Help! At coin show

....who are the least appropriate candidates to just jump into a type set/keys. It would be irrelevant if you could trust the slab's label 100% of the time, but you cannot.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Bought as a PCGS 62...in hand it might be 58 (and in my opinion should be a 55)


Sure glad it wasn't an 1815.

 

You do realize that this subject was broached with the qualifier "if genuinely knowledgeable enough to safely do so", right?

And, of course, it must be assumed the view was based entirely on money because, well, that's what we do. Unfortunately for the narrative, money has little to do with it, at least from my perspective. Time and time again over my years of involvement, I've watched as someone left the keys for last and ended up settling for sub par material, often in the haste or excitement of finally finishing the set. By being open to purchasing the keys earlier ("earlier" does not mean "first"), and again, only when knowledgeable enough to safely do so, one can allow themselves a significant amount of non-rushed time to wait for the "right" coin to show itself. Now, by "right" this could certainly mean price, but could and perhaps should mean quality as the main consideration with price as a fairly distant second, but why bother looking at the big picture.

 

The coin is a commercial MS-62. As an experienced Numismatist (?) that should have told you the coin is IN MOST CASES actually an AU (by either the old standard for Unc or by conservative standards). Otherwise, it is a very hairlined (impaired - probably by improper cleaning) MINT STATE coin. Only you know as you have the coin.

What's the problem? This has been going on for at least a decade! Professionals far above "our pay grade" have determined it is worth Mint State money.

You'll need to do wayyyyyyyyyyy better than this. IMO, not an example of a mistake. Nice type coin.

PS IMO, AU-55 is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy off too.

 

The advice to buy only slabbed coins is good and conservative and will cost you significantly more than raw coins. I like raw coins and depend on the expertise of dealers who guarantee the purchase and then opinions of people on this forum who have kept me from buying two fakes in the last few months. Buying key coins is something you do have to be careful of though.