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WHAT PEDIGREES WOULD YOU BUY SIGHT UNSEEN?

What pedigrees would you buy sight unseen?
For Me:
Shepherd
Hugon
RSD
Jung
Bass (Earlier Sales)
Simpson
Brahin (Saints)
Friend
Naftzger (Copper)
Blay
Bender
Morelan

Zeus Teng AKA (The Biggest Cat in The Commemorative Market)
My goal is to find the Monster Commems. If you have any you want to sell I’m the buyer for them.

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Comments

  • coinhackcoinhack Posts: 1,171 ✭✭✭✭

    I agree. None.

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,696 ✭✭✭✭✭

    None

    Coins & Currency
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,662 ✭✭✭✭✭

    None.

    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

  • Rc5280Rc5280 Posts: 333 ✭✭✭✭

    The CC - GSA Pedigree in 66 or better might be considered, but reluctantly so.
    SBG's CMQ stickering/approval service gives its customers the sight-unseen, peace of mind claims, but that will only go so far. I'm leaning towards the sentiment as the others here -- let's see it!
    .

  • ldhairldhair Posts: 7,300 ✭✭✭✭✭

    None.

    Larry

  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 14,434 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 17, 2025 2:52PM

    @Rc5280 said:
    The CC - GSA Pedigree in 66 or better might be considered, but reluctantly so.
    SBG's CMQ stickering/approval service gives its customers the sight-unseen, peace of mind claims, but that will only go so far. I'm leaning towards the sentiment as the others here -- let's see it!
    .

    How is a “GSA pedigree” different from or any better than a non-GSA? The grading is still done by the same companies and there’s no reason to believe that on their own, GSA examples are any better than non-GSA ones.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 34,740 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 17, 2025 3:04PM

    that one tick on the 68. i will never forget seeing it. i'll take a 67+ or another 68. i'm definitely not worried about registry points

    evenstill, it's top pop but it is ma cleaned. but i'll pass

    that toning ...

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 11,746 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Welcome back. :)

    My Lincoln Registry
    My Collection of Old Holders

    Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    0

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,632 ✭✭✭✭✭

    None.

    The switcharoo is very easy. There have even been instances where coins that were auctioned in the 60s turn out to be counterfeit.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • humanssuckhumanssuck Posts: 480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wouldnt buy anything sight unseen, but there are a couple pedigrees that would cause me to make sure to look at the item, and would swing things toward more likely to bid and give it the benefit of the doubt if i was on the fence from pictures.

    Naftzger
    Jack Lee
    Reynolds
    Duckor

  • pmh1nicpmh1nic Posts: 3,321 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Eliasberg.

    The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice is it possible for an empire to rise without His aid? Benjamin Franklin
  • skier07skier07 Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How are you defining sight unseen?

    I wouldn’t buy a coin on pedigree only without at least good pictures.

  • LukeMarshallLukeMarshall Posts: 2,012 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 17, 2025 4:07PM

    :* welcome to the forums !

    It's all about what the people want...

  • I would buy a @PerryHall pedigree and a @skier07 one. They have good eyes for quality.

  • BarberianBarberian Posts: 3,929 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 17, 2025 4:38PM

    @pcgsregistrycollector said:
    I would buy a @PerryHall pedigree and a @skier07 one. They have good eyes for quality.

    Not me. @skier7 has great coins, but everything @PerryHall Touches Dies.
    ;)

    3 rim nicks away from Good
  • ScarsdaleCoinScarsdaleCoin Posts: 5,298 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bigcatcommem said:
    What pedigrees would you buy sight unseen?
    For Me:
    Shepherd
    Hugon
    RSD
    Jung
    Bass (Earlier Sales)
    Simpson
    Brahin (Saints)
    Friend
    Naftzger (Copper)
    Blay
    Bender
    Morelan

    Interesting group. Good for you

    Jon Lerner - Scarsdale Coin - www.CoinHelp.com
  • 1peter12231peter1223 Posts: 136 ✭✭✭

    Also agree .
    NONE.

  • lermishlermish Posts: 3,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 17, 2025 5:34PM

    @PeakRarities has the exact same taste in coins and a fantastic eye. I would buy any of his coins sight unseen (... assuming my credit is good enough 😅)

    chopmarkedtradedollars.com

  • Pnies20Pnies20 Posts: 2,451 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Strictly speaking about bust halves there are a few where you could say the name and I would buy it sight unseen

    Queller
    Friend
    Norweb

    BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.

