Over rated coins...

stinkinlincoln · June 9, 2009 3:33PM

We alwasy see threads about under rated series and under rated coins, so I figured why not have one for over rated series and coins.

Ill start, I think the 1901-S Quarter, 1909-S VDB cent, 1916-D Merc, 1916 SLQ, & the 1931-S cent are all over rated to the point I will never spend my money on those coins ever again.
Im not knocking them or anyone who collects and loves these coins. JMO

CopperWire · June 9, 2009 4:16PM

<< I will never spend my money on those coins ever again.
>>

so how did you come to this opinion?

morgandollar1878 · June 9, 2009 4:17PM

UHR

lasvegasteddy · June 9, 2009 4:39PM

the coins i persue fall into over-rated by me...i get in trouble that-a-way it seems

i always seem to see more in a coin then others as if they are bargains and find myself with coins that are in less and less demand

those ol dream about key dates...yup...i can see how many stand fast behind them

all i can say is i've lots to learn before calling certain coins over rated as there are things i still don't get in numismatics and probably never will

so yeah as i drifted i too would not put $$$ in those you speak of too

i'd add this as a point...my 1964 sms dime up along side a 1916-d in equal value would shrivel in shame with expressed interest and ease of sale...the 1916-d would win hands down...oh well...makes me think of a forrest gump claim

cars · June 9, 2009 4:39PM

All of em

pennyannie · June 9, 2009 5:48PM

I want to own all the overrated keys at 50 back of bid at the time of purchase. I see where you are coming from but most do not see it that way.

I always wanted to buy a 1916 SLQ quarter when i built my AU/BU set of them, but did not want to open the wallet for a AU or better example.

You can go just about anywhere to sell some key date coins, you can probably do better trying to sell a 1500 dollar 1909 svdb than a 1500 obscure (fill in the date) coin in a small collector based series.

rec78 · June 9, 2009 6:01PM

all 2009 coinage especially nickels and dimes.

500Bay · June 9, 2009 6:56PM

I know I will be flamed by some - but most modern coins are over rated and over priced. I doubt most collectors will ever get close to their money back on them. There are just too many of them.

I agree with the 1909-S VDB, 31-S cents. they are overrated as well.

stinkinlincoln · June 9, 2009 7:06PM

<<so how did you come to this opinion? >>

What do you mean? I just mean, just because a coin is popular, doesnt make it rare, or worth the price. IMHO
Key dates and semi key dates are one thing, and I know I listed key dates. Those key dates stick out to me as being over hyped.

<<all i can say is i've lots to learn before calling certain coins over rated as there are things i still don't get in numismatics and probably never will

so yeah as i drifted i too would not put $$$ in those you speak of too

i'd add this as a point...my 1964 sms dime up along side a 1916-d in equal value would shrivel in shame with expressed interest and ease of sale...the 1916-d would win hands down...oh well...makes me think of a forrest gump claim>>

Personally Id rather have your 64sms Dime. Ive owned several of the coins I listed in the op and to me, they are all over rated. Atleast with the svdb you can get a decent piece at a decent price. But that price is still alot more that some cooler coins. JMO again here.

<<I always wanted to buy a 1916 SLQ quarter when i built my AU/BU set of them, but did not want to open the wallet for a AU or better example.

You can go just about anywhere to sell some key date coins, you can probably do better trying to sell a 1500 dollar 1909 svdb than a 1500 obscure (fill in the date) coin in a small collector based series.>>

Me too. The issue for ne with the 16 SLQ is that if Im buying one, I want a 55-58FH. Granted its doable, butthats a BIG price tag.

And I agree about the selling aspect. But Im talking more from a collectors only stand point.

Take the 1931-S Lincoln cent. Not a rare coin in any sense of the word, its not even scarce. But its a several hundred dollar coin in MS RD. Why? There was a hoard of Reds that totaled IIRC, over 250,000.

lasvegasteddy · June 9, 2009 8:18PM

don't get me wrong...i fully agree with ya...i'm surprized not to see the 1932-d quarter or 1938-d half too

look at the 1995-w silver eagle...all 30k survive...how it ever went over $5k still amazes me

PerryHall · June 9, 2009 9:19PM

!907 High Relief Saints---At major shows you see dozens of them
1856 Flying Eagle cents---One of the most common patterns and not really needed for a complete cent collection

Walkerguy21D · June 9, 2009 9:37PM

Yes, I agree with the 38D half as being overrated/over priced, especially in circ grades. Many unc pieces exist as well. I actually had a harder time finding this date in true AU than in unc. I seem to see quite a few circ 93S Morgan dollars available, and suspect it may be over rated, but I am no specialist in that series.

