Recommendations For Buying A Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Dollar

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 184
1910S_1C Valued Member United States 74 Posts	Posted Yesterday 12:58 pm Hi everyone, I will soon be in the market for what will likely be the biggest coin purchase of my life, a Draped Bust Dollar, to finish my U.S. type set. The 7070 crowd might ask: who needs a Draped Bust Dollar for their type set? Well, apparently me, because I chose to use Whitman #9138 (Basic U.S. Type Set) when I was younger because the Dansco was more expensive to purchase and more daunting to fill. My Whitman album, for instance, only has one hole per denomination for the Seated Liberty series. All that being said, the album contains one hole which is more difficult to fill (at least with an entry level piece) than any one in the Dansco--the Dollar sized hole marked "1794-1803". Thus, I now find myself in the market for a Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle type U.S. Dollar. As this purchase will likely be the most substantial coin acquisition I ever make, I have a few questions before diving in. 1. To immunize myself against the many high-quality fakes that exist, should I purchase a slabbed coin, buy a raw coin after familiarizing myself with the die varieties, or familiarize myself with the die varieties and then purchase a slabbed coin? 2. My budget is on the low end for these coins, in the roughly $600-$1000 range. Because of my plan to put the coin in a Whitman album, I am targeting one with problems but without anything that is so. patently ugly as to debase my collection. Should I try to save up to $1500 and buy a more visually appealing example, or does my plan to crack it out and put it in an old, chemically active Whitman album (that produces classic Whitman toning) mean I should "ruin" an example that already has serious issues? (Obviously, "ruin" is used extremely loosely here, as Whitman Bookshelf / early Classic album toning is generally market acceptable. I am just very particular about not doing anything to change the appearance of the rare, problem free examples, which I regard as crown jewels of U.S. numismatics which should be confined to slabs). 3. Going back to the counterfeiting problem, is buying from ebay (even a slabbed coin) something that should be regarded as completely off the table? Ought I to restrict myself to purchasing in person or from a more reputable online site like Great Collections? Edited by 1910S_1C Yesterday 1:11 pm Report this Post to the Staff

Brandmeister Pillar of the Community United States 6742 Posts	Posted Yesterday 1:30 pm Well, congrats on beginning your adventure to find that coin. =) As a novice about early U.S. coins, I would personally have an allergic reaction to ebay. Even slabbed coins are no sure protection, because past a certain price point, even slabs get faked. Report this Post to the Staff
1910S_1C Valued Member United States 74 Posts	Posted Yesterday 1:39 pm Thanks Brand. I'll probably wait for an appropriately priced example to show up at one of the coin shops I frequent. Regarding the toning, my research indicates that silver tarnish is caused by reactions with sulfur in the album's paper or surrounding air. Because I store the album near an open window (yeah I'm going to change that), its very possible that the sulfur in the air / humidity is reacting with the silver rather than anything specific to the album. I think it requires further experimentation to be certain. What are people's experience with early issue Whitman classic albums and toning (mine is a copyright 1978, early enough to still be made in the US, but later than the early Bookshelf albums notorious for producing toning)? Edited by 1910S_1C Yesterday 1:44 pm Report this Post to the Staff
commems CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives United States 12423 Posts	Posted Yesterday 7:59 pm Quote: 1. To immunize myself against the many high-quality fakes that exist, should I purchase a slabbed coin, buy a raw coin after familiarizing myself with the die varieties, or familiarize myself with the die varieties and then purchase a slabbed coin? I would purchase a graded coin from either PCGS, NGC or ANACS. I would stay away from lesser services; others may think differently. OR purchase an example (certified or raw) from a dealer who specializes in the series - a dealer who seldom handles the coin may not have the proper expertise. Quote: 2. My budget is on the low end for these coins, in the roughly $600-$1000 range...Should I try to save up to $1500 and buy a more visually appealing example,,, I would try to purchase the best quality example you can afford. I wouldn't skimp on "the biggest coin purchase of my life". Take your time and make a purchase that you can always be happy with owning! Quote: 3. Going back to the counterfeiting problem, is buying from ebay (even a slabbed coin) something that should be regarded as completely off the table? Ought I to restrict myself to purchasing in person or from a more reputable online site like Great Collections? For me, ebay would not be my first choice (unless purchased from a recognized expert in the series with a return policy). My preference would be to inspect the coin in hand vs. online, but I recognize that this isn't always possible. Hope that helps! Good luck! Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved. Report this Post to the Staff
MisterT Pillar of the Community United States 2010 Posts	Posted Yesterday 8:36 pm I remember back in the late 60's- early 70's when some collectors would actually dust their folders and albums with sulfur to intentionally achieve toning over time. Some of the toning was pleasing, others not so much. Your quest for a Draped Bust Dollar is a large task to accomplish especially with your current budget. Something certified with enough pleasing details might run $2000-$3000. If you are intent on acquiring one, I would save some more money before making a decision. Best of luck my friend! One of these has always been a dream of mine as well. Report this Post to the Staff
Slider23 Pillar of the Community United States 4480 Posts	Posted Today 1H 13M ago Best to stay away from ebay unless the example is in a TPG holder for sale by a reputable dealer. if you are going to spend $1000 plus for a coin, consider purchasing the example from one of the major auction houses Great Collections, Heritage or Stacks for selection and value. If you buy a details example, I see no issues with cracking it out and putting it in an album, and I would not be concerned about the toning. If you purchased a straight graded example, it would be best not to crack it out Report this Post to the Staff
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