Post a seriously damaged coin that you still like

Ok. Last time. Please don't misconstrue my tone here as I am genuinely trying to say this politely and am honestly not trying to be sarcastic in any way: You are addressing a point I have not asked.

I absolutely, 100% understand and already understood many years ago that error coins with marks on them occurring during the mint process - including faults in the making of the metal sheets - are not considered "damaged" by numistatists or the TPGs.

However, despite that, there still is physical damage to the planchet. If a coin die somehow skids and leaves a scratch on a struck dime, that scratch is etched into the coin. The planchet now has scratch marks and is "physically" damaged. Error collectors like myself make the exception that because it occurred during minting, numismatically speaking it is not "damaged." We consider "damage" to be done after it was minted - left outside in salt water for 2 years, run over by a lawnmower, left in a pvc holder, etc.

The point I am making is that some error collectors are so picky, that even some physical damage done during minting to a genuine Mint error is unacceptable to them. For example, the manganese outler I posted above has some physical damage: it is slightly bent a bit has a couple scratches. But numismatically speaking, it is not "damaged."

So, some people might say, "I don't care if it isn't PMD; I don't want a coin that looks like that." If you wanted one of those but it looked like that, would its physical condition turn you away despite knowing it isn't PMD?

That's all I was saying and asking.

 

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I understand your opinion.. but I don't agree with it. I am a collector of Mint Errors for almost 32 years now and I really don't make a big deal if it has some kind of damage. As you know Details Grade does not matter to me and I know to others as well. All Mint Errors are fascinating and unique. Give me the Clips, Laminations, Die Breaks, Wheel marks, Misaligned Dies and whatever they may be... AS LONG AS THE LABEL STATES MINT ERROR IT IS A MARVELOUS COIN!
I am not and never will be picky!

Peace

 

What exactly don't you agree with? That some are picky? And I was asking someone else's opinion, not giving my own. Also, I wasn't talking about "Details" grades. And obviously the condition of the manganese layer didn't bother me because I bought it. It would bother some people, but not me.

Am I really coming off as not being clear on these threads lately? I feel like the guy in a Twilight Zone episode who woke up and someone scrambled all the meanings in English where "hello, how are you" suddenly meant "crayons squid peanut butter."

 

I have a lot of damaged coins that don't mean much to me, either because I found them or come in a lot I purchased. However, this quarter will always be a part of my collection:



I found this seated quarter in my backyard when I was eight. It was back behind the chicken coop on the old farm I grew up on in rural Kansas. It may be scratched to heck, but it is the coin that started this whole journey for me, and I wouldn't trade it for a double eagle. (As if I could anyway)

Well then why are you even on this thread? The title is pretty obvious that it's for people who have damaged coins they still like. With as many collectors as there is, people will have all kinds of different tastes in coins-even ruined ones. I think it's pretty pretentious to come here and say other people's coins are worthless. They definitely aren't worth a lot in sense of dollars and cents, but if a collector feels better for owning one, who are you to judge? The graffiti and post stamps on older US Coins are signs of 150+ years of use, and have as much historical importance as the coin itself.

You are welcome to your opinion, I just don't see the reason why you had to come here and shout it out.

 

I'd just like to say that if I come across anything silver as we all do on occasion with our pocket change that I save it.

It could be argued that I am collecting it as I have removed it from circulation for personal reasons. Even if that reason is only for melt value due to heavy damage/wear.

I'll admit that i find some coins with moderate wear/damage to have a certain charm that may interest me enough to add them to a separate "collection" but I do so knowing full well their value to any but myself.

It's not always about what is valuable to everyone with a lot of collectors. Some simply collect what they enjoy dispite the value.

 

Anything sentimental trumps anything anyone else says about it. We all have something from someone who touched our lives, including those who have left this Earth. They serve to help keep memories alive as no one ever wants to be forgotten.

As far as collecting damaged coins, it is not my thing. At some point someone else is going to have my collection. They may love coins, even error coins, but they might not and may even want to sell them. The problem is that damaged coins do not sell well. I go to shows a lot and see the same damaged coins month after month no one wants, even if they slash prices.

We all like what we like. We don't owe anyone an explanation. Lots of neat momentos and stories on this thread.

 

@Sallent ...here's a test cut for you...

 

Sweet, your Athenian Tet is the archaic type from the golden age of Athenian democracy. Someone who knew or heard Aristotle or Pericles speak would have without a doubt held that coin in their hands, especially when one considers the relatively small population of Athens in antiquity.

You've inspired me.to share another Greek. This otherwise stunning hemidrachm from Thrace has a B grafitty on the reverse. It is very light, but it's there.

Could be from antiquity, or it could be a Renaissance era collector who decided to mark his collection (a common practice amongst coin collectors in the 16th through 18th centuries). Terrifying, I know, but that's just one of the many things collectors did centuries ago that would make us cringe today.

 

Love it and it didn't cost me a devil of a lot.......

 

I love the engraved names on this. The coin is in XF-AU territory, meaning it never circulated much, if at all, and was solely a memento piece of some kind.

I like to think that a fella named Henry, fresh out of serving in a Civil War militia, used this coin as a "notch on the bedpost," engraving the initials of Heather, Janice and Irene on the coin after his conquests...
He then passed it on to his brother, or his friend (Bertram), who conquered Amy.

Finally, it was passed to a third guy (James) who weakly marked Beatrice onto the coin.

 

Well said indeed. Coin collectors collect every type of coin imaginable, and everyone's preference should be respected as much as anyone else's.

For me, an unemployed 23-year old, problem coins are great because they're the only thing I can afford!

 

AMEN!

 

Would you collect a coin with adjustment marks on it?

Would you collect a coin that was illegally made in the mint? I don't consider them coins - they were never struck or issued by the mint, even though they were struck there. So, the 1913 'V' nickel isn't really a coin, nor are the Type II or Type III 1804 Silver Dollars. These should be confiscated and destroyed by the Treasury Dept. more so than the 1933 $20 St-Gaudens coins.

 

That is about all I purchased when I first started collecting. As a kid, I just liked old coins, so a scratched 2 cent piece was worth as much to me as a decent one, and was much cheaper. I can't really do that anymore-my tastes have been refined some-but if someone just likes to have some old coins they can carry around that are already damaged, more power to them.

One lot I bought a while back came with some dateless Coronet head large cents. My brother does reenacting as an 1840's US dragoon at a nearby fort, so I gave him them to carry around and show kids.

 

Here is a coin that my Mother received as a child from her Uncle. It was the prize of her collection (even in the 20's) and is now my favorite in 2018.

 

Jefferson nickel, Lincoln cent, double denomination Vice job with a large die break on the reverse. I like this coin because of the research that it led me into and lessons it taught me.

 

I put this coin away many years ago and let PVC take hold. My fault. I thought the auction holder was safe. It's going to stay in my collection. It would cost me over $2000 to replace it.

 

I gave a few dollars for this. It's age and history got the better of me.

 

Just an 1803 half cent that I picked up for a nice low price. I like the wear and the damage, it shows a coin that has some history behind it.

 

Was just going through some cull dollars I have and ran across this one. Somebody loves Mom and dad.