Craig - For some reason when I posted yesterday your post wasn't there. Anyway, good call for some dialogue on rarity. And I agree with you 100% that there are a lot of barbers that haven't been to CAC (I can show you at least 100). To me, CAC is just another opinion (granted, a well respected one), but I have several collector friends whose opinion I value more.
I'd like to qualify my opinions on the rarest five, to coins I'd want to own as opposed to anything that happens to be certified by our hosts.
Barber quarters (other than the big 3) in 55-58:
1907-S; 1909-O; 1897-S; 1897-O; 1914-S. I can think of a dozen more that could be number 4 or 5, but the dark horse would be the 1905-S.
Barber Half in XF/AU:
1897-O; 1893-S; 1901-O; 1896-O; 1896-S.
Mike - Timing is everything, but at least you got your 1899 dime in 58.
Tom - Would you agree that nice barber halves are tougher to find in 63/64, than barber quarters?
Pics for this AM, PC53 that Doug found in an ICG-50 holder:
Vern l It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Yes, Vern, I would agree that nice Barber half dollars (MS63-64 or higher) are tougher to find than similar Barber quarters. Oddly enough, I had a client email me a question about this topic just last week and I hope I did not write his head off with my response.
Tim.... I see no fault in your logic about XF/AU Barber Quarters ... but: Give the Devil His Due:
the # 1 toughest is { Three guesses } 01-S, 01-S and oh yeah, 01-S
Number 2 is hands down the 96-S
and of course, the Number 3 Bug-aboo is the 13-S.
oddly, the Number 4 is the 09-O in XF { in AU its the Number 2 }
Number 5 ... IMHO in XF is the 01-O
Number 6 its the 07-S....
Number 7 its the 97-O and
Number 8 its the 97-S ...
{ the 97-O & 97-S are interchangeable in AU's. }
I have only a couple of 55's that are scheduled for an upgrade to 58. I have not found a 97-O in AU 58...
...or any other AU grade for that matter - I love my 97-O in 65 - it just doesn't sit well in between two AU's.
I bought an MS 1897 Phila in 64 just to keep it company - LOL - and my 97-S is a 55 PL.
I have never owned a 97-O in any AU grade come to think of it. My 1st set had a MS as well.
Don't get me started on the Dimes....
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Oh Mike, I totally agree. I left the Big 3 out of the list because Craig asked us to leave them out... here is what Craig asked of us:
"It's time again (as we had done this before) to list opinions as to the 5 most challenging Barber Quarters (outside of the big three) and the 5 most challenging Barber Halfs in XF and AU."
So, if we start with the '09-O, I think we are in alignment! (or at least close)
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Lenny, You made me smile big when you stated the '14-S since I just picked up a quality XF CAC earlier this year!
The '97-O, for me, has been a bit more difficult to get access to one with a good strike. The ones I have seen have been a little more funky in the surface quality (opaque?) and below average coloration as a rule of thumb. Perhaps your experiences have been better. I recently obtained earlier this year a really nice '04-O as well... my '05-O is CAC'd. Perhaps my experience has left me more erroneously biased? I appreciated hearing your thoughts on your list. I can agree on the '08-S... I just wonder why the populations are higher for that date. Irregardless, quality on the '08-S is below average in higher circulated grades... agreed. Perhaps the same case can be made with the '05-S.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
My top five AU barber quarters after the three keys: 1909-O, 1901-O, 1897-S, 1914-S, 1908-S
My top five AU barber halves: 1897-O, 1896-O, 1896-S, 1893-S, 1905-O
@Lucanus said:
My top five AU barber quarters after the three keys: 1909-O, 1901-O, 1897-S, 1914-S, 1908-S
My top five AU barber halves: 1897-O, 1896-O, 1896-S, 1893-S, 1905-O
Any insights on what you all see as quality within those XF-AU grades?] As you know... just because you can get a holdered grade doesn't mean it is very desirable. Thoughs? Does that change grade perceptions or collectability?
