When you are buying a coin what do you look for....?

saintguru · January 7, 2007 10:52PM

What are the FIVE most important qualities you use to determine if the coin is right for you...??

ASSUMING it's a coin you need and can afford...

tjkillian · January 7, 2007 10:56PM

Do I want the coin, strike, minimum amount of marks, original surfaces, luster

Tom

Jackrabbit · January 7, 2007 10:59PM

Being poor like I am, you have to have price somewhere in your top 5.. I have seen many coins I would love to have, but price ended up being the deciding factor.... Oh to be poor....

DHeath · January 7, 2007 11:00PM

Eye appeal for the price/grade, eye appeal for the price/grade, eye appeal for the price/grade, strike, original surfaces.

RYK · January 7, 2007 11:00PM

Eye appeal
Originality
Pedigree
Do I need it for a set?
Value

The order of these may vary, depending on the coin in question

saintguru · January 7, 2007 11:10PM

1) Surfaces...are they natural, original?
2) Hits...are they prominent, hidden, too many?
3) Strike...is it good?
4) Color...is it a pretty coin?
5) Overall quality relative to the mintage. Very Important!

IrishMike · January 7, 2007 11:16PM

1) Prefence is unslabbed
2) Is it comparable to my other coins in the set
3) Non-messed with
4) How much pleasure will I derive from owning it

RYK · January 7, 2007 11:21PM

6) How it ranks on the FatMan Coolness Scale™

mercurynut · January 7, 2007 11:29PM

1) No toning....I like my silver coins blast white other coins must look natural.

2) Check to see if its over graded, in my opinion, if so I pass.

3) Check to see how strong the strike is and any wear in the key areas of the coin.

4) I check to see if the slab has been tampered with or if it is too scratched up for proper viewing.

5) Ask myself if I should save a little more and go one more grade up.

Barndog · January 7, 2007 11:35PM

all I really need to know:

-do I need this die marriage for my collection?
-is it better than the one I currently have?

dlimb2 · January 7, 2007 11:35PM

Mintage is my number one...if it is rare I want it...condition goes from there...I would rather have one coin from each series and I would likt it to be the rarest of the series....I know that I can not have them all because of price but I get what I can....just buy the keys baby buy the keys.

saintguru · January 7, 2007 11:53PM

Laura??

LeeG · January 7, 2007 11:56PM

1. Originality
2. Lustre
3. Strike
4. Rarity
5. Cost relative to 1-4 above.

ricko · January 7, 2007 11:58PM

If I understood the question correctly... the 'buying' part already eliminates whether it is a 'fit' (need etc.) for the collection ... soooo...
- Condition (hits, damage, etc)
- Eye appeal
- Price
- Scarcity (i.e. other sources)
- Dealer attitude
Cheers, RickO

sweetwilliet · January 8, 2007 12:06AM

Well, I'd have to say:

1) originality
2) prefer PCGS slabbed, but open to others
3) depth/clarity of mirrors (wonder what I collect?)
4) no distracting hits or toning for the grade
5) price- must be in my budget

saintguru · January 8, 2007 12:16AM

I agree with the PCGS slab, as much as it is prejudicial, it is something that I just MUST have.

I have seen too many NGC coins not meet market standards or market prices to say otherwise.

Barndog · January 8, 2007 12:33AM

I guess I should not forget to talk about the person selling the coin.

I need to trust that person and his/her motives.

PrivateCoinCollector · January 8, 2007 12:36AM

My Top Five?

Value
Value
Value
Value
Do I have the Money

Coxe · January 8, 2007 12:50AM

The number one reason I will buy a coin is opportunity. If a coin is rarely available, it does not need to be perfect as perfect for that issue might not exist or ever present itself in my collecting lifetime. I don't have many date missing in my prooflike Morgan collection but of the vacancies, more are common ones that appear in every major auction and can be found acceptably at any given time than true rarities (which only number three -- 83-S, 93-S and 21-S) at this time. Absolute rarity is number one in my book.

However, when I am looking for that right specimen for a less rare date, a semikey for instance, I seek out the exceptional example in terms of positive attributes, one that does not share the problems typical of most of the pack for the date. Naturally, eye appeal is number one here. Clean surfaces is important (especially got those magnifying mirrors of DMPLs) which translates to higher technical grade and, unfortunately, escalating cost. Strike follows that. Strike is critical for most of my VAMs as the notable features are often seen proportional to the level of the strike. Originality and lustre are one and the same in my book and quite important. I could not care less about pedigree for my coins. Yes, it is interesting history but the previous owners and their cabinets is so peripheral to the coin that I dismiss it entirely as a burden on the price more than anything else.

A last word on technical grade....I am not a huge fan of always going for the top grade available for a coin. There are many cases where I see that as foolish for many collectors. I would prefer to have a near gem (well-struck PQ 64) over a blah technical gem at a fraction of the cost any day of the week. To think of the broken budgets because of those kinds of purchases that reduces the options for other coins in peoples' collections is sobering reality. One thing I am fond of is doing date sets in AU58, very select AU58. Often a coin with just a little insignificant rub is superior in eye appeal to nearly all technical uncirculated examples of a given date. The 1884-S Morgan is a pet favorite to bring up. FInd a well-struck and lustrous AU58 with some PL originality extant and it beats the pants off of 90% of the mint state dogs.

pf70collector · January 8, 2007 12:52AM

perfection or something close to it. 69's just don't do it for me.

