2011 (NGC MS67 1877cc pop 1). When I see 1875-cc quarters in MS65 going for $35K-$50K I just have to shake my head....especially when the sellers state what bargains they are. The last low grade CC half I sold was a 72-cc in VG for $75 back in 2004-2006. I had paid $60 for it and flipped it. >>

Note to self: move on and collect something else. The ship sailed.

rhedden · January 24, 2015 10:41AM

Dang, another double post. My internet connection is on crack tonight.

Barberian · January 24, 2015 6:10PM

<< <i>I wanted to buy an original toned, CC-mint Trade Dollar last summer. I found an NGC AU55 1874-CC with ample luster under thick skin, but the price was more than I wanted to pay. Bought it anyway because I know I can always sell it for the same amount or close to it.

Edited to add: here are a few crusty CC Seated halves from my set.

[ >>

Is that 1874-CC slightly bent to get such strong wear on the obverse and little wear on the rerverse? I have 65-S half with a similar wear pattern.

rhedden · January 25, 2015 1:19AM

Not bent; actually a wholesome PCGS VF25. Many 1870-1874-cc halves were convex as-struck, with a bulging obverse. As a result, it's common to see coins graded PCGS VF20 that do not have the word LIBERTY complete, or PCGS F12 with just 1 or 2 letters in LIBERTY. When the coin is flipped over, it looks better than the assigned grade on the reverse. Seems most noticeable in the F and VF grades. Rich Uhrich pointed this out to me several years ago, and it's an important grading point for the earlier CC halves.

rhedden · January 25, 2015 1:22AM

double post again.

Liberty Seated Half CC premiums?

Comments

Leave a Comment