As with all things I undertake, searching for knowledge is key (habits pick up from being a police offcier, USAF vet, computer programmer and a teacher) My new coin hobbie (actaully a revived hobbie from when I was kid and filled the blue folder with coins from the 50's) is no different as far as the need to seek out information. What is different is now there is access to the world via the internet and forums just like this one. With that comes a lot of information that someone believes and expresses as fact. Often times there is conflicting "definitions"/"anwsers" to the same question. I used 'PART 1' in the title so those that say "Oh not that guy again." can skip them head of time. First areas are Error coins vs Damage coins and Circulated vs Uncirculated. This will be asked by way of a scenarios/ statements to be refuted/corrected as necessary. 1. Bank wrapped coins may or may not be uncirculated. 2. The Mint does not use generic wrappers for mint rolls. Scenario 1: I purchased a bag of uncirculated coins directly from the US Mint. No middle man or ebay purchase. The coins in that bag are considered uncirculated, even if they look rough from living in the bag. It's not easy distingushing between coins that were damaged at the mint during the die process or just banged up living in the bag. The same is true for purchasing rolls of coins directly from the US Mint. How they are handled before and during the rolling process can damage them. That is considered just plain damage, regardless of the fact it occurred at the MINT. Given these conditions, it is nearly impossible to prove that a coin is uncirculated, unless it is damage free, scratch free, etc. So most of the coins purchased from the US Mint fall into these catagories, therefore claims of "uncirculated" is really only related to the condition and whether it is actually uncirculated. 3. Damage is damage unless it occurs in the actually die stamping of the coin and in some instances damage to a planchet before stamping. OK that is enough for now. Thanks in advance to the 'brave ones' that tackle this post. Tim
Meow thinks uncirculated coins have no wear on them, regardless of any contact marks. Meow collects modern quarters via CRH. And Meow distinguishes AU form BU by the rub marks of the high tendons of Washington's neck. Washington's neck is shiny with several high points on them. If there are abrasions that cause the high tendons to be dull contrasted by the very shiny areas in the lower point of the neck area; Meow considers that to be AU. Meow could be wrong about all of that, but that is how Meow decides what makes it to the Cat hoard or not.
Tim, first you can ask 10 people the exact color of a car and get 10 different answers, and then there is what the car maker calls it. as far as business strike coins, after they leave the press, dumped into huge vats, weigh machines for distribution, you wont find a perfect one, so various opinions on what is undamaged. being in the professions you have, you know that. one person says its undamaged, the other says" well there is a scratch", and then the other person expects you to agree, then you fall into a trap they set. when the coins worth face value anyway. I don't know if that helps. People seem to have this non profit urge to dispute facts. a debate that is a waste of time. the coin was worth face value when the conversation started and nothing has changed. people will have you believe their wild theory. and expect words will change the rarity of a common coin.
So don't be too mindful of statements like "from a Mint Roll" or a "Bank Wrapped roll", only be concerned with actual wear, which is subjective at some level. Chances are better for a better condition coin from a Mint Roll and less from a Bank Wrapped roll. Both phrases seem to create an impression of quality in the minds of the seller and buyer.
Have you ever seen the paint color "Mystic" before? Ford painted some Mustangs in that color about 20 years ago. Now that is a tough color to call.
Meow has found that Mint wrapped rolls are bit better in condition, but only by a little. Mint wrapped and Bank wrapped rolls have coins that still have a lot of contact marks. One would be lucky to find one coin in a roll that might make MS66. Meow is amazed how anyone can find MS67-MS68 business strike coins in the first place.
yea, it does not matter if its from a BU bank roll from Denver, as if they have better rolls, buy the coin, not the chatter. or find it. if that's the ones you collect. you learn a lot of people not to deal with because they over inflate their product for a premium price, witch is normal, but if they don't deliver on their words, its the last time I will trade with them. this is pretty common on ebay. and they know how to take photos to hide the parts they don't want the buyer to see. or they have 10 in stock, and you just happen to get the worst of the bunch every time, that don't match the quality you seen in the photos.
I presume that "Coin Chat" allows responses that refer to other types of coins, including ancient coins (think Julius Caesar or classical Athens). Instead of having to worry about condition (which is all-important in US coins) why not worry about interest? Are the coins you collect actually interesting? Do they have good stories? Here is my FAQ site for beginners: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/numis/ Here is an entertaining CoinTalk thread: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/follow-the-coin-theme-game-ancient-edition-post-‘em-if-you-got-‘em.300099/ Learning about ancient coins from CoinTalk members: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/learning-about-ancient-coins.323737/#post-3192010 What do people collect? https://www.cointalk.com/threads/for-beginners-who-ask-what-should-i-collect.308319/#post-2950249 If you follow any of those threads you will see that if you delve into ancient coins you can enjoy their stories (of the types, not just the question of whether it is mint state or not). Go to the CoinTalk ancient forum: https://www.cointalk.com/forums/ancients/ and we will be glad to help you get started.
True. In general it is with experience. Hit marks/scrapes are different than what would be considered errors. True, if a coin is damaged during handling at the mint it is still just damaged. Define uncirculated, do you mean as the grade or as an actual history. As an actual history once it's out of mint bags/packaging etc you can't really tell but as a grade all that matters is the actual condition of the coin not where it came from
Some mint-sewn bags contain circulated coins in them, so just because it came directly from the mint means nothing. When the New Orleans Mint sent $1,000 bags to the Treasury in D.C., that was what was sent. If they were short, they would gather what was needed from circulation to make the count right. In the 1960s when people were getting bags of dollars from the Treasury, some AUs were in the bag. If an uncirculated coin gets scratched, it is still uncirculated. It might be damaged, but it doesn't have wear, which is what makes a coin circulated.
