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1911 Weak D $2.50 Indian question

I'm curious if the only indication of a weak "d" is the mint mark itself. I've seen raw coins which state the variety but I'll be darned if I can see it with certainty even with a loupe. There are slabbed coins which are designated as Weak D and I can't see it. Makes me wonder if I've missed these in the past. Is the mint mark the sole tell?

Comments

  • jwittenjwitten Posts: 5,072 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nope there are other signs. I've cherry picked three so far off the bay. One had literally no D visible, and grade AU55. There was actually one that ended the other day which I was trying to snipe last minute, but it ended up going for like $1,200 or something, so others saw it too. I haven't paid over $300 for any of the three I've gotten so far B)

  • zski123zski123 Posts: 256 ✭✭✭

    @jwitten said:
    Nope there are other signs. I've cherry picked three so far off the bay. One had literally no D visible, and grade AU55. There was actually one that ended the other day which I was trying to snipe last minute, but it ended up going for like $1,200 or something, so others saw it too. I haven't paid over $300 for any of the three I've gotten so far B)

    That's terrific. Thanks!

  • zski123zski123 Posts: 256 ✭✭✭

    @jwitten said:
    Nope there are other signs. I've cherry picked three so far off the bay. One had literally no D visible, and grade AU55. There was actually one that ended the other day which I was trying to snipe last minute, but it ended up going for like $1,200 or something, so others saw it too. I haven't paid over $300 for any of the three I've gotten so far B)

    It turns out I was right the photo. Getting it back this week as a 62. I could see the "D" with the right lighting and loupe. I wasn't expecting a 62 but I always struggle with the incused.

  • jwittenjwitten Posts: 5,072 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @zski123 said:

    @jwitten said:
    Nope there are other signs. I've cherry picked three so far off the bay. One had literally no D visible, and grade AU55. There was actually one that ended the other day which I was trying to snipe last minute, but it ended up going for like $1,200 or something, so others saw it too. I haven't paid over $300 for any of the three I've gotten so far B)

    It turns out I was right the photo. Getting it back this week as a 62. I could see the "D" with the right lighting and loupe. I wasn't expecting a 62 but I always struggle with the incused.

    Awesome!! Can you tell us more? Where did you get it? Did you buy it thinking it was a D?Have any pics? There was one on ebay not long ago I went after, but several others did as well.

  • AkbeezAkbeez Posts: 2,689 ✭✭✭✭✭

    PICS!!

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  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Informative thread. Thanks.

  • zski123zski123 Posts: 256 ✭✭✭

    I get it back tomorrow. I'll post pics when tomorrow evening. The other guys slabbed it.

    I did see the vague "D" in the photo but wasn't sure. Took a chance as someone else must have seen the same thing. Took a bigger chance than he did though. I bought it and a 1910 $2.50 for a total of $800.

  • jwittenjwitten Posts: 5,072 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @zski123 said:
    I get it back tomorrow. I'll post pics when tomorrow evening. The other guys slabbed it.

    I did see the vague "D" in the photo but wasn't sure. Took a chance as someone else must have seen the same thing. Took a bigger chance than he did though. I bought it and a 1910 $2.50 for a total of $800.

    Was it on ebay? Do you have the pictures you bought it from? Was it with the 1910?

  • zski123zski123 Posts: 256 ✭✭✭

    @jwitten said:

    @zski123 said:
    I get it back tomorrow. I'll post pics when tomorrow evening. The other guys slabbed it.

    I did see the vague "D" in the photo but wasn't sure. Took a chance as someone else must have seen the same thing. Took a bigger chance than he did though. I bought it and a 1910 $2.50 for a total of $800.

    Was it on ebay? Do you have the pictures you bought it from? Was it with the 1910?

    Here are the photos of the 1911 which I bought it from...! I thought I saw a wire rim on the obverse and a faint D. I got lucky.

  • jwittenjwitten Posts: 5,072 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Incredible buy! Congrats! Is that the highest weak D there is? I didn't see any that high by PCGS.

  • zski123zski123 Posts: 256 ✭✭✭

    Thanks. Not the highest. There is one 63 and another 62. The census on the Strong "D" is so much higher along with it's value. I wonder why such a premium? Is it because it is assumed the population of undiscovered Weak "D"'s is much higher?

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,296 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @zski123 said:
    Thanks. Not the highest. There is one 63 and another 62. The census on the Strong "D" is so much higher along with it's value. I wonder why such a premium? Is it because it is assumed the population of undiscovered Weak "D"'s is much higher?

    It's because demand for the "weak D" is as weak as the mint mark. This is the only key date in the only classic gold series that can be completed by most middle class coin collectors. It's the mint mark that gives this coin its value and collectors want a specimen where they can actually see the mint mark.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

  • philographerphilographer Posts: 1,310 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Needs to be rebranded as “hidden D” or “light D” or “secret D”. Who wants a “weak D”? 😜

    He who knows he has enough is rich.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,296 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @philographer said:
    Needs to be rebranded as “hidden D” or “light D” or “secret D”. Who wants a “weak D”? 😜

    Or you can call it the "invisible D" or the "missing D" or the "vanishing D" or the...…... :D

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

  • zski123zski123 Posts: 256 ✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @zski123 said:
    Thanks. Not the highest. There is one 63 and another 62. The census on the Strong "D" is so much higher along with it's value. I wonder why such a premium? Is it because it is assumed the population of undiscovered Weak "D"'s is much higher?

    It's because demand for the "weak D" is as weak as the mint mark. This is the only key date in the only classic gold series that can be completed by most middle class coin collectors. It's the mint mark that gives this coin its value and collectors want a specimen where they can actually see the mint mark.

    Kinda like the 1922 "no D" Lincoln cent.

  • CascadeChrisCascadeChris Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Heres a good thread that shows the die scratch diagnostic that can be used to attribute even lower grade specimens or the 15% or so that dont have the wire rim. Getting them in weak-D plastic even with the die scratch is extremely difficult, however...

    https://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=229178

    The more you VAM..
  • jwittenjwitten Posts: 5,072 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have never been able to see the die scratch inside the arrow. I've seen what looks like it on no D coins.

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