Which harp to pluck? (another LordM purchase poll)

With St. Patrick's day upon us in a week, i suppose this is timely.

I just absolutely decimated my collection in a necessary purge (bills to pay). But the sales way exceeded expectations, so I'll have some money to start rebuilding with.

It is time for another George III Irish proof. Here are two for consideration. I love them both, and am almost certainly going to make an offer on one of them. But which one? I can't do both.

I have long been a fan of these Soho mint proofs from the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.

Though essentially the same coin type, these two are different varieties with very different appearances and price points. I would just like to hear some opinions on which one you think is the better value.

Both are from the same seller. This seller has a reputation for very high quality and beautiful inventory, but is sometimes criticized for steep pricing. That matters little to me, since I know quality doesn't come cheap, and my past business with them has been top-notch. I've found they will also bend a little bit on price. Not a lot, but every little bit helps, and I've always ended up happy in our deals.

Coin #1

Population 2 with 1 higher.

https://www.pcgs.com/cert/81717752/

Asking price: $775.

• Soho gilt proofs are awesome, but not cheap.
• I just sold my last one- and miss it already.
• I really like this one. And if we're talking about Soho proofs, I like the Hibernia Harps more than the British Britannias. (I'm of Scots-Irish descent.)
• C'mon. Look at this thing. Is it it not amazing?

Coin #2

Population 4 with 3 higher.

https://www.pcgs.com/cert/36479255/

Asking price: $395.

• Normally there would be no contest for me between copper and gilt. I would be "gilty" as charged. Haha.
• But this copper proof? Whoa. Be still my beating heart. Look at that perfect pastel toning!
• It's 380 bucks cheaper- essentially half the price- and one grade point higher with just as much eye appeal- aside from the gilt coin's "bling" advantage.
• Given my recent austerity measures, it might be best to stay in my <$500 comfort zone.
• I will go so far as to say I'm ready to buy this coin, even if the seller won't budge on the price. But I dunno... I still have a thing for those gilt beauties. Should I step up for the gilt coin, or buy this perfectly lovely piece for half as much, and use the savings elsewhere? Hmm.

What do you think?

Cons: there is a tiny bit of flyspecking on both coins. It is a bit more pronounced on the second, cheaper piece, but in neither case do I find it particularly distracting. It is totally normal on these 200 year old proofs. Think of the delicate surfaces of a proof coin. Now imagine it being exposed to the environment and light handling for a century and a half before Mylar 2x2s and coin flips will be invented. Some flyspecks and hairlines are inevitable.

Interesting factoid: one reason these often survive so nice is because some were issued in little protective metal shells. Though I am not well versed in the history, I believe many of these were VIP presentation pieces that would have been in the hands of the royalty and nobility.

Thanks to ryarmch (@yarm) for the post I linked to. And I'll tag you too, @Rexford- you'll know why.

 

Ahhh, but you see, this is the whole reason I decimated my collection. I made enough to pay off both of my credit cards, fix my car, and put a little in savings. I was tired of living on the knife's edge.

I sold far more than expected. So I'm gonna have a little guilt-free splurge.

 

I tend to disagree. Gold-plated Statehood quarters were not plated at the mint - they were aftermarket novelties created by private parties. Soho mint gilt proofs were done officially, at the mint, for presentation purposes. It's a subtle distinction, perhaps, but an important one.