My ultimate bucket list coin is a Gobrecht dollar and occasionally I'll just peruse the web to see if anything a working man can afford is listed. I nearly fell out of my chair when I bumped into this listing. I sat on the edge of my chair while my browser navigated to it.... Only to be crushed when I got there and saw the piece had been manipulated. Dangit...
Whoo buddy, that is a type that very few can afford. I wish you luck on your bucket, and that is a very attractive type. Just don't settle for a problem coin... take an attractive lower grade instead of a higher details problem coin.
To each his own, as I personally would/have purchased coins as that because there are means to improve the appearance, and have a coin in the future that is more desirable than "reduced standards" graded coins. I've many coins that the TPG grade significantly improved with time!
Well… while I don’t know the exact circumstances, I would imagine that when these proof patterns were issued, they didn’t come with much in the way of protective packaging. Many got passed around a lot and mishandled, and proof coins’ surfaces are delicate. So while I agree that it’s a shame, it doesn’t necessarily surprise me, and I don’t automatically consider the “doctoring” work that this coin received to have been a numismatic sin. Rather more of a “necessary evil”, perhaps. Still, yeah, an unimpaired, undoctored example would be preferable, if you’re gonna drop a big chunk o’ change on something of that caliber. Side observation: by contrast, the early 19th century British proofs from the Soho Mint were issued inside little protective metal shells, which is why so many nice ones survive today in pristine condition after 220 years. Here’s an article by @Coinsandmedals about those shells, if you’ll pardon the digression. Too bad early US proofs didn’t come with something similar (to my knowledge).
Damn that's a shame. My person opinion when it comes to rare coins - when a damaged example comes up and if the price is right, go for it. Chances are when better examples appear, prices often go for something obscene. You can always upgrade later.
