Home U.S. Coin Forum

What's the most you've ever paid to upgrade a coin by one point?

MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,419 ✭✭✭✭✭

What's the most you've ever paid to upgrade a coin by one point? Not by resubmitting, but by buying a new coin and selling the old.

Andy Lustig

Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.

Comments

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've never done that. It takes more than one point to get me to upgrade. It also takes a big jump in eye appeal.

    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 ... ?
  • tommy44tommy44 Posts: 2,319 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm with Bill on this.

    it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide

  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,419 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 11, 2018 9:41AM

    I paid 5K to upgrade a Central American Republic 2 Escudos from 64 to 65. The 64 is a great coin, but the 65 is clearly better. Still, it was only worth doing because I'm trying to build the ultimate set.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,858 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How much have people paid for a plus? 38-D nickel in 67+ anyone?? ;)

    Anyone who plays in the registry to acquire condition rarities has done this. In many cases it’s idiocy, but other times it seems reasonable to do. I’ve probably paid around $5-7k to do this for certain coins in my Peace set. Financially, I did fine when I sold it. I focused more on actually finding a better coin than a higher grade though.

  • This content has been removed.
  • WalkerfanWalkerfan Posts: 9,748 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 12, 2018 10:26PM

    $4000. The 63 was worth $1750 and paid $5750 for an exceptional 64. Market value for a 64 was about $3250 at the time. I really paid up but the coin looks better than most 65s.

    Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍

    My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):

    https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/

  • HydrantHydrant Posts: 7,773 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd tell you, but I'm almost certain that the I.R.S. has hacked into my system. Let's just play it safe and say I never have.

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,848 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I suppose I have but nothing noteworthy or interesting.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • KkathylKkathyl Posts: 3,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I end up with both

    Best place to buy !
    Bronze Associate member

  • CryptoCrypto Posts: 3,873 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I did a swap and only netted a few bucks to down grade from a 62 to a 60 once.

  • BillyKingsleyBillyKingsley Posts: 2,661 ✭✭✭✭

    Zero. I think that's silly and wouldn't do it even if I did have the resources of the rest of the people on this forum.

    Billy Kingsley ANA R-3146356 Cardboard History // Numismatic History
  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Without a fixed standard for "grades" paying more for a coin labeled better by one arbitrary point is illogical - unless the coin was, in your opinion, a significant improvement. (But, that ignores the point thingy....hmmmm...a conundrum.)

  • david3142david3142 Posts: 3,600 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillyKingsley said:
    Zero. I think that's silly and wouldn't do it even if I did have the resources of the rest of the people on this forum.

    You don’t think it ever makes sense to pay any amount to upgrade? I’m willing to bet all your coins are not in poor condition. I suppose if you don’t collect series or certain specific types then there really is no concept of upgrading unless you actually sell the duplicate (if you consider it a duplicate at all).

  • BillyKingsleyBillyKingsley Posts: 2,661 ✭✭✭✭

    I collect a little differently than most do. If I have an example of something, I'm happy. If it looks like I fished it out of a sewer or mint fresh, I don't make any distinction. I just note that I have it and make a scan of it. If I'm going to spend money on something, it's going to be something I don't have already.

    Most of the time, though, I simply don't buy something unless it looks the way I want. Luckily for me, I prefer circulated, around XF40 grade.

    Billy Kingsley ANA R-3146356 Cardboard History // Numismatic History
  • GazesGazes Posts: 2,315 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nothing wrong with paying more for a better coin regardless if it is the same grade or one point higher

  • BillyKingsleyBillyKingsley Posts: 2,661 ✭✭✭✭

    Also, I have upgraded a few and have a couple more I would if I didn't have that mental block against buying something i already have, but it was a. Well more than one point and b. It happened naturally, I didn't go out and look for an upgrade but received it as a gift. I've also purchased at least one that turned out to be an upgrade but I didn't remember that I already had one, so I don't think that counts. It was purchased because I liked the way it looked and the price was acceptable to me. The one that got replaced was a circulation find 1912 cent that clearly had been in the ground.

    Billy Kingsley ANA R-3146356 Cardboard History // Numismatic History
  • scubafuelscubafuel Posts: 1,941 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My collection is mostly in circulated grades, and I prefer coins which are nicely matched. So I haven't needed to upgrade by one increment yet. However I have spent a few hundred upgrading a coin in the same grade to one I prefer.

    The 2 escudos upgrade sounds worth it if you think there is a good chance that there is no higher grade in existence for the date. Do you have pictures you can post?

  • david3142david3142 Posts: 3,600 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillyKingsley

    Interesting strategy. Thank you for sharing. Do you try to complete sets or do you just collect whatever strikes you when you see it? Also, do you ever sell coins?

