After I finished my Franklin Half collection, I started on my Walking Liberty Half collection. I wanted it to be more than just purchased coins, so I looked through all my coin boxes and safety deposit boxes, finding about 15 coins. Today I decided to buy a key coin. I thought I had a couple of the keys, but did not. At my coin dealer I found a 1938D I liked. It hadn't been graded. Using what I know about the old system, I determined it to be somewhere between fine and very fine. Then, I asked my dealer to grade it. His grading was fine. So, I bought it. Paid $50. Haven't looked in the Red Book, but memory told me that was a good price. Good deal? Fair? Any opinions?
Gary, I checked eBay completed auctions for 1938-D halves in the condition you described. (F-VF) You seem to have paid a fair price. Congratulations, my friend.
I have paid both too much for coins and paid too little for what the coins were actually worth (a true steal of a deal). I guess they both negate each other over time. Even the coins I paid too much for were outweighed by the feeling of filling a slot and the accomplishment that comes with it. Each of my key date coins has its own story of where I purchased it and when. So don't fret if you paid too much. It is a small price to pay for filling in that slot or completing a set.
I think you got a great price...I was with a guy that got one in VG that had been cleaned...he got the cheapest one at the whole show and it was $55 I think... the 38-D has gone up a bit in the last few years.... Speedy
2006 Red Book G-4---60.00 VG-8--70.00 F-12--80.00 VF-20-100.00 EF-40-130.00 Au-50-250.00 MS-60-500.00 MS-63-650.00
Thanks for the opinions. I'm happy I bought the coin. It's special when you think about how few were minted. I'll start saving up to buy the kext key. Thanks again.
Wow, that sbows how fast the coins market can change. In my 2004 red book, the vf20 price is $50. A 100% increase in price, I guess I better get the 2006!
No it doesn't...it shows how much the Red Book can be wrong....never ever go by the Red Book for prices...the ONLY time I use the Red Book for ball park prices is when I'm buying a large lot of coins...like a hoard or such...then I look and also look at other price guides to know what I should offer. Speedy
I think you made a good deal regardless of what the Redbook or other sources say. With that low of a mintage, the coin appears undervalued and probably will sell for a much higher price in a few years.
Not a bad price at all. Though most of us have paid too much for certain coins, the over graded or over priced coins can be a learning experience, just as long as u learned from your past mistakes. Otherwise, if you didnt learn at all , it can become quite costly.!!
A-mazing. My 38D came from circulation sometime before 1964 , as did all but a few of the others in my set, which lacks only three very early key dates for completeness in F or better.
