Lesson Learned Mercury Dime Roll

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Excuse_Me, Apr 28, 2015.

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  1. Hommer

    Hommer Curator of Semi Precious Coinage

    @Excuse_Me
    For some reason, when I read your original post, I deducted you were female.
     
    Hommer, Apr 29, 2015
    #21 + Quote Reply
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  3. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    What you learned is good to know, and it didn't cost you much, only about $12 or so. And there is much more you will learn as a result of your future experiences. But that's what's called learning the hard way. So what you are doing by asking for constructive help, that's a good thing.

    Feedback - you said you can't always depend on feedback. I would alter that comment and say you can't ever depend on feedback. Why not ? Because you don't know who left it. The person or persons leaving the feedback may not a thing about coins, or very little. Ebay is full of people like that. many are beginners just starting out like you are, and quite frankly they don't if they got a good deal or not. They may well have paid, and often do pay, way more than an item is worth. Or they may think the item fits the description of what they bought when it doesn't fit that description at all. A lot of people on ebay don't know what they are looking at when they hold it in their hand and look at it. So can feedback have any meaning, be worth anything ? Rather obviously it can't. In fact it can even be harmful to future buyers because it is often misleading.

    Ebay is kind of like the biggest swap meet or flea market in the world. You have all kinds of people offering to sell all kinds of things to anybody they can entice into buying them. And some of the sellers on ebay are good people, selling good things for fair prices. But they are far, far, outnumbered by others who are offering to sell things that they hope don't have any idea of what they are buying. Because if they did, they'd never buy it.

    So what you should have learned is that - for people like you, beginners who are trying to learn or just want to participate in the hobby - ebay can be a very dangerous place. So it would be wise to exercise a good deal of caution.

    And yes, it is obvious that is what you are trying to do by asking for help. That is what you should do, I commend you for it. So where do you go from here ? I'd say the first step is to continue what you are doing in this thread. When you see something on ebay that you like, instead of buying it, come here and post about it, ask questions. And bit by bit you will learn. The best lesson you can ever learn is that the time to ask questions is before you buy something - not after you buy something.

    And if you ask you'll get answers. And you'll get a mix of answers, some will say yeah that's a good buy, others will say no way, run away do not walk. So how do you know which ones to listen to and which not ? You'll learn that too, but it'll take a little time and some reading to find out who knows what they are talking about and who only thinks they know what they are talking about. But you'll learn ;)
     
    GDJMSP, Apr 30, 2015
    #22 + Quote Reply
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  4. Excuse_Me

    Excuse_Me Active Member

    OK, thank you GDJMSP for taking the time to give me some good pointers/advise. I particularly like "When you see something on ebay that you like, instead of buying it, come here and post about it, ask questions."

    Just don't want to be a bother, I remember in the past "not here" I asked questions computer related, and was told to RTFM! Took me awhile to find out the meaning, when I did, I started reading. :bookworm:

    I'll try not to make a pest of myself, if so ya'll can let me know, I have pretty thick skin. ;) Thank You...
     
    Excuse_Me, Apr 30, 2015
    #23 + Quote Reply
  5. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Better to be a pest than broke, or stuck with coins ya paid too much for ;) So don't worry about being a pest, post all the questions ya want ! People around here will be glad to help.
     
    GDJMSP, Apr 30, 2015
    #24 + Quote Reply
  6. Excuse_Me

    Excuse_Me Active Member

    OK sorry I did not have time to ask any questions before I bid on a 1943 MS 64 mercury head dime. It was Graded by PCGS MS64FB. I'm trying to buy some better looking Mercury Dimes. However this is the 1st one I have purchased that was graded.

    Now I know what MS64 is, but what does MS64FB mean?
    I was just looking for Mercury Dimes and this one showed up, it did not say anything about PCGS MS64FB in the title it just said 1943 MS 64 mercury head dime.

    It looked very nice, so I bid and won, but I may have paid too much, "more than I have paid for a single Mercury Dime in the past", but as I said I really didn't have enough time to ask any questions here.

    I paid $10.00 for it including shipping. I will show a picture of it when I get it and y'all can let me know if I paid too much, but I would like to know what FS means...