  • OldIndianNutKaseOldIndianNutKase Posts: 2,715 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 11, 2018 9:45PM

    I have done this on numerous occasions. Usually about 3-5K for the upgrade. And I still own about 70% of the duplicates. Seriously considering downgrading my registry set to reflect the coins that I LOVE, and not the PCGS grade.

    OINK

  • WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,877 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm looking at pulling the trigger on a coin I've set sights on and I've found two for sale. One is a 65 and one a 66. The 66 is roughly 1k more. Trying to decide if I can live with the 5, but I've seen the 6 and it is way nicer in a lot of ways. The decision has me locked up.

  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,419 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @scubafuel said:
    My collection is mostly in circulated grades, and I prefer coins which are nicely matched. So I haven't needed to upgrade by one increment yet. However I have spent a few hundred upgrading a coin in the same grade to one I prefer.

    The 2 escudos upgrade sounds worth it if you think there is a good chance that there is no higher grade in existence for the date. Do you have pictures you can post?

    As far as market value is concerned, the more important consideration is that I paid a 50% premium for the upgrade. But yes, the coin is probably the finest known.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,688 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "How much have people paid for a plus? 38-D nickel in 67+ anyone??"
    I have one in MS 67, and have seen some 67 + coins - costing 4X as much as mine - with more contact marks and less eye appeal than my coin.

    Unless you want to be at the top of the registry set, for one point, I think this is not a good use of one's money. The one point upgrade I did were upgrading an MS 64 BN Braided Hair Large Cent to an MS 65 RB Braided Hair Large Cent. Net out of pocket was $550. This isn't a straight one point upgrade, because it involves color. But I don't do one point upgrades per se for the reasons stated earlier.

    "Vou invadir o Nordeste,
    "Seu cabra da peste,
    "Sou Mangueira......."
  • jessewvujessewvu Posts: 5,065 ✭✭✭✭✭

    $0.00

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    zero, one point ain't enough

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have not paid for upgrades.... I do not collect based on points. I collect what attracts me... even in the series I have done. I do not sell coins, so I have what I like and enjoy what I have. Cheers, RickO

  • ParadisefoundParadisefound Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭

    None so far.....
    I try to acquire the closest one to my heart content as well as the budget so hopefully additional upgrading won't be necessary; but I will upgrade if the right one comes along....

  • BillyKingsleyBillyKingsley Posts: 2,661 ✭✭✭✭

    @david3142 said:
    @BillyKingsley

    Interesting strategy. Thank you for sharing. Do you try to complete sets or do you just collect whatever strikes you when you see it? Also, do you ever sell coins?

    I am working on sets but it's not really a driving force for me. I find myself being drawn more to world type collecting, but if I find something good that I need, I'll add it. For example I found a local dealer with a lot of standing liberty quarters in the condition I like, so I ended up getting about 8 different year/mintmarks. I didn't set out looking for them but I couldn't leave without them either! I've never sold any coins...I only add things I want to have in my collection. I have traded duplicates but not sold any.

    Billy Kingsley ANA R-3146356 Cardboard History // Numismatic History
  • This content has been removed.
  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,956 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 12, 2018 11:35AM

    Zero. I cracked out a coin to get a chunk of annoying debris off of it which was so large and obvious it never should've been holdered like that. It was probably a piece of plastic from the holder. I just did it myself.

    So I send it in raw and it came back a grade higher. I had no intention of an upgrade so I count the "cost to upgrade" as zero.

    It was an accidental upgrade but I won.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • leothelyonleothelyon Posts: 8,489 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MrEureka said:
    What's the most you've ever paid to upgrade a coin by one point? Not by resubmitting, but by buying a new coin and selling the old.

    I think for a better question, a silly one, 'has anyone located, bought a better coin raw, submitted that coin to receive an upgrade? it's silly because real collectors do it all the time.

    The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

    My Jefferson Nickel Collection

  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 14,011 ✭✭✭✭✭

    $1750
    Replaced my AU58 1884-S Morgan with an MS60. After I sold the set the buyer sent it for regrading and it went up to 61.

    When in doubt, don't.
  • david3142david3142 Posts: 3,600 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @DennisH said:
    $1750
    Replaced my AU58 1884-S Morgan with an MS60. After I sold the set the buyer sent it for regrading and it went up to 61.

    Only $1750? The price difference between a 58 and a 60 is about $6-7K based on recent auction records.

  • OldIndianNutKaseOldIndianNutKase Posts: 2,715 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 13, 2018 12:17AM

    Let's reverse the question........

    How much do think I had to pay to upgrade this 1877 IHC PR65RB

    to this 1877 IHC PR66BN

    about 12K for 0 points........

    OINK

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file