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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,668 |
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Valued Member
Canada
217 Posts |
Hello, new here. Apologies if this has been asked and answered before: a search didn't yield much.
I have a lot of raw common halfs that are pretty and I love, mainly pre-67 Elizabeths and Georges but doubt any would grade above AU 55. Is there some sort of cut-off grade with common coins that makes it pointless to have them certified?
Thanks and looking forward to participating in these forums.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5586 Posts |
The final cutoff point is when the cost of the cert is more than the coin will ever be worth. I don't use TPG's, but I would think that when the cost of the cert is more than 25% of what you can sell it for, then it's good money after bad. I would think that, if a coin Trends for $200, you can always sell it for $100 ... then to have it cert'd for $25 may be an option, but certainly a must-do. Why buy someone's opinion (costly) when you know what you have? |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1505 Posts |
I think a big part of it will come down to purpose of grading vs. cost. If that is how you want your collection displayed ( TPG holder), maybe that is a good option. If your plan to increase their attractiveness for future sale and profit, I don't think you will recover your costs and will likely lose money. With "common" coins it is often cheaper to buy the coin already graded. for example I have three relatively common 1937, 1951, 1955 halfs graded MS 62-63, I paid less than $20 each, which is less than cost of sending them for their NGC grade. If I was in your shoes and really wanted them graded, I would just look for graded versions. If they are really special to you, maybe they are worth it. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
I use NGC and I simply set my level for sending them in at a value of $200 or more for the coin when graded and encapsulated.
Using a grading service for any coin valued at less than $50 is simply foolish. I know there may be some collectors who want all their coins to "match", but it makes far more sense, as has been suggested, simply to buy the coin already slabbed.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1747 Posts |
I am sorry to say but in au55 I don't think many of the QE2 halfs would be worth much more than spot. The KGVI might garner a bit more but unless you want to display them in a set all in cases then I don't think your collection is worth it.
normally people only send in coins they think will get ms65 or higher, or they are key dates or errors.
if you are looking online and seeing people with certified common coins, it is because they have submitted a large lot of coins and needed to fill spaces to get discounted rates.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
  In my opinion, the only legitimate reasons to pay for slabbing are: 1. Resale value to those who put a higher value on plastic slab certification. 2. Like my few - if something happens to me, my wife who knows nothing of coins will know certain ones don;t just go to the bank. 3. Aesthetics - if a person likes the looks - have fun - go for it. TPGs were made b/c some businessmen knew people need a security blanket of an "expert's" certification. Nowadays the people grading coins at these places are more experienced in handling coins. But as can be seen from this forum and others: 1. Anyone can learn to grade who wants to - see the posts here having themes like like "You vs. PCGS." 2. TPGs are inconsistent and far from infallible. Not only do grades differ from one company to another, but I know others here have said, and I agree, anyone would be hard pressed to say why a coin is MS69 vs MS70, yet the latter is assigned a much higher value by those who put enough faith in the TPGs to buy the slab and not the coin. 3. TPGs are not held accountable as to why a grade is applied to a slabbed and so many times people in the past would have a coin slabbed, crack it out, slab it again, etc. until they could get the better grade they wanted for higher profit. Of course this would only apply to borderline coins, and mostly to when the next higher grade up made a significant difference in perceived value. And just to make sure no one sees this as a negative post - a hobby is about FUN. If a person likes slabs, then go for it. They can make a beautifully organized looking display. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
First Off To the Forum     It all depends on why you want to have your coins graded and encapsulated. If you are doing it just because you want/prefer your coins in slabs and you are not concerned with the extra expense of getting them graded Then Go for it. They are your coins and it is your collection so it is entirely up to you. If you are doing it so that at some stage you want to sell your coins then that is quite a different scenario. You will have to work out just how much each coin is worth and If you consider that the added expense of getting them graded is financially viable. I myself have had coins graded and encapsulated where the expense of getting them graded is equal too or more than the coin itself is worth. I did this simply because I wanted a particular series of coins as a graded set and I was completely aware that I would never recover the grading fees if I ever sold the coins But I was willing to wear the expense just to have the collection the way that I wanted it. There are many reasons why people want to have their coins graded. All you have to do is work out why you personally want to have them graded and if the added expense is acceptable or viable. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
I can only see doing it when a TPG has a special deal - for example, sometimes ANACS does 15 coins for $xxx. You might have a few coins that make it worth the entire amount, so you fill up the order with others that individually would make no sense to slab. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4212 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5394 Posts |
200 or more a coin, a special variety, or a shot 65 or better. These are the parameters I live by. Anything less you are wasting your time and money unless you wish to get some coins slabbed for educational purposes. Welcome aboard!
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Moderator
Canada
10458 Posts |
Or... lowballs (for entirely different reasons)....
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Valued Member
 Canada
217 Posts |
Thank you for all your replies. All make good sense - and no, I'm not just sucking up because I'm new.
It has also answered the question that got me thinking about this. I've bought a few after market ICCS flips for just over melt - for example a 1944 WD graded at EF-40 that I think I paid ten bucks for. I couldn't figure out why someone would pay the cert fee for more than the coin could be sold for. Now I get it. Either they just preferred to have their collection that way, or they threw in some low value coins to make up the numbers for a bulk discount. That never occurred to me.
Anyway I think I will follow the rule of thumb suggested - $200 trending value or a shot at MS65 for a common date.To be honest, what I like about my junk halfs is being able to handle them raw without guilt that I'm wrecking something with real monetary value.
thanks again.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5586 Posts |
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,668 |
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Posted 02/02/2017 10:07 am
