Im currently stuck on a making a choice on getting 2 dream coins ive always wanted for my collection since my childhood. Ive gotten some early x-mas money to play with & I found 1 trade dollar & 1 .20c piece. I was hoping to get some expert advise on them both. They are obviously from Ebay, seller howardsdirect, whom ive bought from several times before & have been pleased. The trade dollar is said to be all original while the .20c looks like it was cleaned at one time. I already asked if the trade is really genuine & he replied with a yes. My budget is about $160 & both are below that each. Im not fussy when it comes to mid grade coins. Im not into slabbing either. Thanks for any help.
The 20-cent coin is cleaned, and I wouldn't want it. I've never purchased a raw trade dollar, and I wouldn't do that either, as I am not knowledgeable about that series. My advice: Keep looking.
Lots of people say lots of things. That don't make it so. It's hard to say from that scan, but that T$1 sure does look cleaned to me. Impossible to say if it's genuine. That's true. Tons of counterfeit raw T$1s. I wouldn't trust it.
Sort of what your future plans are with your coins. For me I'm old and don't really care about the future of my coins so if cleaned, so what. I've purchased many cleaned coins and placed them on a kitchen window sill for months and they tone down enough for me. I like coins to complete a collection and since I never worry about selling them, makes no difference if cleaned or not. Of course there are limits to that statement. A coin that looks like someone used an auto wax on them makes me slow down on that purchase. I'm not a trade dollar person so my suggestion is to get the 20 Cent piece and enjoy it for what it is, a coin. Glad to see your not a slab person too. I have no coins in slabs and when purchased, they come out first thing when I get home.
My thinking of coins falls into "Just Carl's".I have a few cleaned coins that I am not to fussy about. Ive wanted both for so long. I know many hate using ebay but I have had no problems with it and thats with about 20+ coins bought over the past few months. If both suck, then whats a good place online to get a trade dollar, .20c for around $160? I dont want heavy chop marks or holes either. Ive had good experience with this ebay dealer alone & thats why I believe the trade isnt counterfeit. Paying $300 or more cant happen
Finding a cleaned $0.20 is a piece of cake. Finding an original and circulated trade dollar is not easy at all. Of the two, I would choose the trade dollar (presuming it is as described).
Being a trade dollar collector, I'm biased. The photos don't give me a lot of information, but from what I see I think it is probably authentic.A nice 1873-P is a good type coin, first year of issue, and much harder to find than the 1878-s, which is everywhere. Can't say much about surfaces. Be sure you can return it unconditionally if you aren't happy with it. I would stay away from that double dime, personally, it looks rather hairlined in the images. I just can't get past the design, which makes Liberty's head in profile look like a gopher. Personal taste, no offense to those who love the 20 cent design, I have one for type purposes.
