Let's hear your Pig in a Poke stories.
stevereecy
Posts: 205 ✭✭✭
I'm looking at the purchase of a "Pig in a Poke", which is an expression for taking a chance on purchasing something that one can not properly view or evaluate before the purchase...(such as buying a pig inside a bag)
Let's hear your Pig in a Poke purchase stories. The horrors and the victories!
Really enjoying collecting coins and currency again
My currency "Box of Ten" Thread: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1045579/my-likely-slow-to-develop-box-of-ten#latest
My currency "Box of Ten" Thread: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1045579/my-likely-slow-to-develop-box-of-ten#latest
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Not a big deal compared to others, I'm sure- yet one that stands out for the emotional gratification came with purcasing a put together 1971 type set on eBay a few years ago for a minimal bid. The coins were somewhat decent yet the Ike really stood out. Smooth, glossy luster with sky blue toning and a hint of pink. I was going to Long Beach the day after it had arrived and on a whim did the same day grading with NGC (thinking it might STAR, kind of a big deal at the time).
I was stoked to have it return a few hours later in an MS67 slab. I did keep it for quite awhile yet the tempation to sell it for (Ike) 'Moon Money' was too great and I let it go.
Again, not a bragging story as really, I was just lucky, but that high you get when a grade is returned that is so nice is more than just a pleasant feeling, it is true "coin joy".
peacockcoins
Good story. Were the auction pictures fuzzy? BTW, Pix or it didn't happen.
My currency "Box of Ten" Thread: https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1045579/my-likely-slow-to-develop-box-of-ten#latest
I found a nice 1893-S Morgan on eBay in an ICG holder graded XF45. It looked very good for the grade with sharp detail and some nice luster. It was a BIN for $7,500 and nobody was buying because of the holder. I thought it could cross at the same grade and be worth a lot more or might net grade for cleaning and be worth a little less, so I bought the poke.
I was very pleased when it arrived. It looked as good as the photos and I couldn't see any problems. So,my plan was to take it to Long Beach and drop it off for grading in two weeks. The next weekend I took it to a small show and put it in a case for $9,500 still in the ICG holder. I didn't think anyone at this small show would be interested and I would crack it and be on the way to LB in a week.
To my surprise, one of the large west coast dealers had their buyer walk through the show and he saw it. He gave me the $9,500 for it.
I saw the coin several weeks later on their web site, now in a newly graded PCGS holder for $12,500. I took a chance and made some money on it. The west coast dealer took a chance and they made some money.
"Were the auction pictures fuzzy? BTW, Pix or it didn't happen."
The photos were somewhat muted. I had photos on my other computer. They are long since gone. I'm surprised I've yet to see it turn up anywhere. It would be fun to see it again.
peacockcoins
My view of pigs, in a sack or not, changed dramatically after I watched "Deadwood"...
As long as Wu doesn't show you the pigs, you'll be just fine.
Friend bought a bunch of 'junk' foreign coins on eBay. One piece of 'junk' was an Israeli gold coin.
BHNC #203
A few minor ones.
Early days of ebay, the classic cheap Lincoln push in cent album, lousy pictures, and the only close up was the later cents, as they were shiny. By blowing up the first picture, there were coins in the 09-S VDB and 14-D, but no verbiage about them. It was the auction only time of ebay, snipers weren't around yet, and I bid like mad at the end, going from IIRC $50 or so to several hundred. Waiting with baited breath, it arrived, and it had a VG-8 09-S VDB and a decent, forget the grade right now, 14-D, the only 2 coins I had never been able to buy or find.
Auto swap meet, box of sad Morgans, $10 each, but one was an 189X-S, forget which date, and it went to Heritage for significant $$$ (I am in Dallas, and knew the Morgan guy there).
Auto Swap Meet, bought a 5 gallon bucket of bolts and other hardware for $10, to be used later after being stripped and plated for concurs auto restoration (bolt markings are critical for various makes, models, time of assembly and assembly plant). For example, I sell used lead wheel weights, after being sorted for date codes and manufacturers marks, for $20 to $60 each so restored cars can have the correct "factory" wheel weights. Buried inside the bucket was, IIRC, over $250 in 90% silver coins.