Collecting Low-Grade Coins?

WOW! One more reason to question TPG’ers intentions! Now we’re supposed to buy into “a race to the bottom”, as much of the country has done with workers’ wages? Thanks, but unless it’s a very rare, heavily counterfeited coin, I’ll collect my low grade coins raw. Low grade collecting is (was) a way for those on a budget to fill holes, acquire coins with “history”, and avoid paying TPG’ers for their opinions.

 

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Braddick = Pat = Peacockcoins (E-Bay)

He posts very regularly on the PCGS forum, and with a little less frequency on the NGC forum.

 

PO01 i didnt even know that was a grade

 

True Braddick did it with certified coins but people were attempting to collect "Worst known" types sets back before there were TPG's. The TPG added another "demention" to the problem. Before then many of the low end sets contained coins that were low because they had problems in addition to their wear. by going with the slabbed version you not only had the challenge of getting the very low grade coin, but also getting it problem free so that it would get into the slab. Take that 13-S in the OP. If that wasn't a key date it might not have gotten into that slab because it looks to me like it might be lightly cleaned. As a key it gets a pass. If it was a common it might not. Yes Barber "slicks" are common, but most of them look to me like they have been cleaned or wiped in order to be more legible.

And Doug is right the TPG's had nothing to do with it. Braddick and others started collecting their low ball slabbed sets eleven years ago but the TPG's didn't start the Lowball Registries until just about four years ago.

 

I could understand why someone would send low grade coins for grading and how that would be fun since many coins that are slabbed are in pristine condition. Wouldn't another reason to send in low grade coins is to make sure a key date is authentic like the 1913s Barber quarter shown in this thread or a 1916d Mercury Dime or 1909s VDB Wheat Cent?

 

Yes. you are correct.

 

I agree with everything but the last paragraph. For a coin that has seen that much, a slab is a tomb. It
should be in your pocket.

 

Really can't argue with this.

Perhaps the only answer I can give is what I said above...in some cases, the slab might verify that the coin is genuine, and the wear original and honest.