MadMonk · January 8, 2007 1:08AM

Eye Appeal, to me, is the sum of all the other "descriptors" such as surfaces, originality, color, luster, etc.
I can forgive strike to a some degree, usually depending on the issue year, mint, etc.

leothelyon · January 8, 2007 1:16AM

For most series, it's about the condition and eye appeal of the coin. Depending on what metal or alloys were used and the methods that were in placed at the time a coin was made, the farther back in history we go, the more crude the minting process gets when they made coins. From the 1850's and up, for most series along that timeline, locating a fully struck coin was not a major problem. As the call to produce more coins to meet the demand of our economy, commerce and population growth, the production of coins dramatically increased, this is the one factor that has played a role in producing subpar struck coins but nonetheless, fully struck examples for most series have always been readily available to the collectors. But for the nickel alloy series dating back to whenever they began using this mixture of metals to produce coins, quite possibly back to the 3 cent pieces, the striking of the coin has always been a problem. So for Jefferson nickels, my specialty, it's the completeness of the strike that comes first and foremost before the condition/grade of the coin. The eye appeal is important as well but to locate an early die state Jefferson nickel, even though it may be banged up a bit/low grade and/or missing the luster or toning that would make it a better coin, there's something about the completion of the strike that makes this coin stand out.
As if it were an antique of some sort.

Leo

ArgentumRex · January 8, 2007 1:18AM

1) eye appeal
2) price

DennisH · January 8, 2007 1:19AM

1. Eye appeal
2. Problem-free status
3. The right "look", which means lustre in Mint State coins and natural tone/grime in circs.
4. Is it the grade (or close to) what I'm targeting?
5. Price

Cladiator · January 8, 2007 2:17AM

<< <i>What are the FIVE most important qualities you use to determine if the coin is right for you...?? >>

#1. Die Marriage
#2. Overall Eye Appeal
#3. Surface Condition
#4. Amount of Wear
#5. Strike Quality

stman · January 8, 2007 2:35AM

First and most important is the story!!!! This kinda sets the mood whether I'm interested in the qualities of the coin. Heh Heh

Dennis88 · January 8, 2007 2:49AM

In order:

1. Strike -Must be nearly full to full, if known at that coin
2. Surfaces -As original as possible
3. Hits-Any too prominent?
4. Luster-Full or not?
5. Overal eye-appeal

BobGreene · January 8, 2007 5:18AM

Eye appeal is my main purchasing point. Followed by price.

notwilight · January 8, 2007 5:34AM

1. Lack of porosity
2. Minimal verdigris
3. no major dings/holes
4. Good strike.
4.5 Date/die variety
5. Room on my credit card.

dcamp78 · January 8, 2007 5:35AM

I try to find coins that I need to complete series. I try to get every coin at VF+ AND it must fit into my budget.
I don't have any slabbed coins, so I buy all raw coins. I like the tactile sensation of holding it in my hands.
I always wish I could see where the coin has been and who may have touched it, especially the older coins.
If only they could talk...

pcgs69 · January 8, 2007 7:14AM

1. No rim nicks
2. No adjustment marks
3. Good strike
4. Nice color/eye appeal (original?)
5. Price

CaptainRon · January 8, 2007 7:42AM

When I first see it does it make think: Wow or Cool
When I look at it again, a short time later, does it still have the same effect.

Nothing else matters to me.... It use to.... And these are the coins I have either allready flipped, or will.

09sVDB · January 8, 2007 7:49AM

If its the type of coin I want to own
Is it the best condition I can afford
originality
long term potential
if certified : by whom

Nic · January 8, 2007 7:51AM

1. Original surfaces
2. Eye appeal
3. Luster
4. Grade- based on marks
5. Grade-based on strike

K

RedTiger · January 8, 2007 7:55AM

1) Value (not price), I'm interesting in a lot of coins at a good price. At a high price, there are very, very few that I want.
2) Do I like the coin? (eye appeal, cool factor)

BECOKA · January 8, 2007 8:19AM

I tend to not follow traditional rules.

1. If I need the coin for the set and the price is right I will get it as a place holder (can always sell it in a PCGS slab, usually anyway).
2. Spend stupid money to replace the placeholder with an eye catching dazzler.
3. If none are available stick with the place holder.
4. When I need money sell the set for 80% of what I bought it for because the market dipped right when I decided to sell.

silverpop · January 8, 2007 8:20AM

One: eye appeal

Two:anything usual about the coin (die cracks,ETC)

Three: country

four

esign

Five

on't have in my collection yet

Longacre · January 8, 2007 8:22AM

1. Eye appeal
2. Originality
3. Strike
4. Overall marks consistent with grade

That's basically it.

Swampboy · January 8, 2007 8:29AM

I love this thead. Interesting to see all the different perspectives.

While ideals will vary, can anyone argue why saint's #1 isn't THE #1 ?

<< <i>1) Surfaces...are they natural, original? >>

Just askin'.

bestclser1 · January 8, 2007 8:31AM

<< <i>1) Surfaces...are they natural, original?
2) Hits...are they prominent, hidden, too many?
3) Strike...is it good?
4) Color...is it a pretty coin?
5) Overall quality relative to the mintage. Very Important! >>

All factors in EYE APPEAL.

Russ · January 8, 2007 8:49AM

1. Profit.
2. Profit.
3. Profit.
4. Profit.
5. Profit.

Russ, NCNE

Coxe · January 8, 2007 8:58AM

LOL, Russ. I was waiting for a first strike acceptable postmark or milk spots from someone on here.

RichieURich · January 10, 2007 2:31AM

1. Rarity
2. Is it an inventory coin or a collection coin?
3. If it is an inventory coin, do I have a reasonable expectation of selling the coin at a profit?
4. Eye appeal
5. Price

CalGold · January 10, 2007 3:21AM

1. Eye appeal relative to other coins of like grade

2. Eye appeal relative to technical grade. In other words, did it get a bump for being pretty–if so the price usually reflects a double dip premium

3. Price relative to 1 through 3

CG

When you are buying a coin what do you look for....?

Comments

The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

My Jefferson Nickel Collection

Leave a Comment