Most amazing coin you ever held in your hand NOT in a TPG holder

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tonedcoinlover
tonedcoinlover Posts: 95 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

For me it was when Russ Logan allowed me to hold the 1814 Platinum Bust Half Dollar. He placed in my hand back in the mid 1970's at the MSNS show in Dearborn Michigan. I was able to repeat this event when Dr. Chuck Link did the same thing but in a new PCGS holder.

What stories do you have?

Comments

  • hfjacinto
    hfjacinto Posts: 918 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2025 5:03PM
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    My old coin dealer was both a dealer and a collector. He had a few coins that I had never seen but I got to hold including a few quarters on Sacajawea planchets a 1944 steel cent and a proof early cent (1800’s) sadly all are encapsulated now but it was cool holding those raw coins.

    My current registry sets:
    20th Century Type Set
    Virtual DANSCO 7070
    Slabbed IHC set - Missing the Anacs Slabbed coins

  • pursuitofliberty
    pursuitofliberty Posts: 7,926 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Pan-Pac Set, complete in purple velvet / satin case. Probably sometime in late 1990/early 1991? I think it was shortly after the WFOM in Seattle that year (1990).

    Was able to hold the $50's raw, as well as the half. That was mind numbing and heart stopping. I think I was too afraid to pull the $2.5 or the dollar out, but I really don't remember. I think I blacked out a little! :D


    “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
  • OAKSTAR
    OAKSTAR Posts: 8,770 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 16, 2025 6:14AM
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    I once held 10 or 11 circulated raw Double Eagles in a coin shop years ago. Just the sound, the feel and weight was impressive! I shuffled them in my hands like a deck of cards! 🤣 👍

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • Colonialcoin
    Colonialcoin Posts: 923 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2025 6:04PM
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    An extremely fine New England shilling and a Willow Tree sixpence in VF.

  • FlyingAl
    FlyingAl Posts: 4,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    1921 Proof Peace dollar.

    Coin Photography

  • Stuart
    Stuart Posts: 9,831 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2025 7:26PM
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    1799 AU Draped Bust Dollar (B-10, BB-163) - Blue Peripheral Target Toning



    Stuart

    Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal

    "Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
  • Dave99B
    Dave99B Posts: 8,947 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    A low grade Chain Cent.

    Dave

    Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
  • tradedollarnut
    tradedollarnut Posts: 20,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The finest 1885 trade dollar. Still raw

    Early Dollar Set
  • alaura22
    alaura22 Posts: 3,963 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Brasher Doubloon back in the 70s in New York, I forgot what auction

    Mike
    My Indians
    Dansco Set

  • Aegis3
    Aegis3 Posts: 2,943 ✭✭✭
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    Claflin encased postage stamp, some time ago at Steve Tannenbaum's table at a Baltimore show.

    --

    Ed. S.

    (EJS)
  • johnny9434
    johnny9434 Posts: 34,068 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    An 1796 quarter, vg 6. This one was the one with the 6 further away, 4+ r if I remember right

  • Veep
    Veep Posts: 1,513 ✭✭✭✭
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    Sitting in a couple’s living room and flipping through her inherited dad’s collection of albums turned-up a mint 1916 SLQ. It certified as MS66 and it sold for them at a FUN auction for $30,000.

    "Let me tell ya Bud, you can buy junk anytime!"
  • emeraldATV
    emeraldATV Posts: 5,249 ✭✭✭✭✭
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  • MrEureka
    MrEureka Posts: 24,778 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @tonedcoinlover said:
    For me it was when Russ Logan allowed me to hold the 1814 Platinum Bust Half Dollar. He placed in my hand back in the mid 1970's at the MSNS show in Dearborn Michigan. I was able to repeat this event when Dr. Chuck Link did the same thing but in a new PCGS holder.

    What stories do you have?

