How long does a pocket piece take to wear down to PO01?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Omegaraptor, Feb 29, 2016.

  1. serafino

    serafino Well-Known Member

    I'm sure Richards has had pleanty of both, with all the groupies that flocked to the band. :)
     
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  3. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    I disagree. There's absolutely nothing wrong with carrying a coin around until it naturally wears down. It can even be a valid method of conservation. I don't think there are very many AG03-FR02 coins being purposely worn down to create PO-01 CAC coins, either.
     
  4. Cascade

    Cascade CAC Grader, Founding Member

    Cool story. And if the reverse matches the obverse that's a p01 all day long
     
  5. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    From what I've read around the 'Net, a fair amount of the PCGS Ike Lowball Registry is happening this way, and they're not starting with AG/FR coins. They're mechanically destroying higher-grade coins and then pocket-piecing them (agreed, a valid conservation process) to create a Lowball. Not that I care a whit about the Registry; it just cheapens the process.

    Then again, that kinda points out the essential inanity of Lowballing anyway. :)
     
  6. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator


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  7. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    The Morgan posted is a good example to answer the OP's question, it took a couple of decades for the coin to get that way.

    Now I never carried silver coins as pocket pieces but I did carry gold coins for many years. The one below, it took over 7 years to reach this state of wear. And it was carried every day at all times, in a pocket with at least 4 quarters and often other change but always at least the 4 quarters, and a pocket knife. And to say I was an active person would be a gross understatement ! And this coin was also used as my "flippin coin" - every time there was a coin flip, (and I made sure there were a lot ! ) this is the coin that was flipped. And it was often allowed to land on the floor, the ground, the road, the sidewalk, whatever.

    I'm describing all of this so you'll know what the coin underwent for 7+ years.

    AGE.jpg AGE rev.jpg


    Given that, I'd say that 2 decades plus for the Morgan sounds about right.
     
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  8. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    You are a brave man always publically and consipicuously carrying around an ounce of gold in your pocket.
     
  9. Cascade

    Cascade CAC Grader, Founding Member

    Why not? Especially when he started it gold was at what around $400oz. Heck, if I had a raw 1oz eagle I might do it but I won't buy one just to do it.

    I was a boy scout so I always like being prepared and an ounce of gold can get one out of very sticky situation if need be ;)
     
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  10. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    Possibly true, but I can't think of a situation offhand where an ounce of gold will get you much farther than a few grams of paper and plastic. I don't think I've ever been in a scenario where I absolutely needed to access more than $100 in cash immediately, on the spot. If you've got any time whatsoever to prepare, plastic seems to beat gold hands down.

    Also, even $400 is still kind of a lot of money. It's way more than I would ever carry on a routine basis.
     
  11. ron_c

    ron_c Well-Known Member

    DSC02170a.png
     
  12. anderspud

    anderspud Active Member

    Is Ron's Morgan still legal tender?
     
  13. Cascade

    Cascade CAC Grader, Founding Member

    Yes it is

    Is that an S mint mark I see?
     
  14. ron_c

    ron_c Well-Known Member


    Don't think so, to me.

    DSC02170b.png




    1883 S

    25686110_48865768_maxa.jpg
     
  15. Cascade

    Cascade CAC Grader, Founding Member

    Hmm, yours is a lowball but I'm not sure if it would slab if no mm is available unless they default to P.? I'm a little concerned about the rim dings giving it a details grade too if they did slab it as an 83p p01. Maybe @SuperDave can shed some light on mint marks in regards to lowballs. I'm thinking they would default to P because who's to say it's not a P even.if it was an S or O too worn to see.
     
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  16. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    It only slabs if they can conclusively determine year and mint. That doesn't necessarily require them to be visible with some Morgans; Ash Harrison has a basal-state Hot Lips where there's no chance at all of seeing either....
     
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  17. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    One problem with creating a lowball is that a freshly worn 160 year old silver coin will not look like one that was naturally worn down to Pr-1 over 100 years ago. It will probably have a "cleaned" look to it that would make it hard to get into a problem free holder.
     
  18. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    In a lot of ways it is both the fatal flaw and the beauty of lowballs. The premiums can only run up so much before making them becomes popular which will push them right back down again which should keep there cost in the sweet spot for quite a while of just valuable enough to catch attention.
     
  19. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Evidently you don't live out in the country. Cash is king a lot of places I go and often buying coins too. People love $100 bills in stacks that they don't have to report to their greedy uncle. And you can often get better deals for cash. Myself $400 in my wallet means I need to get some more cash. But my checkbook is how i do the bulk of my business
     
  20. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    There have been many who have called me brave, but few for that reason. And I will admit, there have been more than few who have called me crazy too :) And that was not the first coin, it had several predecessors.

    Actually the price was just over $300, but the point is still the same.

    While I never carried the gold coins with the intention of "spending" them, those predecessors I mentioned, each of them was spent, (at a coin show when I had already spent all my cash and found yet another coin I just had to have :smug: ). Which is what necessitated my buying another to replace them. That particular one though, it was sold to a member of this forum who wanted it because it was mine. And because it had cost him a rather expensive dinner when I flipped that coin to see who paid the check - and he lost :)

    And while I understand your point about $400 being a lot of money, it was my habit to never leave the house without at least $1,000 in my pocket, and that doesn't count the gold coin.

    But a gold coin wasn't the only thing I carried either, still isn't ;)
     
  21. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    There's a man after mine own heart. :)
     
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