Does the S on this indian in this http://cgi.ebay.com/1909-S-Indian-Head-Cent-Rare-Key-Mint-State-Details_W0QQitemZ110075787957QQihZ001QQcategoryZ41086QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem look funny? I am not bidding on the coin but was curious about that S. It looks kind of like the spark erosion S in one of books. I am not saying it is because maybe it is just the angle of the picture. Thought I would get some other opinions. Thanks
I want to ask a question. If this coin is as rare as it is suppose to be, why would one not have it graded and slabbed.
The auction is private because of ebays new rule IIRC--anything that goes over $200 is private. Back to the coin---it just doesn't look right---PCGS's guide to grading 1st Edition (I suggest this book to anyone) shows a nice photo of the S MM and it just isn't like this one---also my 1909-S IHC doesn't look like this one either... The seller has a pretty good return....in case the coin is fake....and who knows maybe he would send it to NGC before sending it to you.... Speedy
Here are my thoughts on the coin. It has been cleaned, and then retoned. It also doesn't look right as far as the mintmark. In my opinion it should be shifted further to the right, and the top serif of the S doesn't look right either. It could be genuine, but I am doubtful.
compare the 'S' to the one in the Guide Book, it is a different shape and size. STAY AWAY! Also, a good point about having it slabbed. Even if it is cleaned, why not have ANACS slab it as genuine? Perhaps because it isn't?
Thanks for the input. I just wanted to confirm it did not look right. When I buy a 1909-S it will be graded. What I have been doing is looking at large cents and indian cents - comparing them to the books I have. For the large cents I like to pull up heritage, not read the auction and just pull up the coin. Then try to attibute it to see if it matches. I do pretty good on the really nice coins - but the corroded and ag coins can throw me. Thanks
If that were so I would reluctantly not have called it a red flag. But look at the bid history on this auction. It does not say "Bidder 1", "Bidder 2", etc., as the new system does, at least allowing you to tell how many different bidders there are. Instead it says "private listing - bidders' identities protected" for every bid. That's the tagline used on old-fashioned "I don't want any knowledgeable person tipping bidders off to my scam" listings.
ah....I didn't check the bidder list....good catch Roy! When did Ebay start doing this Bidder 1 and so on---I've heard about it but the last item that I got on ebay that was over $200 had my user name and not bidder #... Speedy
