^^^^ This is a good point. If it is something you need, something you want, and is "undervalued", you might want it. If on the other hand you plan on enjoying it for a couple of years and then reselling it, it's difficult to break even on a problem coin.
Not if you buy right. Having said that, I'm not sure $100 would be "buying right" for this. It's got good details, but it might be hard to find the right buyer for resale. At $50, I'd probably pounce. At $200, I'd definitely walk.
Indeed, but one really must look at their personal big picture first to ensure they've a reasonable out when the time comes. Many collectors simply do not, even if just a regular eBay account used for coin sales, and means liquidating such material can be more difficult than buying it.
so harshly cleaned killing so much value . do not buy it. hold out for a better coin. down the road you will be glad you waited.
That's absolutely true, unless you're eager to take a loss. If it were easy to buy low and sell high, the market would adjust to make it more difficult. Until you've actually sold some of your stuff, if you're making buying decisions based on "I could sell this at a profit", you're deceiving yourself. You may be deceiving yourself even if you have sold some stuff in the past; good luck with one or two buyers is no guarantee of future results.
Indeed, and well said. Now, if only we could get more folks to understand that while buying low and selling high may sound like a solid cake job, the reality is often very, very different....
Thanks for all the inputs - I agree with you all! Of course everything is relative and price is always an issue - but I feel like I have come to the point where I am also more hesitant to jump on any good offer, especially problem coins, just for the sake of re-selling. The coin sold for $170 and I am glad to have let it slide by. I wait for a better opportunity for an upgrade of my current coin (F-12).
I wouldn't buy the first one, but I would the second. The pictures make it look like two different coins. The second at least shows some luster.
Would you have bought this 1894-S Morgan? No, but by the same token, I have not bought ANY Morgan dollar in nearly 60 years of collecting,
I think what everyone is mistaking for a polishing is just poor lighting that hides the luster. I can see enough of the luster (knowing how it looks in pictures like this) to wager a 75% chance that it will be a problem-free AU.
I know - all four photos are of same coin. After seeking the last two photos I got very hesitant to buy it...