Choosing My Coins For TPG

Hi DCV, I agree with Kurt about the use of photos on Uncirculated or proof coins because it is too difficult to visualize the surfaces where the grade is actually going to be determined. Likewise, I, unlike many evidently, can not determine an AU-55 or 58 sufficiently from a lower grade MS from a photo to make a comment. Even with a microscope, sometimes I can't tell because eventually there becomes little difference between a "very very slight wear" and some coin-coin action in the bag. Even the best TPG companies often can't either, that is why so many people keep resubmitting their coin. I read someplace where one dealer kept resubmitting his 1884S Morgan over 15 times before it finally broke the MS mark.

Also, I think some do not want to comment if they are really not sure, especially if it goes against the trend. Some do not want to possible offend the writer~~ various social and personal reasons I am sure. I think you have nice coins, no matter what the grade.

Make all the photos you might want before slabbing as I find it hard to photo the coin well inside the scratchable and reflective plastic.

Jim

Hello dcv. Do not get frustrated. Many folks. including myself, are having a tough time trying to find time to get on the forum with the spring and summer finally here. Very busy getting outside work done. Having said that, the other replies you have received are correct as well. Quite a few folks will not post if they think to themselves they may be "guessing'. While it would be an educated guess, it would still be a guess regardless.

From what I understand, your mission is to submit 8 coins. I would start by listing for us the potential candidates you have. Depending on condition, some may not be worth it to begin with. From there, we can work on helping a little more.

As a side note, some things to check for comparison are Heritage and Teletrade. Heritage to compare your coins to for grading, and Teletrade for prices realized.....It seems you already realize pictures are hard to grade from, and you seem to be taking this aspect well. Keep you chin up, you'll have a good grasp on grading in no time.

Are all your samples MS? If not, I would also suggest books if you do not have them. Photograde is great for coins less than MS grade.

That's a pretty large inheritance. The SMS sets are risky, but it seems that you already accept that. From what I have seen, when it comes to coins that jump into 4 figures between grades, the grading companies are very very tough.

While these may stick out and be "easier" to identify as candidates for your first submission, I would also suggest at least separating your coins by denomination and checking for the keys and semi keys. One of these graded and sold could pay for any future submissions after the first batch....

As for where to post your questions on what to submit, hmmm. If it's grading advice, then the grading section. if it's advice on what to submit, here is perfect. I would probably try to identify 8, then ask advice here and assess risks based on the coins by date and denomination in general. From there you can post a separate thread in the grading forum with each coin, obverse and reverse, and tell folks this will be your first submission, so see how close you can guess to what PCGS states type thing.....

Jaobler- Tights- Thanks. My statement about having 4000 coins was true but probably misleading. About half of them are just Whitman fill-ins (many key dates missing) and rolls of cents from the sixties. Most of the rolls are red shiny BU and are beautiful coins but I probably do not have the variety that one might expect from a 4000 piece collection.

Also there is about 80 proof, mint, and SMS sets. LOTS of Kennedy halves....probably about 300...most are UNC or AU. There are some Morgans, Peace, Franklins, SLQ's, Liberty Halves, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes...a mixture of everything mostly from 1930s to 1960s. Unfortunately, not many key dates and what few I have are not in great condition.

I have literally been looking at the coins one-by-one and packing them into 2x2's. As I have been looking at them I have been checking their values and I am just not finding many that I think would even cover the grading fee.

The reason I have been looking into some of he SMS coins is the result of another (probably lame) theory I have developed....

As I look through Heritage Archives, I realize that there are a bunch of big money coins being bought and sold by some big money collectors and my coins are probably not in their league. But my mint and proof sets have just as good a chance as theirs of containing a gem. They all came from the same mints in the same packages for the same price back in the sixties. I know it is still a long shot, but there are a number of cameos in some my SMS sets. The condition? OK I am not much of a grader, but they have been in their original plastic containers since they were minted so it seems fair to assume they are at least MS. Some have a very strong cameo. All that remains is knowing which MS grade they are. I magnify them and can clearly see the minute nicks and dings on some of them that I know will keep them in the low 60s. But there are a few, that have considerably less than the rest of them. I have submitted one of my 1966 SMS nickels in the grading forum with a picture that doesn't really do the cameo justice and the responders graded it between 65 and 67. I know it is a cameo with a pretty good chance at deep cameo. My thought is this...If it grades out at a MS63DCAM, the value could at least cover the grading fee. Or...MS65CA is valued about the same. From what I have seen and read, this does not seem like an unrealistic outcome. Now looking at the possibility that it could grade at MS66DCAM or MS67DCAM, we could be looking at a value in the 4-digit range. It seems to me there is a reasonable chance I could make a profit on this coin, but at least a very good chance I will break even. Is there some big hole that needs to be blown through this theory?

When I first started dissecting the collection a couple of months ago, I went through that false euphoria many inheritors go through looking at PCGS and Heritage thinking I had a gold mine on my hands. Little by little I realized that I probably do not have many TPG-worthy coins.

Initially, my plan was to sell the collection and use the money to buy a hot tub or something else nice for the house. This probably made it easier for my wife to deal with the coins, holders, books, boxes, magnifiers, copy stand (and a ton of other assorted numismatic paraphernalia) that has been spread all over her dining room for the last 2 months.

Now, 2 months later, she still has no hot tub. Instead, she has a husband that has decided NOT to sell his collection and instead of this influx of money that was expected, I have spent over $300 on 2X2's,tubes, boxes, books etc.

My thought is that I would like to get involved in selling off a few of the pieces just to generate enough money to fund the hobby so I can continue to collect without draining my household budget.

That said, I have been inventorying the collection on spreadsheets and am more that half done with that process.

I am now working on a list of candidates that I will post here and am grateful that some of you are willing to look at it and advise me on my final selection.

Jaobler- your point about using the economy grading tier rather than my 8 initial submissions for coins that qualify is a very good one that I had not considered. Thank you.

Final note: Even if I sent in 8 coins and they all got body bagged, the $200 loss would not hurt as much as the $300 I am about to spend on the exhaust system I blew out last night. Unfortunately, life is full of $200 losses. This one brings with it some fun and excitement, some education and a chance at a profit.

Thank you all...you have me heading in a more focused direction each time you post.