  • breakdownbreakdown Posts: 2,226 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The ones that would come closest for the series I have collected over the years:

    Buffalos: Cape
    Walkers: GBW
    Type: Jung
    Liberty half eagles: Milas

    "Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.

  • FlyingAlFlyingAl Posts: 3,670 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @lermish said:
    @PeakRarities has the exact same taste in coins and a fantastic eye. I would buy any of his coins sight unseen (... assuming my credit is good enough 😅)

    He does have an incredible eye - but @MFeld raises a good point. An absolutely exceptional CBH for example means nothing to me, whereas a 1942 Proof with deep contrast can mean everything.

    I have yet to see a Simpson Proof I did not like, but I imagine there are coins in that collection that I would pass on. 99% isn't good enough for me to buy sight unseen.

    Coin Photographer.

  • SIowhandSIowhand Posts: 360 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Welcome to the forum. I get the spirit of your question but you are not going to find many people that would buy sight unseen based on pedigree alone.

    It still amazes me people spend significant money on coins based only on a picture on their computer monitor.

  • fathomfathom Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would buy a John Adams coin by grainy photo of a PCGS slab if it was priced within my budget.

  • lermishlermish Posts: 3,580 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @FlyingAl said:

    @lermish said:
    @PeakRarities has the exact same taste in coins and a fantastic eye. I would buy any of his coins sight unseen (... assuming my credit is good enough 😅)

    He does have an incredible eye - but @MFeld raises a good point. An absolutely exceptional CBH for example means nothing to me, whereas a 1942 Proof with deep contrast can mean everything.

    I have yet to see a Simpson Proof I did not like, but I imagine there are coins in that collection that I would pass on. 99% isn't good enough for me to buy sight unseen.

    Totally reasonable POV. 99% is way more than enough for me, even at those price points. But this is definitely one of those things that different people rightfully have very different opinions of.

    chopmarkedtradedollars.com

  • FlyingAlFlyingAl Posts: 3,670 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @lermish said:

    @FlyingAl said:

    @lermish said:
    @PeakRarities has the exact same taste in coins and a fantastic eye. I would buy any of his coins sight unseen (... assuming my credit is good enough 😅)

    He does have an incredible eye - but @MFeld raises a good point. An absolutely exceptional CBH for example means nothing to me, whereas a 1942 Proof with deep contrast can mean everything.

    I have yet to see a Simpson Proof I did not like, but I imagine there are coins in that collection that I would pass on. 99% isn't good enough for me to buy sight unseen.

    Totally reasonable POV. 99% is way more than enough for me, even at those price points. But this is definitely one of those things that different people rightfully have very different opinions of.

    I think it's also important to note that I believe my standards of "sight seen" are much, much lower than most. A TrueView is often good enough for me.

    Coin Photographer.

  • Rc5280Rc5280 Posts: 333 ✭✭✭✭

    @MFeld said:

    @Rc5280 said:
    The CC - GSA Pedigree in 66 or better might be considered, but reluctantly so.
    SBG's CMQ stickering/approval service gives its customers the sight-unseen, peace of mind claims, but that will only go so far. I'm leaning towards the sentiment as the others here -- let's see it!
    .

    How is a “GSA pedigree” different from or any better than a non-GSA? The grading is still done by the same companies and there’s no reason to believe that on their own, GSA examples are any better than non-GSA ones.

    I'm referring to a CC - GSA. My greater point with my post above was to highlight that an entity, rather than a person can be considered a pedigree.
    No argument from me as to there being any difference with the coin whether it's GSA, or non-GSA. No better, no worse.
    However, some collectors will pay a premium for that old plastic GSA holder, Black Holding Pins and all. 'Buy the Holder, not the coin'?
    If a coin is cracked out of the GSA holder by the TPG to be conserved, graded, crossed, etc, the GSA pedigree is retained and denoted onto the label, as seen above. To my knowledge, that is the only way to get GSA printed onto the new, modern label.
    Maybe the GSA pedigree will add value to the reholderd coin? Maybe not?...
    .

