Sounds like you did better than I did picking mid-grade Barber halves off of eBay. I became tired of purchasing wiped and otherwise hairlined Barbers and switched to Seated Liberty halves where I could judge their originality better by their toning.
Purely beginners luck.
Newbie collector of type and circulated Peace dollars, photographer of places and animals, player of instruments and builder of amplifiers, espresso industry professional, and a person distracted by shiny objects. https://mycollect.com/Rule556/sets
@Barberian . Even though I have only been actively seeking higher grade Barbers for the last few months it has been an eye opener. It is not a matter of miss grading. I am not even that positive I have a sound grasp of grade specifics. IT is eye appeal. Barber Dimes seem to be the exception, but that could just be my bias towards the traditional cereal reverse. I practically flinch looking at many of the quarters and halves in straight grade slabs.
First there are the numerous large scratches that seem accceptable.
Second there are many coins, as you mentioned, with serious hairlines; again straight graded.
Third, and by far, 90% of the quarters and halves have absolutely terrible eye appeal. Splotchy coins, dark, near terminal edges, numerous carbon spots covering everything. at this point i have become reconciled to the fact I will only ever add a handfull of these to my collection. A coin must be attractive first and formost for me. James
@seatedlib3991 said: @Barberian . Even though I have only been actively seeking higher grade Barbers for the last few months it has been an eye opener. It is not a matter of miss grading. I am not even that positive I have a sound grasp of grade specifics. IT is eye appeal. Barber Dimes seem to be the exception, but that could just be my bias towards the traditional cereal reverse. I practically flinch looking at many of the quarters and halves in straight grade slabs.
First there are the numerous large scratches that seem accceptable.
Second there are many coins, as you mentioned, with serious hairlines; again straight graded.
Third, and by far, 90% of the quarters and halves have absolutely terrible eye appeal. Splotchy coins, dark, near terminal edges, numerous carbon spots covering everything. at this point i have become reconciled to the fact I will only ever add a handfull of these to my collection. A coin must be attractive first and formost for me. James
I'm probably being hard on myself and Barber halves. When I got back into the hobby about 20 years ago, there was a certain "look" to uncleaned coins that I was after that was expressed through its toning. TomB described that look wonderfully in several articles he wrote for coin magazines and his website, and posters such as InYHWHWeTrust and ARCO, had sets full of coins with that look. I searched for those naturally toned, raw coins off of eBay but found very few suitable coins there. I also had a severe aversion to hairlines that turned me off to many raw coins I purchased off eBay. I look at my Barber halves now and there are many that would likely straight grade but are too low valued to have graded. It seemed like almost all the midgrade coins with the look I was after were TP graded coins, with few suitable raw coins for a Dansco. To me there was no challenge or fun to purchasing TPG graded coins. The Barbers I have sent to PCGS have all straight graded except one of my favorites that has a counterstamp.
I started looking at raw Seated Liberty halves on eBay and found considerably more coins with the look I was searching for based on their toning. SLH to me seemed like a new frontier that hadn't been so extensively picked over like Barber halves seemed to be. After a few raw SLH purchases, I soon gave up on Barber halves and focused on SLH, circulated classic commemoratives, and an occasional midgrade CBH where I had much better luck finding problem-free coins that I liked.
I believe you're the one who pointed out the unusual history of silver coin usage during the seated coin era and how that might have affected their condition including toning. SLH have their own issues with corrosion that I've had to wrestle with. I still wrestle with this issue and how TPGs deal with it including CACG. I probably needed mentoring to get over these hangups with hairlines and corrosion, but they have served me well overall, and part of the fun collecting coins has been the learning and reconciling these differences.
My first raw SLH purchase off eBay. They had me at "hello."
CAC stickering and CACG grading is now the new challenge with its own hurdles including overgrading by other TPG services. I have several choice coins that will not sticker unless they are resubmitted to PCGS with explicit instructions as to what the grade should be. PCGS boosted their grades because they were so nice. A PCGS rep even defended this boosted grading on this board about 15years ago.
These near perfect 1851 (PCGS VF35) and 1854-O (PCGS VF30), will likely not sticker with CAC because of boosted grading. My lone criticism of sticker chasing is that these "gem" coins are ignored. Yet I've had some mind-blowing, "MS63-priced" offers at the time for the 1851 through Heritage.
