Unhappy with a couple coins I bought.

I'm just going to sell these, not gonna bother with a return.

I bought this capped bust half off TT. While it's not the best looking, the pictures gave it some character.



Here is my photo, which is a very close representation of what it looks like in hand.

As you can see it's lifeless. It looks like it soaked a week in dip, then re-toned.


This is a capped dime I bought from Bozarth, it looked really good from the scans.

As you can see there are all kinds of scratches on the shield. I'm really surprised this didn't get the details grade for scratches.

 

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Well I'm going to keep the dime. I looked at it under 10x, and the scratches on the shield is just scratches on the slab, they are fingernail deep. Later on in January I will send it in with another slab that's beat up to get reholdered.

 

I can honestly say that I am not at all surprised by this. Tim, you really need to understand that it is often necessary to read between the lines when buying off an image. With the auction houses, sooner or later you will (should) be able to "read" their images to an extent that you can predict what a coin will truly look like in-hand. If you expect a coin to always look like the image, you will be condemning yourself to regular let downs.

As for the "scratches" on the 10C reverse, have you actually taken the time to closely examine them?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7meU8KZwymQ

 

Glad you noticed that on your own. Even if the scratches are as deep as you say, you may want to try buffing them out before paying to re-holder. This may not remove them all, but may help to a point where the cost of sending in is unnecessary.

True to life?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYDkg_MDQMo

 

I dislike the look of the half, very unnatural... it looks similar to a replica I had (where the "plating" had worn thin, revealing the copper color of the base metal). I agree with Detecto's assessment.

 

I had the same experience recently. There's definitely a learning curve for newbies like me when it comes to discerning a coin's attributes from its pictures. I've already learned quite a few things about what to expect, and what to stay away from.

TT's pic of that bust makes it look pretty good - I think they increased the contrast. I'd send it back. False advertising.

 

I'm not going to slam you about either coin, but must state that the CBH looks like an awful, stripped coin in the TT images so I am not exactly certain what you may have thought you would receive. The scratches in the slab for the dime might be bothersome, but you can get many of these out with some light elbow grease, which would save you the expense of a reholder. A reholder for a coin of this value is a substantial extra investment.

At this point I think it a good idea to mention that auctions carry a very real downside in that you likely did not see this coin in-hand and did not have a reliable dealer or other set of experienced eyes inspect the coin for you. While it might be a challenge to buy via online auctions and you may feel as though you are getting a bargain or a deal when you win a coin for a relatively low price, what can happen is that you may be stuck with the wrong coin and this is an expensive thing to have happen. You would be best served to identify honest and knowledgeable dealers and then pay a small bit extra, if needed, to get pre-screened coins that are nice and that have an easy return policy. This is a lesson that most price-buyers never learn.

 

Do you collect coins or just want cool coins in prettier slabs? You seem more concern about the value and slabs over the coins themselves it seems in most of your posts. Do you actually enjoy this hobby? You seem to worry way too much about, well, everything. Learn to relax and stop buying crap on an impulse, it's going to give you a heart attack at an early age.

 

The best advice you can get is to learn learn learn. Buying coins online from images can be a real challenge and unless you know what you are doing and are confident it might be a better idea to haunt shows when they occur near you.

 

I actually wouldnt mind owning that half based off of either picture. I wouldnt pay an arm and a leg for it, but a coin that old has to be appreciated for EVERYTHING it has going on, and it still looks fine to me after almost 200 years

 

You might have a rare Overton there, but I bet you still haven't bought that book yet, in which case get used to disappointments trying to delve into this extensive series.
Guy

 

Tim, is there any possible way for you to go to a major coin show? I would go there, and if you are really into CBH, look at every one at the show. Nothing beats seeing in person a ton of coins. Yes, you can buy some you know you will like there, but its also an educational experience.

The last time I went to CICF I dropped about a grand, but I really go there for the education, and consider being able to buy some coins also as a bonus.

I simply believe seeing a whole slew of Capped bust material will give you a better understanding of the grades and condition issues you will see. Then you can decide which ones you like and which you don't. From that, I believe you will have better luck with buying from photos. Like a lot of things, learning how to interpret the photos and deducing what the coin will look like in hand is a skilled that must be acquired. Those of us who have seen probably a million coins in person are simply better at it than someone who hasn't.

Chris

 

The thing is, if one buys problem coins, and unattractive coins just because they're inexpensive, you're stuck with coins that other people don't want. This is no surprise, as a good collector needs to learn to cherry pick. Nowhere is that more important than online purchases--to reiterate what other posters said, one must learn to read photographs to get an idea of what the coin would look like in hand. Since I use Photoshop for my business, I know what artificially enhanced coin photos look like, so for me, when I do buy at online auctions, I almost never get a surprise. This is important--learn to recognize doctored photos, and sellers who present coins in unrealistic conditions so as to make them more desirable.

 

I think the half is ok. Not the best looking one but what did you pay for it? Are you planning to go buy one for 500 to 2 grand to get a nice one? The price range of that one is not going to get you the AU or better one you're looking for.

 

You're spending a lot on coins lately, Tim. Have you gotten a job?

 

He seems to have left out that little detail. Maybe his photographing business has taken off like gangbusters?

 

Back when I was a teenager I literally blew whole Saturdays loitering in a friendly coin shop yacking about coins all flipping day long. Saw and handled lots of stuff, worth much more than I could have possibly afforded at that time in my life - my pursuit of the hobby must have been evident to the dealers willing to put up with me. Years later I could put that knowledge to the test after I had a good decent paying job with a major blue chip company. Sure I made an occasional mistake, but used the life lesson to my benefit - once bitten twice shy!

You CANNOT go out and impulsively buy coins or any collectables without knowing what you are doing.