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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Paul M., post: 2431294, member: 73165&quot;]See, here&#039;s the deal.&nbsp; Pretty much all price guides are basically going to give you a single number for any given coin in a given grade.&nbsp; The problem is that not all (for example) MS63 1881-CC Morgan dollars are alike.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>One quick example is that if that coin were in a GSA holder, you&#039;d be paying significantly more for the pedigree.&nbsp; Some people are ok with that and seek those things out.&nbsp; Some people are like &quot;bah, I just want the coin, I don&#039;t want to pay extra for more plastic!&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>Another example is toning.&nbsp; A lot of people (not all) will pay large multiples of what the price guide says for coins with beautiful, natural toning.&nbsp; (BTW, learning how to tell questionable from acceptable toning is a thing you&#039;ll need to learn, too.)</p><p><br /></p><p>And then there is variance within the grade.&nbsp; A low-end MS63 should go for less than the price guide amount, because the guide represents an average.&nbsp; Likewise, a high-end coin should go for more.</p><p><br /></p><p>And then there&#039;s CAC stickers, and VAMs, and a whole host of other factors that conspire to make that price guide number not quite as useful as it could be. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; I&#039;m sure you noticed searching auction prices that there were a number of coins that vastly exceeded what you paid.&nbsp; That&#039;s because at least 2 bidders at auction thought they were worth that much, due to factors I&#039;ve mentioned or others.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is a lot to learn.&nbsp; You will make mistakes.&nbsp; It&#039;s okay.&nbsp; It takes time to learn all this stuff.&nbsp; I&#039;ve been collecting way longer than you and I&#039;m still learning. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> Treat it as a hobby, keep learning, stay enthusiastic,&nbsp; and don&#039;t expect to see the money you put into it ever again, and you&#039;ll be successful in numismatics.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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