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
@sedulous said:
Any insights on what you all see as quality within those XF-AU grades?] As you know... just because you can get a holdered grade doesn't mean it is very desirable. Thoughs? Does that change grade perceptions or collectability?
The one date that sticks out in my mind is the 04-O half. I have seen a lot of turds in holders!
@amwldcoin said:
Dogwood...I see you disagree with my rarity ratings of XF-AU Barber Half's! Care to list yours so I can pick it apart!
Wasn't me.
Altho I do love these ratings comparison opinions I've not chimed in on this one.
I'm a F/VF man again.
I'm putting 2 & 2 together and see you received 1 disagree with the frownie face. This must be the thing which you are addressing.
Public Mea culpa then.
I blame the inadvertent iPhone finger swipe anomaly. Sorry bout that. I actually don't take any issue with your list.
You scared me for a second with that account hack talk tho
We're all born MS70. I'm about a Fine 15 right now.
@amwldcoin said:
Dogwood...I see you disagree with my rarity ratings of XF-AU Barber Half's! Care to list yours so I can pick it apart!
Wasn't me.
Altho I do love these ratings comparison opinions I've not chimed in on this one.
I'm a F/VF man again.
I'm putting 2 & 2 together and see you received 1 disagree with the frownie face. This must be the thing which you are addressing.
Public Mea culpa then.
I blame the inadvertent iPhone finger swipe anomaly. Sorry bout that. I actually don't take any issue with your list.
You scared me for a second with that account hack talk tho
@sedulous said:
Oh Mike, I totally agree. I left the Big 3 out of the list because Craig asked us to leave them out... here is what Craig asked of us:
"It's time again (as we had done this before) to list opinions as to the 5 most challenging Barber Quarters (outside of the big three) and the 5 most challenging Barber Halfs in XF and AU."
So, if we start with the '09-O, I think we are in alignment! (or at least close)
Tim... I am sorry, I breezed right thru Craig's post....my bad.... I really thought it odd ( to say
the least ) not to see the Big Three included in other's lists.
The 14-S Quarter in AU is certainly a very tough coin. I should have included it in my
list.... I have to admit, locating an AU 09-O Quarter is on many a list. I started my latest set
with the sole purpose of excluding the Big Three and the 09-O. I never expected to be
offered the nicest AU 58 on the market. I'm still scratching my head as to why my 58 did
not CAC ... and my old AU 55 did CAC .... and the Gold CAC was a real surprise - I graded it
an AU 50-53 - and I thought the 55 grade was a gift - and to add insult to injury, the 55 got
a Gold CAC - and sooner rather than later, it received an upgrade, to an AU 58. I was speechless.
I like Lenny's idea of "overly touted" Quarters - with Jim's admonision of overly priced Halves.
I agree fully with these lists. I really need to dig into why the 13-S Half is on the toughest lists.
I don't ever remember having any difficulty in locating XF & AU's for my last two sets - or
for the six or seven intermediate sets I assembled in VF to XF. But, I have to listen and learn
to the master Half Set builder. If he thinks the 13-S Half is in the top 5 toughest - he must
know what he's talking about; after all, he eats, sleeps, and deals with this series every day,
"24/7" ....
I also wonder why ICG went "South".... as clearly they were very conservative on
that beautiful 1907-S Quarter. Calling it a 50 ( IMHO ) was a travesty ! Minimum I'd
call it a 53 with a good shot of being a 55. Very nice coin....has it crossed with our
hosts yet ? Very curious to hear what they would tag it as.
Don't know how my fellow Barberites fared on the recent Kagin ANA auction. I found
absolutely nothing that ticked my itch. The upcoming Stacks-Bowers auctions for Baltimore
certainly have a number of things I really like ( i.e.:.Proof V Nickels ....to fill in a few holes ).
