have you ever accidentally damaged an expensive coin?

GoldenEyeNumismatics · August 6, 2006 5:29PM

I dropped an MS Barber Half and it hit a leg of a steel chair and left a big ding... it brought the grade down 2 points

Bruceswar · August 6, 2006 5:46PM

<< I dropped an MS Barber Half and it hit a leg of a steel chair and left a big ding... it brought the grade down 2 points

>>

Yes... I did far worse.. I threw one away by accident.

fivecents · August 6, 2006 9:40PM

I remember reading about some forum member accidently dropping an expensive coin into an opened bucket of paint.

cointagious · August 6, 2006 9:50PM

Yup. Put a deep scratch (gouge) across the reverse of a 1911-D $2½ Indian while cracking it out. Ooops.

rhedden · August 6, 2006 11:52PM

My friend bought a complete set of proof Liberty Nickels - real gems- and more than 75% of them were very lightly lacquered (to the point where one could barely tell). After wasting $900 sending them to PCGS to find out that they don't slab lacquered coins, he decided to remove some of the lacquer using various jeweler's cloths, scouring pads, etc., despite the fact that I told him to use acetone. He totally killed about 5 coins before he realized that he should try the acetone. Then he cracked out two of the ones that PCGS did slab, using a screwdriver, and fatally gouged the front of both coins to the point where they were no longer collectable. Most of this happened in a fit of frustration due to receiving ~25 bodybags from PCGS, as this guy is an experienced dealer and usually has a good head on his shoulders.

I bought the 1886 and dipped it in acetone before I told him to try the acetone. Worked like a charm. Paid a whopping $265 for it. PCGS PR64.

longtimecollector · August 7, 2006 12:00AM

I once melted a slab while trying to take pictures with halogen lights...... The coin you ask ???? a 1878-s Half Dollar !!!!! The coin was OK, but had to reholder

Julian · August 7, 2006 12:18AM

This did not happen to me, but Harry Bass put a staple scratch on a Gem Proof 1863 quarter eagle nearly 40 years ago while removing it from a cardboard holder.

I also seem to remember a coin that got closed in a safe door at Manfra, Tordella, and Brookes in NYC. It was an expensive coin, but I cannot remember exactly what it was.

supertooth · August 7, 2006 12:52AM

Well, I cleaned an 1895--0 dime. Mom brought it home in change from the Food Fair---about 1956 when I was 10 years old. It was a 'perfect' VF coin---nice and dark---totally original---full Liberty. But, back then I thought it would be nice to brighten it up a bit. So, I went under the sink and got the cleanser out. Even a dumb kid realized what I had done---immediately after I rinsed the coin off. Yes, I still have the piece----and I do grieve over the mistake EVERY time that I think about it. It was indeed an accident---as I did not know any better at the time. But, since that day, I never touch a coin to try and improve it. Bob [supertooth]

ziggy29 · August 7, 2006 12:53AM

<< This did not happen to me, but Harry Bass put a staple scratch on a Gem Proof 1863 quarter eagle nearly 40 years ago while removing it from a cardboard holder. >>

This makes me want to curl up into a fetal position and cry like a baby.

WorldTypeSet · August 7, 2006 12:54AM

Yes... I did far worse.. I threw one away by accident.

Maybe if it was slabbed, it wouldn't have slipped passed you

Leiana · August 7, 2006 12:54AM

I once scratched a Franklin Half taking it out of a 2x2. Not horribly, but I was still upset. It's expensive to me.

-Amanda

123cents · August 7, 2006 12:56AM

No I haven't. All my expensive coins are slabbed.

FredWeinberg · August 7, 2006 12:56AM

Julian,

I believe it was a High Relief that was on the bottom of the safe
at MTB when the safe door was slammed shut...........................

Of course, I've always thought the prize should go to me for
throwing away the most expensive coin............

In June 1986 (about 6 months after PCGS started, or thereabouts),
I threw into my vaultroom tall trashcan a PCGS PR-65 4$ Stella.........

I have a color photo of the coin, that I got from PCGS, when we weren't
sure for a few days what had happened to the coin...that's hanging up
in the vault right now - but I wish I had the Proof-65 COIN itself!

CoinRaritiesOnline · August 7, 2006 2:14AM

Fred -- you win!

Longacre · August 7, 2006 2:19AM

I almost dropped a gold coin into my dog's water dish. I caught it just in time, after slapping at it in mid-air in cartoon-like fashion before it hit. I don't know if this counts, though.

relayer · August 7, 2006 2:26AM

Yep - I was photographing a Bust half and slid it on the copy stand over a piece of sand and put a scratch in it.

dan383 · August 7, 2006 2:41AM

Fred,Fred,Fred,

A picture is worth a thousand words , a thousand years from now when someone digs it up
they won't know what it is .

I feel for ya.............