SaorAlba · June 9, 2009 9:38PM

UHR's, toned ASE's - all of which are AT IMHO for starters.

PerryHall · June 9, 2009 10:08PM

Any silver coin with fancy colorful toning that sell for a major premium. How many have created toning including those that are slabbed by the major TPG's?

MidLifeCrisis · June 9, 2009 10:17PM

<< Ill start, I think the 1901-S Quarter, 1909-S VDB cent, 1916-D Merc, 1916 SLQ, & the 1931-S cent are all over rated >>

Well, what do you mean by over rated?

If a million collectors want a coin but only 484,000 are available, then the demand goes a long way toward justifying the price. Of course, marketing hype and registry competition are helping to fuel that demand, but the 09-S VDB Lincoln has been a popular key date for a long, long time. Does that mean the 09-S VDB is rare? Certainly not. But over rated? I don't think so.

On the other hand, the 1931-S Lincoln comes closer to being over rated, IMO.

My vote for most over rated coin might be the proof 1877 Indian Head Cent. Even though less than 1,000 are estimated to have been produced, this coin gets it's popularity from its business strike cousin.

I can think of other coins that are over rated in my opinion. But the problem with these kinds of threads is that, no matter what coin I suggest, I'm likely to offend somebody who collects them.

PerryHall · June 9, 2009 11:01PM

If you think about it, no coin is really overrated as long as the law of supply and demand are valid for the coin industry.

SaorAlba · June 9, 2009 11:15PM

For me though, I like the '31-S, I found a VF example in a dealer's wheat box one time and bought it for a dime. Talk about bang for a dime.

ziggy29 · June 9, 2009 11:22PM

1844 dime.

garsmith · June 9, 2009 11:38PM

<< UHR

>>

SeaEagleCoins · June 9, 2009 11:43PM

1937-D 3 Legger Buffalo 5c ...at most major shows you can find a large herd of these...

...and the 1913 Liberty Nickel... as far as I am concerned, one of the biggest con jobs of all time (in Numismatics, at any rate) ...

Luckily for those who have bought into the con up until now...so far, there has been another willing dupe to pawn it off on...

Sorry TDN (and anyone else who might be offended)... just my humble and honest opinion...for what it is worth...

...sure, I wouldn't mind having even just 10% of the action on a deal such as yours when you sold it... yet the coin just does not impress me... nor the drama surrounding it...or whatever it is/was that merited an entire book being written about it (or them, as the case might be).

pheh · June 9, 2009 11:45PM

Indian Head Cents: Most proof issues are overrated.

Lincolns: Matte proofs are overrated. Though prices have been dropping as people come to their senses. If anything, I'd call the 31-S underrated as a whole and the 26-S in 65 RD underrated.

Buffalo Nickels: 1916 Doubled Die in AG to VG are overrated.

Dimes: 1916-D in AG to G. The 1856-S is one of the most long standing underrated coins I can think of.

TomB · June 10, 2009 12:24AM

I'm not going to touch the broader question posed in the OP. However, I will suggest that the 1901-S Barber quarter is a mighty tough coin to obtain if you want any originality and meat on it at all.

WinPitcher · June 10, 2009 12:30AM

The 3 and a half legged buffalo nickel IMO is over rated.

Steve

Gemineye · June 10, 2009 1:03AM

It seems that the OP doesn't like or doesn't want to collect key or semi-key coins.You state that they are over-rated and that's your opinion.Most collectors will find these coins to be in demand either not for their rarity so to speak but for their spot where they belong in the set.If it happens to be a hard coin to fill for the grade or by the mintage then it is indeed a key coin....JMHO.....

ambro51 · June 10, 2009 1:43AM

ASE's that look like the Rainbow took a poop on them.

GritsMan · June 10, 2009 2:01AM

I'd like people who listed the UHRs to explain themselves. Are you just referring to the price? Because the workmanship, IMHO, is outstanding. It's one of those rare coins that I can look at and enjoy and absolutely not think about if it's worth $100 or $10,000 (well, mostly). I'm just glad they made it. The S-VDB, on the other hand, is all about value. Okay, it's a nice-looking coin, but those four extra letters don't really make it breath-taking or anything like that. Many other coins fall into this same category--as well as the OTHER category with the UHRs.

