So, here's a little different one for anyone interested in a challenge: I recently cherrypicked this coin (a 1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar in a PCGS Gold Shield MS67 slab) with the variety unattributed. This is the PCGS TrueView image from the cert verification page: According to the PCGS CoinFacts page for the 1942 DDR, there is one graded higher (MS67+, and it's a beauty) and one other graded MS67. According to NGC Census, there is only one MS67. So that makes my coin tied for 2nd place with two other coins behind one MS67+. According to the PCGS Price Guide, an MS67 DDR should sell for $1,500 (normal coin: $500.) The 1942 DDR is not listed in NGC's online US coin price guide. However, the auction record for the variety wasn't for one of those MS67 or 67+ - in 2017 a PCGS MS66+ sold for $3,120 through Stacks Bowers (PCGS Price Guide: $750 meaning it sold for over 4x Guide). I can't find any records of either MS67 selling, nor for the MS67+. EDIT: The MS67+ just sold for $10,800 through Stacks Bowers. So, now we have a ceiling. Now, the toning on my coin isn't a highly desirable rainbow, true. But IMO it's more attractive than that MS66+ (with the big dark spot on the obverse.) So, the key question I have is this: what is THIS coin worth? If we go by the same ratio as the MS66+, it should be worth over $6k. But that MS66+ sold almost two years ago. And that person already has that variety in their registry set. Are there others wanting to move up who would fight over this particular coin to add it to their sets? Or will the revelation of a new MS67 lower the bar since there is a new coin to add to the mix? Or, as one of 4 at 67 or higher, will that not really matter? What are your thoughts? I'm interested to hear what people think. Thanks!
Sell it! Sell it! Sell it! If someone beats you to it and sells their 67 before you, then another buyer might not come along for a while...maybe never! Chris
Haha...I AM going to sell it (probably...although I do kind of like it) but I'm trying to figure out what it's worth first. Otherwise it's just "make up a number that sounds unreasonable and throw it on eBay to see if someone bites" time (which has worked before.) But knowing you...I can't quite tell if you're being completely sarcastic or just partially sarcastic.
Nice coin and heck of a cherrypick. I suggest getting the variety added to the slab and maybe sending it to CAC. Both might be worth the change to maximize your return. Looking forward to what others have to say.
I'd say I agree with your recommendation. Sure, it will take time and a bit of money, but I think it would most likely be worth it in the end. Of course, I'm not a PCGS member nor have I ever submitted to CAC...but I'm pretty sure I could find a buddy to help me piggyback.
For the two people paying attention to this thread, the MS67+ just sold at Stacks Bowers for $10,800. So now we have a ceiling.
For anyone interested in an update, PCGS (after a few emails) finally updated their Price Guide for this variety... (screenshot from 9:07 pm March 5, 2020) ...and then changed it back: (screenshot from 11:15 pm on March 5, 2020) No idea what's going on with their site, and I hope they change it back...but it seems my initial guess of around $6,000 was pretty spot on (or maybe they just did the same math I did and came up with the same number.)