Since I have a little bit more money to spend....I like seated halves but capped busts are a nicer looking design in my opinion. I just didn't have the money until now. I was thinking of buying a raw coin, but since so many come back from NGC as Details or Improperly Cleaned, I figured I was better off buying one that was already slabbed, meaning it's problem free. Truth is, I looked at different pictures of slabbed coins, ones that said improperly cleaned, and ones that didn't, and honestly on some I could tell no difference. So if you can't tell any difference, then I would be very hesitant to buy a raw capped bust half, because how do you know whether or not it's going to come back as improperly cleaned? http://www.ebay.com/itm/220871211305?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2276wt_1270 So here is the coin, and yes you could argue that I might of overpaid for it. But to be honest, I don't feel guilty in the least bit. I suppose that since I buy and sell so many coins for profit, if I see a coin I like, I need to forget about overpaying for it, but of course there would be a boundary of how much to overpay. Now here is my point. Here is a capped bust half that is improperly cleaned according to NGC. Here is the one that I bought, that is not improperly cleaned according to NGC. Can you tell the difference? I can't. I don't see anything different with the 1st coin that says it's been cleaned.
You can't always tell from pictures if a coin has been harshly cleaned or not. Many times it is necessary to see the coin in hand. And even then, unless you have the experience needed, you still can't see it. This is not uncommon among collectors. That said, if you look above the date on this coin I think you can see some faint, tell tale traces that this one has been harshly cleaned.
Inspect in person and don't buy raw coins by just judging from pictures then. Because pictures don't give you the details you can see in person. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it's not. Like I said above, if you have that fear and you plan to send all coins to get graded, then only buy them in person, not over the internet with pictures. That's the important thing, not feeling guilty. I think it was a fair price actually, as a collector. If you plan to sell it, expect it to go for about the same amount or possibly less, depending on the next person who wants to buy it. I'd say you need to draw a line of what you're gonna put in your personal collection and never sell or what you are seeking out to buy in hopes to sell and make a profit. Like this coin as an example, if you buy every coin like this because "you like it" but you want to turn around and sell it, you're either gonna break even or lose money every time. No pun intended but until you grasp the difference between buying like a dealer or as a collector, let me just say, don't quit your day job.
Start a relationship with a local dealer (nothing too personal). They can become your best source for decent coins. They have a lot more coins passing through their hands than you will. A lot of times, if they know they have a willing buyer and they can turn a coin over quickly, you can get it for a much better price.
Personally, I think your coin has nice honest wear. It is a little dark. Go to a big show. A lot of the problems you post about will be resolved with a big coin show. Prices are generally lower and allow for negotiation. Coins are slabbed and raw. You can use up your submissions. and there are tons of bust halves much cheaper than what you paid.
You bought a nice CBH. Congrats. I like that look. (I hope the mark in front of Liberty's portrait is a piece of lint or a slab scratch.) Since you asked, yes, I am certain I could spot the improper cleaning of the other coin, in hand. Lance.
Simple buy them and enjoy them raw, don't send them for slabbing. Enjoy coins and not pieces of plastic with a hunk of metal inside them.
Bingo, that was my point. If you can only tell sometimes, when you have the coin in hand, then I would be hesitant to by raw coins on eBay. Well, expensive coins that is. I wouldn't have a problem buying Indian Head Pennies or V-Nickels in the raw.
That's what sucks here. There are no good dealers left. Most have turned into bullion dealers. I was at one that's about 40 miles away 3-4 years ago. Everything was almost twice the price of redbook. The only good dealer I know of is 198 miles away.
They can be 2,000 miles away and still be the people you should be dealing with. If you are dealing with a reputable dealer, you do not need to see the coin in hand before you buy it. You do not even need to see pictures of it. The reason you don't need to see pictures is because with a reputable dealer the deal is not completed until you get the coin in your hands and find it acceptable. If you do not find it acceptable, then that dealer will accept your return with a full refund. You can do all of your buying by using the mail, and never leave your house ! So forget about where the dealer is located. The thing you need to focus on is that the dealer is reputable, that he will only send you coins that are problem free, that he will only send you coins that he knows you want, and that he will only send you coins that he knows you will find acceptable. That's what establishing a relationship with a reputable dealer means.
Sure, you can find a whole list of them right here - http://www.cointalk.com/t14152/ Depending on what you are looking for, there are even several dealers who are members of this forum that I would recommend.
Except for one, they all look like they just deal in high dollar ($1000+) coins. I'm looking for a dealer that carries a bit of everything, but mainly US coins.
More than a few of those do carry a bit of everything, and in price ranges you can afford. You just have to look. And it wouldn't hurt to send some of them an email and tell them what you are looking for. But you do have to realize that you will pay real world prices, not Red Book prices. edit - tell me specifically what you are looking for, and I can tell you specifically what dealer to contact.
Well I am not looking for much at the moment. But when the time does arise I am looking for nice raw or slabbed seated halves, shield nickels, etc. Just decent condition early US coins. They don't have to be an XF or better.
As has already been said, dealers see a whole of coins every day. They'll pass on buying many of them, especially lower grade commons. But - if they know they have somebody looking for those coins, they'll buy the nicer ones. You need to contact them and give them a want list. This guy for instance - http://www.civitasgalleries.com/ And always keep an eye on the upcoming auctions at Heritage - http://coins.ha.com/c/index.zx Or these guys - http://www.northeastcoin.com/ All of them have, will have, or can get the type of coins you are looking for. And contact Matt (privately), LostDutchman, a moderator here on the forum. He get's the kind of stuff you want all the time.
