Ragged vs Curved clips, which is tougher to find?
Barberian
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I've been sorting through Lincoln cents I pulled from circulation back in the late '60's and early '70's and found both a curved clipped cent and a ragged clipped cent in my collection. The curved clip is smaller than the ragged clip. Both show a Blakesley effect on the opposite rim, however, the effect is only a slight thickening and flattening of the rim opposite the curved clip.
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I'm posting to get a sense of what these are worth on the market, and which clip is harder to find? I'm looking to sell off these coins I've had since childhood.
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Comments
I think a ragged clip is a little scarcer.
There is also a straight-clip type, where the planchet is punched part way off the edge of a rolled sheet (note the brassy striations in the direction that the strip was rolled):
Dan---You can really see the Blakesley effect on that cent.
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Ragged are much scarcer than curved, but I don’t think that they are significantly more valuable.
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Yes, it is very evident. I was looking at some "junk" wheat cents at a local coin shop and the 1925-D straight-clip was in there. I was able buy it for next to nothing (they thought it was damaged).
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I thought the ragged clip was just damage until I saw the Blakesley effect.
Your statement about rarity is true, but recently I have seen on eBay that ragged clips are realizing higher prices than simple curved clips. I have seen examples like the 1968 selling in the $15-20 range lately, versus $3-5 for coins like the 1965. I have no insight into what might be driving collector interest in them, other than the relative scarcity and their visual appeal.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
Ragged for sure
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You are correct percentagewise. I was thinking dollar amounts.