  • pursuitoflibertypursuitofliberty Posts: 7,217 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Truly sight-unseen? Not sure I'd go there. I might be compelled, but not enough to buy willy nilly.

    But there are pedigree's I would almost certainly buy with a reasonable description from a trusted dealer, a cursory look without a glass, or possibly even a kind of crappy, partially-focused image.

    But I can't image just "PCGS MS64 Norweb" ... no matter how tempting that might be.


    “We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”

    Todd - BHNC #242
  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 14,434 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 18, 2025 12:02AM

    @Rc5280 said:

    @MFeld said:

    @Rc5280 said:
    The CC - GSA Pedigree in 66 or better might be considered, but reluctantly so.
    SBG's CMQ stickering/approval service gives its customers the sight-unseen, peace of mind claims, but that will only go so far. I'm leaning towards the sentiment as the others here -- let's see it!
    .

    How is a “GSA pedigree” different from or any better than a non-GSA? The grading is still done by the same companies and there’s no reason to believe that on their own, GSA examples are any better than non-GSA ones.

    I'm referring to a CC - GSA. My greater point with my post above was to highlight that an entity, rather than a person can be considered a pedigree.
    No argument from me as to there being any difference with the coin whether it's GSA, or non-GSA. No better, no worse.
    However, some collectors will pay a premium for that old plastic GSA holder, Black Holding Pins and all. 'Buy the Holder, not the coin'?
    If a coin is cracked out of the GSA holder by the TPG to be conserved, graded, crossed, etc, the GSA pedigree is retained and denoted onto the label, as seen above. To my knowledge, that is the only way to get GSA printed onto the new, modern label.
    Maybe the GSA pedigree will add value to the reholderd coin? Maybe not?...
    .

    I understood that you were speaking about CC - GSA’s. But I still don’t understand why you’d buy them sight-unseen. There are huge quantities of them out there, many of which are either liberally graded and/or not particularly good looking examples.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • Rc5280Rc5280 Posts: 333 ✭✭✭✭

    @MFeld
    I agree with regards to the liberally graded, mediocre CC-GSA examples all over the place.
    My post up top was meant to bring attention to:
    1) A pedigree other than a Numismatist.
    2) A new to market stickering service that has the confidence to deliver quality coins "sight unseen".

    Here's what I said:
    "The CC - GSA Pedigree in 66 or better might be considered, but reluctantly so.
    SBG's CMQ stickering/approval service gives its customers the sight-unseen, peace of mind claims, but that will only go so far. I'm leaning towards the sentiment as the others here -- let's see it!"

    Here's what CMQ says:
    "CMQ was founded by Hall of Fame numismatists David Hall and Greg Roberts. A CMQ sticker indicates that a coin unanimously meets their market standards and can be confidently traded sight unseen. No marginally graded or negative eye appeal coins will ever exhibit a CMQ sticker."

    https://cmq.stacksbowers.com/

    Here's another that I had sent to them last year ⇊
    .

  • PTVETTERPTVETTER Posts: 6,000 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Buy the coin NOT the holder of former owner!

    Pat Vetter,Mercury Dime registry set,1938 Proof set registry,Pat & BJ Coins:724-325-7211


  • I guess people must have misunderstood. All of the pedigrees I listed below I would buy SIGHT UNSEEN meaning if Dale Friend CBH Set was available for sale, without any hesitation I would not even need to see the coins to buy them. Same goes for all the other pedigrees I listed. Another example is Jung, if someone offered me a Jung coin from his original type set I would not need to see the coin I would just buy it.

    Zeus Teng AKA (The Biggest Cat in The Commemorative Market)
    My goal is to find the Monster Commems. If you have any you want to sell I’m the buyer for them.

  • CopperindianCopperindian Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don’t think I misunderstood what you presented when you started the thread. What you laid out was pretty clear (& it is interesting).
    For me, though, I have to concur with the “none” responses. I would still have to look at any pedigree before I bought. JMO.

