| Author |
 Topic  |
|
johnny54321
Pillar Of The Community
USA
1048 Posts |
 Posted 10/05/2009 8:50 pm
|
Pictures don't tell the whole story. I've been in the market for one of these for quite some time. Certified Retail, even for circulated ones seems to be in the $450-500+ range. I saw this one on the bay, and honestly wasn't very impressed. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...TRK:MEWNX:IT
It did look to have some nice crust on it around the rim, and I figured I'd be fine with it if it went cheap enough. I put in a low bid, and won it to my surprise. PCGS put 58 on it, but it honestly doesn't look like a 58 to me at all from the pics. Absolutely no luster, details look pretty weak, lots of hits etc....They are pretty big pictures too. Well, it might look 45-50 or so in hand. I paid $350, so probably about what it's worth to me.
I received it today, and was absolutely blown away.  Not only does it have luster, but full, blazing, uninterrupted luster! It is actually really well struck too. The ebay pictures, though large, really hide a lot of the detail. The best part though is the crust! What I thought was dirt, or brownish toning; is actually irridescent blues and purples! I know gold coins can tone in irridescent colors, but I rarely ever see it and have never owned one. And now I own one that with colorful toning...completely by accident! The only thing that the ebay pics show accurately are the little nicks. Yes, those really are there, but remember that this coin is the size of a dime and the nicks are practically invisible unless you look at the coin under a loupe. This coin truly has the look of a quality MS-61 to 62 in my opinion, and is one of the most beautiful coins in my collection right now.
You can tell I'm pretty stoked about this coin! I will try to get some "more worthy" photos up tonight.
edit: looking at the ebay photos again, it almost seems like they swapped coins.
|
Edited by johnny54321 - 10/05/2009 9:09 pm |
|
Send note to staff
|
|
How can I help support Coin Community?
|
|
ratman4762
Pillar Of The Community
United States
1626 Posts |
Posted 10/05/2009 9:11 pm
|
Maybe you can post some pics that were better than the sellers?
|
Send note to staff  |
|
|
johnny54321
Pillar Of The Community
USA
1048 Posts |
Posted 10/05/2009 9:29 pm
|
Ok, here are my pics. I couldn't fully capture the irridescence and the nicks are obvious, but it still looks completely different from the ebay pics. What I love about this type is the matte-like texture in the fields that make it look artistic. The very subtle sun raise coming from behind the indepence building on the reverse...almost like it was sculptured. I don't see any wear on this coin, though the nicks would probably keep it down to a 61 or so. This was very recently graded by PCGS, and they seem to be a little more strict these days. I can see why they graded it down, but it has a heck of a lot of eye appeal in hand. It probably didn't really circulate, but got jingled around a bit with other coins.
|
Edited by johnny54321 - 10/05/2009 9:39 pm |
| Send note to staff |
|
|
johnny54321
Pillar Of The Community
USA
1048 Posts |
Posted 10/05/2009 9:34 pm
|
Sellers pics for comparison. Looks dead and lifeless. Looking back, I can't believe I actually bid on this coin..lol.
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
cownas22
Pillar Of The Community
United States
656 Posts |
Posted 10/05/2009 10:11 pm
|
Very, Very Nice! I can see why the coin went for $350! Those sellers pics look terrible. Looks like you stole one. Your pics look like a 10x better coin. I can't see how it is the same coin. The seller pic's coin has much more wear and looks dull and lifeless.
I bet the color sure is pretty on a gold coin.
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
ratman4762
Pillar Of The Community
United States
1626 Posts |
Posted 10/05/2009 10:56 pm
|
I agree, looks like a different coin! very nice!
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
Moe145
Pillar Of The Community
United States
956 Posts |
Posted 10/05/2009 11:19 pm
|
NICE steal! Sweet coin, Mr. Johnny!
Congratulations!
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
Brannenworks
Valued Member
United States
106 Posts |
Posted 10/06/2009 12:18 am
|
Yeah, the eBay pics make it look like AU-58 was a gift.
|
Edited by Brannenworks - 10/06/2009 12:19 am |
| Send note to staff |
|
|
vermontensium
Pillar Of The Community
USA
3898 Posts |
Posted 10/06/2009 12:22 am
|
Very nice! Sometimes those auction pictures play to your benefit. With a return policy, you can take a chance! This one payed off. Congratulations.
|
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
johnny54321
Pillar Of The Community
USA
1048 Posts |
Posted 10/06/2009 12:52 am
|
Yeah. I feel a bit hypocritical though since I'm always telling folks to buy the "coin" not the slab. I didn't follow my own advice, and ended up lucking out. It could have easily gone the other way.
Honestly, the coin looks better in hand than my pictures as well. You can imagine my shock when I opened that package. The only way I can even tell it's the same coin is by the location of the nicks. Sometimes it is hard to capture detail and luster when photographing through a slab....I guess the seller just really got hung up on the photography, because he should have gotten more for this coin.
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
jbuck
Moderator
USA
6066 Posts |
|
|
Nelrak
Pillar Of The Community
USA
841 Posts |
|
|
johnny54321
Pillar Of The Community
USA
1048 Posts |
Posted 10/06/2009 1:30 pm
|
Nelrak, you take MUCH better photos than this in my opinion. You don't always capture the luster, but you get a lot of detail and color in your shots.
I agree they are probably scans. But even scans should have picked up more detail when they are this large.
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
3stooges
Valued Member
USA
77 Posts |
|
|
shaver
New Member
United States
1 Posts |
Posted 12/06/2009 2:11 pm
|
I want to say, I just signed up on this forum, 10 minutes ago, so my first post. I bought one of these in PCGS MS-63 and paid around $700 as I recall, I have the companion silver half in MS-64, which looks like heck in comparison, I think you did well, mine is sharper, a bit more luster, but not a lot better looking than yours, good job.
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
Wornslick
Valued Member
United States
180 Posts |
Posted 12/06/2009 3:16 pm
|
Thats a great looking coin at a great price. Congrats,
Wornslick
|
| Send note to staff |
|
|
Topic |
|
Welcome guest, we're glad you're here but right now you cannot interact with other members. Register Now for Free and you can be posting in 5 minutes!
