Problem Coins Worth Grading?

And there are many more who won't buy coins such as those shown if they're raw. Having them authenticated by ANACS (cheapest option) will improve liquidity.

 

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The E in LIBERTY is the wrong shape. Extremely well done, otherwise. I'm wondering if the print on the back was to hide the plug a little more.

 

This was a tuff one I spent a long time trying to figure this one out. It was so well done you can't see any signs of the repair on the reverse. I purchased this coin Last year at an auction. I got it for around $2,000.00. I grade it as a VF25. In the same auction there was another 1795 bust dollar B-14 graded as straight graded VF20. This coin had adjustment marks that were very pronounced. That coin went for $6,300.00. Which coin would you want. A coin the someone took a file to it before striking or the one I have that was skillfully repaired. Just to let you know I absolutely hate adjustment marks on coins. To me adjustment marks are mint made damage. I do not consider them acceptable and would never buy a coin with adjustment marks. To me they are no different than scratches on a coin.

 

The as stuck adjustment mark one. Both coins have value and their place in the market but it won't even being close for what people want and the price shows that

 

the quarter looks like it is struck through, imo

 

You are right it's the T in liberty. I had no problem buying this coin. I would normally avoid a problem coin but this one called to me so I went after it.

 

A previous owner thought this one was worth entombing.

I'm glad they did. It's my first PCGS slabbed coin.

Z

 

Coins over 200 years old are bound to have problems. A coin from 1582 has so much history. I wouldn't have a problem buying it. I have been picking up some older coins my self. Some of these early coins put later coins to shame. The fine detail on many early European coins are amazing.

 

The repair on that 1795 dollar is scary good. The main spot I see is to the left of the last “A” in “AMERICA” on the reverse. The letters in “LIBERTY” are so uniform that they almost defy detection. Usually the repair people distort the repaired letter just enough to make spotting the re-engraving easier to see.

I have read about a repair guy in Kentucky who does great work. I have heard that he is so exacting that he melts really bad older silver coins to recover the metal he uses to make the plugs he uses to fill holes.

So far as most of the other pieces you have listed, the flood of Chinese fakes is the main reason for getting them certified. It the old days, I would have said “No” to all of them.

I don’t that the low grade large cent is worth the grading fee. I don’t know about the market for low grade, better date 19th century quarters to advise you. Are there collectors who really want hole fillers for a better date in a long series? The others, I think, are marginal.

 

Yes there is a guy that does fantastic work. A friend has sent in a 1795 half dime with a hole to be repair. The person has a 6 month backlog so we're hoping it comes out nice. The half dime would grade VF with no other damage but a very small hole. We expect the repair will still be detectable but, we hope it will look good. Even with the hole the coin looked good. I don't know if he is the one that repaired my 1795 bust dollar but, from what I understand there have been a number of guys over the years that were really good doing repair. The key thing to remember is that the coin must start out being nice. You can't fix junk.

 

“You can’t fix junk.”

That is the most important thing you typed.

 

I see the round bump but it looks like the hole may have been in the field to the right of liberty's forehead and my guess is the reverse shows more of the repair damage. But yes, well done in any case. Makes sense, as if true it means the original hole driller put it in place where it didn't lose details on the obverse. Nice rebuild on the reverse or the obverse if it's the "T"

 

As to ANACS and ICG. I'm not a super skilled numismatist but I've twice bought nice coins in these holders, sent them to NGC and gotten higher grades. I had a CC half Eagle graded xf45 by ICG came back AU58 and an 1840D quarter eagle that started as an ANACS XF details came back AU details. Not small differences in value on those particular coins. The quarter eagle would never be something I could or would buy with a full AU or XF grade so happy to get it. And I agreed with the NGC grades both times - pleased but not surprised. So it seems that sometimes, if you look carefully there are bargains in those low cost holders.

 

Once that hole was plugged, how did they get the "T" back on? And in the right font and size. Must be a grand artist.

 

Yes, it was the work of a skilled and talented artist … sometimes too good. When they do work like this, it should be “off” just enough to be rather easily detachable. Otherwise the piece could sold as “no problem.”

 

In that condition they would be close to that price. Yours are not close to that condition. A cleaned coin is a details coin without a grade. A coin with a hole is noted and it’s a damaged coin. Grading would be a waste of money.

 

There's nothing wrong with slabbing a problem coin in the right circumstances. Many issues dont have enough surviving examples for all the collectors who want them and this makes problem coins desirable. Sometimes problem-free coins are simply not affordable to most collectors. Other issues are so scarce that a problem example is all you can find. If the coin looks good for what it is and it makes sense financially to slab it, go for it.