I need to really study these catalogs - as I casually went them them and saw lots of goodies.
Well...good luck in your hunts.....
Thanks again, NoHeadlights, for reaching out thru my BST Dime Thread !!
Looking forward to that Barber Dime !
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Justin, I am sure you wouldn't mind if at some future point that coin landed in your collection. I think it would fit very nicely. Vern has a good one there!
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Now that I've perchased an AU 53 1897 S Barber Half I'm going to sell my PCGS XF 45. I've always thought is should be in a 50 holder; I'm thinking about sending it back to PCGS for reconsideration:
Does anyone else think it's under graded? Would it be worth sending it in?
Jeff, IMHO, I'd keep the coin in the current holder - then send it to CAC ( if you're selling immediately ) ....say what you will...yes, it's just another opinion, etc....the fact remains CAC
approved coins sell on the high end of the value scale ( Trends, CW etc. ) leave well enough
alone...it's a great coin in XF....would be even more desirable ( for what ever reason to the potential buyer ) with a "CAC approved coin ".....
It is what it is......It's not "way undergraded" as alluded to in a few posts down from here.
I didn't want to bring too much emphasis to this - so I decided to just edit this post.
It's a solid 45 ....on a good day it could squeak out an AU 50..... But not worth the hasstle
of regrading .... Get it CAC'd for $13.50...takes about 10-12 days.... I could submit it for you.
Or, anyone whose a member at CAC can help you.
Your coin could be worthy of a Gold CAC ..... Who knows .... Only the Shaddow knows.
Edit: I have no trouble seeing it in an AU 53 Holder... Maybe even a green CAC..... Who knows ?!!!
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Tim....it's very hard to judge by images alone - as we all have come to learn.
The nickel looks like a gum - eraser was used to remove any stains / blackish streaks.
Hard to see the metal movement on lower end non MS coins. I still have my grand father's collection and just completed it in AU 58. Upgrades for some of his coins and replacements for other Nickels, which he never owned. It's eventually going to get sent our hosts - but need to
spread out the submission. I posted the new 1889 NGC - AU 58, a while ago. This 1889 Nickel
is as nicely struck as I could have hoped for ( yes a few stars need better radials )
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
@dbldie55 said:
To be part of the thread. Here is the 1901 Reverse of 1902 Liberty Nickel I just upgraded to MS65 (from my MS63)
@dbldie55 said:
To be part of the thread. Here is the 1901 Reverse of 1902 Liberty Nickel I just upgraded to MS65 (from my MS63)
Love the coin...love it !!
Very interesting about the Type of 1901 and 1902.
Second and third Reverse Die Hubs. I should pay
much better attention to the details of what I'm doing.
Mike Hayes ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
Jeff, You seem to do this regularly, albeit in higher grades, to gracefully pick out nice, raw coins for future slabbing. Are there any tips you might be able to share on what to look for in auction images or any observation / pick up points to identify less-than-ideal offerings?
I am repeating the '91 V nickel auction image here:
I think you're right on sending the '97 S Half in to get beaned rather than resubmitting to PCGS. How long does that process take?
As far as finding nice raw coins goes it's a lot of work. Most of the raw coins I buy come from eBay (some from shows). Determining problem coins in-hand is for the most part manageable, although PCGS tells me I'm wrong occassionally.
Trolling eBay takes a LOT of work. It's a bit like fishing. Most problem/ undesireable coins can be sorted out by looking at listing photos. I've learned to pass over a lot more than I used to. If the photos are blurry/ poor I look at other items the seller has listed. If they sell coins and have OK pictures for other coins I take a pass. If the seller has ceramic plates and dolls I might take a chance on the item (if it's returnable). I'm done fighting with people about returning horrible coins when the listing states "No Returns".
Out of the coins I do recieve in the mail I return about 65% of them; they have problems not visible in the listing photos. I pay for the return postage; it's just part of the process. The other 35% usually get sent in for grading; about 10% of those don't straight grade.
