How to describe a poor coin - Courtesy Mason's Monthly

RogerB · January 9, 2019 10:06AM

In December 1869 Edward Cogan of New York sold at auction a coin collection of 1958 lots of copper and silver, foreign and American. The overall condition was so low that Cogan must have searched for new adjectives to add to his usual adjactives. Here are some of the condition descriptions found in the catalog, as quoted by Mason:

“…a few of the most amusing terms so profusely peppered throughout this enjoyable condiment of a catalogue: “ poor,” “ very poor,” “ unusually poor,” “ very poor indeed,” “miserably poor,” “ exceedingly poor,” “extremely poor,” “still poorer,” “wretchedly poor,” “rather poor,” “poor impression,” “decidedly poor,” “poorer still.” After all this severe handling of the diminutive adjective, friend Cogan loses his patience, and on number 1716 he comes down with vindictive emphasis and says, “rascally poor.” This rather poor collection realized the sum of $205 net.
What a wonder.”

From Mason’s Monthly, January 1870, p.9

messydesk · January 9, 2019 10:14AM

The ultimate lowball grading scale. We need finer granularity at the end of the spectrum.

On the other hand, "indeed" can be added to VF and XF to describe the 30, 35, and 45 grades.

Namvet69 · January 9, 2019 10:37AM

How bout repulsively poor?

RogerB · January 9, 2019 10:51AM

Imagine the fun if a TPG used repulsively poor ("RP") on a slab label....?

yosclimber · January 9, 2019 6:30PM

My current favorite word when seeing a photo of a coin with extensive damage:
"wrecked"

SiriusBlack · January 9, 2019 6:49PM

Can I get PCGS to grade something Rascally Poor for me? That’s gotta be worth more in a low ball set

Colonialcoin · January 9, 2019 7:10PM

I checked out this auction which is listed on the Newman Portal. With the date of the sale being 1869, it looks like a grouping of coins which were plucked out of circulation over many years. I find it interesting the variety of foreign coins in the sale that could have been circulating in the US until 1857. That said, I’m surprised that there wasn’t any Latin American silver in the sale(unless I missed them). Also there were some three cent silvers that were graded in poor condition that were dated 12 years prior to this sale. Did they wear down that quickly?

JRocco · January 9, 2019 7:10PM

Just grade it PP

StrikeOutXXX · January 9, 2019 7:18PM

I think many of the buyers of those poor lots passed them on to folks in my area who keep coming to my table with their priceless heirlooms to sell 😃

kaz · January 9, 2019 7:19PM

He never got around to using "pi** poor?"

Rollerman · January 9, 2019 8:31PM

Or the famous POS grade....

ricko · January 9, 2019 8:44PM

Just show me the coin, never mind the story or descriptive adjectives... Cheers, RickO

mannie gray · January 9, 2019 11:23PM

I kind of enjoy "wretchedly poor."
I may add that phrase to my numismatic lexicon.
(To describe the holdings of others....of course...)

Josh32 · January 9, 2019 11:54PM

@Namvet69 said:
How bout repulsively poor?

I believe they already have that designation.

Why? Because its funny.

Timbuk3 · January 10, 2019 1:44AM

Interesting, thanks for sharing !!!

mustangmanbob · January 10, 2019 7:43AM

I was just contemplating the electricity in the air at the auction, with the average lot being about 10 cents, the applause every time the gavel hammered down another one.

sellitstore · January 10, 2019 11:36AM

I can recall once seeing a cull large cent described as "ax fight loser".

How to describe a poor coin - Courtesy Mason's Monthly

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