I recently came into possession of this quarter. First, is this genuine? Second, would it grade straight? I am thinking F2 or AG3. Thanks!
If it is genuine, you have yourself something. I think it is in the AG3 range and you will need to get it certified.
Yes it’s real and Yes it’s worn to a AG-3 I’d say as the date and mink mark are easily readable. And yes, you should have it graded as only 72,664 were minted. It’s worth a few thousand plus in that condition so definitely worth the grading fees. Nice find!
I paid $1,950 for it. I was pretty sure it was real, but... these days you never know. I am in the mind of selling it, even though I am sore tempted to keep it for the price I paid. I hear people like PCGS best for selling coins. I have never sent a coin in for grading. What is recommended? I also heard that PCGS requires a dealer while with ANACS I can send it in myself. Is that true?
Authenticating the 1901-S Barber Quarter http://barbercoins.org/BQ1901S.shtml It appears to be die pair B. ANACS goes to tons of small coin shows where you could submit in person; check if there's one near you. They're also fairly cheap and simple. I think it straight grades and AG3. Authentication is the important thing so I don't see why anyone would pay more just for a PCGS slab, but people do buy into that marketing stuff.
How could something so scarce be so circulated? I always wonder when I see examples like this. I just how long before it was pulled from circulation.
Same reason most all the 16-D dimes you see are in the AG-G range.... Folks had to use their cash back then.
In the early 1900’s it wasn’t scarce, just another coin needed for living. Not as many collectors back then either. Judging by the wear on this coin, I’d say it circulated through the depression. As the economy improved and Washington Quarters were minted for circulation someone noticed it and pulled it for their collection.
I've wondered the same thing. As mentioned, the 1916 D Mercury dime is also almost aways graded in AG3. I would love to know more about the story behind this quarter.
This specific coin or in general? Blurbs in general can be found here https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-explor...uarters-1892-1916/15630/1901-s-25c-ms/?des=ms and here https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1901-s-25c/5630. You might also be interested in this older thread on CT https://www.cointalk.com/threads/1901-s-25c-another-quiz.384029/ where @Jack D. Young and I each published articles about PCGS authenticating a fake that was created by sandwiching two different coins together. On yours, the obverse (type 2) appears to be correct for 1901, but the reverse is too worn to determine the type.
Thank you, but I mean the story behind this quarter in particular. I bought it from someone who claimed it was in his grandfather's collection (true or not, I don't know). I love the history behind coins and thinking about where they have been. Not necessarily the history of the design, although I find that also interesting.
I love this post. This is EXACTLY the reason I was drawn to coins when I was a kid and still holds true for me today. I could give two hoots about CAC stickers or what a TPG says my grade is…. Holding an old coin opens a storybook in my head….. I hope you never lose that feeling. It brings a lot more satisfaction than claiming top pops and the like.
"Grandfather's collection" is often used by scammers but that's because it's often a real story. In this case, since the coin looks legit, it seems true, because why lie about it? But the history is lost from there. According to PCGS, people weren't collecting by mint mark until later, so perhaps the seller's grandfather plucked it from circulation after interest in mint marks developed and it became known that the 1901-S was scarce. Or the grandfather was filling an album and this example was all he could afford. It's fun to speculate. Perhaps this quarter was in someone's pocket during the 1906 earthquake!
Well most people aren't collectors so they would have no reason to pull it, and collecting by data and mintmark didn't become popular until the 1930's with the introduction of the coin boards. Until Augustus Heaton published his booklet on mintmarks in 1893 many collectors didn't even know what date and mintmarks existed.