I'm getting better at culling out the problem coins. One needs to get over wanting to keep the coin and sending it in for grading because it was such a great buy, or the coin is so hard to find. Purchasing raw coins on eBay is not for the feighnt of heart. My guess is that 98% of the 100+ year old raw coins above F condition have been cleaned or have other problems. But it's really fun when one finds a raw '14 Half for a few hundred dollars that grades AU 58!
Jeff, If your pictures of the 97-S in 45 are accurate I agree with the grade. There is too much overall wear. There is absolutely no luster on the face...cheek...has overall wear. That's my opinion for what it is worth.
I think the 97-S has the detail for an AU grade, but I think it was net graded for the marks on the obverse.
Tim, are the first pics the seller pics of the 91? If so, the marks alone would have kept me away. Also, it has what I call pasty surfaces. Like the skin was chemically removed, All but one of the coins in my set that I had graded came from eBay. I've had plenty experience with pics from eBay and the actual quality you receive, I don't have nearly the return rate of Jeff, but then again, when you are on that border of AU/MS it's a heck of a lot harder to decipher.
Jeff - Lenny's 93-S that I posted yesterday is a half. I think your 97-S has a reverse that's every bit of 53, depends on how "washed out" the portrait is and how significant those marks are. Is a 50 that much more expensive than a 45 in today's market? Might be worth a shot.
Tim - It's a lot of work finding decent raw coins whether on ebay or at a show, but when a nice one shows up it's worth it.
Justin - That's a beautiful '13. Good luck with the remaining 13.
Pics for this AM, bought this raw at the ANA in 1999:
Vern l It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
I don't mean to pile on about the PCGS EF45 1897-S, but I think the coin has the look of one that was dipped and we are seeing secondary toning. This is not always attractive and it can kill remaining luster on circulated coins. My guess, since I have not seen it in-hand, is that the luster is burned off (especially on the obverse) and that this plus the secondary toning cap the coin at EF45.
Bought this 1916-S Dime ages ago...it was in an old Anacs Cachet holder and
I wanted the coin reholdered - per se - in a new PCGS holder. Can't argue the
AU 50 grade - it's just a neat looking coin.
Not sure if I can drop the image here ( on the iPad ) ....but let's see...worst senario:
tap on the links which may show up if the actual image does not.
Very nice off-center Mike! I guess times were different then when people would pass around a misstruck coin like it was ordinary. I certainly would have kept it.
oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's
Jeff, it's in a 30 holder. It's overgraded. I'm OK with that because the coin is very original with no PVC or marks etc. I try not to worry about the grade so much and concentrate on the coin itself. The difference in color of the photos is my fault. It's the best I could do holding the coin in my kitchen under amateur light and the cell phone.
Justin - I like your method of collecting, going after problem free original coins in a grade range without splitting hairs over a number. With the look of your '13, what difference does it make what number a grading service calls it this year? 5 years from now their number will probably be different, but the coin will still be the same. Very desirable.
Pics for this AM, not sure where I left off on posting my raw set:
Vern l It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Comments
Craig - For some reason when I posted yesterday your post wasn't there. Anyway, good call for some dialogue on rarity. And I agree with you 100% that there are a lot of barbers that haven't been to CAC (I can show you at least 100). To me, CAC is just another opinion (granted, a well respected one), but I have several collector friends whose opinion I value more.
I'd like to qualify my opinions on the rarest five, to coins I'd want to own as opposed to anything that happens to be certified by our hosts.
Barber quarters (other than the big 3) in 55-58:
1907-S; 1909-O; 1897-S; 1897-O; 1914-S. I can think of a dozen more that could be number 4 or 5, but the dark horse would be the 1905-S.
Barber Half in XF/AU:
1897-O; 1893-S; 1901-O; 1896-O; 1896-S.
Mike - Timing is everything, but at least you got your 1899 dime in 58.