I like threads like this, and hearing everyone's thoughts. Thanks!

tradedollarnut · June 10, 2009 2:12AM

<< 
...and the 1913 Liberty Nickel... as far as I am concerned, one of the biggest con jobs of all time (in Numismatics, at any rate) ...

Luckily for those who have bought into the con up until now...so far, there has been another willing dupe to pawn it off on...

Sorry TDN (and anyone else who might be offended)... just my humble and honest opinion...for what it is worth...

...sure, I wouldn't mind having even just 10% of the action on a deal such as yours when you sold it... yet the coin just does not impress me... nor the drama surrounding it...or whatever it is/was that merited an entire book being written about it (or them, as the case might be). >>

While this may be true to you and many others, my adopted grandfather [who is in his mid 80's and probably the the foremost person responsible for getting me into coin collecting as a child] immediately jumped in a car and drove 300 miles to see his childhood dream coin shortly after I purchased the first one. When he was growing up, there was NO more famous coin than a 1913 Liberty Head nickel and he never thought he'd have the chance to hold one.

Billet7 · June 10, 2009 2:21AM

<< 

<< 
...and the 1913 Liberty Nickel... as far as I am concerned, one of the biggest con jobs of all time (in Numismatics, at any rate) ...

Luckily for those who have bought into the con up until now...so far, there has been another willing dupe to pawn it off on...

Sorry TDN (and anyone else who might be offended)... just my humble and honest opinion...for what it is worth...

...sure, I wouldn't mind having even just 10% of the action on a deal such as yours when you sold it... yet the coin just does not impress me... nor the drama surrounding it...or whatever it is/was that merited an entire book being written about it (or them, as the case might be). >>

While this may be true to you and many others, my adopted grandfather [who is in his mid 80's and probably the the foremost person responsible for getting me into coin collecting as a child] immediately jumped in a car and drove 300 miles to see his childhood dream coin shortly after I purchased the first one. When he was growing up, there was NO more famous coin than a 1913 Liberty Head nickel and he never thought he'd have the chance to hold one. >>

I love that you owned one!!! I don't know why, it just makes me happy.

For the OP. In reality all these key dates that people are spouting off as being overrated...well I am sorry to say, are not! I wish they were, I would just sit on the sidelines and pick them up when they crash. But the fact is that they have always been the toughest coins to obtain in the series and always will be. There is a reason the 1916-D is in the top 100 US coins...everyone wants it. There are not near as many people that give a lick about my 1804 quarter, but it is about a hundred times more rare! It's a fickle industry.

MidLifeCrisis · June 10, 2009 2:22AM

<< While this may be true to you and many others, my adopted grandfather [who is in his mid 80's and probably the the foremost person responsible for getting me into coin collecting as a child] immediately jumped in a car and drove 300 miles to see his childhood dream coin shortly after I purchased the first one. When he was growing up, there was NO more famous coin than a 1913 Liberty Head nickel and he never thought he'd have the chance to hold one. >>

OK...while I tend to agree with SeaEagleCoins about the 1913 Liberty Nickel (and I think the same about the 1804 Dollar), I must admit that is a good story TDN. That kind of passion, excitement and interest is why we collect.

BillyKingsley · June 10, 2009 2:48AM

I agree with the OP in that I think people pay way too much for those key dates...there are enough of them for sale at any given time that they should not command the premiums they do, but people will continue to spend tons of money on them because they are Key Dates.

I, personally, feel that the beloved Morgan is overrated. I just don't think that the design warrants the hype it recieves, nor the crazy high prices people will pay for them. (some of them, at least) I find the Peace dollar to be much more attractive, yet it recieves much less hobby "love". In truth, I am not that unhappy about that, as it gives me hope I might be able to build a complete set someday

(something I would likely not attempt with the Morgan, unless I had completed everything else already that is comparable; I'm not talking 1700s and early 1800s issues)

And now, to make myself even less popular:

I think ALL toned coins are over rated. I find MOST of them to be hideously ugly, and I would not ever pay a premium for them. I find artificial toning to be reprehensible, and I believe that it ruins that coin for all time.

