| Author |
 Replies: 78 / Views: 13,313 |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
784 Posts |
BACKSTORY: A few weeks ago I posted several pics of some early Denver wheats in the grading forum. I mentioned that I was able to secure these in 50 coin lots at a $1 a piece and they were covered in a thin layer of grease (thanks again Thad for your recommendations on getting rid of it!). Anyhow, after the first batch of cents you all graded came back with good reports, I decided to see if the seller had more. She posted several more lots within the week at the same price. As we chatted via e-mail, she told me they all belonged to her aunt who was born in 1911. She lived in a small Nebraska town and collected pennies when she was a girl because, after all, 'a penny saved is a penny earned...' she then mentioned that she really didn't care about profiting or collecting coins and hoped that I was going to be able to make some money off of them. I purchased a few more lots and have been completely amazed at the quality of some of these cents. In fact, I have been able to fill several of my early teens in the AU range (11-d, 12-d, 13-d, 15-d, 16 all, 17 all, etc...). This week she listed the last of the pennies. Three of them were all 1910's and 20's again. One of them (pic below) was these...      So these are on their way and will arrive tomorrow. There are no returns but, honestly, even with the other quality cents in this listing, I don't care. I have no reason what-so-ever to believe this seller is trying to pull a fast one but there is always a chance her aunt didn't know she had possible counterfeits as well. The provenance of her story combined with all the other lots I have received have made feel pretty confident too. I think it's very possible her Aunt did just put these in her collection when she was a little girl. So, based on these preliminary pics, let's hear it. I like the mint mark on both with the serifs. I think I see a die crack on the top one too... |
|
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
Looks like a high value lot with two 1914-D Lincolns. Does the seller realize this is a $1000+ group? Ethics questions aside I'd say they are genuine based on the images.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
How did you find this seller again?
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
Where in nebraska, if you dont mind my asking? Anyways, congrats on such awesome purchases. Ill double the money you paid on the second 1914 D, if you'd like  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of these. Really nice find!  Only if I had seen it.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
724 Posts |
All 1914d are authentic most likely. Congratulations.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
784 Posts |
BH - I'm glad you said something about this as I've been chewing on it as well. Here is the body of her last message... "They were from the estates of my aunt and mother. They grew up trained to believe that a "penny saved is a penny earned." My aunt was born in 1911 so most of the 1910's - 1920's were from her childhood savings. I suspect buyers are getting some good deals but I am not interested in collecting so that's just the way it is. If you can use them this is probably the place to buy unless you want to buy them individually. From my very limited research someone could take these and sell them individually and pocket a fair amount of money. I have quite a few lots listed so hopefully you will check them all out. I have double checked and these are the last that I have. Have a good one." What are you seeing as an ethics dilemma if you don't mind me asking? I am honestly open to checking my own conscious to make sure I'm good with this. To give the rest of the story, after I saw the last three lots pop up on the bay, I decided to see if she would alter the auction and let me pay double for them rather than waiting 8 days to see if I would get action on bids. From my point of view, I saw this a pretty big risk as I still am not sure on the 14s other than based on what I had received already. If they come back as counterfeit I'm out a pretty good chunk. I had no qualms paying over for the rest as I have been more than happy with what I've received so far and felt good about basically doubling what she had made on the other lots instantly. She kept listing these auctions to end at 2:00am - 5:00am with the exception of three that ended on a Saturday morning so any fighting for bids happened there. She replied almost within the hour and said sure so I paid her. KenKat - I work a second shift and don't get home until 2:00am. I like to sort ebay by 'ending soonest' and 'Auction only' and see what's going on. The first three lots ended within the half hour and the pics looked good so I took a risk. Turned out to be a good risk. I ended up following the seller and watching their postings over the next three weeks and bidding accordingly. I lost two other lots and fought a little for two more but so far, it's been mostly me buying all of their pennies. ChildoftheWheat - I'm not exactly sure where in Nebraska she lived. But I find it really interesting that of all the cents I've purchased from her so far, more than several were D mints and very few were S. It's kind of neat to think that back in the day, this could be a decent sample of what one might find in their pocket change for that area. But who knows, she could have moved around the country too... so , who knows? EDIT: BH - Here is the other message I mentioned before the last auctions were posted... Hi- I have just finished listing the last of the estate coins that I had. If you are still looking for coins, please go to my listings (or you can search on item 131729346794 and then click on "see other items" to see all that I have). The final listings include 90% silver coins, wheat pennies, Mercury dimes, Barber dimes, Roosevelt dimes, Liberty nickels, War Nickels, Buffalo nickels and Morgan silver dollars. Hopefully you will find bargains that will complete your collection or make you some profit! Edited by rking007
02/24/2016 11:09 pm
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Canada
10743 Posts |
Please show us the coins when you receive them would like to see close ups.  |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
If these were purchased in a open ebay auction then of course there is no ethical issue whatsoever. I guess I inferred from your post that you set up a Buy-It-Now with her or a side deal off of ebay. Quote:
...To give the rest of the story, after I saw the last three lots pop up on the bay, I decided to see if she would alter the auction and let me pay double for them rather than waiting 8 days to see if I would get action on bids... So there is an issue here and I don't mind saying it. If you can't see it then I can't help that. Good luck. Edited by BH1964
02/25/2016 08:16 am
|
|
Moderator
 United States
54280 Posts |
Seller has a different story in at least two of the Lincoln Cent listings.. "After a lifetime of living, collecting and attending auctions, it is time to downsize ... Came across an estate sale with jars and jars of coins" The third one leaves out the "estate sale" reference. Show your financial support of the Coin Community Family (click here)See my topic on Mexican Numismatic Medals (click here) |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
Sounds like good basic ebay legwork to me. Nice finds. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
724 Posts |
rking007 You did good and I would think you have been spending hours and hours of your time to look through the ebay list. I am happy that your time has been rewarded nicely. For so much time spent, the hourly paying rate may still below the minimum wage. But anyway it is for hobby and not for a living.  |
|
Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
One thing I can say about those Lincoln lots; their all original . No cleaned coins, you can tell nobody messed with them as some still have corrosion on them . From what I can see they all look genuine and you have some real nice high grade circs there.  |
|
Valued Member
United States
256 Posts |
Great score if they're real! I dont see an ethics issue here at all. Its an auction sight and the goal is to get the best deal possible. People may say I'm wrong but why overpay for anything in life. Coins do have a face value and a number in a book or magazine but in reality are worth what someone will pay. I certainly wouldnt over pay if I didn't have to.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
62 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4932 Posts |
So how much did you drop on this lot? Seems as if it was open bidding it probably went quite high.
Makes you wonder after hearing this story if there's more senior citizens, yet alone deceased people, who saved pennies and other coins in Nebraska and maybe their coins are similar to the ones in the lots.
Sounds almost as if denver coins sort of migrated to Nebraska. I'm sure there's hundreds of people out on the west coast with key date D & S mints in their old coins their relatives gave them and they don't even know about it.
|
| |
Replies: 78 / Views: 13,313 |
Posted 02/24/2016 9:40 pm
