Son's 1852 Large Cent find - Some advice please

StrikeOutXXX · February 25, 2007 8:49AM

Junior went for "a walk around the block" and stumbled across a garage sale and this was his treasure find

This is one of the series I can't help him a lot with, and would love some honest opinions for him to learn by. He's tickled pink and didn't pay a lot, and other than some strange coloring and some minor rim dings, I didn't have many words of wisdom for him. Be brutally honest if need be, it's the only way he/I will learn. Obviously it's not a coin destined for grading, but any opinions are welcome.

Thanks,
Jeff (and Tyler)

Georgems65 · February 25, 2007 8:51AM

what did he pay

StrikeOutXXX · February 25, 2007 8:59AM

<< <i>what did he pay >>

Figure about $10 +/-, the coin was marked $20 and a PS2 game he was looking at was marked $15, but the guy was closing up and gave them both to him for $20.

Georgems65 · February 25, 2007 9:01AM

He got a good deal. $10.00 for that coin is good. Great Deal

commoncents05 · February 25, 2007 9:03AM

He got a really good deal! It may need a quick dip in acetone, but it looks like a great buy for $10

-Paul

BlindedByEgo · February 25, 2007 9:05AM

One of the complaints about the large cent when it circulated was that it was unsanitary. Reading Breen on the subject he mentions this more than once (some psychosis there, eh?).

What a great find for him at a garage sale! I think that you would be hard pressed to find one out of a shop with that level of detail for twice the money.

Good job, Tyler!

buffnut · February 25, 2007 9:07AM

Sorry I can't help with the grading, but I think the coin is great! Despite the minor problems you mention, it still has that antique "crusty-ness" that I like on older issues. A wonderful coin for a young numismatist, and a great deal for only $10! Plus- the next time your son says something like "Dad is sooooooooo old!" you can just point to this coin and say, "No son, THAT is old-"

ColonialCoinUnion · February 25, 2007 9:18AM

VF details, ED, a few bumps. But a neat thing for the price, and a cool thing for your son to discover.

StrikeOutXXX · February 25, 2007 9:56AM

Thanks for the responses - Tyler read them and laughed about the old thing. I'm only 35, and he's 13, but he still asked me a few years back if they had phones when I was a kid <argh>.

I really like the way the members take a break out of the $100/1000/10000+ coins and help someone out with a $10 one

Thanks!
Jeff & Tyler

Musky1011 · February 25, 2007 10:01AM

Nice coin

That would be a PERFECT starter coin for a Dansco 7070

Jim

Regulated · February 25, 2007 10:12AM

What an absolutely incredible find! When I was 8 or so, I found and old large cent in a jar at home and obsessed on it for about a year. Hope your son gets as much enjoyment out of that piece as I did from mine...

Hyperion · February 25, 2007 10:16AM

I love the detail on that coin !! environmental dam right ? but thats what happens in a 150+ years

GoldenEyeNumismatics · February 25, 2007 3:55PM

solid XF45

pb2y · February 25, 2007 8:03PM

For 10 bucks it was a very good buy. Wish to have big gangs of Sons like yours.
The big cent he baught for 10 bucks is a Newcomb 17 and not so common.
Look for a fine engravers mark under the left bottom of the 1 to the dentical just below.
If so then 30 bucks plus in middle grade.

agentjim007 · February 25, 2007 9:32PM

don't clean it

ziggy29 · February 25, 2007 11:03PM

Very nice pickup for that price. It's a bit dark but I'll take that over the dull, lifeless doctored coins out there. Well done.

seanq · February 25, 2007 11:20PM

Looking at the picture, the 1 in the date is nicely repunched to the south. Maybe someone can attribute the variety, that could be a much better pickup than you imagine.

Sean Reynolds

pb2y · February 25, 2007 11:37PM

The line you see to left base of the 1 extending
to the dentical are engraver tool marks.
Newcomb numbered this die type as N-17
The pits on the obverse are also seen on MS coins

StrikeOutXXX · February 26, 2007 12:10AM

Geez, I missed the marks under the 1 completely - and I shrunk that picture down about 4 times already, it should have been obvious when the date was the size of the screen

.

I'll check when I get home. Is the lighter color coming through in the fields around "One Cent" on the rev, and I guess to a certain extent in the hair of the obv remnants of lustre or remnants of a cleaning?

Tye will have a nice surprise when he gets home from school. Now he's going to ask for a Newcomb (or Grellman) book for his birthday coming up

ajaan · February 26, 2007 12:22AM

A garage sale in February in Fredonia??? Are you guys nuts down there? Nice coin.

StrikeOutXXX · February 26, 2007 12:33AM

<< <i>A garage sale in February in Fredonia??? Are you guys nuts down there? Nice coin. >>

Yea, we're nuts shroom - He walked around the block to the Subway, and the local pet groomer next door had an indoor garage/rummage sale

PrivateCoinCollector · February 26, 2007 12:36AM

<< <i>What an absolutely incredible find! When I was 8 or so, I found and old large cent in a jar at home and obsessed on it for about a year. Hope your son gets as much enjoyment out of that piece as I did from mine... >>

Did they have phones back then?

JoeLewis · February 26, 2007 1:40AM

I can't believe that they sold that for ten bucks. I mean, when most people find a wheat penny they think it's worth $1000! I would figure that the average person finding a large cent would immediately take it to a coin shop.

Preussen · February 26, 2007 2:26AM

Very nice pick up

-Preussen

StrikeOutXXX · February 26, 2007 2:28AM

Best I can do at lunch zooming in on the 1

MrEureka · February 26, 2007 2:28AM

When I was 8 or so, I found and old large cent in a jar at home and obsessed on it for about a year.

Regulated - Did you ever return the coin to its rightful owners?

MFH · February 26, 2007 2:30AM

Jeff & Tyler,

Finding something like that 1852 large cent - in as nice a condition as it is - makes a young collector
get " the bug " - which hopefully will last for many years to come.

Son's 1852 Large Cent find - Some advice please

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