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 Replies: 30 / Views: 1,987 |
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
Is there a list anywhere the definitively states which LWC's are the "keys" and which are the "semi-keys"? I'd love to see it! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
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New Member
 United States
49 Posts |
Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1116 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2602 Posts |
That article was good, thanks. I think some collectors would argue that 1915 is not a semi-key, but 15D and 15S are.
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
Along with the key dates, what is the best way to get the ones you are missing in your collection? I am missing about 10 percent of the 1909 to 1960 set. Is it better to buy rolls and bags and hope to get lucky and find what you need or is it better to buy them one at a time? I am not interested in the coins that grade over 60, but would like most to be in the fine or very fine category. Roll Hunting is turning up mostly 50's but I mostly need 20s and 30s.
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
You are in the same boat as the rest of us. I bought a bag on ebay recently and the most interesting find I have had is a 1909 VDB (Philly mint). Not even a key, but fun none the less. I have started a thread this morning where I am hoping people will profile the rolls they buy on ebay so we can all get a better idea what to expect. |
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
I just purchased two "shotgun" rolls of estate wheat pennies on ebay. If I get at least 2 coins that I am missing, I will be happy. If I get any pre 1920 pennies, I will be very happy. I will keep y'all updated. |
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Chances are slim to none you'll find the coins you need searching ebay bags and rolls. EVERYONE OF THOSE HAS BEEN SEARCHED. If not by the seller, but somebody years ago. This is my opinion. The only "unsearched" wheats would be held by someone old and they collected those themselves over the course of many years....or passed on within a family of non-collectors. I really believe that 95% (maybe higher) of the key dates and valuable Wheats have already been discovered or lost for good.....not including errors. Bottomline.... Save yourself time and frustration, just buy the coins you need if you want to complete your collection. Thinking you're going to fill all those holes with ebay rolls and bags is fantasy. |
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
Bad Thad, you are probably correct. But you never know where a "treasure" might be found. I remember years ago, I would occasionally go to a "Storage Yard Auction" and just buy sealed boxes at the auction. Most of the time, the boxes were filled with junk like a lamp shade, shoeshine kits, pictures and shelf dust collectors. But this one time, I bought 4 boxes at $20.00 each. Opened box one, JUNK. Opened box two, JUNK. Opened box three, hmm, a jewelry box! A trip to our jeweler and we had over $10,000.00 worth of jewelry. We could buy 1,000 boxes like that and never find jewelry, but all you need is that one time! ebay is a place for shisters, no doubt. But I think an estate that is being liquidated with hundreds of rolls of coins might have a hidden treasure or two. If not, no big deal. I have lost thousands more on Stocks and Real Estate than I will on a $10 roll of wheaties. |
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
BadThad, you sound like you have been burned once or twice by the unsearched roll scam on ebay, no? I tend to agree with you. I think the vast majority of the rolls that show up on ebay that claim to be estate rolls, unsearched rolls, bank-wrapped rolls, etc, are complete BS. I think the sellers of these rolls are playing an angle and their ideal customer is someone like me who is just getting into collecting and really do not know what to expect from ebay, or (even more like me) DO know what to expect from ebay but have many many many holes to fill, not just the key dates. In the second roll I opened off ebay I found a 1915d and a 1916d. Not keys dates clearly, but rare enough to make me happy about finding them. And I didn't need the 16d but I needed the 15d so that was one fewer holes to fill. So far in the bag I am looking through I have found, among hundreds and hundreds of 40's and 50's, a 1909 VDB. Again, not a key. But fun to find none the less. Part of getting rolls and bags of wheats is hoping for an unfound treasure, and part of it is the thrill of the hunt. And part of it is something to do on a rainy afternoon. I do not think I'll be buying anymore rolls on ebay but you never know. If I have a paypal balance and am feeling roll-searchy (I made that phrase up), I just might! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Quote:BadThad, you sound like you have been burned once or twice by the unsearched roll scam on ebay, no? I tend to agree with you. I think the vast majority of the rolls that show up on ebay that claim to be estate rolls, unsearched rolls, bank-wrapped rolls, etc, are complete BS. I think the sellers of these rolls are playing an angle and their ideal customer is someone like me who is just getting into collecting and really do not know what to expect from ebay, or (even more like me) DO know what to expect from ebay but have many many many holes to fill, not just the key dates. In the second roll I opened off ebay I found a 1915d and a 1916d. Not keys dates clearly, but rare enough to make me happy about finding them. And I didn't need the 16d but I needed the 15d so that was one fewer holes to fill. So far in the bag I am looking through I have found, among hundreds and hundreds of 40's and 50's, a 1909 VDB. Again, not a key. But fun to find none the less. Part of getting rolls and bags of wheats is hoping for an unfound treasure, and part of it is the thrill of the hunt. And part of it is something to do on a rainy afternoon. I do not think I'll be buying anymore rolls on ebay but you never know. If I have a paypal balance and am feeling roll-searchy (I made that phrase up), I just might! Well, some of the sellers may seed an occassional roll so they get a feedback worthy of quoting in their listings. I suspect your 1915D is probably only in Good to Fine condition at best, worth no more than $2. Not sure what you paid for the roll + shipping, but it would have likely been a heck of a lot cheaper to buy the coin flatout. Visit your local coin shop(s) and see what they have to offer before you go paying $10-15 shipped for a roll of "unsearched" Wheats from ebay. For that price range you could have just bought a nice VF-EF 1915D. Just MHO on this matter.  Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Quote:Bad Thad, you are probably correct. But you never know where a "treasure" might be found. I remember years ago, I would occasionally go to a "Storage Yard Auction" and just buy sealed boxes at the auction. Most of the time, the boxes were filled with junk like a lamp shade, shoeshine kits, pictures and shelf dust collectors. But this one time, I bought 4 boxes at $20.00 each. Opened box one, JUNK. Opened box two, JUNK. Opened box three, hmm, a jewelry box! A trip to our jeweler and we had over $10,000.00 worth of jewelry. We could buy 1,000 boxes like that and never find jewelry, but all you need is that one time! ebay is a place for shisters, no doubt. But I think an estate that is being liquidated with hundreds of rolls of coins might have a hidden treasure or two. If not, no big deal. I have lost thousands more on Stocks and Real Estate than I will on a $10 roll of wheaties. Nope, never been burned by "unsearched" Wheats on ebay. I buy mine from a local dealer that takes in this stuff everyday....and I don't have to pay shipping. I can also take back what I don't want and he'll buy them back from me for about half what I paid. I'm more than willing to pay that "cherry pickers" fee. You're right, a live auction of an estate could potentially yield a batch worthwhile. Obviously, nobody in the family cared about coins or they wouldn't be on the block. However, that doens't mean they haven't been searched. Whoever collected them from the start likely looked them over before tossing them into a container. Also, the other 1 million people that had them before that person probably looked at them too. |
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
You are lucky. The local dealer in my area (Seattle) said he doesn't really get bags/rolls of wheats. He even seemed to busy to really discuss it much which is understandable. I guess there is better mark up with different coins of higher grades.
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
BadThad, you are absolutely correct from a "dollars and cents" stand point. It would be much better to go buy a decent coin from a dealer or show to fill that empty hole. But you are missing what I call the "Christmas Aspect" or the "Forrest Gump" aspect. It's like opening a present or box of chocolates, you NEVER know what your going to get! On Christmas, before that box is opened, the anticipation is so worth it. Maybe it will be a tie that hangs in your closet for the next 10 years before it goes to Goodwill OR maybe it will be that new cordless power drill you always wanted! A roll of Wheat Pennies - $1.50 ebay price of said roll - $10.00 Anticipation before opening it - Priceless |
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Replies: 30 / Views: 1,987 |
Posted 12/08/2008 12:06 pm