Tom - Would you agree that nice barber halves are tougher to find in 63/64, than barber quarters?
Pics for this AM, PC53 that Doug found in an ICG-50 holder:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Verne! I can show you over 2000 Barber Half's that haven't been to CAC!
Yes, Vern, I would agree that nice Barber half dollars (MS63-64 or higher) are tougher to find than similar Barber quarters. Oddly enough, I had a client email me a question about this topic just last week and I hope I did not write his head off with my response.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Tim.... I see no fault in your logic about XF/AU Barber Quarters ... but: Give the Devil His Due:
the # 1 toughest is { Three guesses } 01-S, 01-S and oh yeah, 01-S
Number 2 is hands down the 96-S
and of course, the Number 3 Bug-aboo is the 13-S.
oddly, the Number 4 is the 09-O in XF { in AU its the Number 2 }
Number 5 ... IMHO in XF is the 01-O
Number 6 its the 07-S....
Number 7 its the 97-O and
Number 8 its the 97-S ...
{ the 97-O & 97-S are interchangeable in AU's. }
I have only a couple of 55's that are scheduled for an upgrade to 58. I have not found a 97-O in AU 58...
...or any other AU grade for that matter - I love my 97-O in 65 - it just doesn't sit well in between two AU's.
I bought an MS 1897 Phila in 64 just to keep it company - LOL - and my 97-S is a 55 PL.
I have never owned a 97-O in any AU grade come to think of it. My 1st set had a MS as well.
Don't get me started on the Dimes....
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Oh Mike, I totally agree. I left the Big 3 out of the list because Craig asked us to leave them out... here is what Craig asked of us:
"It's time again (as we had done this before) to list opinions as to the 5 most challenging Barber Quarters (outside of the big three) and the 5 most challenging Barber Halfs in XF and AU."
So, if we start with the '09-O, I think we are in alignment! (or at least close)
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Jeff, Congrats on your 97-S AU-53. I'll bet you got good value for that (compared to a 58).
Darrell, I would defer to you on the 5 toughest half assessment.
Sedulous, The only argument you would get from me is the 97-O on your quarter list. I'd rate all of these dates above the 97-O;
04-O
05-O
05-S
08-S
09-S
And I put the 14-S in the top 3 (excluding keys)
Lenny
Lenny, You made me smile big when you stated the '14-S since I just picked up a quality XF CAC earlier this year!
The '97-O, for me, has been a bit more difficult to get access to one with a good strike. The ones I have seen have been a little more funky in the surface quality (opaque?) and below average coloration as a rule of thumb. Perhaps your experiences have been better. I recently obtained earlier this year a really nice '04-O as well... my '05-O is CAC'd. Perhaps my experience has left me more erroneously biased? I appreciated hearing your thoughts on your list. I can agree on the '08-S... I just wonder why the populations are higher for that date. Irregardless, quality on the '08-S is below average in higher circulated grades... agreed. Perhaps the same case can be made with the '05-S.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
My top five AU barber quarters after the three keys: 1909-O, 1901-O, 1897-S, 1914-S, 1908-S
My top five AU barber halves: 1897-O, 1896-O, 1896-S, 1893-S, 1905-O
Doug
This is XF-AU! The 01-O is 2nd in AU!
My ranking in AU does follow the Pop reports.
1 97-O
2 01-O
3 96-O
4-5 04-O
4-5 13-S
PCGS has Graded 75 93-S's in AU compared to a tie for 4th of 31 AU's graded of 04-O and 13-S!
The 13-S is a true sleeper in XF-AU I have only had 5 available in the last 4 or 5 years!
Any insights on what you all see as quality within those XF-AU grades?] As you know... just because you can get a holdered grade doesn't mean it is very desirable. Thoughs? Does that change grade perceptions or collectability?
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
The one date that sticks out in my mind is the 04-O half. I have seen a lot of turds in holders!
