Found 1911-D $2.5 Gold Indian Strong D PCGS AU Details

What is an AU quarter eagle 1911-D that has been cleaned actually worth? How do you accurately judge that? I guess I would put in a low ball bid as my maximum and just stand back and see if I win it. It will be a good learning experience because you will see what it actually sells for and that can guide you in the future. The grading books only really tell you what problem free, non-cleaned coins sell for in a certain grade. The rest is educated guess work. I bought a 1938-D LWH in MS condition except for deep scratches in the front of the coin. I got it dirt cheap from dealer, so I assume it is not very valuable. It is amazing what some scratches can do to the value of an exceptional coin. Improper cleaning also has an unpredictable negative effect.

This is why I dislike the modern grading systems. Net grading accepts that defects, from the trivial to the major, reduce the effective grade (and its value) of a coin more for some folks than others. One person may be okay with a light cleaning or a few small scratches, another wants perfect surfaces only, some will tolerate heavy clash, cracks, Cuds or Machine Doubling, some will not, same for planchet flaws, weak strikes, color variations, toning vs. no toning...many other such things.

To answer your question -- terry -- it's worth at least $1600 apparently. ;)

The old wisdom is that even if a buyer and a seller can never agree on a grade, they can always agree on a price. Nowhere is that more true than coins with issues. If someone tells me they want to collect a coin that has issues...good for them. I'll approach that differently than if they tell me they want to INVEST in a coin that has issues. I know some collectors who have put together things like holed type sets, plugged early type sets, lowball gold, love token type sets, and all kinds of other interests that wouldn't appeal to investors.

I think we should never assume that someone is buying a coin as an investment unless they tell us they are doing so -- otherwise, it's their money, and their collection, and only they know what they're collecting and why it's of interest to them, so let them at it. The hobby, the collector, and the seller all benefit, and if it saves more pieces of history from a grim future in the melt-bucket, then what more noble outcome is there?

Can't argue. If you want a scarce coin with a details grade, you have plenty of references.

CoinFrog

What appealed at the time about the really fine 38-D LWH was I only paid $40 for it and it was almost perfect except for the flaws. Since the I got a 38-D in VF with no flaws. Just try and find a early LWH in VF or EF condition except maybe at HA. Maybe I can sell the flawed 38-D to someone since they did only make less than 500,000 of them. That is the only disfigured coin I have and the LWH is the first set I ever completed. Live and learn.

Sorry you didn't get the coin but I'm with you -- you can only gamble when you're sure you'll be okay if it doesn't go your way.

There are some coins that will always sell, details or not, as long as it is genuine. An 11-D quarter eagle is one of them.