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 Replies: 24 / Views: 3,710 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
533 Posts |
When buying certified slabbed coins I always buy based on what the coin looks like to me not just the grade on the holder. Especially with Morgans not all MS-64's are the same even for the same year/mint. Some are better struck, the details are sharper, less bag marks. But with this one, a 1911-D Barber dime, the sellers pictures are soft and out of focus, this one being the best, so I am trusting the grading service (PCGS) instead of my own eyes. First certified coin I ever bought with such lousy pictures  |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
In a word,no. John1  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
In this case .. I am thinking it is more like trust the TPG grade and not the sellers pictures. I am thinking the coin picture is out of focus and the white balance is off. If it was a coin I wanted and the price was right. And hopefully a return option. Than yes ... in this case I would make the purchase. |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Been seriously collecting for about 50 years, ancients to modern. My collection includes quite a few valuable U.S. classic coins, gold as well.
VERY few ancient coins are slabbed.
Slabs do not fit into my storage / display system, which contains about 2,500 pieces.
Therefore certification that goes with slabbing, is irrelevent to my collecting aims.
So you may say that I have always bought the coin, not the slab, and will continue to do so.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
533 Posts |
Price was right but pics were bad so for the first time I am buying the certification with full return policy
I think the price was good because the pics were bad don't think they are trying to hide anything just they can't photograph coins very well
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
50 Posts |
I bought the slab only once. I saw a 1954-S MS64 Jefferson nickel, and it looked pretty nice. It was only $8.90 so I kind of thought that it was a good price for a slabbed coin, even if it isn't that old/rare. I still have it and it does look nice in my slabbed collection. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
If I can flip it for a profit, sure, why not.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
When you buy online how can you not buy the slab and the coin. I am not paying $500 for a coin on ebay that is not slabbed even if the raw coin photo looks good. When I buy from dealer in person I do buy the coin. I try not to buy slabbed coins because they are usually more expensive just due to being graded and slabbed. I sure don't always trust the slab since I have seen AU coins that look a lot better than some MS coins. Thing is when and if you sell the coins having them graded and slabbed makes it easier to agree on grade and price. Do you all agree? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
I thought about it when my grading skills were inferior to what they are now. But I was never able to pull the trigger. Nowadays, I can get some coins (AU+ Seated dimes, Half Dimes, etc) for much cheaper raw than certified. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
I rarely buy slabbed coins, and half the time it's to crack the slab. Being certified is gravy, but not worth paying extra for. For the last 50 years, since the days of Whitman books, the strategy is the same.
Buy the coin not the condition.
It's just a hobby for me, among many others. In regards to this coin, buy it if you like it. I'll buy the same coin again and again if I have the opportunity. Having five 1923-S walkers or 1858-S quarters is better than having just one.
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
10/20/2016 11:44 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2023 Posts |
Buying a slabbed coin from a poor picture is an invitation to disappointment if you care about eye appeal, and some sellers know how to hide blemishes with creative photography (glare that happens to cover spots, disallowing zoomable pictures so you can't see the scuffs and scratches).
You say you're "trusting the grading service" but also recognize that "not all MS-64's are the same even for the same year/mint". Between those two statements, I go with the latter and hold out for either a better picture or a better coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
533 Posts |
You are buying the coin within the slab. I always buy based on the pictures yes if it looks like a 64 to me and is in a 62 slab I won't pay more than 62 prices so in a sense I am always buying the slab when the coin is slabbed.
This is the first time though where the pictures just weren't that good and I went with the coin anyway. Th picture I show is fuzzy so it is hard to tell I mean it looks fine with no visible problems but they could be hid. But I guess I am trusting that PCGS graded it correctly and it is a decent example of a AU50
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
I would have done the same thing Jax if I needed one. I trust PCGS more than the poor photos..... with a return privilege. Once you get in in hand  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
I trust PCGS but NGC I am not so sure. I have seen so many MS66 NGC graded Morgans on ebay selling for really low prices that I suspect fraud. These are common Morgans in uncommon condition NGC graded and slabbed. I have to buy online at times and I buy slabbed coins, but I would rather buy from an individual coin shop or dealer especially if we both know I am going to do repeat business. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
533 Posts |
Of course the fact that the seller had lots of good feedback and no negatives helped a little plus his other pictures of coins that I was fairly sure were good were also not the best. I think he just don't know how to photograph a coin. I mean when was the last time anyone seen a bad 1879-S PCGS Morgan 63 or 64? Yet his photos of them weren't much better
Plus this isn't a high dollar coin I think he just slapped it up there without thinking too much
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Replies: 24 / Views: 3,710 |
Posted 10/20/2016 06:48 am
