What a difference a photo makes. newp Sesqui $2.5 gold comm

This was a recent purchase. It is holdered in a problem free PCGS slab. Here are the sellers photos. What would you grade it based on these?

 

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I would say AU-55 from the image.

 

I'd also say VF30. It looks quite flat and like it's seen much wear. Maybe a pocket piece.

 

And at the low end of that grade!

 

For all of you that said VF-30, I completely see where you are coming from and would have thought that too if I didn't know the grade. It looks flat, lusterless, and pretty well worn.

Idhair, why did you think AU-55? You have some amazing perception, because you were quite close. PCGS gave it an AU-58.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170386640544

I took a chance here, and basically bid what I would be willing to pay for an XF-45, which is in between what the pictures looked like and what PCGS called it. I ended up winning it, and was quite nervous. I received the coin yesterday, and was absolutely blown away at how much BETTER the coin looked in hand as opposed to the seller's pics. It does not even look like the same coin. The only way I can tell it is the same, is based off of the location of the nicks.

In hand: Not only does this coin have luster, but it is full BOOMING uninterrupted luster that can be seen across the room!! The details are actually quite strong as well, and it has a decent strike. I don't notice any wear on the coin in hand. The nicks are imperceptable unless you look at it under glass. None of them stick out with the coin in hand. The best part about this coin, in my opinion, is the toning around the rims. The sellers photos make it look dirty brown/grey; but it is much different in hand. It is a light, but beautiful array of blue and purple toning above the shimmering luster! It is now the only gold coin I own that has irridescent toning!

I took several pictures of my own that are much better but still they do not do this beautiful coin justice! It over-exaggerates the nicks, and doesn't capture the beautiful colors on this coin. Still, you can see the drastic difference between these photos and the ones from the seller. I have never seen this big of a disconnect between a sellers coin photos and real life, especially since his photos were quite large to begin with.

I admit, I took a chance on this one....and totally lucked out.

 

wow, that really paid off for you.

 

Very very nice pick up for what you lucked out on. The 1926 Sesqui is one of my favorite coins. I think it's a very underestimated design and not a very good strike for the issue overall. Some of these command a lot of $$$, but I like them in the AU grades, with the copper spots and mushy details. Just one of my favorites out there. Thanks for sharing yours with us. Cheers!

 

Wow, that's funny. I first thought 58. It's not really amazing.
Take a look at the first images and at the color and the focus of the PCGS slab. It should have a bit of a crystal look, if the image is even close.
It looks as if only one light was being used and it was from the left, at a really low angle. You can't really get a good image that way and much of the detail is lost.

As far as my guess on the grade. I just couldn't see anything under an AU having that cool of a skin.

I would love to own that coin but would not have bid on it from the first images.

 

I guess your smarter than the rest of us. No, I figured the image was hiding a lot of detail, but I didn't expect it to have such strong luster and beautiful toning.

That's the Doug I know. Mr. party pooper.encil: No, in all seriousness I did research values of this coin before, and you are more or less correct. However, it's hard to make a comparison because the value spread is extremely narrow from XF-40 up to about MS-62. In reality $350 would have been a fair price for an XF-45 in my mind, and that is what I made my decision based on. If PCGS had overgraded it, it wouldn't have made much difference value wise. But your right, I did take a chance and it wasn't the smartest moment of my life I admit. At the same time, it couldn't have hurt me that bad. Looking back though, I'm glad I did...this coin is one of the prettiest gold coins in my collection and one that I doubt I will ever upgrade.

 

What a difference. Terrific photos and good buy. A roll of the dice once in a while helps to keep life exciting.

 

Wow!! Great coin and good score!! It's really cool to luck out now and then, it makes collecting coins collectible, if that makes sense..:thumb:

 

thanks! Yeah, I just got lucky.

 

First off, I'm glad it worked out well.

More importantly, your signature is the funniest geek humor I've seen in awhile !

Why do engineers get Christmas and Halloween confused?

Because DEC 25 = OCT 31

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa

 

While the OP looks VF30 as others have said, I bet it's very unusual to find one of these that worn.

 

:mouth: Thanks! One of my coworkers told me that the other day. I thought it was pretty brilliant.

 

There is a dealer [Gardner Coins] at the shows I attend that had 3 or 4 of these raw and they were all in the XF-AU50 range. I'm looking for one but not raw. And I have so far passed on every one I looked at.
This coin in my opinion is a safe risk whatever the grade.
With a mintage of just 46,000 this Sinnock designed masterpiece will always be popular. I see it only increasing in value.
The 2006 Redbook gives a value of $400 for AU-50.
How can $350 for a slabbed AU-58 be off base? I think not.
You got a wonderful deal.

 

johnny:
Okay, I e-m'd my son (an engineering grad student) to explain it to me.

Sorry, but I am only a CPA.

Duh.