1916-D Merc Hmmmm

I am curious about a response as well. Ben , pointed out some enlightening observations.

 

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I think you're doing a lot of speculating, on multiple levels. And badly over-estimating the value of the coin in that condition. I will go with the expertise, experience and honesty of the seller, over speculation from someone/anyone who has not seen the coin in-hand.

 

I think that can be explained actually.
The coin looks to have been under dirt, or tar, I don't know, something dark. It was probably holed before it was put in the dirt. Now with all that time being under that substance, if the obverse, and reverse are dark, I would think the inside pieces of the two holes would be dark as well, JMO.

 

Personally, coin in hand or not assuming the coin in question is real, the current FMV for a G4 without "damage" is over $1,000.00 ( and hard to come by in that grade ) without some severe unappealing damage. I would suggest that given this damage and the state of preservation of the coin discussed, a value of 3-$400.00 is not without merit.

Now I will agree that Ben's speculation on the sellers "knowledge" and motive for selling this item, at this price is in part or wholly based upon any attempt to pass on a
counterfeit coin, is without merit , without first examining the coin in hand and not photos.
Dealing with sellers on Ebay is always "risky business" and the buyer should always beware. But it's always a good thing to have a recommendation such as mark provided.
And that should be weighed in the balance as well. If I were in the buyers situation, I'd probably jump on it too at that price! even with that damage.
I'd throw a $100.00 bill at that.

 

people recommend novice coin dealers all the time not because those coin dealers are experts in rare coins and counterfeits, but because they're experts in good customer service, which perfectly describes the seller on ebay. While it's good to have good recommendations, the fact is, most people's recommendations with ebay sellers have to do with good customer service and not expertise. The kinds of recommendations where people are recommended for what they know happen more with face to face encounters with coin dealers and are especially rare on ebay.

Also, only copper coins turn black when burried under dirt. If it were burried under tar, there would be thick black residue in some places, and other places where it'd be as white as if it had been burried in dirt (which once you wipe off the dirt, it'll be as white as the coin I scanned to compare to the coin on ebay). The coin being sold on ebay was black all the way through, which means it's made of lead.

 

In order to make sure there is no confusion due to the above post...The seller in question is not a novice coin dealer. He is one of the more active and knowledgeable dealers in the country, and he deservedly has an excellent reputation among the many people who have done business with him. The fact that you might not know of him doesn't change any of that.

My recommendation was based on having known and done business with him in face to face transactions over a period of many years. I wouldn't have vouched for him so strongly, based merely on internet transactions, without stating that that, alone, was the basis of my comments.

Coins can turn all sorts of colors and undergo various changes (or not), based on what is done to them and the environmental conditions to which they are exposed. And the results can be both extremely inconsistent and unpredictable.

You are being extremely unfair to the seller in stating that the coin is made of lead. Especially, based merely upon images, without having seen the coin in hand, and when the seller is an (honest) expert.

 

I'm not attempting to refute your claim, of the coin being counterfeit. It may very well be, I can't say for certain without coin in hand, and doing a proper metal test. If you perhaps are suggesting that your numismatic expertise includes the ability to do that with simply a photo, well let' take this show on the road!

If this seller is as reputable as mark infers, I'm certain he will live up to the virtues of Honesty and integrity and fairness. Let's face it we all have things get past us, and the reputable individual will make it right, 100% of the time. There is a price to pay for everything we do, as well as everything we don't do! Most of us to proclaim to believe in GOD, but we all look both ways before crossing a street.

 

yeah, I took a closer look at it and realized that it probably did turn black from tar or something like it. I just saw a few highlights of grey that's too light to be lead. If the seller of this coin is on Cointalk, I'd like to apologize to him for making the assumptions I did. I just don't trust ebay for rare coins because of the horror stories I hear of counterfiet coins being sold on ebay, so I basically limit my ebay coin purchases to junk silver and one ounce bars/rounds. If I want to get a less common or rare coin, the biggest requirement I have is that I see it in person before I buy it.

 

A wise man once commented of himself " We think a thousand words a day, write em down on a piece of paper, light fire to them and put them in our mouths " .

 

A wiser man once commented of himself "We think a thousand words a day, write em down on a piece of paper, light fire to them and watch them burn, but don't put them in our mouths"

 

Yes, I think the second version of that aphorism is perhaps more accurate and a good deal less painful!

Based on Mark's recommendation, I have added the seller of that dime to my favorite's list.