Opinions on this coin please. 1865-S Lib H.E. (i do not own it, might try though)
fc
Posts: 12,796 ✭✭✭
I am always looking for key date liberty half eagles between the years
1859 and 1869 because I like this period of time the most when
considering the range of 1839-1908.
My budget for coins right now is around 1000-2000 and maybe a bit
more if I see the right coin. This means my choices are somewhat
limited but one never knows what might appear in my price range.
Well it was time to browse heritage again and i saw quite a few coins
that were possible candidates. As usual most were shockingly bad
in TPG plastic. Cleaned, hairlined, etc... "the works". Well one coin
caused me to look twice and actually research it a bit more but I am
on the fence with it.
It has been sold twice before on heritage. 2003, 2004 and again now. Here are the pics in order:
$1200 in 2003. "A partially lustrous XF '65-S and a coin that shows numerous light abrasions over rich, reddish-golden surfaces."
$2000 in 2004 "The current Coin Dealer Newsletter (Greysheet) wholesale "bid" price is $1800.00."
??? in 2008 "Rich apricot-gold patination displays blushes of greenish-gray, that is somewhat more extensive on the reverse. The design elements are well struck, except for the usual softness on the arrow feathers. Minute contact marks scattered about are consistent with a coin having seen light circulation."
auction 1.
auction two
auction three
thoughts please?
1859 and 1869 because I like this period of time the most when
considering the range of 1839-1908.
My budget for coins right now is around 1000-2000 and maybe a bit
more if I see the right coin. This means my choices are somewhat
limited but one never knows what might appear in my price range.
Well it was time to browse heritage again and i saw quite a few coins
that were possible candidates. As usual most were shockingly bad
in TPG plastic. Cleaned, hairlined, etc... "the works". Well one coin
caused me to look twice and actually research it a bit more but I am
on the fence with it.
It has been sold twice before on heritage. 2003, 2004 and again now. Here are the pics in order:
$1200 in 2003. "A partially lustrous XF '65-S and a coin that shows numerous light abrasions over rich, reddish-golden surfaces."
$2000 in 2004 "The current Coin Dealer Newsletter (Greysheet) wholesale "bid" price is $1800.00."
??? in 2008 "Rich apricot-gold patination displays blushes of greenish-gray, that is somewhat more extensive on the reverse. The design elements are well struck, except for the usual softness on the arrow feathers. Minute contact marks scattered about are consistent with a coin having seen light circulation."
auction 1.
auction two
auction three
thoughts please?
0
Comments
The pictures seem to all have different exposure/lighting and background.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
1. why does this coin keep showing up in auctions so often?
what comes to mind is that it may be mediocre and the people who
collect such coins upgrade/downgrade to find a better example
to their eyes.
2. 291fifth touched on one point. is the coin truly xf40?
I would be much more comfortable seeing it as a vf35. I have went
though this before with a 1869P in xf40 that i feel is more a vf35. it
seems to have only slight traces of luster from what i can see in all
the pics. (obverse means more to me then the more protected rev).
3. my personal issue. how do i set a price on it. it has almost doubled
in price in the last years.. what is it worth now? I will figure that out
later and as i watch the auction.
etc...
<< <i>Well, keep in mind I don't collect gold, so maybe this isn't a big issue for you or other gold collectors out there, but the strike issues on "Liberty" would bother me a bit. >>
for some reason that time period it was more common then it first
appears from all different mints. I am used to it now days. If strike
issues bother you imagine trying to collect southern gold ;-)
bin.
fc this is a good looking unmolested lib... good luck if you decide to snap it up.
It looks good in all 3 slab shots... which is a bit like the 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.
and finding it not to be up to my standards dirty gold wise.
The PCGS price guide for this coin was 3450 which is so far off it is
not even funny. You have to look at VF30 at 1700 to be in the right
ball park. So no one of the floor even thought it was worth chasing.
Probably a token bid or two to see if they could snap it up for VF30
money and then pass it on to a rube for 35-40 money.
The coin has lost money compared to a previous heritage auction
for the same coin. Things are starting to cool off. Thank goodness.
Sure it was not much of a loss. A few bucks, but it is a good sign
to see coins not always selling for more and more.
It basically sold for wholesale price guide values and I think even that
was a bit over priced. 1500 would have been my buy price. Imagine
the coin was bought over the internet. I have a feeling the buyer
will find a coin that is rare but will end up being a coin that is
blah looking in hand. I do not trust the dark photos at all. The one
imersed in light i do not trust either. It will probably look like a
joe average gold coin. Boring. Nothing to call home about.
That is probably the reason it is up for auction so often. It is not a keeper.
<< <i>I still like it. >>
I like it to for what it is... but i do not like it enough to blow my wad
on chasing past 2000 dollars... if you know what i mean.
<< <i>From the pics I like the original skin. >>
I do not trust the pics very much. Heritage is hard to interpret.
I think the coin has very little to no "skin" left. It appears dipped
and stripped. Another shiny 150ish year old coin.
I wish i could find a prime example in VF30 to show as my ideal coin
but it is tough to locate. Maybe I can dig up a similair date with a look
I like.
were auctioned long ago. I found a different date in the same time
frame which has more dirt, crust, skin, and etc... which is what I want
to see in an old rare coin. Even this one though looks odd though to
me. They always seem played with... like it was once truly dirty and
cleaned up... but it is closer to my ideal.
In the end though, with truly rare coins... i will end up seeing enough
to find one that fits my ideal coin and have to live with it. Choices
are limited. Patience is the key.
I think the coin above would look a lot like this one i own.. but of course more
details left.
<< <i>the coin sold for $1995. I was not a bidder due to thinking about it
and finding it not to be up to my standards dirty gold wise.
The PCGS price guide for this coin was 3450 which is so far off it is
not even funny. You have to look at VF30 at 1700 to be in the right
ball park. So no one of the floor even thought it was worth chasing.
Probably a token bid or two to see if they could snap it up for VF30
money and then pass it on to a rube for 35-40 money.
The coin has lost money compared to a previous heritage auction
for the same coin. Things are starting to cool off. Thank goodness.
Sure it was not much of a loss. A few bucks, but it is a good sign
to see coins not always selling for more and more.
It basically sold for wholesale price guide values and I think even that
was a bit over priced. 1500 would have been my buy price. Imagine
the coin was bought over the internet. I have a feeling the buyer
will find a coin that is rare but will end up being a coin that is
blah looking in hand. I do not trust the dark photos at all. The one
imersed in light i do not trust either. It will probably look like a
joe average gold coin. Boring. Nothing to call home about.
That is probably the reason it is up for auction so often. It is not a keeper. >>
back up on ebay in two weeks and priced at 2300. what an ugly coin to me. new pics...
the coin is definitely not a keeper. i am glad my gut feeling told me
to stay away. i dislike it a lot based on the new pics in the auction. not
the lousy heritage ones.
Regardless, it's a tough coin that is attractive -- that in and of itself would make me look long and hard at it if I were collecting the series.