New Collector Showing Off My Favorite Coin

Ouch! That morgan has gone through som rough cleaning/abuse/whatever you want to call it...
No matter what, the numismatic value of it is waaaay less than what you paid.

I'd return it to your uncle and get your money back. Take a look on ebay, there are several better 1893's for less $.

I understand it's your favorite coin though...everyone has one (or several) that lacks a numismatic value.

Also, the lines you see on the reverse are from the case. It looks much better in person, in my opinion.

Assuming the scratches are on the case and not the coin, I'd say VG10 is a fair grade. I wouldn't want to comment on whether it has been cleaned, because it's hard to tell from the photos. You probably paid a little too much for it - but I wouldn't worry. I overpaid on my first coin, which taught me the most important aspect of collecting - "always do your homework before buying".

Either way it's a great coin to start off with - where are you planning on going with the collection?

I'll echo the previously stated sentiment that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you're happy than so be it and the spirit of the CCF has always been, at least to me, to share that happiness.

The other benefit to this great community is the education you can and will receive if you choose to do so. I know nothing about Morgans but I do know about coins and that coin does look to have a tremendous amount of hairlines on the reverse so a pic of it outside of the case could solve that viewpoint. The price paid seems fair for a problem free VG10 but that's if it's truly problem free.

Good luck on your journey sir

Welcome to Coin Community, tdreiling. Nice to have you here.

1893-P is a semi-key date, with a mintage of only 377,000. It's not as valuable as its' San Francisco brother, but all the same a pretty pricey coin. That's the good part.

The bad part is, your uncle (perhaps unknowingly) took you for a ride. Grade and condition play defining roles in a coin's value, and the price paid should buy this coin in VF-25 from a reputable TPG. The coin here is obverse-limited to about VG-8, heavily cleaned - if those lines were on the case, you wouldn't have been able to clearly show the coin itself - and worth less than $100. That still represents a pretty significant premium; the overwhelming majority of Morgans are $25 coins in this condition.

All the same, any financial disparity of this size isn't exactly going to wreck your retirement. It has personal significance to you, and makes an excellent beginner lesson in numismatics.

Glad to have you here. Paying too much happens. I still do it on occasion. If I'm truly happy with the coin, then it doesn't bother me at all. To me, your Morgan looks really nice! Pictures outside the case would do it more justice.

here is an example of overpaying for what you want. this just ended on ebay last week with my best offer being accepted. The below pictured is a $215 coin MAX in some price guides. I paid double. Insane right? BUT the way it hits my eyeball makes me feel awesome, so I love it, for now, until I sell it one day and maybe if I let long enough come and go until that fateful day arrives, i'll even get my money back.

Moral to my story, what he said, paying too much happens but with good personal reasons sometimes



The color goes from rose toned in the center and works to a rust color to an electric ocean green and blue along the entire peripheral...tons of luster and PL to boot...

its unreal in-hand Canadian