Sorry your first big purchase didn't turn out as expected. We all make mistakes at some point, the key is learning from it. Glad you able to return it.
But seriously you should only buy raw seated coins if you are an expert or if you buy from a specialist like brian greer or rich uhrich. It can sometimes be very difiicult to detect problems in the seated series.
I'm glad you're able to return the seated half. Not only was it harshly cleaned and worth only about $125, if that much, but it looked obviously cleaned to me in the low-light photo you provided as well.
I suggest you spend some time attending a coin show or two and look at lots of PCGS and NGC coins to start developing an idea of what an acceptable quality coin looks like. Talk to other dealers about recognizing cleaning or other problems. Don't purchase any coins raw for now.
Your Seated half does look to have been cleaned, as others pointed out, but it's not bad lookin' for all that. It obviously spent some time in an old album, as evidenced by the peripheral toning. I like it. It might not be a slab candidate, but it's still a neat old coin. (Edit to add: I'm not commenting on the value of the price you paid one way or the other. Just sayin' it's a neat old coin, is all, cleaned or not.)
one more thing about lighting.. carry a small LED flashlight (the pen sized ones are great) and while looking at the coin flat on the table with your loupe in one hand move the light around the surface of the coin at different angles with the other hand. This will bring out hairlines and other defects like nobody's bidness.
"...We actually looked over the coin and did not even notice the hairlines but his store is not well lit so that was why..." If there is no appropriate lighting (e.g., a decent lamp) for customer use, I would not buy coins there, period. When that dealer buys coins , do you think that he really would make purchases under such conditions, when he cannot get a good look at what he is contemplating to buy? No chance (or if he does, he won't be in business very long).
I stongly encourage FT Wrath to get some basic numismatic books and read them: 1. Bowers QD/The Expert’s Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins 2. Deisher B/Making the Grade: A Grading Guide to the Top 50 Most Widely Collected U.S. Coins (or another grading guide) 3. Travers SA/The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual (7th Ed.) 4. Lange DW/History of the United States Mint and its Coinage
Go slowly; patience is a must. Many beginning collectors make what they later sadly realize (or are told) are foolish purchases. Check pricing information before buying (use multiple pricing sources---PCGS, Coin World, etc.), and look at as many coins (raw and graded) as practical---access to coins is typically a difficult problem.
Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
Congratulations Wrath, I think through this post and its replies you have found the help you wanted and needed. You have learned about the importance of lighting in order to view a coin, you have found a dealer that is honest enough to allow you to return your coin when dissatisfied, you have found your true coin series-the Morgan(great choice), you now know to study and learn the series via books and this forum and whatever method available, now you can go forward and perhaps study Heritage past sales and see so many great pictures of your coins, which will allow you to know the difference in wear or weak strike in the hair above Liberty's ear in this series of coins. As previously stated, please enjoy the hobby and it will make many returns to you greater than profit(although that is possible also). Welcome and please show us your coins everytime. Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
I too am a "New Member" have patience with the crowd.I've gotten hammered on something also!Take in stride and continue what makes YOU happy! Welcome,once again.Good choice in the Older coins.We learn to respect our elders.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.
Kind of reminds me of an old poker saying. When a man with money bumps into a man with experience, the man with experience leaves with money and the man with money leaves with experience. I remember making these kind of buys less than 6 months ago. I would also like to mention that while I appreciate CU, and recognize the years of experience here, there is also much experience on CT. He was given the exact same response to this coin on CT as he was here...
Comments
Sorry your first big purchase didn't turn out as expected. We all make mistakes at some point, the key is learning from it. Glad you able to return it.
sorry but yeah
in the cleaned and retoned crowd here
But seriously you should only buy raw seated coins if you are an expert or if you buy from a specialist like brian greer or rich uhrich.
It can sometimes be very difiicult to detect problems in the seated series.
I suggest you spend some time attending a coin show or two and look at lots of PCGS and NGC coins to start developing an idea of what an acceptable quality coin looks like. Talk to other dealers about recognizing cleaning or other problems. Don't purchase any coins raw for now.
Your Seated half does look to have been cleaned, as others pointed out, but it's not bad lookin' for all that. It obviously spent some time in an old album, as evidenced by the peripheral toning. I like it. It might not be a slab candidate, but it's still a neat old coin. (Edit to add: I'm not commenting on the value of the price you paid one way or the other. Just sayin' it's a neat old coin, is all, cleaned or not.)
If there is no appropriate lighting (e.g., a decent lamp) for customer use, I would not buy coins there, period. When that dealer buys coins , do you think that he really would make purchases under such conditions, when he cannot get a good look at what he is contemplating to buy? No chance (or if he does, he won't be in business very long).
I stongly encourage FT Wrath to get some basic numismatic books and read them:
1. Bowers QD/The Expert’s Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins
2. Deisher B/Making the Grade: A Grading Guide to the Top 50 Most Widely Collected U.S. Coins (or another grading guide)
3. Travers SA/The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual (7th Ed.)
4. Lange DW/History of the United States Mint and its Coinage
Go slowly; patience is a must. Many beginning collectors make what they later sadly realize (or are told) are foolish purchases. Check pricing information before buying (use multiple pricing sources---PCGS, Coin World, etc.), and look at as many coins (raw and graded) as practical---access to coins is typically a difficult problem.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
have found a dealer that is honest enough to allow you to return your coin when dissatisfied, you have found your true coin series-the Morgan(great choice), you now know to study and learn the
series via books and this forum and whatever method available, now you can go forward and perhaps study Heritage past sales and see so many great pictures of your coins, which will allow you
to know the difference in wear or weak strike in the hair above Liberty's ear in this series of coins. As previously stated, please enjoy the hobby and it will make many returns to you greater than
profit(although that is possible also).
Welcome and please show us your coins everytime.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.