@Barberian . I stick strictly to coins that have allready been authenticated and slabbed. The fact i discovered many years ago was that the TPG services only seemed to designate varieties if pointed out and paid for. i have "found" and had the variety added to at least 50 or 60 coins by now. (30 year period)
The great discovery I have made recently has nothing to do with varieties but everything to do with eye appeal. I think this may be the single greatest difference between collecting Seated material and Barber material. Personal opinion only; finding attractive Seated coins, even low grade coins, is easy to do. Finding attractive Barber coins, and I do think the historic usage of the coins plays a big role; the single greatest challenge. I am not knocking the design. I am saying heavy usage damaged most of the coins. lack of collecting interest failed to protect much of the collectible range coins. Somehow, the pool of coins with even "good' eye appeal seems to be 1 tenth that of what i found among Seated coins. James
I added die marriage designations to my first two batches of coins sent to PCGS, even if they were common (R3) DMs. Consequently, a number of them are now the CoinFacts plate coins for their DMs, even my PCGS G6 1874-CC WB-1 with a rim ding. Now, I only add the DM attribution to die marriages rated R5 or above.
I like Barber coins, but I like Seated Liberty coins much more than Barbers at this point. Why I never became a Bust Half Nut Clubber remains a mystery to me.
This was technically my first purchase of 26 and it arrived safely last week from @pursuitofliberty who was thoughtful enough to think of me. He knew that it would have a good home with me and that it fit a specific niche spot in a specialized collection I am working on. Thanks again to him and to the friendships that this hobby can nurture.
This came in today by FEDEX courtesy of Atlas Numismatics. This completes my trifecta mini-set of the last year issues of the $20 Liberty in PCGS MS64. I got my 1907-S a year ago and traded for my 1907 at the Michigan State fall convention in 2024.
Throw a coin enough times, and suppose one day it lands on its edge.
First purchase of the year made three weeks ago. A late night Friday Night Special eBay BIN. Already got my money's worth from the excitement and fun from reading and learning.
The Tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. -Thomas Jefferson
@Morgan13 said:
Ill post better images when I get this coin. Back story is this is from a very old collection. As the seller put it "this coin hasn't seen the light of day in decades". He also told me its really really nice and very much undergraded. So I wait with much anticipation. I will post better images when I get it.
Im hoping for honesty here. We shall see.....
Any chance he has a barber half in that collection?
Need a Barber Half with ANACS photo certificate. If you have one for sale please PM me. Current Ebay auctions
@Cranium_Basher73 said:
This came in today by FEDEX courtesy of Atlas Numismatics. This completes my trifecta mini-set of the last year issues of the $20 Liberty in PCGS MS64. I got my 1907-S a year ago and traded for my 1907 at the Michigan State fall convention in 2024.
I bought this 1821 quarter eagle and picked it up a FUN. Many thanks to @Proofmorgan for facilitating the purchase. I have always wanted to get a nice one but it took many years to acquire one.
Comments
Purely beginners luck.
Newbie collector of type and circulated Peace dollars, photographer of places and animals, player of instruments and builder of amplifiers, espresso industry professional, and a person distracted by shiny objects. https://mycollect.com/Rule556/sets
Pre-Price hike additions to my ASE stash
@Barberian . Even though I have only been actively seeking higher grade Barbers for the last few months it has been an eye opener. It is not a matter of miss grading. I am not even that positive I have a sound grasp of grade specifics. IT is eye appeal. Barber Dimes seem to be the exception, but that could just be my bias towards the traditional cereal reverse. I practically flinch looking at many of the quarters and halves in straight grade slabs.
First there are the numerous large scratches that seem accceptable.
Second there are many coins, as you mentioned, with serious hairlines; again straight graded.
Third, and by far, 90% of the quarters and halves have absolutely terrible eye appeal. Splotchy coins, dark, near terminal edges, numerous carbon spots covering everything. at this point i have become reconciled to the fact I will only ever add a handfull of these to my collection. A coin must be attractive first and formost for me. James
I showed this in another thread, but it was my first purchase of 2026.
Sugar magnolia blossoms blooming, heads all empty and I don't care ...