I've owned the following XF/ AU graded tough Barber Half dates:
Wasn't me.
Altho I do love these ratings comparison opinions I've not chimed in on this one.
I'm a F/VF man again.
Au Contraire my friend! Unless your account has been hacked you disagreed! Hover over onna the ratings and you can see who gave it!
I'm putting 2 & 2 together and see you received 1 disagree with the frownie face. This must be the thing which you are addressing.
Public Mea culpa then.
I blame the inadvertent iPhone finger swipe anomaly. Sorry bout that. I actually don't take any issue with your list.
You scared me for a second with that account hack talk tho
LOL! You can change or remove that disagree!
So I'm getting bored with the top 5 toughest coins.... So here are my top 5 most overrated Barber Quarters in AU:
1913
1911-D
1907-D
1906-O
1898-S
(Based on availability versus the prices that I typically see the dealers trying to get, imho)
Paesan
Great idea Lenny
My halves
04-s
14-p
15-p
13-p
92-o
Tim... I am sorry, I breezed right thru Craig's post....my bad.... I really thought it odd ( to say
the least ) not to see the Big Three included in other's lists.
The 14-S Quarter in AU is certainly a very tough coin. I should have included it in my
list.... I have to admit, locating an AU 09-O Quarter is on many a list. I started my latest set
with the sole purpose of excluding the Big Three and the 09-O. I never expected to be
offered the nicest AU 58 on the market. I'm still scratching my head as to why my 58 did
not CAC ... and my old AU 55 did CAC .... and the Gold CAC was a real surprise - I graded it
an AU 50-53 - and I thought the 55 grade was a gift - and to add insult to injury, the 55 got
a Gold CAC - and sooner rather than later, it received an upgrade, to an AU 58. I was speechless.
I like Lenny's idea of "overly touted" Quarters - with Jim's admonision of overly priced Halves.
I agree fully with these lists. I really need to dig into why the 13-S Half is on the toughest lists.
I don't ever remember having any difficulty in locating XF & AU's for my last two sets - or
for the six or seven intermediate sets I assembled in VF to XF. But, I have to listen and learn
to the master Half Set builder. If he thinks the 13-S Half is in the top 5 toughest - he must
know what he's talking about; after all, he eats, sleeps, and deals with this series every day,
"24/7" ....
I also wonder why ICG went "South".... as clearly they were very conservative on
that beautiful 1907-S Quarter. Calling it a 50 ( IMHO ) was a travesty ! Minimum I'd
call it a 53 with a good shot of being a 55. Very nice coin....has it crossed with our
hosts yet ? Very curious to hear what they would tag it as.
Don't know how my fellow Barberites fared on the recent Kagin ANA auction. I found
absolutely nothing that ticked my itch. The upcoming Stacks-Bowers auctions for Baltimore
certainly have a number of things I really like ( i.e.:.Proof V Nickels ....to fill in a few holes ).
I need to really study these catalogs - as I casually went them them and saw lots of goodies.
Well...good luck in your hunts.....
Thanks again, NoHeadlights, for reaching out thru my BST Dime Thread !!
Looking forward to that Barber Dime !
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
It's really interesting what other's think about rarity. I'm sure it's based on their experiences, just as mine is.
Darrell - The pop may be high on the 93-S half, but finding a decent one has been really tough in my experience. Perhaps someone is hoarding them.
Paesan - Good idea on most over-rated. (or over-priced). I agree 100% on the 1913 quarter. And Jim, agree 100% on the 04-S.
Pics for this PM, glad I have this one, PC45:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
To be part of the thread. Here is the 1901 Reverse of 1902 Liberty Nickel I just upgraded to MS65 (from my MS63)
Mike: The person who owned and sent in the AU 55 1909-O CAC gold must have had the "golden" touch. ...LOL
As it's almost St. Patrick's Day, I'd say he has the luck of the Irish !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
I love that 04-O half.
