https://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-barber-dimes/1894-s-10c-branch-mint-pr66-pcgs-cac/p/1380-42059.s Too late for my Christmas present though, bummer. This infamous coin will be interesting to watch at auction. Last sold in 2016 for $1,997,500. But gosh, look at the state of the plastic on the reverse. For two million dollars you'd think they would reholder it. It would drive me nuts having to look at "my precious" through that crappy plastic.
Right? People repeatedly rubbing their loupe against it? I would treat the plastic like it’s worth 2M. I’ll have to look it up again but I think it was already beat up back in 2016.
Looks like it's gotten more rubbed since 2016. For a multi-million $ coin you'd also think they could align it perfectly. It's DIME that needs to be level, not fiddling with the obverse. I'm in a critical mood...
Here's the October 2-4, 1947 Stack's auction mentioned in the HA blurb. The auction catalog archive on Stack's is a fun resource. It sold for $2150.
If you're saying that it looks that way because of the slab condition, sure. Otherwise, nah. It's considered the finest example.
Scuffed up slabs are a peeve of mine, and there's no excuse for not having this in a pristine slab. Getting that done right now, however, entails exposing the coin to being couriered from Dallas to CA, then to NJ, then back to Dallas. I imagine (hope) Heritage will get some new plastic and sticker for it at the FUN show, where it can be done more securely. Were GreatCollections showcasing this coin in this holder at a show, I'd bring my bottle of PlastX to their table and fix the slab (the coin would then appear in my 2026 calendar ). If Heritage has it at their table at FUN instead of at lot viewing, maybe I'll make the offer.
I always paid extra for scratch-proof plastic lenses. Maybe these TPGs need to hire more optometrists.
So Heritage handles this on a coin-by-coin basis, typically discussing it with the consignor, who has the final say.