    Thank You...
     
    Excuse_Me, May 27, 2015
    #25 + Quote Reply
  7. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    FB means Full Bands. The fasces on the reverse is held together by three sets of two horizontal bands. Due to strike weakness these two bands are usually merged into a single band. On a FB coin the two bands are clearly seen and separated all the way across.
     
    Conder101, May 27, 2015
    #26 + Quote Reply
  8. BooksB4Coins

    BooksB4Coins Newbieus Sempiterna

    You almost certainly didn't pay too much. $10 to your door is nothing, especially if you like and will enjoy it.
     
    BooksB4Coins, May 27, 2015
    #27 + Quote Reply
  9. Excuse_Me

    Excuse_Me Active Member

    OK, Thank you for the replies...
     
    Excuse_Me, May 28, 2015
    #28 + Quote Reply
  10. Burton Strauss III

    Burton Strauss III Brother can you spare a trime? Supporter

    Between your two auction stories it sounds like there's one lesson you haven't yet figured out.

    That lesson is usually summarized as "buy in haste repent at leisure".

    If you're new to the hobby, then buying at the last second without time to review the listing and ask questions is probably not your best path. I would suggest you start at the other end not ending soonest but newly listed.

    You may choose to watch the listing and only in bid in the last seconds - that's ok. But only bid on what you understand. It's not like you or I are experienced collectors seeking the finest known example for our price-is-no-limit collection.

    To us, coins are buses - there will be another one along in a little while!
     
    Burton Strauss III, May 28, 2015
    #29 + Quote Reply
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  11. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    I like that bus analogy. Good thinking!
     
    V. Kurt Bellman, May 28, 2015
    #30 + Quote Reply
  12. john59

    john59 Well-Known Member

    Do you have 2016 Red Book Price Guide for US coins would be a lot of help and not a big cost
     
    john59, May 28, 2015
    #31 + Quote Reply
  13. Burton Strauss III

    Burton Strauss III Brother can you spare a trime? Supporter

    Sorry, the Red Book is about the single worst possible price guide to pick. Prices were determined almost a year ago and are retail (high retail). There is a TON of good information in a Red Book (go buy one, right now), but the prices aren't it.

    For more expensive, rarer stuff, most people recommend using Heritage's auction archives (you need to setup an account, but it's free).

    For run of the mill, search in eBay's SOLD (not just completed) listings. I also recommend NumisMedia's free (again retail) price guide at http://www.numismedia.com/fmv/fmv.shtml
     
    Burton Strauss III, May 28, 2015
    #32 + Quote Reply
  14. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    + 1 all that. Also, at least examine a copy (it is pricy) of the brand new "monster Red Book". It can take you from beginner to advanced it its measly little 1500 pages.
     
    V. Kurt Bellman, May 28, 2015
    #33 + Quote Reply
  15. rooman9

    rooman9 Lovin Shiny Things

    I feel the redbook is good to teach people about the basics of coin collecting. One might not have the most accurate prices but it gives you an idea of what coins are worth more than others.
     
    rooman9, May 28, 2015
    #34 + Quote Reply
  16. Barber dime 94s

    Barber dime 94s Active Member

    I agree it's nice to have a redbook handy , even though the prices are a bit on the high side . It will give you a decent idea as to value. I can't count the times I have came across a coin I was interested in with only a few minutes to make up my mind .. Being able to grab my redbook to atleast give me an idea Of what is a fair price to pay , in my opinion has been very helpful and probably payed for it's self many times over. When I first started collecting a few years ago, I purachased redbook , ANA grading standards and almost any coin related book I came across. I would suggest any new collector do the same ..
     
    Barber dime 94s, May 28, 2015
    #35 + Quote Reply
  17. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    +1, with the proviso that the ANA Grading Standards needs to be the latest one, .... ONLY. No "legacies".
     
    V. Kurt Bellman, May 28, 2015
    #36 + Quote Reply
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  18. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

    Plus, the Red Book has knowledge that is priceless (pun intended on the price comment above.)
     
    Treashunt, May 28, 2015
    #37 + Quote Reply
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