Featured 1914-D sad staple scratch

Who are they trying to make it look better to? More then likely someone like me, in this I mean someone just starting out in the coin collecting field, who does not know what resourses are available to them. Heck it took me over two years before I found this site, and I was/am on the internet almost all the time. And for the life of me, I can't recall how I found this site to begin with.
Which I guess is the main reason right now I am sticking to searching rolls/bags of circulated coins I get from the local banks, to fill my books or from the uncirculated mint sets I get from the mint, untill I become a whole lot more knowledgeable in grading coins, knowing what to look for in determining couterfits etc.
Unfortunatly there are way to many who do not take the time to try and learn before hand, and end up getting the short end of the stick.

Dave

 

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I use it too, but with a toothpick. (Poke it through the mylar perpendicular to th plane of th 2X2 and drag it around the circumference of the coin.) Works just as well and the chance of cutting or scratching the coin is zero.

For all of you who are worried about protecting the future buyer down the road from purchasing a repaired coin as problem free, do you worry about how to protect him from some future dealer selling him your problem free coins but at an inflated grade?

There is only one way to make sure that some future collector will never be at risk buying your coins, problem or otherwise. . . . .melt them all down so you will never have to worry about that future buyer. Sorry folks, there WILL be unscrupulous sellers and it is up to the buyers to learn enough to protect themselves. If you don't know enough personally to fel comfortable spending a bundle on a coin, you shouldn't do so until you do learn enough.

 

I do agree with you, I wouldn't have it repaired and I don't think it should be. But, my reasoning for that isn't because someone down the road might rip someone off with it. It's like you say, it won't look better to me. It will stick out like a sore thumb and in my eyes look worse.

I think why I have been arguing this is because a lot of people don't want to alter the coin because they fear of what might happen with it. I wouldn't want to alter it because I think it would look bad...and to me, that's what's important.

Now, I will admit though, there are some coins that I think repairs are a little more OK on. I may get ripped apart for this, but here goes. I have seen a number of old (early 1800s or so) large silver coins that had a hole in them for one reason or another and they were plugged. This doesn't bother me quite as much. I still wouldn't want one in my collection, but some of those coins are so expensive that it might be the only way I could have one. I'd rather have a plugged example than one with a hole in it. But, that's just me.

 

some coins are more valuable with holes...

what??? you may ask??? Strange, but true indeed. During the late 1800s, some of Washington, D.C's "ladies of the evening" wore a gold $4 stella around their neck on a chain. I know of a dealer that would personally rather have one of these than one in pristine condition.

I must admit, he is not collecting the coin, but rather the history associated, but what he decides to collect and for what reason is his own personal choice. I just figured I would share a rare and unusual circumstance.

 

Thanks for the 'toothpick tip,' Conder101. Sounds like a good idea. I'm just used to using a scalpel on people so using one around a coin seems natural to me.

Interesting discussion on slabbing and doctoring. I think the take home here is to be very careful about buying high-end coins raw, know the series you are collecting, and ask a lot of questions of people with more experience. And use books.Digenes, do you have a copy of "The Coin Collector's Survival Manual," by Scott Travers? Worth every penny.

 

I think you are 100% correct. Knowledge is the key to building a great coin collection and not getting ripped off. Ask any questions you may have, there are many knowledgeable people here (much more so than me) and everyone here loves to answer questions.

 

Have you ever seen a Stockton repair job? The guy is GOOD and his repairs are almost undetectable.

 

Just get a furniture repair marker and apply till you get the desired color.
I am joking, dont freak out.

 

This discussion on whether to "fix" a damaged coin or not, and whether or not to disclose any fix by annotating the 2x2 sounds a bit like the discussion on whether or not to mark a known counterfeit with "copy" or just to annotate the holder.

A simple annotation is worthless when some future seller down the road just pops the coin out of the holder and sells it as a problem free coin to an unknowing or unsuspecting buyer.

Now, as far as fixing a scratch - the raised metal on each side of the scratch can be folded back into the groove but the repair will still be visible; it just won't be nearly as prominent. Someone mentioned plugging a holed silver coin. I don't think it's done much any more but in the past a good workman would drill out the damaged area, insert an interference-fit plug and then work the surfaces of the plug to match the surrounding area with appropriate details. This would greatly enhance the appearance (and value) of the coin but the circular seam of the plug would still be faintly visible.

 

In Weimar Whites book " Coin Chemistry " he shows a 1876 CC Seateded Half which had been holed , he took it to a man named Allen Stockton , This man expertly fixed the hole with coin silver and even fixed the stars and leaves that were damaged , in the book it looked like it never was holed , I'm sure with a good loupe if you knew where the damage was you could tell , but it could easilly be sold on Ebay or anywhere as undamaged to the novice or unkowing to me that's akin to retooling the hair or any other advices on a coin in order to improve it's grade and worth .
rzage

 

That's why I asked in my last post if he had ever seen a Stockton repair job.

 

I read that but didn't put 2 and 2 together , that guy is good .
rzage

 

I saw it happen to a guy at a local coin club. He had been buying up coins for inventory and got this semi-key Lincoln of some date or other. He went to show it to his mentor, and removing it, he scratched it on the staple. What to do? "If I sell at at that grade, I will lose my money." The dealer's reply: Grade it for what it is and price it to make your money.

 

It’s interesting you bring this up. Remember the amazing win of half dimes from mainebill? A few days ago I finally got around to putting them in stapled 2x2s. For the life of me, I just could not get the staples in first one to behave. I could not move forward without thinking that is a tragedy waiting to happen. And I had never heard of a staple scratch before. So they all still laying there waiting for a new home.

 

This thread is why I’ve never tried to pull apart a 2x2 and risk exposing the coin to the staples. If I want to take a coin out of a 2x2, I use a plastic Wendy’s knife to pierce the cellophane window and then use my fingernail to expand the hole and remove the coin.

I’ve never scratched a coin with a staple, and hope I never do. I’m not going to try to save a 2x2 worth maybe $0.50 by putting a much more expensive coin at risk.

 

Glad you resurrected the thread, good advice here. How about this 1958 D Franklin popped directly from its mint set cardboard by me and found with a grade killing scratch through vertical line on the bell. It was of course the more nicely toned one
In your opinions, was there some hanky-panky or did the mint worker blow it? Pictures are relatively terrible, I apologise.

 

One reason I only use capsules, though I do like lighthouse sticky cardboard ones especially for storage reasons.

 

Wow, you necropost and then you Feature it as well? Someone's feeling frisky on a Sunday morning!

Take a look here at the damage 16 year old me did to this coin..... This was one of the very first coins I bought at my very first coin show. I had just gotten my first car and driver's license, had some new freedom, and found out about a coin show here in town. It was being held in a small hotel conference room here in Charleston. I saw a few things I liked, didn't know what I was interested in collecting so I walked around the room again. Finally, I bought three things: my very first Franklin half, a bright red 1955S Lincoln, and this SLQ. I get it home, ready to take it out and study it and take scans of it (back when all I had was a scanner! shudder). When I get it out of the holder and look at it..... disaster.

 

Yowch. I've popped a few 2x2s, and only pierce the plastic, don't mess with the staples at all.