Buy raw and get 'em graded, or buy graded???

Bags of BU Morgans for $45 each from APMEX, seem like an ok deal. That's at least $10 less for each, compared to the lowest price slabbed MS62 or MS63. I see nothing wrong with trying sources like that and just keeping them raw.

 

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All fantastic info gents...and this is why us young whippersnappers ask!!! I will stick to graded and slabbed, as the few "BU" coins I have purchased from E-biscuits (Ebay) obviously do not hold an candle to the MS-63 I purchased when put side by side. It just sucks that there are so many crooked sellers preying on newer buyers. I am an avid gun owner and the same happens in that community too. I Guess it is just human nature, or at least the shadier side of human nature...People suck.

 

Like ToughCOINS said in your investment topic, if they are readily available slabbed in MS62/MS63, blast white and for slightly over spot, there is really nothing else left to discuss here. BUY THOSE!

http://www.cointalk.com/threads/joined-for-the-skinny-on-investing-in-slabbed-morgans.247034/page-2

 

You can find cheap raw Morgan's on eBay. A lot of sellers are either just really lazy, and or don't know how to take a decent photo of a coin. I've managed to pick MS62-63 Morgan's for AU money. With that said, if your going for collection, your probably not shooting for lots of low end coins. I doubt you could snag many true gems for cheap. I've heard before, and it's probably true that most coins that should be slabbed already have been.

 

If you generally know what you are looking at and generally can grade well then you can do very well buying raw Morgan dollars and getting them graded. However, the difference in value for some of the dates might not be worth the expense or risk for this strategy. Good luck.

 

Learn the series first before dabbling in the raw Morgan market. There are so many counterfeits (good enough examples that they would fool a new collector) and cleaned coins that it is best starting with a few slabbed coins, and spending time learning to grade, and recognize a genuine coin. The raw Morgan market is tough in finding quality coins---there is no shortage of them, but there are so many bad deals out there; it takes experience to discern which are good, and which aren't.

 

I'm gonna stick to slabbed coins with the eye appeal I like. That is a safe bet I think. Then I know I am getting exactly what I wanted and what

I see so much deception on Ebay. It's insane how many people are selling "GEM/BU" coins that are cleaned or low AU at best. I am not new to coins or Morgans, just new to having enough scratch to start buying slabbed MS Morgans. Still whats really throwing me off is all of the "DMPL" coins I see on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161315131467?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
How has this coin never been slabbed before? If it is what they say it is, wouldn't this be a nice coin to buy and have slabbed? Or is this a really good fake??

 

I think it would come back as a MS-62 ish coin with no PL , let alone DMPL. These are defined by the reflected image distance, and this seller has basically no distance. The regular photos show little luster and a lot of dings. It has been price-pimped by the one bidder with 3 transactions or it might be close to value, being a cc. I suspect that bidder is only looking at some price list with 83CC-DMPL and not knowing what it means.

Sometimes the deception is not intentional, but just ignorance of grading and appearance. If a coin belongs to you it is worth + 30%, if you are buying , it is worth -30% ( in general of course)

Buy a good grading book and study, and then you have the advantage.

My son has finally realized, he will inherit the collection and he doesn't want to get taken advantage of, so he asked for this book on grading, which I tried to talk him out of at first, but finally ordered it to keep up his interest, and I am amazed at how good he has become with these series. It is different from how I learned ( had black and white real photos), but it was perfect for him. He used it with real examples, so it was much easier. He asks opinions, but soon I will have to ask him ( and I will love that day !!)

http://www.amazon.com/MAKING-GRADE-...&qid=1401478354&sr=1-3&keywords=grading+coins

 

This looks like a really good book and one I've been eyeballing for a while.