I'm probably being hard on myself and Barber halves. When I got back into the hobby about 20 years ago, there was a certain "look" to uncleaned coins that I was after that was expressed through its toning. TomB described that look wonderfully in several articles he wrote for coin magazines and his website, and posters such as InYHWHWeTrust and ARCO, had sets full of coins with that look. I searched for those naturally toned, raw coins off of eBay but found very few suitable coins there. I also had a severe aversion to hairlines that turned me off to many raw coins I purchased off eBay. I look at my Barber halves now and there are many that would likely straight grade but are too low valued to have graded. It seemed like almost all the midgrade coins with the look I was after were TP graded coins, with few suitable raw coins for a Dansco. To me there was no challenge or fun to purchasing TPG graded coins. The Barbers I have sent to PCGS have all straight graded except one of my favorites that has a counterstamp.
I started looking at raw Seated Liberty halves on eBay and found considerably more coins with the look I was searching for based on their toning. SLH to me seemed like a new frontier that hadn't been so extensively picked over like Barber halves seemed to be. After a few raw SLH purchases, I soon gave up on Barber halves and focused on SLH, circulated classic commemoratives, and an occasional midgrade CBH where I had much better luck finding problem-free coins that I liked.
I believe you're the one who pointed out the unusual history of silver coin usage during the seated coin era and how that might have affected their condition including toning. SLH have their own issues with corrosion that I've had to wrestle with. I still wrestle with this issue and how TPGs deal with it including CACG. I probably needed mentoring to get over these hangups with hairlines and corrosion, but they have served me well overall, and part of the fun collecting coins has been the learning and reconciling these differences.
My first raw SLH purchase off eBay. They had me at "hello."
CAC stickering and CACG grading is now the new challenge with its own hurdles including overgrading by other TPG services. I have several choice coins that will not sticker unless they are resubmitted to PCGS with explicit instructions as to what the grade should be. PCGS boosted their grades because they were so nice. A PCGS rep even defended this boosted grading on this board about 15years ago.
These near perfect 1851 (PCGS VF35) and 1854-O (PCGS VF30), will likely not sticker with CAC because of boosted grading. My lone criticism of sticker chasing is that these "gem" coins are ignored. Yet I've had some mind-blowing, "MS63-priced" offers at the time for the 1851 through Heritage.
@Barberian . I stick strictly to coins that have allready been authenticated and slabbed. The fact i discovered many years ago was that the TPG services only seemed to designate varieties if pointed out and paid for. i have "found" and had the variety added to at least 50 or 60 coins by now. (30 year period)
The great discovery I have made recently has nothing to do with varieties but everything to do with eye appeal. I think this may be the single greatest difference between collecting Seated material and Barber material. Personal opinion only; finding attractive Seated coins, even low grade coins, is easy to do. Finding attractive Barber coins, and I do think the historic usage of the coins plays a big role; the single greatest challenge. I am not knocking the design. I am saying heavy usage damaged most of the coins. lack of collecting interest failed to protect much of the collectible range coins. Somehow, the pool of coins with even "good' eye appeal seems to be 1 tenth that of what i found among Seated coins. James
I added die marriage designations to my first two batches of coins sent to PCGS, even if they were common (R3) DMs. Consequently, a number of them are now the CoinFacts plate coins for their DMs, even my PCGS G6 1874-CC WB-1 with a rim ding. Now, I only add the DM attribution to die marriages rated R5 or above.
I like Barber coins, but I like Seated Liberty coins much more than Barbers at this point. Why I never became a Bust Half Nut Clubber remains a mystery to me.
This was technically my first purchase of 26 and it arrived safely last week from @pursuitofliberty who was thoughtful enough to think of me. He knew that it would have a good home with me and that it fit a specific niche spot in a specialized collection I am working on. Thanks again to him and to the friendships that this hobby can nurture.
Seated Dollar Collection
This came in today by FEDEX courtesy of Atlas Numismatics. This completes my trifecta mini-set of the last year issues of the $20 Liberty in PCGS MS64. I got my 1907-S a year ago and traded for my 1907 at the Michigan State fall convention in 2024.
Throw a coin enough times, and suppose one day it lands on its edge.
First purchase of the year made three weeks ago. A late night Friday Night Special eBay BIN. Already got my money's worth from the excitement and fun from reading and learning.
That seems like it should've received a RB designation from the photos.
Any chance he has a barber half in that collection?
My favorite $20 gold pieces, I like 👍
I bought this 1821 quarter eagle and picked it up a FUN. Many thanks to @Proofmorgan for facilitating the purchase. I have always wanted to get a nice one but it took many years to acquire one.
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.
1880-P Morgan; nothing special but I like it!
"Another day, another Collectors Universe forum scrolling session."
- Someone, probably
Unatrributed variety.
1892 25C DDO FS-101
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...