Very Disappointing Experience On My First Major (Near $7k) Auction Purchase - Advice Needed!

Heritage replied, asked to stand by. I was not asking for bid cancelation, just for clarity what was supposed to have been disclosed in the description and who is responsible for its accuracy as it does affect the coin's perceived value.

Found (the most?) recent sale for the The Donald G Partrick NGC MS-61BN (the left MS-61coin above) on 17 Mar 2021 at Heritage: https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/...1330-15104.s

The provenance in this auction description:]
Ex: Frederick B. Taylor (Bowers & Merena, 3/1987), lot 2258; Donald G. Partrick.


The NGC verification link. It was encapsulated by NGC on 8 Jul 2020:
https://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/5746978-020/61/


This same coin (99% sure) was sold as an AU back in The Frederick B. Taylor Collection, March 26-28, 1987 at the Bowers/Merena auction, and this same sale from 1987 was referenced by the SHI on page 448 as #3 right below the only two known (as of 2013) 62-q GEMs.

So, in this auction in 2020, they did disclose the provenance as well, but not that it also was an AU coin. Assuming, it was an unslabbed AU coin. I do not see any way to confirm that 1987 sale since the Bowers archives only seem to go back to 1999. Short of the actual Bowers/Merena hard copy sales catalog from March 26-28,1987, (which itself seems to be a collectible item already), cannot confirm 100%.

So maybe my coin with its not so complete provenance description is something that quite frequently happens, and seems to be the case more often then not.

@Hunter611 Thank you for your input. I am o board with your thinking Yes, there is a balance between feeling "wronged" and the responsibility to live up to the agreed upon terms of the auction (even if not read with a fine tooth comb) . No doubt that it can leave a bad taste in the mouth while owning this coin into the future.

As this point, my sense of responsibility to pay is stronger than feeling "wronged". And the more I am researching and educating myself on this variety, the more I am feeling at peace with the purchase. I have until 4 Dec to pay HA in order to remain in good standing. HA Customer Service told me last week to standby as their "Coins section" looks into my "well-detailed" concerns about the incomplete provenance. If I do not hear back by 3 Dec, I will pay anyway. The rationale: the more I looked into this variety's top known (to me) specimens, the more I am at peace. Of course, I am very curious what they will say!


Of the only known existing GEMs in any TPG for the 62-q "hidden WM" variety are: one MS63 PCGS and three MS61s. The 2013 SHI reference book for the 62-q lists only two GEMs, and 5ea AUs...no exact grades cited for either. One of these two GEMs in the SHI book on pg 448 is the "Bushnell-Parmelee specimen". I traced back this coin to one of the three current MS61s, and last sold for $6,670 in Aug 2024. The other GEM on SHI pg 448, called the "Anton" GEM, I was not able to trace. But I wonder, if this coin is the PCGS MS-63BN which I was also not able to trace?

I also managed to trace back from the currently known only three MS61s that one other was also an AU grade in its prior life before slabbed by NGC in as MS61, like mine. A sale on that was $9000 in Mar 2021 and it was the "Donald G Partrick" (ex. Taylor 1987, Lot 2258) AU coin listed on pg 448 of the SHI book in 2013. So all three currently known MS-61s in this variety are accounted for: two of them crossed from AU into MS61, and one was a GEM in the first place.

Interestingly, the SHI has a 440 pages supplement that just came out this year to their 2013 original reference book. "It is not merely a second edition of the authors' previous book; rather, it contains original and largely updated condition census information for every New Jersey copper variety, with many never-before-seen photographs."

https://colonialcoins.org/c4-publications-2/

Good on you for choosing to pay.

Have not heard back yet. Based on what I was able to dig up on this coin and coins of the same variety, I do not have high hopes of HA being shocked at their own lacking description. It seems to vary based on who is tasked to manage the coin from HA on their auction. Do not know if the seller submits the provenance and HA goes with that, or how much effort they put into it.

In my case, HA can verify 100% if my coin was sold by the same seller who purchased it in Aug 2024 on their auction. If yes, then that person is the one who broke out the slab and sold it re-graded in Nov 2024 on HA without disclosing.

I just purchased (shipped) the new 2024 SHI (SIboni/Howes/ish) NJ Coppers 440 pages supplement that updates their original 2103 ground-breaking award winning reference book to current stats. I wanted to see what their latest stats and provenance are for this Maris 62-q variety. I managed to trace back all three currently known (to me) 2024 MS61s to their 2013 reference book. Two of these were AUs previously. And hope to find out more about the "Anton" GEM sample and if that coin is the same coin as the highest graded sample for this variety, a PCGS MS63BN.

Tracked down the provenance of this highest TPG graded 62-q MS63BN. Found it in the new 2024 SHI (Siboni/Howes/Ish) supplement. It was an "AU+" in its former life.

Zoomed photo: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin...-q-bn/767840



Here is the PCGS MS63 that was identified as an "AU+" in the new 2024 SHI supplement. It was attributed to Wrubel and was the #3 highest coin on the supplement's list. Clearly, it's now a PCGS MS63.

I believe that this is the highest graded Maris 62-q TPG coin now, since the #1 (and currently only GEM listed specimen) attributed to Siboni/Parmellee/Bushnell is graded as NGC MS61.

Here are the identifying marks that confirm that this is the PCGS MS63BN coin. The entire top reverse is off center.

Received the coin via USPS signature confirmation. Still nothing back from HA about my auction description complaint.

Thank you @adam126402 Have not hard back from HA and not expecting it anymore...quite unprofessional. At least they could have told me to pound sand and not promise to get back to me.

I am fine with the coin. I am thinking about sending the traced updates in regards to this variety to Siboni/Howes/Ish folks. Their 2024 supplement is not up to date as far as this variety. The coins I traced back can be identified 100% from their publicly available sales records and TPG photos. Their new grades significantly re-shuffles the top rankings.