Justin, I am sure you wouldn't mind if at some future point that coin landed in your collection. I think it would fit very nicely. Vern has a good one there!
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Received in the mail that 1891 circulated V nickel. The auction picture looked great but in hand it was easy to see it was a cleaned coin.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Dbldie - Congrats on the good looking upgrade. Thanks for posting it here.
Craig - Golden touch indeed.
Justin & Tim - Thanks, like to find a 93-S that looks like it.
Pics for this AM, was in Paesan's Stash in an NGC-55. Not sure it's current status.
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Although that's a good looking '93 S Quarter, I'll bet Lenny has a nicer one in his set now.
Now that I've perchased an AU 53 1897 S Barber Half I'm going to sell my PCGS XF 45. I've always thought is should be in a 50 holder; I'm thinking about sending it back to PCGS for reconsideration:
Does anyone else think it's under graded? Would it be worth sending it in?
Jeff, IMHO, I'd keep the coin in the current holder - then send it to CAC ( if you're selling immediately ) ....say what you will...yes, it's just another opinion, etc....the fact remains CAC
approved coins sell on the high end of the value scale ( Trends, CW etc. ) leave well enough
alone...it's a great coin in XF....would be even more desirable ( for what ever reason to the potential buyer ) with a "CAC approved coin ".....
It is what it is......It's not "way undergraded" as alluded to in a few posts down from here.
I didn't want to bring too much emphasis to this - so I decided to just edit this post.
It's a solid 45 ....on a good day it could squeak out an AU 50..... But not worth the hasstle
of regrading .... Get it CAC'd for $13.50...takes about 10-12 days.... I could submit it for you.
Or, anyone whose a member at CAC can help you.
Your coin could be worthy of a Gold CAC ..... Who knows .... Only the Shaddow knows.
Edit: I have no trouble seeing it in an AU 53 Holder... Maybe even a green CAC..... Who knows ?!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Tim....it's very hard to judge by images alone - as we all have come to learn.
The nickel looks like a gum - eraser was used to remove any stains / blackish streaks.
Hard to see the metal movement on lower end non MS coins. I still have my grand father's collection and just completed it in AU 58. Upgrades for some of his coins and replacements for other Nickels, which he never owned. It's eventually going to get sent our hosts - but need to
spread out the submission. I posted the new 1889 NGC - AU 58, a while ago. This 1889 Nickel
is as nicely struck as I could have hoped for ( yes a few stars need better radials )
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Love the coin...love it !!
Very interesting about the Type of 1901 and 1902.
Second and third Reverse Die Hubs. I should pay
much better attention to the details of what I'm doing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Jeff, You seem to do this regularly, albeit in higher grades, to gracefully pick out nice, raw coins for future slabbing. Are there any tips you might be able to share on what to look for in auction images or any observation / pick up points to identify less-than-ideal offerings?
I am repeating the '91 V nickel auction image here:
And here is a repeat of what I saw once in hand:
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Mike-
I think you're right on sending the '97 S Half in to get beaned rather than resubmitting to PCGS. How long does that process take?
As far as finding nice raw coins goes it's a lot of work. Most of the raw coins I buy come from eBay (some from shows). Determining problem coins in-hand is for the most part manageable, although PCGS tells me I'm wrong occassionally.
Trolling eBay takes a LOT of work. It's a bit like fishing. Most problem/ undesireable coins can be sorted out by looking at listing photos. I've learned to pass over a lot more than I used to. If the photos are blurry/ poor I look at other items the seller has listed. If they sell coins and have OK pictures for other coins I take a pass. If the seller has ceramic plates and dolls I might take a chance on the item (if it's returnable). I'm done fighting with people about returning horrible coins when the listing states "No Returns".
Out of the coins I do recieve in the mail I return about 65% of them; they have problems not visible in the listing photos. I pay for the return postage; it's just part of the process. The other 35% usually get sent in for grading; about 10% of those don't straight grade.
