When purchasing coins within your collecting area of interests, what are you personal dealbreakers?
abcde12345
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For example, if you collect modern proof coins it might be the haze that sometimes builds up over time, especially for slabbed coins.
for early bust material it may be problem coins, specifically those that were doctored in an attempt to improve the overall look.
In your field of interest, what are the negative attributes that absolutely kill your interest in that particular coin? And are there acceptable defects that you will somewhat tolerate depending on rarity and price?
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People who expect retail prices and not market rate prices. Deal breaker right there.
It must straight grade. The first of many “deal breakers”.
If it’s a coin I like, a coin I need, a situation I trust, the asking price is reasonable, I have the funds, it’s in the right holder, it’s assigned a grade I agree with, and there aren’t any visible issues, I’ll probably consider it. This is maybe 1 in 500 or 1000 that I encounter.
Unc Details, PVC, fingerprints, spots, coins that grade lower than AU55, coins with negative eye appeal.
I'm a US type coin collector with a wide range of interest. I strive to collect problem free coins for my collection
In general, deal-breakers include:
I don't fuss on the cost (assuming it's in the ball park of acceptable) on an eye appealing, problem free coins.
I try to stay away from bent, large scratches or rim problems, hairlines, and surfaces that look messed with. Another deal breaker is price
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Anything that is considered to be "market acceptable." This includes all sorts of things when dealing with coins from the Draped Bust era.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
I think for me the number one dealbreaker is if I don’t love it at first sight. Then it will be the quantity of luster or, if circulated, the worn cameo effect. If it ain’t there then I’m walking. After that I dislike damage of any kind unless it’s something for a lower end album and the price is right.
Fingerprints and spots and negative ugly dark toning, these are all things that I have bought in the past that I now regret and are an automatic no thanks now.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Due to what I collect, I have to consider quality that practically no collector of US coinage will.
I don't buy holed, tooled, bent or harshly cleaned coins. Depending upon the coin, I might consider light corrosion, minor rim damage, slightly defective planchets or "surface hairlines". Only a low minority of my primary series (about 10%) are currently in details holders though.
That's a good point @WCC ! I should amend my list above if talking about early copper.
Anything dipped blast white...I'm out!
Dave
Discovering the selling dealer is not a "quality person". Too many dealers are good people to hand your money to jerks. Waiting my turn at a large show to pickup a purchase I overheard a dealer belittle the young man ahead of me. I was suddenly no longer interested in anything he had. There's two dealers on this forum I will never do business with because of their interactions with posters.
A bit of a cop-out, but I believe everything has a price, so I guess the only deal breaker for me is too high a price.
Offer from my table or online auction:
For CAC Commems I offer 95pct CDN bid (CAC bid) non CAC Commems 90 pct (of non CAC bid). if can’t buy at my price not a buyer.
A deal breaker wb spotted or darkly toned coin.
Toning. On 11mm 1D coins you can’t see the design clear enough with all of the tarnish
I can't do hatchet face.
MS64+ CAC
My Saint Set
There is some merit to this position, but there are also degrees of “awfulness.” There is one dealer from whom I would never but anything, unless that dealer starts selling 1804 Dollars at melt. On the other hand, one of the coins I cherish the most came from a most unexpected source. It was “met to be,” and fate allowed it to happen.
Tarnish (not to be confused with crust or honest commercial wear), fingerprints, damage....nasty people. Cheers, RickO
Frankly considering current market conditions / outlook, expenses of being in the business and in facing reality if can’t purchase at certain pct what think can sell it for or Plan pct of CDN bid no interest.
Plus target A or B material not C / low end stuff.
Very high prices. I don't care if it's a coin I need or would like that in my collection, if they are at "moon money" prices, I just move on to another dealer or will tough it out till another comes along.
That coin shouldn't have CAC'd, no way.
I think I have none
The following looked like a brockage and was cheap. Look at 4-5 o'clock on the reverse.
In a perfect world, I am looking for natural toning. Good honest wear for the grade. A round coin that has no rim dings or dents. A coin that shows no abuse or damage. And the price has to be right.
I do have coins in my collection with “deal breaker” characteristics. Most of these flaws were discovered after receiving them in the mail, or noticing them after leaving a coin show or LCS.
An example would be that I purchased an MS65 graded coin on the internet that had a gash on the cheek that I didn’t notice when looking at the picture. Had I noticed the defect, I would have not bought it. A cheap coin, no big deal.
Moon money prices ya it’s got nice color doesn’t mean it’s worth X4 prices you don’t get extra set points You just get an overly priced coin! also outrageous prices for + grade coins most of the time it’s cheaper to buy the next grade up
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/publishedset/209923
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/album/209923
If a coin is not counterstamped, carved, holed or engraved then it's probably not for me.
Spots, big fingerprints, heavy abrasions, ugly toning, very poor luster or lack thereof.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Pretty much all of the above. Easier to list the exceptions: some corrosion on old copper, some excessive clipping on old silver, some honest damage from circulation on very old coins. Even some cleaning on old coins if retoned and not distracting. Exceptions depend on scarcity and relative importance to my collecting goals. No exceptions whatever for US federal type. By old I'm talking before 1800.
Rim bumps among many things come to mind. Of course AT is an instant no!
Pretty much coins with no eye appeal, which is a wide range of things. It could be scrubbed out AU straight graded seated dollars, cleaned copper coins, MS coins with dull areas with no luster in those spots, the list goes on and on.
Like others mentioned, "ugly" dealers fall into that list. There are very few I wouldn't buy from, and I have walked away from tables where I've gotten unsolicited political rants or where I see a decent customer get treated poorly (like throw his coins back at him because he wasn't interested. Yes, throw).
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
If it is for a collection, then I prefer a true AU58 with no damage(I prefer this above an MS grade thru 63)
If it is because I just see it for a beautiful specimen, then grade immaterial, but without fingerprints, severe cleaning(old cleaning with retoning might be acceptable), facial scars, scratches or rubs.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
I HATE rim dings, too!!!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
Gold plated coins.
After 40+ years collecting, I'm pretry much done buying numismatic coins that are younger than me, concentrating mostly on pre 1806 US type and scarce pre-1829 varieties.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Mustard stains.
@ReadyFireAim
I think I see a resemblance:
Haze or cloudiness on any coin. Finger prints, rim damage, overly dipped out coins, weakly stuck coins....
Fingerprints and carbon spots are huge with me
Did anyone mention copper spots on gold coin? I can tolerate a few small ones that are well hidden in the design.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Environmental damage (toning/tarnish), finger prints, rim dings, in that order.
The coin has to straight grade. Unless it's a rare bird that won't be found again.
Why not DL hansen labels? Because their overpriced?
For me it's basically eye appeal. I'll take detailed coins if their more expensive/rarer.
Thanks for bringing this up. One well known dealer in particular I will not buy anything from under any circumstances for this reason.
The only real deal-breaker I can think of is looking at my checkbook balance and noting that it is smaller than the price.
Me too...rim bumps/knocks/ticks....NO.
.....unless it is really cheap.