Just how does one ‘find’ the top cent in existence in the wheat series?
safari_dude
Posts: 510 ✭✭✭✭✭
This cent is currently up for auction. Out of billions of cents made, how does one just find the best one in existence? I mean, seriously, how does this happen….and to the same collectors no less…….? 🤔
https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1745189/
1
Comments
If I recall correctly, Stewart Blay, who was an incredibly knowledgeable, particular and persistent collector, “found” that coin in a superb roll of 1919 cents and submitted at least some of the coins to PCGS.
Someone, please correct me if I’m wrong and/or fill an any additional information.
Edited to add: Here are two old posts from Mr. Blay and a link to the pertinent thread https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/112417/has-anybody-seen-that-1919-p-ms69-lincoln-or-know-who-owns-it
STEWARTBLAYNUMISSTEWARTBLAYNUMIS Posts: 2,697 ✭✭✭✭ July 29, 2002 4:44PM
“Master Hanky
Yes, I do own the coin. Yes, I have recently seen it. As a matter of fact,I plan on seeing it tomorrow.
When I submitted the first ten coins ( all 1919 cents ) eight came back ms 67 and two came back ms 68. PCGS had never previously graded a wheat cent ms 68. When I submitted the next ten pieces, eight graded ms 68 and two pieces graded ms 67. I then submitted five ms 68's for review. One was clearly better. I earned the ms 69 grade.The coin glows in the light, has full mint bloom and frost like no other cent .
Stewart”
“ STEWARTBLAYNUMIS Posts: 2,697 ✭✭✭✭ July 30, 2002 4:05PM
SOG - I made all but one of the 1919 ms 68 red Lincoln cents.Yes, I made 13 of the 14.The other one was made by Heritage and as far as I was concerned,it was a mistake. Of the seventy coins I bought, at the time was a record price, 13 graded ms 68, about 35 graded ms 67,1 graded ms69 and the rest graded ms 65 and ms 66.
Rella - Andy and I split a roll deal from 1934-1958. We paid stupid money for it because of the roll of 1954 P. Andy bought me out and then went partners with someone else. Then Andy had to buy out the other follow.This weekend he got the first two 1954 P's to go 67. I bought one of them.Alot of money,time and work is the reason these
P mints are so... expensive
Stewart”
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Man, as soon as I saw this thread I thought ... I think there's already a consensus. Stewart's old 1919 in P69RD
I guess that's still the case, at least in some peoples minds.
“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
One of, if not the best Lincoln Cents I've ever seen.
Pete
"Patience" is a word that goes with the above postings
Hi Mark….as someone who has graded so many top coins do you think there is/was more MS69’s? What would be the reason that only one would exist and would there be any for other dates this good, or is this just due to the grader’s interpretation at the time? Thanks for the informative post! Cheers, karl
Karl, based on the huge number of uncirculated Lincoln cents in existence, it’s hard for me to imagine that others couldn’t grade MS69RD. But it would require that the right coins be submitted and that they receive accurate grades.
It’s also important to remember that Mr. Blay stated that the subject coin graded MS68RD the first time around. So maybe there’s one or more other 68’s that upon resubmission, could grade MS69. That said, please don't my comments as a recommendation that everyone should resubmit all their MS68RD Lincoln cents. 😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
It probably didn't hurt that the one that got upgraded to 69 was sent in with a group of 68s, and was described as "One was clearly better."
In the past I have used this strategy (not with MS68RD Wheat cents!) at PCGS and it has worked. I've taken multiple strong coins of the same date and grade and bundled them together with what I thought was clearly a coin that was at least one grade higher than the others, but that had received the same grade. I've placed the best coin at or near the end of three or four pieces and those limited times I have done this the best coin has received the grade bump to the next grade.
Please note that although these have been high grade and super tough coins to make they are not in the same league, value wise or absolute grade, as the MS69RD 1919 Wheat cent from Stewart. Also, keep in mind that these pieces might have upgraded without the strategy, though in at least one case I attempted an upgrade previously and the coin graded the same. The coins I have experience with in this scenario are twentieth century silver with terrific toning and in super gem grades.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Must be those tiny flecks of something that keep this one from being called MS 70...
Einstein’s view of God was non-traditional and pantheistic, focusing on the harmony, order, and intelligibility of the cosmos rather than a personal deity. His quotes reveal a profound respect for the universe’s mysteries, a belief in rational laws, and a moral philosophy grounded in compassion and understanding, bridging science and spirituality.
“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”
Albert Einstein (14 March 1879--18 April 1955)
Stewart was a pretty amazing character. Besides the 1919 roll story, he aggressively pursued the 1958 DDO and was very aggressive in buying the 1877 "Indian Princess", prices paid that seemed crazy at the time but cheap in retrospect.
I am pretty sure that the roll of 1919 Lincolns that produced the ms69 example came from a Stacks auction circa 1990. In addition, complete BU rolls of several other early dates were available including a 1910 BU roll.
I have never seen this coin in person, but have seen various photos through the years. It appears to me to be almost other-worldly in terms of quality for any pre-1920s wheat cent.
Official PCGS account of:
www.TallahasseeCoinClub.com
Wowsers! OGH. MS69RD and a CAC!
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Great question! Blay had a great eye for quality. Having generous supply of financial resources also helps one seek out and find the best coins.