Are choice circulated coins actually more difficult to find than choice uncirculated ones?

291fifth · June 20, 2011 8:56AM

Think about it.

llafoe · June 20, 2011 8:57AM

Thought about it.

illini420 · June 20, 2011 9:03AM

You could always take a choice uncirculated coin and turn it into a choice circulated coin... hard to do that the other way around... so I think no.

LindeDad · June 20, 2011 9:21AM

I don't think so....

Bear · June 20, 2011 9:30AM

I would think Barber Halves in VF-35 to XF

45 might be tougher. If not for all dates

and mints, then certainly for many of them.

Price aside, Mint State, are often more

readily available.

Mowgli · June 20, 2011 9:46AM

It could be that seated quarters and halves are easier to find in higher grades for 1880-89 than for VF-XF coins but I wouldn't put money on it.

crypto79 · June 20, 2011 10:26AM

Depends on how you perceive dipping on UNC's. In general I do think the cir's tend to be exposed to more non market acceptable damage

greghansen · June 21, 2011 7:57PM

As a general proposition, no. But within each series, there are some dates which are more difficult to find in choice circ. than in choice uncirc.

The easiest one to remember is the 1885-CC Morgan Dollar which is almost universally found in MS conditions. Very difficult to find a choice circulated piece. Has to do with which dates were stored in mint bags vs. getting released for circ.

Steve27 · June 21, 2011 9:03PM

Bear nailed it; when it comes to Barber coinage, uncs are easier to find than F/VF/EF coins.

BillJones · June 21, 2011 9:32PM

Generally I would say no, but Bear hit the nail on the head with his comment about the Barber half and probably the Barber quarter as well. Those coins got killed during the Great Depression because people could not afford to save the lightly circulated pieces in their collections.

SamByrd · June 22, 2011 2:52AM

yes. One example Barber and seated material is very difficult to find in truly PQ circulated condition. How many seated Dollars does one need to look through to find a really nice circulated choice coin for the grade. uncirculated examples are not that difficult to find in contrast

BillJones · June 22, 2011 3:04AM

<< <i>How many seated Dollars does one need to look through to find a really nice choice coin for the grade. >>

A lot of Seated Dollars have been miss up by coin doctors who have fooled wih the surfaces and color, but I don't think that circulated examples are harder to find than Mint State pieces with the possible exception of the 1859-O and 1860-O which were part of a treasury hoard.

supertooth · June 22, 2011 3:22AM

Many of the "early" Walkers are terribly hard to locate in Xf condition---especially totally original skinned examples. One that comes to mind is the 16S coin. While it can be found in Unc. condition, try finding one in XF40--45.

Others in the early group that are tough in XF would include the 19D---20D---21D---28S---19---17S Obv

While none of the above dates are necessarily easy in Unc. condition [ by any means], If I had the money, I'd rather be looking for the MS coin than trying to find that original Xf piece among those dates. They can be found but more luck in the find than having the money to buy them. Bob [supertooth]

123cents · June 22, 2011 3:44AM

I think many people are looking for key dates in affordable grades so sometimes circulated coins are more difficult to find.

TPRC · June 22, 2011 4:05AM

I'm with you fellers!

rhedden · June 22, 2011 4:39AM

In Lincoln Cents, choice Unc. coins are clearly scarcer than choice circs. In Barbers, choice XF-AU circs. are tougher than Unc. for several of the semi-key dates. The reason may be tremendous collector demand for the circs., due to the huge price difference between XF/AU vs. Unc. examples.

SaorAlba · June 22, 2011 4:58AM

<< <i>In Lincoln Cents, choice Unc. coins are clearly scarcer than choice circs. In Barbers, choice XF-AU circs. are tougher than Unc. for several of the semi-key dates. The reason may be tremendous collector demand for the circs., due to the huge price difference between XF/AU vs. Unc. examples. >>

'31-S is a cent that likely has more high end circulated and uncirculated than heavily circulated coins. People were saving them right away.

Are choice circulated coins actually more difficult to find than choice uncirculated ones?

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