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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,115 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
I have many times wondered about this, and have probably collected with this in mind. I never seem to think of bringing it up for conversation, so here is something to chew on. I mainly study and collect Jefferson nickels. Like other coinage, strike quality differs from year and mint. I'm talking about strike quality, eye appeal and of course, full steps on the reverse. I know it is highly unusual to find a 1969-D nickel with any steps and detail on the reverse. There are maybe 10 or 20 others that are scarce to find well struck. 52-S 53-S etc. So I am wondering, has anyone else put aside nice well struck AU or even XF coins with unusually well struck details and maybe got excited about it? Sometimes I think it is even more difficult to find lightly circulated well struck coins than it is to buy a common UNC. I predict someday there will be a pricing standard for some of the coins in AU MS60 MS63 etc with Full Steps too. OK, so maybe you don't care for nickels like I do, I can appreciate that, but what about a nice AU 1945 dime with Full split bands? Or how about a 1953 S Franklin in AU with full bell lines? Which would you really rather have? Follow my thinking?  Although I collect for fun and can spot a nice coin when I see one, it does not have to be GEM BU to be an exceptional coin. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
This is absolutely fact for all coin series IMO. There's many cases where a technically lesser grade coin has better strike and detail than higher grade ones. It all mostly down to the die state (and a some strike). It's something we all live with.
Which would I rather have? BOTH I decided a couple of months ago to collect whatever I find attractive, regardless of grade (thanks to Metalman). It's advantage I have using binders and 2x2 sheets over an album. I can have multiples of the various years/mints displayed.....problem solved. To be honest, this is a GREAT stress relief for me, lol. In the past I've toiled for days looking at two coins and trying to decide which one to put in my main collection....NO MORE....I put them ALL in there.
For me there's nothing more difficult than having two super high grade Lincolns (same year/date) and trying to decide which one to "keep". Many times it's come down to color, both being equivalent in grade. Now I regret selling a lot of coins for this reason. I should have kept them and just moved everything down a slot....oh well. One of my current goals is to have a complete page of the 1922D series in most all grades. I've even thought of a very extreme goal...one coin for each year/mint in ALL grades, from G to MS, 7 of each!
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
10284 Posts |
Thad, thanks for even reading my post, let alone taking the time to comment. I thought for awhile there I was posting a dumb topic. Actually, I think it would be neat to have the best example of a G VG F VF etc of each date. It would be a good grading exercise too. I'm like you now too. I save all the coins that I just never tire of looking at over and over even if I have a few of the same. Quote:
Now I regret selling a lot of coins for this reason. Don't remind me of the 30 rolls of Lincolns I saved in tubes that had wood-grain golden purple and amazing strikes stored away. I was afraid eventually they would spot up on me so I sold the whole box full at a local coin club auction and got a hair over face. It took me years to put that hoard together. Now I wish I had them back. Ughhhh Can't cry over spilt milk .... waaaaaaaaaaa |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2734 Posts |
Quote:
wheezydog: "what about a nice AU 1945 dime with Full split bands?" I have one of those.  Full split bands for three bucks!  Also an AU 1942-D Full split bands that cost me a whopping four bucks! Yes, fully defined end-to-end lines on all three bands... I could only wish that my AU-58 1916-S Merc was struck like that....  (and that was no "$3"/"$4" coin!) A 1969-D AU Nickel with full steps would be an incredible find! Edited by DNA
12/18/2008 11:32 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
581 Posts |
More often than not, an AU-55 or AU-58 is way more attractive than an MS-60 or MS-61. Period.
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Valued Member
United States
164 Posts |
If you read the ANA grading standards for AU and for MS 60, you will conclude that the AU is a far more attractive coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2270 Posts |
A lot depends on the series you're talking about. In many series nice well-struck coins are the norm. Even in these series though there might be specific details like rivets on the shields or obverse stars that don't show up on most specimens and some will desire coins with them. But some coins like 1966 quarters or '69-D nickels just come horribly made from poor dies. In some cases ('69-D nickels) there is no shortage of uncirculated poorly made coins but finding nice attractive specimens in any grade is tough.
Over time I think you'll see this in most of the modern series that collectors will pass on the typical and the poorly made. There's plenty of this around and really what's the difference between missing detail caused by wear or bad strikes.
Collectors have always sought the unusual and the rare; they've always sought quality. With many coins this really means XF and AU coins will be much more desirable than MS-60 or even MS-64 in some cases.
Time don't fly, it bounds and leaps.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
830 Posts |
I'll "keep" the best strike, regardless of technical grade. Strike really adds to eye appeal, in my opinion. And I REALLY love AU-58s ... when I can get 'em |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2734 Posts |
Quote:
Kabiye_Lady: More often than not, an AU-55 or AU-58 is way more attractive than an MS-60 or MS-61. "MS-60" allows for a lot of bag marks, especially on Morgans! That's why I buy AU-58 Morgan/Peace Dollars. They left the banks as higher MS coins back in the day, and never hung around in a canvas bag for decades with all their MS-60 buddies....  I've been buying fresh business strike Hawaii Quarters from the Denver Mint to practice my "MS" grading skills. The MS 60-61 'culls' that I end up spending are definitely lacking 'eye appeal'! A couple were so bad that they looked like VF coins that had circulated for years (but for the lack of wear on the high points).  I should send stuff like that to a TPGS (some horrid ' Struck Through Grease' MS-60 with no wear, but no eye appeal) and test their "MS" mettle.... |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1121 Posts |
 with all replies. Strike is always #1 on my list even if it has been circulated. Good points on knowing strikes for different coins, years, mints, and dies. With a general understanding what a good strike for that particular coin is, I can decide if I want to put it into a 2x2 and stuff it in a folder like Thad was saying. Good luck with that 22D page btw...I def want to see pics so I can drool over them  |
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Valued Member
United States
317 Posts |
I have to say that in many cases an nice AU or even an XF is far more appealing than and MS-60 or 61. My best example I can think of is my XF 1933-S Walker half. I don't even really collect Walkers, but this coin just caught my eye, and I had to get it. It's one of my favorite pieces, to this day. And it really looks a lot better and has a much better strike than many lower grade MS walkers I've seen.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
I was just reading today that Bowers discarded an MS Lincoln in exchange for an AU coin with finer details.....pretty interesting.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5953 Posts |
All I can say is Know what you mean about the Jeffersons I try to go for strike first grade second. The same also applies to 2 Cent coins to a lesser extent. I know I am going to have a hard time offloading some of my higher grade jeffersons simply due to the poor strike. The uneducated are going to see them as XF coins.......
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,115 |
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Posted 12/18/2008 11:05 pm
