1873 S Trade $1 - You Vs PCGS, So You Like Chop Marks?

To each their own, but that's just baffling to me.

That's a ten foot pole coin.

i wouldn't consider it at all at any price regardless of the slab. maybe for the silver but thats about it

I no like the too many chopmarks on this coin.
So many in fact, that it was lucky to be graded.
Looking at Lib's head only, - perhaps F12 or 15.

Value for me maybe 20% to 40% of the 12 - 15 price.
Hypothetically for me only, and with only one or two chopmarks maybe 50% to 75% of the 12 -15 price, where chopmarks can actually add to the coin being a bit more interesting, but still detracting (not so much) from the price.

All comments in italics relate to the premium component above spot silver price.

But...but...but...PCGS says that for each coin they assign not only trained graders, but graders with a specialty area in that specific coin...



See the essay in my signature for a verifiable (from their own website data) essay concerning the realities of this kind of claim vs. their 30%+ error rate on the rookie level No FG Kennedy half dollar verification.

While I personally say people who collect slabs are enjoying the hobby in their own way and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, I do not like how the mindset inspired by the marketplace leads newbies to believe that if something is on a slab, then it is the unquestionable Gospel truth no matter what they think they can see.

It is all too easy to find legitimate and verifiable problems with this misconception. What makes it harder is human nature. When people find something they have put their faith in is not quite what they imagined it to be, they have a very hard time accepting anything verifiable to the contrary, and that goes doubly so when a lot of money is involved.


Don't. As you can see form the posts above others are questioning this as well...and rightly so. Back before these companies came into being, we did not need them and did quite well being able to make up our own minds about coins. The companies were allegedly made so that a person could have confidence, sight unseen, if the coin was in a slab, that way they were getting for their money was what they were told it was.

Yet b/c someone can crack out a coin and resubmit it to the same company while never being guaranteed the same grade again, just what does that have to say with the original statement of intent?

My personal thought to this day has not changed from (despite a lot of research into modern times and the past) when these companies started up: Some businessman simply had an idea for a new business model to make money off of the hobby.

It made a new hobby of coin+label+slab which some people enjoy. Hey...maybe a new term for this variety of the hobby is in order:
Numisslabbics

Buy the coin and not the slab!

Here's the TrueView https://www.PCGS.com/cert/46425022
Regardless of the chop marks to me the coin is clearly damaged - look at all the deep pockmarks on the reverse from ED.

Unbelievable grade

To each his own.
For me, it is just a damaged coin (severe multiple chopmarks)

Some like Picasso paintings, some don't.