    I’ve also held that coin in hand a number of times, and once owned it for a little while. The funny thing is how much more impressive the coin is when held raw, because the freakishly unusual weight is only noticeable that way.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • MrEureka
    MrEureka Posts: 24,778 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The gold half unions, reduced diameter Ultra High Relief Saints, and 1849 $20 at the Smithsonian are pretty memorable. An off the charts spectacular 1921 Saint at the ANS comes to mind. The Amon Carter 1794 Dollar, the Garrett Punch on Breast Brasher Doubloon, and 1907 Indian Head $20 (J-1776) also felt good in hand.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • MrEureka
    MrEureka Posts: 24,778 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @alaura22 said:
    Brasher Doubloon back in the 70s in New York, I forgot what auction

    Garrett

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
  • Barberian
    Barberian Posts: 4,643 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Probably the XF45 1895-S Morgan dollar I purchased 15 years ago for peanuts. I've posted it several times here. I recall a dealer handing me a raw rare coin to hold in my hand but do not recall what it was. I didn't want to do it, but they insisted. I don't get any thrill out of holding someone else's rare coin in my hand because of the possibility of dropping and damaging it.

  • World67
    World67 Posts: 13,098 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    High Relief Saint

  • FredWeinberg
    FredWeinberg Posts: 6,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    i’ve held some pretty great raw coins in my hand over the decades,
    But one of the most impressive was holding three (3) 1870-CC in my hands.

    This was in Paris around 1978 or so, when I was going to Europe on a very regular basis with Harry Gordon, when I worked for Numismatics Ltd.

    A few of you here might remember the name Claude Silverstein, who had a small coin shop in Paris. he dealt in the rare date and mint marks that were found in the bulk quantities of gold in Paris, and we always stopped by on every trip, to buy the better date/rare date goal that he had.

    We bought the three coins for $7500, $8,500, and I believe the third piece was $8,750.
    Basically, we graded them as XF+,XF/AU, and AU. By today’s standards, they’re probably about a half a grade nicer than we thought 45 years ago. My memory of them is that they were a little lighter in gold color than some of the photos of 70-CC’s I’ve seen of the last few sales of
    1870-CC’s, but the two nicer pieces had nice original luster.

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
  • clarkbar04
    clarkbar04 Posts: 5,027 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'm just a peasant who buys raw coins to have graded but here is a small list of ones I've made:
    1917-S reverse 50c MS66
    1913 5c type 1 PR66
    1927-S 25c MS63
    1916-S 50c MS64
    1919-D 50c au58

    MS66 taste on an MS63 budget.
  • lkenefic
    lkenefic Posts: 9,518 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @CaptHenway said:
    Three 1804 Dollars (two naked, one in a Capital Plastic holder; five 1913 Liberty Head nickels (all in KoinTains, but all at the same time; two 1894-S Dimes (naked); one each 1870-S $3 and Half Dime (naked); several Pan-Pac $50s……..

    @tradedollarnut said:
    The finest 1885 trade dollar. Still raw

    @FredWeinberg said:
    i’ve held some pretty great raw coins in my hand over the decades,
    But one of the most impressive was holding three (3) 1870-CC in my hands.

    This was in Paris around 1978 or so, when I was going to Europe on a very regular basis with Harry Gordon, when I worked for Numismatics Ltd.

    A few of you here might remember the name Claude Silverstein, who had a small coin shop in Paris. he dealt in the rare date and mint marks that were found in the bulk quantities of gold in Paris, and we always stopped by on every trip, to buy the better date/rare date goal that he had.

    We bought the three coins for $7500, $8,500, and I believe the third piece was $8,750.
    Basically, we graded them as XF+,XF/AU, and AU. By today’s standards, they’re probably about a half a grade nicer than we thought 45 years ago. My memory of them is that they were a little lighter in gold color than some of the photos of 70-CC’s I’ve seen of the last few sales of
    1870-CC’s, but the two nicer pieces had nice original luster.

    I'm just along for the ride on this thread... there's a few "mic drop moments" already...

    Collecting: Dansco 7070; Middle Date Large Cents (VF-AU); Box of 20;

    Successful BST transactions with: SilverEagles92; Ahrensdad; Smitty; GregHansen; Lablade; Mercury10c; copperflopper; whatsup; KISHU1; scrapman1077, crispy, canadanz, smallchange, robkool, Mission16, ranshdow, ibzman350, Fallguy, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, jwitten, Walkerguy21D, dsessom.
  • AUandAG
    AUandAG Posts: 25,050 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I witnesses a dealer open two and a half PCGS boxes of 1909-s VDB cents.....all MS....many 67's. Passed them around and got to hold and view them.....just drooled. And no they were not for sale, as they were submitted for a customer!

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com

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