    “The thrill of the hunt never gets old”

    PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
    Copperindian

    Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
    Copperindian
    Nickelodeon

  • Old_CollectorOld_Collector Posts: 272 ✭✭✭

    The only sight unseen pedigree that I go for is my bank -- rolls at face and they often disappoint but the price is right. Although I occasionally get a surprise, like a dime in a penny roll or a washer in a nickel roll. ;)

  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,388 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I probably don't like 10-20% of the coins in my own collection at the assigned grades, which is normal when you're collecting coins that can't be found any better. So would I pay top dollar for a MrEureka provenance sight unseen? Probably not.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,698 ✭✭✭✭✭

    With certain US coins I get the provenance… if money is no object. But in all fairness, even with US coins, there are those coins that are attractive for the grade which is a greater priority for me over provenance.

    As for World Coins, provenance is a side concern mainly because just finding the right coin with the look is enough of a challenge.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • jomjom Posts: 3,473 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sight unseen? NONE.

    jom

  • Pnies20Pnies20 Posts: 2,451 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @pursuitofliberty said:
    Truly sight-unseen? Not sure I'd go there. I might be compelled, but not enough to buy willy nilly.

    But there are pedigree's I would almost certainly buy with a reasonable description from a trusted dealer, a cursory look without a glass, or possibly even a kind of crappy, partially-focused image.

    But I can't image just "PCGS MS64 Norweb" ... no matter how tempting that might be.

    Sure… but what if you replaced MS64 with AU53

    BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.

  • renomedphysrenomedphys Posts: 3,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 18, 2025 10:23AM

    Never. Sight. Unseen.

    That said, a few catch my attention, and warrant a little leeway:

    Blay (probably the closest)
    Chapman (my namesake)
    Naftzger
    Newman
    Doug Bird
    Eliasberg (will stretch for notoriety but he had lots of “not so great” coins)
    Reynolds
    Clapp
    Bass
    Kosoff
    Green

    And I’m sure a few others I can’t recall right now.

    Perhaps the more telling question would be: whose pedigree do you avoid? For me, a few of those names have already been mentioned above 😉

  • FranklinHalfAddictFranklinHalfAddict Posts: 687 ✭✭✭✭✭

    None. I’ve seen too many coins with prestigious pedigrees that were butt ugly.

  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,198 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How many coins of all those with a specific provenance does one need to see to know that all unseen ones are high quality coins?

  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 14,434 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @messydesk said:
    How many coins of all those with a specific provenance does one need to see to know that all unseen ones are high quality coins?

    High quality isn’t a guarantee that someone will like/want a particular coin.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • bigcatcommembigcatcommem Posts: 4
    edited April 18, 2025 11:17AM

    What pedigrees would you buy sight unseen?
    My reasoning for buying these Pedigrees Sight UNSEEN
    Shepherd - Larry Shepherd has the best eye in the business JMHO.
    Hugon - Without any hesitation I would buy any Hugon Coin either if it came from his Barber Dimes, Quarters, Halves PR or MS without needing to even see the coin.
    RSD - I would buy any RSD coin whether it was his duplicates or not because his eye for amazing coins blows me away.
    Jung - Any coins that came from Jung’s type set without hesitation or wanting to see a picture or a “true view ” I would buy sight UNSEEN,
    Bass (Earlier Sales) - Bass earlier sales where the best. The latest sales still had great coins but a few hit or miss.
    Simpson - Any Coin from Simpson without hesitation I would buy sight unseen. Monster coins.
    Brahin (Saints) - Brahin had many of my favorite Saints any coins he owned from his set I would not need to see it, I would just buy it.
    Friend - One of the best Eye’s in Numismatics. His 1823 MS66 50C was a monster. I would buy any coins from his Barbers and Bust half’s SIGHT UNSEEN.
    Naftzger (Copper) - Superb Copper.
    Blay- Blay always searched for the best. He had many monster coins.
    Bender - Amazing RD Indians and Proof $3’s.
    Morelan - I would buy any of the Seated Dollars he owned SIGHT UNSEEN.

    Zeus Teng AKA (The Biggest Cat in The Commemorative Market)
    My goal is to find the Monster Commems. If you have any you want to sell I’m the buyer for them.

  • lermishlermish Posts: 3,580 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bigcatcommem said:
    Morelan - I would buy any of the Seated Dollars he owned SIGHT UNSEEN.

    Ditto for trade dollars.

    chopmarkedtradedollars.com

  • 87redcivic87redcivic Posts: 145 ✭✭✭

    I like the question. I don't think that it has been asked before.

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