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 Replies: 22 / Views: 2,340 |
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Valued Member
United States
465 Posts |
I just bought my first flowing hair dollar which is in fine condition but has been cleaned. Overall it looks nice (in pics, I haven't received it yet). I noticed I could have bought a VG for about the same price. I prefer the more details of a cleaned coin over less detail of a lowered grade coin but wondered what others would prefer. I know the early dollars are a little unique since such a large percentage of them have been cleaned, holed or repaired compared to Morgan's or Peace dollars. |
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Valued Member
United States
416 Posts |
That is always the battle when buying a valuable old coin, straight graded at full price, or details at a nice discount. For me, a non-harsh older cleaning is not a bad thing, so I'd probably go for the F-details over the VG-straight assuming same price and eye appeal. But some collectors simply reject anything with a details grade out of hand.
Would like to see pics!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
It depends on the extent of the damage. I try and avoid cleaning at all costs, but sometimes a coin can still be attractive with a cleaning. If it was polished then that would be a hard pass.
Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6384 Posts |
I avoid coins in details slabs. For me the price discount doesn't compensate for the knowledge that I would own a "problem" coin which would likely be harder to sell. I nevertheless have some details coins because I failed to notice defects when buying raw pieces.
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Valued Member
United States
416 Posts |
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harder to sell Why do folks always say details coins are harder to sell? That's what the discount is for. You buy it for less, and then you price it lower when you sell it such that it is equally easy to sell as the straight-graded coin. Harder to sell at full price, absolutely, but I don't think anyone is suggesting that. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
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Why do folks always say details coins are harder to sell? In my experience with buying and selling coins, details coins are a lot harder to sell. For example, I had purchased a draped bust half that I took to about ten dealers to sell. The coin had an old cleaning and had two scratches across Miss Liberty, VF Details. Every dealer offered a really low price or outright refused to buy the coin altogether. If the coin was problem free, I would've had a line of people out the door, because really nice coins are hard to come by. Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3645 Posts |
I've gone back and forth on this myself for some of the high-dollar type coins I'm lacking in my set, but at this point I have never bought a details-graded coin. Same thing for net-graded currency. I know that I'd be second-guessing my decision from the start, and I already have enough problems with that when I "settle" for a lower grade than I have on my want list!  Member of SPMC, FCCB, ANA and ANS. My U.S. Classic Commemorative Complete Set: https://www.NGCcoin.com/registry/co...sets/278741/My U.S. Fractional Note Set: https://notes.www.collectors-societ...eSetID=34188 |
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Valued Member
United States
127 Posts |
My feeling is for common coins and even most key dates where problem free examples are available, I will avoid a problem coin. I do have one coin in my collection though. I collect full horn Buffalo nickels and although every coin is available in problem free condition, I could not afford a 1916 DDO in full horn ($15,000 plus). I was able to get one certified by PCGS as environmental damage VF details and a full horn for G/VG money. I know I wouldn't be happy with a problem free lower grade with much less detail, but I love the look of the one I have and as far as resale. I don't see that happening anytime soon. Edited by Tonyqt
04/12/2022 07:51 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
A large portion of my remaining collection amounts to "details" coins; these, having been counterstamped. Interestingly, many of them, mostly at auction, fetch multiples of what a host coin in comaparble condition is worth. The value of these "details" coins lies largely in the history that can be attached to them. One of the most extreme examples of this phenomenon are Bust Half Dollars, stamped by J. MARTINE, a Fayetteville, NC pewtersmith. He was active during the Hard Times era. Four of his counterstamped halves have have realized from $3,500 to $8,000 at auction. Not a bad return for damaged, common date Bust halves, eh what? Edited by ExoGuy
04/12/2022 09:29 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5887 Posts |
For me it really depends on what the coin detailed for. A lot of coins can be detailed and still look really nice, or detailed for something very minor. Another good reason to not pass over detailed coins is to get rarer coins for cheaper prices. I would be proud to be able to say that I own an 1856 Flying Eagle cent in a details slab because at least I have one. Even with a problem or two, it's still an 1856 FEC underneath. IMO, It also really depends on the extremity of the problem on the coin, and sometimes, what details a coin isn't even a problem. For example, I think chop marks add history to coins and I would buy a coin with a chop mark in a details slab for more than a coin without one. -CH27 Collector of U.S. Coins, Varieties, and Colonial Coinage
Edited by CoinHunter27
04/12/2022 12:57 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3755 Posts |
Depends on what the details is for. An old cleaning? Half the time I dont agree with that anyway, and if it looks good, that doesn't bother me. Holed, graffiti, bent etc etc, likely would go for the lower grade.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4469 Posts |
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Why do folks always say details coins are harder to sell? There are more buyers for problem free examples. In 2021 I sold a lot of cleaned, scratched coins. Yes, the problem coins sold, but the buyers wanted a strong discount. The easiest coins to sell were examples with original skin and eye appeal. A lot of buyers and willing to pay a premium. You can loose money selling these if you pay too much when buying. It does not matter if the coin is details or a nice original example with eye appeal, the coin has to be purchased at the right price. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
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I prefer the more details of a cleaned coin over less detail of a lowered grade coin but wondered what others would prefer. Hobbies are for personal enjoyment. Collect according to your own opinions to have the most enjoyment. When it comes to my hobbies, I nicely say, "who CARES what other people think about what I like to collect?" BTW - speaking from experience...proud collector of (mostly worthless) Railroad date nails!  How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2Edited by Earle42
04/12/2022 1:49 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
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Who CARES what other people think about what I like to collect? Earle hit the nail right on the head!!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
I look at rarity (preferably PCGS R-8 or higher) as the primary criterion, followed by grade and cleaning. The best combination at a price I can afford.
I recently picked up a polished R-7.2 1843 Eagle for scrap gold price. It's an excellent pocket piece right now. If I need the money it goes back to scrap. And based on past experience, I'll get more than I paid for it.
In the 1990's I could buy coins like this for $200. Today they're worth $1000. While gold goes up and down, the dollar only goes down. Tomorrow I'll renew a CD at 0.1% interest rate. For the last 30 years gold has had a far better return than my CD's.
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
04/12/2022 2:38 pm
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
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When it comes to my hobbies, I nicely say, "who CARES what other people think about what I like to collect?"   |
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Replies: 22 / Views: 2,340 |
Posted 04/11/2022 10:41 pm
