Greetings. Do you have a rule of thumb for paying a premium on a clashed die coin? Example: 1919 Buffalo Nickle; MS65; clashed die. I am sorry, I do not have a picture, just asking for ideas on a percentage over asking price on a pure graded coin vs same coin with clashed die. Thank you much.
I would think that the purist Buff collectors wouldn't care too much about the clash, and the error collectors would be more concerned with the extent of the clash. I guess it boils down to who really wants it, and how much would they be willing to pay for it. Unfortunately, without photos, this is all just speculation. Chris
As someone who takes great interest in clashes and other Mint anomalies of that nature, I'm not paying a cent in premium over grade for all but the most striking examples. With a Buff, that means I need to see a substantial portion of E PLURIBUS UNUM on the obverse, just to start considering a premium.
Some types of coins are known to have clashed dies. Those bring no extra premium. When the die clashes there are usually going to be hundreds if not thousands of coins with the clash. Unless, the pressman gets to the die in a hurry and polishes out the clash. I asked the opposite question you asked about a clash on a coin. I wanted to know if the clash affected the grade if the clash was known to exist with a great extent of the coins. Therefore, a coin with no clash, where clashes are common, would bring a higher grade thus a premium. I did find hints of my theory on the PCGS website. But, nothing definitive.
That theory is stupid. An MS-64 with a die clash is the same grade as an MS-64 without a clash. Because you don't like the clash does not change the grade. The same goes with strike, unless you get into the MS-66+ range (though I have seen some MS-67 coins with pretty crappy strikes). The value can be affected by the quality of the strike, but the grade stays the same. Die clashing almost never affects the value, and sometimes increases it if it is a diagnostic for a rare variety/die state. If a variety is common with a die clash, then it would be more valuable without the clash as it would be scarcer. THAT DOES NOT AFFECT THE GRADE! Example: http://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/2017/07/one-of-two-known-1806-0-108-half-dollars.all.html The die state with the large CUD is extremely rare, but by your definition, the imperfect die should make it worth less. In fact, the opposite is true. Sure, you can say the relative value should be reflected in the grade. But then the VG-08 (net graded down due to scratches that should have detailed it) should be raised to MS-64/65 to cover the $60000-80000 value ascribed to this coin. See the flaw in your logic here? An imperfection of the dies does not change the grade. An imperfection in strike, planchet preparation, etc. can but usually does not for pre-1878 coins.
1919 buffalo nickel there seems to be quite a few that have clashes. Agreed with Super Dave I personally wouldn't pay a premium for a clashed coin unless again it was something so rare then I may consider. However to my knowledge clashes do not effect grade or premium in my book. To each their own as to what they collect and what they are willing to pay. However to answer the OP question nada unless the seller has convinced you that it's one of a kind,and your wallet is bottomless.
Here read it for yourself since you know so much. The first year, 1865, saw a very large production of circulation strikes for this series; in fact, over twice as many 1865 coins were struck as for any other year of the Three Cent nickel series. They are available in Mint State condition up to the very highest grades, although in MS-67 they are very elusive. Three Cent nickels dated 1865 run the gamut in strike, luster, and eye appeal. They are found fully struck and all the way down to poorly struck (hair curls weak, wreath detail missing, and the Roman numerals with almost no vertical lines present). The luster also ranges from blazing "silver" gray to pale gray, although the most common "problem" with this date (as well as numerous others) is clashing. This series seems to be plagued by more clashed dies than almost any other United States coin series. The reason for this is not known, but perhaps the new alloy caused more jams in the feeding mechanism, or the small planchets may have jammed in the feeding tubes more easily than larger ones. For whatever reason, clashing is very prevalent in the early years of this series. The smaller mintages of the later years, or perhaps better quality control, may have resulted in fewer clashed dies, for after 1878 the "problem" became less prevalent. Clashed dies are not really a "problem" like planchet flaws, lint marks, and the like. They only affect the grade when they become severe and can slightly lessen the eye appeal. In fact, some collectors and dealers (myself included) find them quite interesting. The only other "negative" noted for 1865 coins is the presence of tiny planchet flaws that appear as "chips," often on the face or neck of Miss Liberty. If severe, these affect eye appeal, thus the final grade assigned. https://www.pcgs.com/News/The-Three-Cent-Nickel-Series-Part-1
PCGS' grading standards have no effect upon my own. One of the reasons is the weight which they assign eye appeal when determining a grade. A second is their propensity to let their perceived market value of the coin affect their grade opinion, and as they admit in the above quote, clashing is undesirable to a majority of the market. A third reason is PCGS has shifted their standards around so much over the years, one could not focus upon them with a fast lens and Image Stabilization.
I think you might be looking at this the wrong way. It's more that some collectors pay a premium for specific die states. A die state could involve a clash, but the clash itself is just a marker for identifying the die state. Some collectors prefer the earliest possible pristine die state, some prefer the latest possible die state, some don't care. I'm not sure that it's significant enough to really influence price except when the die state is extremely rare.
Okay, I thank you all for your thoughts. Please keep them coming. They all help me learn more about numismatics. The bottom line is, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Knowledge and experience is paramount. Thank you, again.
Find an example where the grade is lowered specifically because of clash marks. Do a GTG. Because someone at PCGS says so does not mean that it is practiced. I am not convinced.
