Slabbed Franklins are going high.

Neither do I. I've been watching the sales of Franklins, over other series of halves, and the prices are up and down with no stability and no significant increase or decrease from the retail market. I have noticed; however, that you can get Franklins for under any online value guide, mostly Numismedia, and I've noticed a trend over the past 6 months at local shows near me, that dealers are actually taking a loss on a lot of common items.

But an increase as suggested by the OP, that's not happening. Perhaps if silver has another spike, it might, possibly.

 

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You have to understand that both NGC and PCGS each have their own, differing, standards for an FBL. One says only one set of the bell lines must be full and uninterrupted, while the other says both sets of bell lines must be.

My opinion, there are two sets of bell lines on the original liberty bell, and it's incorporated into the reverse design on the Franklin half, and they should both be distinguishable, uninterrupted, all the way from side of the bell to the other.

Since I don't go out of my way to buy, specifically, slabbed coins, I do from time to time purchase them when the raw version is not available through my local dealers. I have seen probably 6 NGC FBL Franklins, that I feel don't deserve that because there are bag marks that run through the bell lines and therefore deflate the FBL designation.

Now I believe I am quite reserved in my grading, usually one or two marks below a TPGs opinion, or a general consensus of dealers, but I am stricter on the FBL for reasons I stated above. Both sets of lines, distinguishable, and no bag marks or scratches through them anywhere, from one side to the other.

TPGs, to my knowledge and I could be wrong as I don't submit coins to either of them, do not grade coins on what would have been seen but for the fact something interferes with it being seen. If they don't see it, for whatever reason, it's not considered, nor should it be, in the grading.

 

How do I contest with somone who has been dealing since 1979? I suppose once I make the proper market report, I can submit it to senior numimatists for validation.

 

I think Mark was directing his post to the OP, more so than anyone else.

 

I would like to see that change

 

I would not like to see that change. These companies are bogged down enough to have to deal with searching every coin for a variety.

 

"Originally Posted by JCB1983
How do I contest with somone who has been dealing since 1979? I suppose once I make the proper market report, I can submit it to senior numimatists for validation."

"I think Mark was directing his post to the OP, more so than anyone else."

That's correct. And in addition to that, it doesn't make any difference how long I have been in business.

I don't make any claims that I know the current price trends for Franklin Half Dollars. My point was that those who said prices were increasing, provided only isolated examples, and not necessarily relevant ones.

 

Do you have any memories as a child of building a sand castle, and a wave comes and knocks it over? It is only anecdotal opinion but it seemed as though some of the responses were comming down slightly heavy on the OP's observations/opinions. Just perception. You all might have very well simply been stating a fact, but is it really only numerical data? If a well respected long time coin dealer would have made this post would responses have been the same? Please give me a more accurate price guide than completed eBay or HA?

 

There really is no price guide more accurate.

Grey sheet has wholesale and retail prices, used a lot by many dealers. Some collectors rely on this guide, some don't.

Printed price guides like Red Book, Blue Book, Black Book, etc., are outdated by the time they are on the book shelves, and not a whole lot of collectors rely on those as accurate guides for values. Lots of people run out to the bookstore, or where ever, annually and pick up the new edition of Red Book. I don't. I don't see the need to. Unless there is a bunch of updated coin information in each edition, I see no need to really. But that's just me.

It's not so much that we're getting on the OPs opinion, just that it's really moot as the market is not showing what he claims. I'm on eBay daily checking completed sales of coins, and sets. The Franklin series is my most favorite of all the half dollars, and some dollar series. Since my collection of Franklins is half complete, I'm looking for market trends on these in varying grades from both PCGS, and NGC, and I'm not seeing what he is claiming. If anything, the prices are actually below what Numismedia lists. That Franklin you posted the link for is an example. Numismedia lists the value at $1040, the price on that has remained at $530 and there is 10 minutes left on that auction. Again, that's a little more than 50% of the listed value. Maybe a couple of years ago, that coin might have sold for more, but right now, with the market the way it is, not going to happen.

It's not really what a books says the value is that really counts, but what coins actually sell for. It's not perfect, and some would say not very accurate, but I'll tell you one thing; it's a heck of a lot more accurate than the annual printing of Red Book, and other guides like it.

 

JC, that Franklin sold for $700.88, 3 bids came in last seconds.

Still overpriced, but if some take Numismedia as most accurate, that's considerably less.

 

I wish I would have read this post first, but I actually made a new thread regarding price guides. (didn't want to hijack this post). Someone just scored a heck of a half for $700. Where I am seeing the most action is in the 75-200 dollar price range. People want a nice MS frankling with some tone for a price that won't break the bank. I spend 60+ hours a week on eBay. It is a requirment of my job. I am glad that there are others that appreciate this fine series. I sincerely hope you are correct on your price speculation. That would give us time to load up on Franklins before the premiums go through the roof.

 

Why would "premiums go through the roof"?

This is not some new or unknown series we are discussing. And typically, large price increases are either the result of a marked decrease in supply or increase in demand. I see neither of those conditions occurring.

 

I do not know. I only see the results of the eBay completed listings. I do not expect a professional such as yourself to accept a feeling as factual evidence. Likewise if we spilled 1,000 coins on a table, I do not believe that it would be possible to get a more accurate grade than you came up with on a single one. Economics is my major. It is not only my major it is a complete obsession. It would be nice to produce an objective market report on slabbed (toned) 50-300 dollar Franklins in the near future. In the meantime I suppose were speaking "simple hueristics" here. When I make my daily scans, click buy-now, and refresh my page every 15-20 minutes I will often see these coins dissapear in that alloted amount of time. We are talking about a small number of top rated sellers that are providing high quality mostly PCGS slabbed Franklins here. I am assuming that the buyers are also a small subset. This does not mean that general demand for franklins is up. Furthermore these sellers are smart. They are releasing their gems based upon what people are paying. Now that people are climbing out of the 75 dollar range for a typical MS-64/65 slabbed toner, than they are putting more on the market. On top of this, people are still paying the higher premium even with the supply increasing. This to me is evidence of a price increase. It could very well be that I am talking about a Franklin subset, and you are refering to high end (rare) Frankies, or Franklins in general.

 

The reason some of these coins disappear from the auction screen, is that some of the sellers have sold the coins because of an offer and sold them privately. This does not mean they sold for the asking price. You can't assume they sold for the "buy it now" price.

Funny..... if a few coins sell for more than expected, it's a upward trend but if it sells for lower, it's not a downward trend... it's "someone scored..."

Anyway, this whole argument was started by someone (the OP) who doesn't really have a whole lot of experience.

 

duplicate post.