That said, anybody want to buy a few toned coins? I've gotten a few toned Lincolns, all Memorial reverse, and one nickel, that I would sell for VERY low prices!

DIMEMAN · June 10, 2009 2:49AM

I am truly sorry for the resent crazy prices for the 16-D dime! It's totally my fault. I sold my PCGS62 in 2005 for 9K and sense then ....... well you know!

The 16-D Dime the 1916 1901-S 1796 quarters are all totally insane, but I doubt they will ever come down.

dorkkarl · June 10, 2009 2:56AM

any coin frequently seen in a slab is guaranteed to be overreated. think about it, whaddya ALWAYS see in slabs? 1909-svdb, 1879-S, 1880-S, 1881-S 1$, any common half from 1941 - 1947, proof franklines, etc.

now a 1901-quarter is something you DO NOT see frequently in slabs, so i would say NOT OVERRATED.

gem red wheat cents from the 1940s & 1950s? frequently in slabs & overrated

xf/au libery nickels? NOT frequently in slabs, NOT overrated

ms-60/62 saints, indian gold, frequently in slabs, overrated

conder tokens, NOT frequently in slabs, NOT overrated

etc etc

K S

KollectorKing · June 10, 2009 3:11AM

Could one of the reasons that so many 1909-svdbs are slabed is so that they can be authenticated

ps - from today's BST: "S-VDB's need certification these days"

19Lyds · June 10, 2009 3:12AM

The most over-rated and most over-speculated coin in the US Mints arsenal which folks are GOING to lose money on is the 2007 Missing Edge Lettering Jefferson Presidential Dollar.

Nearly 1,300 graded and probably 180,000,000 left to go through.

BlindedByEgo · June 10, 2009 3:18AM

The term "overrated" is so broad (as well as subjective) as to be meaningless in a discussion of what is, primarily, a hobby.

roadrunner · June 10, 2009 3:20AM

I've always thought it was neat that approx 75% of all dates/mints in the seated quarters (1838-1891) are rarer than the 1901-s or 1916 quarters. But it still comes down to supply and demand. To me, overrated = overpriced compared to other comparable dates in the series.

In the seated 25c series I've always felt the following dates were overrated/overpriced. For decades they have carried sizeable premiums because of their lower mintages, but in actuality they were saved to a larger extent than many other dates in the series. One can make an argument than in specific grades they are good values, but just considering total # extent, they are overrated imo. But all of them are still much rarer than a 1901-s Barber quarter.

1855-0
1855-s
1878-s
1891-0

I have similar feelings for other dates but don't want to step on too many toes (49-0, 56-s, 57-s, 58-s, 59-s, 61-s, 72-cc, 73-cc wa). One always has to consider grade quality and price when considering when something may be overrated. 1901-s Barber quarters in problem free Fine-VF are a diff animal than the AG-Goods that one encounters over 90% of the time.

roadrunner

ColonialCoinUnion · June 10, 2009 3:22AM

Is an "overrated" coin one for which there is a lot of demand?

Unknown · June 10, 2009 3:28AM

This content has been removed.

ambro51 · June 10, 2009 3:40AM

I just cant see the SVDB as being over rated. Maybe it is IN YOUR FACE because it is so well known, but it is indeed the lowest regular issue mintage of the Lincoln series, and was cherrypicked from circulation from 1909 on. TPG ms65 and up coins number a little over 1000, which is not a huge number given the certified populations of many many other less well known/less collected coins.

It would be interesting if we could take an accurate poll of the entire 12 thousand or so members of this forum (and not the 100 who are addicted to it) and find out the percentage of those who own one.

123cents · June 10, 2009 3:43AM

I think the 1909-S V.D.B. and the 1916-D Mercury Dime are overrated.

stinkinlincoln · June 10, 2009 3:46AM

For clarity, Over rated here is used to describe a coin(s) that is over priced and over popular. The 95ASE is a coin I would consider over rated. Yes, its nice to own that one key date, but when they are priced out of this world for no reason other than being a key, I cant get behind that.

The 1938D Walker I cant comment on. My dad was always socking these away, and Im partial to this coin...

See, everyone will have a different meaning of over rated to them. And again, each person will have different coins they feel meet this criteria.

