How many chops are too much?
goldrealmoney79
Posts: 417 ✭✭✭
I like chop marks as much as the next guy/gal, still a newb though, however how many are too many? For example this coin, the reverse is obscured by the chops, doesnt that make the appeal less? Is there a thing such as too many chops?
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Yes.
This trade dollar says "yes".
On a more serious note, it's a matter of personal preference. Personally, I like a few unique or interestingly styled chopmarks, ideally on the obverse so that any reciprocal damage is either very light or damage limited to the reverse. Bonus points for not obscuring the date or mintmark. More bonus points for not overlapping the chopmarks, so they all stand out on their own.
The coin you show is not very attractive for a few reasons, which it seams is what you're getting at.
One is excessive 😉
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
Sacrilege!
One is excessive. To me they are just mutilated coins that could be easily faked if collectors pay premiums for chopmarked coins.
Yep true
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I remember many years ago when any chop marks were considered to be damage and such coins were sharply discounted.
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
One is too many for me.
I think they say Chops are like Martinis... one is not enough and three are too many.
And the Earth was once considered to be flat...
One.
Wow. I don’t know how there was enough detail visible to be able to grade that thing!
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Collectors do pay premiums for a chopmarked coins, if the host coin is rare with chops (like the 78-CC trade dollars).
Faking chops sounds simple but thus far has been fairly easy to detect. I know it’s a risk we take collecting chopped coins, which is why many of us keep detailed records on where and who the coins came from.
The cool thing is that chopmarks make each coin even more unique (...you get what I mean.)
Prices reflect that. In general, prices for commonly chopmarked Trade Dollars, like the 75-S or 77-S, are discounted because of the chops. In a few cases, like the 75-P or 78-CC, chopmarks can add value.
Most chopmark collectors, including myself, prefer to see a few interesting chops on a coin, rather than the OP's example. Although I must say I really like OriginalDan's coin he posted.
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"
It depends on what you like.
I prefer few chops, non-overlapping, full, with little reciprocal damage. I also like when the identifying pups are not obscured.
That said, there is a sort of beauty to plate coins as well.
Minor Variety Trade dollar's with chop marks set:
More Than It's Chopped Up To Be
When the major grading services first got started they wouldn't slab chop marked coins since they were considered to be damaged. Later they slabbed them with an appropriate notation on the label.
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
Chop marked Trade dollars have always interested me....However, I prefer minimal chops - i.e. two or three, that are clear... I like to check them in Rose's book, though all are not cataloged. Yes, excess chops or those causing severe damage are not of interest to me. Cheers, RickO
Chop marks are applied after the coin left the mint so it's technically post mintage damage. Also, it wouldn't be too difficult for a scammer to create a few punches and apply a few chop marks to a group of circulated coins.
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
One could say that chop marks help mitigate a generally ugly obverse design! 🤔😬
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
I have one chopped TD in my extended typeset, representing an interesting part of numismatic history. One is enough for me but I get the interest. Were I to go into this, I would stick to examples with few chops and in otherwise XF/AU condition. Hard to study obscured the examples posted.
Chops are evidence of an international exchange of silver that spanned more than four centuries and involved the mines in the Americas from Chile to Nevada, and both governments and trading corporations the world over attempting to assert some kind of influence in the lucrative China trade. Others might want to spend thousands over a difference of a few grade points among coins that have spent 95% of their existence in the hands of collectors, but chopped coins have their own appeal as artifacts rather than hole fillers. Though some might think that they are easily faked, there are in reality many factors to consider when determining authenticity: comparison of the chops themselves to pedigreed/plated examples and authenticity of host coins (most types are still less valuable chopmarked than not), for instance. If the Chinese collecting community decides that they are to become a canon part of their numismatic space, then these techniques will have to be updated, and pedigreed examples will be of major importance (chop collectors, image and publish your coins, if possible!).
And it wouldn’t be too difficult to tell the chops were recently applied. People have tried, and it’s obvious, like fake patina.
I find that coin interesting and uniquely appealing. Would I purchase it? Probably not.
"And the Earth was once considered to be flat..."
According to some folks on youtube they still think it is flat!!!
I wish coin prices on what I collect were flat!
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