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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,061 |
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Valued Member
United States
56 Posts |
I have a chance to buy one or more of the following three coins from a dealer I trust a lot, but am having a really hard time on the pricing given the lack of comparables. Can you guys give me some thoughts on a fair price for these bad boys (2 1795 halves, 1 1796 silver doller)    I'd say the first and third are VF and the second looks XF-ish Thanks for the feedback |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
0_0
All opinions will be based on these being authenticated coins with original surfaces, because I know you'll do that due diligence prior to purchasing.
With that said, we'll address the Dollar first. B-1, I think. Small Date/Small Letters, R4 but fairly "common" for the type, although the type is far less common than the Large Date/Letters types. I think there are one or two Small/Small examples known in Mint State; Heritage's finest-ever was an AU58. VF30 is appropriate; in a PCGS slab it'd probably go for north of $5k.
With regard to halves, I'll stop at agreeing with your grade estimates. They need attribution - prices vary wildly with variety - and I lack the information to attribute them. I'm going to take the liberty of editing your post title to attract more specialized attention.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
A little tip from my friend James Garcia (James_EarlyUS)about FH halves. Quote:
In the case of a 1795 flowing hair half, the R.5 rarity grants only a minimal premium. Now, for a capped bust, the premium would be much higher - multiples. There are far fewer collectors who pursue FHs by variety, and that's why the rarity at R.5 has such little impact. It is comparable to R.3 for caps!
I think this will change in the future, so R.5s are probably a good investment over the long haul. But right now, I definitely suggest not paying a premium. Indeed, I don't think I've ever paid a significant premium for an R.5 FH. The top one looks VF, middle is XF. I'd estimate about 3500 for the VF and 8-10k for the XF. Most coins during that era may have been cleaned or wiped at one time so finding one completely original will be tough. Take a look at my gallery for my 1795 FH (O-117a R.4). It's an ANACS VG8. Edited by 1sikevo
07/17/2008 9:08 pm
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Valued Member
 United States
56 Posts |
Thanks for the feedback. The dealer in this case is in another part of the country, and these are raw coins. That said, I've had a relationship with this dealer for some time, and I've never been unhappy with anything I've purchased from him. IOW, I have no doubts that what I'm seeing from him is what I'll get, and I'll have a chance to return them if they don't pass visual inspection.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
With all due respect to James - a man I recommend, and have done business with - look at the January 12th Heritage FUN auction results. A number of 1795's were presented (53 - 1795 Halfs were sold in that one auction), and the results were why I chose the term "wildly." 4 AU58's were sold, ranging in price from $21k to $46k. An NGC VF35 outsold a PCGS AU55 by a $2300 margin. A PCGS F15 sold for the same price as one of the PCGS AU58's.
Variety may not matter to James, but it seems to matter to the people buying these coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1984 Posts |
Ultimately price will depend on many factors, but I will say that I wouldn't buy these raw without getting a long enough guarantee that would cover the amount of time it takes to get these slabbed by PCGS--even if you are going to take them right out of the plastic and stick them in an album. I am speaking especially of the halves, as I would be concerned that they might get bodybagged for having surfaces that have been 'worked with'.
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
I wouldn't consider any but the top one, the others have lousy surfaces. Maybe if he'd allow you to clear them with the conservation people first.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1267 Posts |
The very fact that you are asking these questions tells me you don't know enough about these series to consider buying raw. Also, the fact that the dealer doen't seem to care about varieties in a series that's so dependant pricewise on them bothers me a lot. Just doesn't feel right.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Not being an expert, I have to ask. Does the eagle on the 1796 dollar look right to the more knowledgeable people here? I compared the OP's pics to the ones in the CCF coin facts page.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,061 |
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Posted 07/17/2008 8:51 pm