I truly feel the svdb is over priced and over hyped IMHO.
The 95 ASE is over hyped and over priced, even with a 30K mintage.
The 1913 Liberty nickel is a coin I have dreamed about as well. This doesnt go in the over rated box for me.
Id rather see the 1804 $1 in there.
And the 01-S quarter, like TomB said, is a very tough coin in original skini, but is the price tag justified? I see these coins for sale all the time, and yes in slabs, but I would never be a buyer at current levels.

Again everyone might be different. But I think its interesting that so many people are mentioning the same coins. Im not alone in my thinking to some degree am I?

Also, if you collect any of these coins, please dont take offense. Its not meant to put your coins down or the series you collect. Just a healthy discussion.

P.S. I also think the 69-S DDO is over rated.

I prefer the 58DDO with 2 known.

dogwood · June 10, 2009 3:47AM

I agree on the over-rated 01-s quarter in Ag/G and concur that it drastically improves as worthy above a Fine.

Current prices being asked for the 1904-s Barber half in anything less than AU are beyond me. $1000 Fines are sure to be overturned by demand reality. I was recently offered an NGC 35 that I had once owned, by a dealer having a clearance sale, for $1500 and passed. It had languished for a year on their website at $2700. There is not much strength behind that coin's numbers in lower circ grades.

Elcontador · June 10, 2009 4:25AM

Okay, here are two coins that are imo overrated and most of us can afford; the 83 CC and 84 CC Morgan in MS 65. These coins are as common as dirt and I got rid of mine when someone paid me $300 each for them.

For what you get, I think any of the regular business strike Flying Eagle Cents in MS 65 (I do not consider the 1856 to be a business strike coin) are also expensive, though the argument can be made that many of them that are in a 5 holder shouldn't be there.

MikeInFL · June 10, 2009 5:21AM

There is no such thing as an overrated or underrated coin. Coins are valued as they should be -- by what the market will bear.

stinkinlincoln · June 10, 2009 5:22AM

I agree, to disagree. I think coins can be both under rated and over rated.

The market is what the market is.

mozin · June 10, 2009 5:37AM

The entire Capped Bust Half Dollar series is WAY overpriced, and over-rated. Nice to see the prices dropping rapidly these days. Better sell off your Busties fast. Looks to me to be a very poor decision to collect this series.

veryfine · June 10, 2009 5:49AM

<< There is no such thing as an overrated or underrated coin. Coins are valued as they should be -- by what the market will bear. >>

Well said MikeInFl.
Yes, here I go again:
stinkinlincoln, I have always had issues with the "overrated underrated" argument. I own some of the "overrated" coins you mention. If some of those expensive key dates were dramatically reduced in price, you would see far fewer in auctions and dealer's tables. But a funny thing would happen; the prices would slowly (or quickly) creep up again. They are popular for a reason, and hype has very little to do with it.
On the other hand, the coins that you might consider "underrated" or "hardly ever seen in such and such a grade" hold ZERO interest to me.
Why do I care less about the 18/7-S SLQ overdate than the so-called "available" 1916 SLQ? After all, it is much rarer in all grades. I am well versed in the SLQ series and fully aware of population reports and rarity data. Still, I gravitate towards the expensive 16 quarter. Why? Because I simply must have it. I need it for my date/mintmark set. I need it for my first year issue type set. I appreciate its unique history, unique hub characteristics and so on and so forth.
Now you may, for example, crave a fully struck branch mint Liberty Seated coin; one that rarely, if ever makes an appearance anywhere. But I would not pay anything near the current price for any of those dates. Underrated? Maybe, but I don't care, and ultimately, that is the bottom line.

OnlyGoldIsMoney · June 10, 2009 6:27AM

I nominate the 1911-D Indian $2.50. The only moderately scarce coin in an otherwise easy to finish gold series.

InYHWHWeTrust · June 10, 2009 6:30AM

Funny, but when I got back into coins 6 yrs ago and bought some of the 'overrated' coins to fill holes, then sold them a few years later, they netted very nice profits=== YET, some of the true rarities in my collection, ala Roadrunner's post, would not net nearly as much since collector demand isn't screaming for them.

PerryHall · June 10, 2009 6:54AM

<< I nominate the 1911-D Indian $2.50. The only moderately scarce coin in an otherwise easy to finish gold series. >>

Totally disagree. It's the only key date in the only gold series that can be completed by a middle class collector; hence, it's a very popular coin that's always in demand.

SDSportsFan · June 10, 2009 7:01AM

1922 (no-D) cent.

Steve

Over rated coins...

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