What do I do with these things?
Bolo
Posts: 128 ✭✭✭✭
I just received my first set of submissions to PCGS for slabbing. These are coins I bought 20- 25 years ago for a type set and I apparently missed some problems. All of my silver coins straight graded at around where I would have expected, but the 2 early coppers I submitted both came back with a "details" grade for cleaning. Now I'm not sure what do do with these. I know the details grade kills the value so I'm not sure if its even really worth trying to auction them. In person they don't look like they were hit with the ugly stick. How many of you include coins like these in your collection?
The half cent graded Genuine XF details - Cleaned:
The large cent graded Genuine VF details - Cleaned:
15
Comments
Good looking regardless.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
Too bad, they aren’t really that bad looking. Maybe try eBay. I don’t buy details coins, but someone will buy them at the right price.
Somebody will want them to crack out and put in an album, they would be great album coins.
Mr_Spud
They're horrible! You could send them to me - I'll take care of them for you!
Rocking my "shiny-object-syndrome"!!!
Nice coins! In terms of what to do with details coins, if it is a very tough coin, maybe one comes up less than annually, or way more expensive than I am comfortable with for that coin, I can live with details if the coin is otherwise attractive.
Anything common that can easily be found anytime, to me, is unacceptable in a details grade.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
A lot of 'early' coins got the, I have to polish it so it looks good treatment, many even were shined up then a coating of lacquer before putting it into a collection. oh, my if they only knew then what we know now.
Those are two of the harder coins for the basic Dansco type set (7070) and I'm sure there would be plenty of interest if you did not want to keep them. They look perfect for an album.
Crack them out and spend them. If they've been cleaned, they are only worth face value.
Seriously, virtually every US coin over 200 years old been messed with at one time or another. You are obviously unhappy with them so you should probably just sell them and move on. They are probably worth more as raw coins so you should probably crack them out before you sell them. Based on your pics, I would have never guessed that they were cleaned.
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
I will buy a details coin to include in my album if it is eye appealing. Both of these fit that criteria.
"Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?"- Calvin and Hobbes
Ditto on the album coins. I would have no issues with those being in mine for the right price.
Both of those coins will be an easy sale to collectors who are not enthralled by plastic and stickers. There is still a good market for early, raw copper. I'd crack them out and sell them raw.
Try not to beat your self up. They are real nice coins. Keep or sell, you should be fine either way.
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
You can trade them for an equivalent amount of silver. Since they're identified as a problem, they will always be a problem. The right collector will come along and likely crack 'em out; while the silver has a better chance than problematic numismatics
Option 2: crack out and put them back in the album for maximum enjoyment. They're still what drive us.
You won't have any trouble selling early copper that has that kind of eye appeal, even details graded. Put them on Ebay, and you will sell them, and since you bought them decades ago, you will make a profit undoubtedly.
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
I would buy the large cent raw... I like old copper and pick up a bargain coin here and there. Cheers, RickO
Nah, it maybe reduces it by 1/3, or 1/2 at the very most for a non-noticeable cleaning like this. Me personally, I think the taboo against any cleaning at all is artificial. Graffiti is obviously bad, holed, plugged, tooled etc all bad, but a simple old cleaning should not necessarily be bad. I have a lovely old 1953 car that I clean about once/year, it would seem abusive not to.
so if you crack them out and sell them raw, would you disclose they have been cleaned? I think that's the proper thing to do. you might try BST.
If you tell a potential buyer that they've been cleaned, you might as well just leave them in their slabs.
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
Absolutely. I'd never sell these without letting the buyer know they had been certified with a details grade. I would be unlikely to crack them out because I'd be worried about damaging them. I may have done that before.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I do think both coins look good in person or I wouldn't have bought them in the first place. Now of course I'm wondering about the rest of my large cents/half cents as these are part of a set.
Leaving them in the slab assures they are genuine.
Lots of old copper has been played with, but these are still really nice coins, and would do just fine on eBay. Early cent collectors are total fanatics.
Dave
I think they are cool. I always check the box to not have it slabbed if it doesn’t straight grade, but I keep the label they still provide and keep it with the coin. It will sell like that if you want to sell but I personally like those coins.
I like to keep things simple. If you don't want to keep them, just ship them off to Great Collections. They appear to auction a lot of details copper and should probably get you the most out of them.
Place them on the BST today and you probably will not have to deal with ebay. Good luck. I personally would have no problem owning either coin.
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
They don't look bad at all, I agree.
Pete
Take two and hit to right.
USAF (Ret) 1974 - 1994 - The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries. Remembering RickO, a brother in arms.
Just FYI. PCGS is extremely tough on copper right now. I’ve been happy with my non copper submissions, very disappointed in most of my large cent submissions. If you are in any doubt about the rest of your early copper, you will probably wasting your money submitting them. And with even the nice coins coming back a half grade lower now, and anything less than pristine ones getting genuine holders, I’d either keep them raw or consider other alternatives.