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The aging process of 20th and 19th century gold

coinlieutenantcoinlieutenant Posts: 9,320 ✭✭✭✭✭
Thanks RR! Others in the set after the NEWP! I called Doug Winter the other day to ask him about his thoughts on the pursuit of two separate sets of coins, one in the 20th century, the other in the 19th century.

I don't know of any other person that knows more about US gold than Doug. He told me that I was going to have extreme difficulty with both sets, but for different reasons.

For the eagle set, his thoughts were to discourage me from trying it for two reasons. First is that it is uncompletable on my desired budget. Second, and more interestingly from a numismatic standpoint, that the aesthetic appeal of circulated coins from each century were dramatically different.

For Liberty gold, maybe one out of every 100 circs coins show plus eye appeal. For Indian Eagles and other 20th century gold, this number is likely 1 in 1000.

I thought this was an interesting statement and worthy of discussion. What are your thoughts on the subject, to include reasons why this differentiation exists if it exists at all.

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Comments

  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,929 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very nice crusty examples. It is fun to do a new set....love the challenge as you seem to do too.



    bobimage
    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • TopographicOceansTopographicOceans Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
    Those are warriors
    image
  • mvs7mvs7 Posts: 1,662 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice grouping!
  • PaleElfPaleElf Posts: 990 ✭✭✭
    The 1908-D is super sweet!
  • YorkshiremanYorkshireman Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cool idea for a set. The 1908 and 1913 grab you!
    Yorkshireman,Obsessed collector of round, metallic pieces of history.Hunting for Latin American colonial portraits plus cool US & British coins.
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,313 ✭✭✭✭✭
    GTG on the 1908-s.



    I think the $10 Indian set would be fine....just don't go after the 20-s, 30-s and of course the 1933. That will keep the set very manageable and not all that far from bullion.



    The circ 1913 is interesting in that it has less bag marks or cuts than a typical MS64 coin.
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • stevebensteveben Posts: 4,636 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: coinlieutenant

    ...and more interestingly from a numismatic standpoint, that the aesthetic appeal of circulated coins from each century were dramatically different.



    For Liberty gold, maybe one out of every 100 circs coins show plus eye appeal. For Indian Eagles and other 20th century gold, this number is likely 1 in 1000.



    I thought this was an interesting statement and worthy of discussion. What are your thoughts on the subject, to include reasons why this differentiation exists if it exists at all.





    19th century US gold had more silver content, in the early days, for starters.



    second, the specie, assaying, and tech all improved in the 20th century (and closer to it).



    finally, i believe that more coins were made from melted coin instead of native specie, by the 20th century.
  • msch1manmsch1man Posts: 809 ✭✭✭✭
    Interesting observation by Doug. I wonder if the difference is purely related to the age of the coins/time in actual circulation or if it's more a matter of for every truly circ'd 20th century gold coin you see, you'll see 10 or more 19th century ones...I mean, honestly I just don't see many truly circ'd 20th century pieces (by truly circ'd I'm talking actual wear not just a slider). Regardless, I think your Indians are beautiful!
  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,854 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like them, and find it odd that the market often doesn't put much of a premium on these.
  • JJSingletonJJSingleton Posts: 1,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is a fine group of eagles!

    Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia

    Findley Ridge Collection
    About Findley Ridge

  • DDRDDR Posts: 1,625 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Beautiful circulated $10s!
  • CharlotteDudeCharlotteDude Posts: 3,165 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Love the look of all four.

    'dude
    Got Crust....y gold?
  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 12,396 ✭✭✭✭✭
    John, you have a great eye buddy. You are masochistic to try and complete the Indian $10 set in that look!
  • fishteethfishteeth Posts: 2,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
    great looking coins, good luck on the set
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,783 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Twentieth century gold in Mint Stare is usually not crusty naturally. If something is not not usually the way you want it, why push the envelope? I like a little coppery toning, so dates just don't come that way. Accept the nature of things, get ready to pay outrageous prices or buy coins that have been doctored with stuff like iodine.
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • coinlieutenantcoinlieutenant Posts: 9,320 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bill,

    I am confused by your post. This is why I am going for circ coins....not mint state.

    John
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,313 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've seen quite a few choice and gem generic date gold coins and it seems to me that if left alone with orig surfaces, they will typically sport some coppery coloration, among other interesting flashes of color. And from what I've seen of the Duckor and Saint Guru gem gold coins they more often than not sport coppery coloration along with a alloy spot or two. So much choice and gem gold has been dipped out over the years that the collectors of today think that bright yellow is the norm....and more desirable.
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • coinlieutenantcoinlieutenant Posts: 9,320 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I was hoping this post would get to the bottom of why CIRC 20th century gold doesn't look as nice as 19th century.

    Some possibilities:

    1. Didn't circulate as much, more MS coins than VF/XF
    2. Didn't have as much time to circulate
    3. Different metal compositions
    4. Different methods of production

    What else?
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Certainly a wide variation of color in the group....Cheers, RickO
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Love the group.



    mark
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭
    Those all have nice eye appeal. But I especially love the 1908-D.
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • reddwingreddwing Posts: 137 ✭✭
    For 19th/20th century collectors i had a question. Is it generally smart to buy only slabbed authenticated gold coins? With the current state of fakes, are there other authentication processes one goes through before buying an unslabbed 19th/20th century (or any gold coin) gold coin? Or do you put your trust with a credible dealer who will agree to buy the coin back if there is a problem?
  • jomjom Posts: 3,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I tried my hand at high end AU 20th Century gold ($5 and $10) and found it nearly impossible to do so. For several reasons:

    1) Many AU coin got into MS holders making many of them less affordable for me
    2) I found most Circulated examples ugly....especially the $5 Indian. The coin really REALLY needed to be choice AU....which again often leads back to #1.

    I find that 19th Century gold "wears" better for some reason. You can find low end AU and even XF coins with luster around the stars and letters. For whatever reason you don't see that with the 20th Century coins...

    jom
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,313 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: jom



    ....I find that 19th Century gold "wears" better for some reason. You can find low end AU and even XF coins with luster around the stars and letters. For whatever reason you don't see that with the 20th Century coins...

    jom






    The PCGS ogh VF35 1908-s above has original surfaces and about 30-50% luster. Something tells me that if an early "teens" Walker had 30% luster it would not be graded VF35.



    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • ashelandasheland Posts: 23,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice looking group indeed!
  • coinlieutenantcoinlieutenant Posts: 9,320 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Jom,

    Completely agree on the 5 Indians in circ. Doug specifically mentioned those in our conversation. I was trying to put an S mint set of the half eagles together too. I stopped after five of them. Only one had really good eye appeal. The others were marginal.

    The 1908-S that brian sold me in this thread is phenomenal. Luster is way beyond what one would expect for a vf30. The 1907 below it is graded vt30!

    I think the 10 Indian set is possible in circ if one excludes the three keys.

    John

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