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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,312 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1081 Posts |
There's something very appealing about a coin that is low in actual grade - I think this one is a G4 - but problem free and aesthetically appealing. The challenge was described to me thus: "at any grade there are coins that are at the top and others that are at the bottom". This one isn't quite problem free, the queen has a bit of a knife wound in her neck and I think there's a little rim damage at around 5 o'clock on the reverse. Still, interesting starting point if anyone is interested.   |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
The problems indicated not really relevant in comparison to the amount of wear that this coin has sustained.
G04 about right.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2953 Posts |
Me, I find lowballs really interesting, and some folk try to find complete sets of a coin series in the lowest grade possible, and that can be downright tough to do since some coins are nearly impossible to find in the lowest grades.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
1081 Posts |
@mrwhatisit - agreed. It's a new thing for me and I'm not totally sure that it's a rabbit hole I want to go down. But it's definitely food for thought. For that matter, some of the rarest coins I have are low-balls. I have an 1873H NFLD 5c that's about a G6. Once you get much about F12, that coin is going to be many thousands of dollars...not the sort of purchase most of us are in a position to make every day.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19138 Posts |
A set of lowballs can be very appealing--honest circulation wear, not over-the-top damage.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2495 Posts |
I'll put my 2 cents in and maybe stir the pot a bit.
I have never found collecting these 'low ball' sets appealling.
Worn, most often ugly coins are not for me.
Maybe because I grew up in the 1960's and fair to good Edwards and a very few times Victorian coinage was sometimes found in your change and never appealled to me.
That's just me though and I certainly respect others who find the 'hunt' for low balls interesting and addicting.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1081 Posts |
@doubleeagle59 - a chacun son gout as they say. And my own collection is, in all cases, as high grade as I can afford and I do upgrade when the opportunity comes along. So I know what you mean.
But the interesting thing to me, is that even at a lower grade, there is a distribution of what's attractive and what's truly ugly. A G4 with hairlines is not as good as an G4 without... A G4 with attractive toning is... wash, rinse and repeat.
It's just a different way to think about it. If I was talking to a 13 year old who was just getting started I would say focus on the problem-free key dates in an area you're interested in and at whatever grade you can afford. You can definitely be able to sell a G4 version of an 1873H NFLD 5c down the road. And you can hone your coin-spotting skills to a high degree of sophistication by trying to distinguish the keepers from the melts at low grades.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
878 Posts |
For me, it depends on the coin. The Gothic Florin is harder for me to add to my collection in worn condition because the portrait loses so much of its aesthetic power in low grades. The raised areas of the braid are right in the center and are often worn down so it detracts from the appreciation of the coin. But for many other coins, I'm with you!   |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1081 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5177 Posts |
Gorgeous gothic florin. Even though British, it does seem to have a Scandinavian flair.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
617 Posts |
I think any coin with a readable date, or even barely readable, is better than no coin with that particular date. At least until something better comes along.
That being said, I agree that there is a sort of charm with a well worn coin.
Any coin that has bounced around in pockets and cash registers for a hundred years, or more, and still has some life is worth keeping.
Just my opinion.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
It must be remembered that when the Gothic Florin was introduced in 1849, the Half Crown was intended to be replaced by the Florin, and thus the Half crown was not issued into circulation for a period of 14 years.
The upshot of this is that the Gothic Florin saw very heavy circulation and so examples in VF (British grading) or better are quite scarce today.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,312 |
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Posted 04/30/2022 05:44 am