Dan

dizzyfoxx · August 7, 2006 2:44AM

<< I dropped an MS Barber Half and it hit a leg of a steel chair and left a big ding... it brought the grade down 2 points

>>

FredWeinberg · August 7, 2006 2:48AM

It's somewhere in the Simi Valley Trash Dump -
but it's been there for 20 years of dumpin', so
I don't think it'll be easy to find.......

Fred

Moose1913 · August 7, 2006 3:30AM

<< I once scratched a Franklin Half taking it out of a 2x2. Not horribly, but I was still upset. It's expensive to me.

-Amanda >>

When was this, last week?

Leiana · August 7, 2006 3:34AM

<< 

<< I once scratched a Franklin Half taking it out of a 2x2. Not horribly, but I was still upset. It's expensive to me.

-Amanda >>

When was this, last week?

>>

No, it was a few weeks ago. It still lives in my Dansco.

-Amanda

Myqqy · August 7, 2006 5:09AM

In June 1986 (about 6 months after PCGS started, or thereabouts),
I threw into my vaultroom tall trashcan a PCGS PR-65 4$ Stella.........

a039 · August 7, 2006 5:18AM

YES And I was able to get it back in Mark Feld's case before he noticed!

gamr0n · August 7, 2006 5:40AM

I once dropped a coin on top of a nice proof Franklin. It left a large dent on his face.

JJM · August 7, 2006 6:32AM

one or two close calls doing crackouts, but i now take preventative measures to assure its doesnt happen again,......One was a nice foot save to deflect it from hitting a concret floor to a pc a spare carpet ajacent to the area..........

Whizzard · August 7, 2006 9:24AM

<< Julian,

I believe it was a High Relief that was on the bottom of the safe
at MTB when the safe door was slammed shut...........................

Of course, I've always thought the prize should go to me for
throwing away the most expensive coin............

In June 1986 (about 6 months after PCGS started, or thereabouts),
I threw into my vaultroom tall trashcan a PCGS PR-65 4$ Stella.........

I have a color photo of the coin, that I got from PCGS, when we weren't
sure for a few days what had happened to the coin...that's hanging up
in the vault right now - but I wish I had the Proof-65 COIN itself! >>

STELLA!!!!!!!!

-Marlan Brando, "A Streetcare Named Desire"

Shamika · August 7, 2006 11:45AM

I've been lucky so far. Very lucky.

BigE2 · August 7, 2006 12:50PM

<< Julian,

I believe it was a High Relief that was on the bottom of the safe
at MTB when the safe door was slammed shut...........................

Of course, I've always thought the prize should go to me for
throwing away the most expensive coin............

In June 1986 (about 6 months after PCGS started, or thereabouts),
I threw into my vaultroom tall trashcan a PCGS PR-65 4$ Stella.........

I have a color photo of the coin, that I got from PCGS, when we weren't
sure for a few days what had happened to the coin...that's hanging up
in the vault right now - but I wish I had the Proof-65 COIN itself! >>

OH MY GOD!!!! Are you kidding me?

coinandcurrency242 · August 7, 2006 12:55PM

I have yet to damage a coin!

lordmarcovan · August 7, 2006 4:07PM

Never an expensive coin, but two episodes of personal stupidity come to mind.

The first was when I was having a swap session with Michael S. ("Aethelred") at his dining room table, and after we agreed on a swap involving one particular coin (I forget what it was, exactly, but it was a pretty nice silver piece), I playfully lobbed the flip containing the coin across the table at him. With a "plunk" and a splash, it landed in his cup of coffee! Fortunately, it was no worse for the experience, after a rinseoff.

The second involved a nice ornate love token on an 1887 Seated dime, which I had bought on eBay. Leaving for work that day, I checked the mail, and opened the envelope at work. It was a nice love token- I had purchased it for the Holey Coin Vest. After examining it on a smoke break, I stuck the 2x2 with the coin into the cellophane of my cigarette packet, which would've been a safe place, except on my next smoke break, I smoked the last ciggy from the pack and threw it away. An hour later I realized my mistake and rummaged through the trashcan at the smoking area, only to find it had just been emptied. While only a $15-20 item, it still kills me that I threw that love token away like that. Proof positive of what a dumb habit smoking is, eh?

One day in the distant future, some archaeologist will be digging in the landfill and wonder how in the heck an 1887 Seated dime love token ended up in a 1990s stratum.

lordmarcovan · August 7, 2006 4:08PM

<< << This did not happen to me, but Harry Bass put a staple scratch on a Gem Proof 1863 quarter eagle nearly 40 years ago while removing it from a cardboard holder. >>

This makes me want to curl up into a fetal position and cry like a baby. >>

Just hearing that story makes me grit my teeth.

As to the "Stella In The Trashcan" tale, I doubt anyone would top that. While working as an errand boy for my numismatic mentor, Bill Wright, I once started to empty the wastebaskets but he wouldn't let me. He always went through them before emptying them. I think a quarter-eagle had slid off his desk once and gone out with the trash. It might not be a bad idea for dealers to keep a cheap metal detector around to scan all outgoing trashbags with!

have you ever accidentally damaged an expensive coin?

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