I'm getting better at culling out the problem coins. One needs to get over wanting to keep the coin and sending it in for grading because it was such a great buy, or the coin is so hard to find. Purchasing raw coins on eBay is not for the feighnt of heart. My guess is that 98% of the 100+ year old raw coins above F condition have been cleaned or have other problems. But it's really fun when one finds a raw '14 Half for a few hundred dollars that grades AU 58!
Jeff, If your pictures of the 97-S in 45 are accurate I agree with the grade. There is too much overall wear. There is absolutely no luster on the face...cheek...has overall wear. That's my opinion for what it is worth.
Jeff, way undergraded '97-S IMO.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
I think the 97-S has the detail for an AU grade, but I think it was net graded for the marks on the obverse.
Tim, are the first pics the seller pics of the 91? If so, the marks alone would have kept me away. Also, it has what I call pasty surfaces. Like the skin was chemically removed, All but one of the coins in my set that I had graded came from eBay. I've had plenty experience with pics from eBay and the actual quality you receive, I don't have nearly the return rate of Jeff, but then again, when you are on that border of AU/MS it's a heck of a lot harder to decipher.
BTW, I'm down to 13 coins left to "finish" my set. Here is the latest.
Nice looking '13 Half. 25 holder?
Jeff - Lenny's 93-S that I posted yesterday is a half. I think your 97-S has a reverse that's every bit of 53, depends on how "washed out" the portrait is and how significant those marks are. Is a 50 that much more expensive than a 45 in today's market? Might be worth a shot.
Tim - It's a lot of work finding decent raw coins whether on ebay or at a show, but when a nice one shows up it's worth it.
Justin - That's a beautiful '13. Good luck with the remaining 13.
Pics for this AM, bought this raw at the ANA in 1999:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
I don't mean to pile on about the PCGS EF45 1897-S, but I think the coin has the look of one that was dipped and we are seeing secondary toning. This is not always attractive and it can kill remaining luster on circulated coins. My guess, since I have not seen it in-hand, is that the luster is burned off (especially on the obverse) and that this plus the secondary toning cap the coin at EF45.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Bought this 1916-S Dime ages ago...it was in an old Anacs Cachet holder and
I wanted the coin reholdered - per se - in a new PCGS holder. Can't argue the
AU 50 grade - it's just a neat looking coin.
Not sure if I can drop the image here ( on the iPad ) ....but let's see...worst senario:
tap on the links which may show up if the actual image does not.
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Very nice off-center Mike! I guess times were different then when people would pass around a misstruck coin like it was ordinary. I certainly would have kept it.
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore...
Great looking dime, Mike!
Thanks, Guys. I liked it, just wanted uniformity in my sets.
I have a few more sitting in the grading room.... just waiting
for their release !
I agree, Tim, I also can't figure out why some one wouldn't have
saved it sooner - rather letting it circulate to an AU 50 grade.
I have a number of O/C Dimes ..... 1901 was a lax year on quality control
at the Mint.
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases
Jeff, it's in a 30 holder. It's overgraded. I'm OK with that because the coin is very original with no PVC or marks etc. I try not to worry about the grade so much and concentrate on the coin itself. The difference in color of the photos is my fault. It's the best I could do holding the coin in my kitchen under amateur light and the cell phone.
Regardless of grade, that is a nice '97-S Justin.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Mike - Those are two really neat OC dimes.
Justin - I like your method of collecting, going after problem free original coins in a grade range without splitting hairs over a number. With the look of your '13, what difference does it make what number a grading service calls it this year? 5 years from now their number will probably be different, but the coin will still be the same. Very desirable.
Pics for this AM, not sure where I left off on posting my raw set:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
Vern...that's about the nicest 13-S ( VF20-25 IMO ) I have seen in some time.
Eye appeal a plenty !!
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases