Kind of confused about my new coin

Yes - a harsh cleaning will detract from the value. To me the original pictures make it look okay. The second set - I can't say for sure.

 

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Nice looking 1899, coin and great toning. You have beautiful coin. Don

 

Man talk about the rabbit hole of numismatic discussion...
So this question is going to require that you answer a couple of other questions.

Do you care, are you going to have it graded, and why are you collecting.

If you don't care...stop there. Move on..if you like the coin cool..if you don't then don't buy it, or trade if for something else. Collect for you. I think collectors at this level are some what pushed into worrying about value too much in these terms. Its important, but if you like it don't sweat it.

If you are going to have it graded, then yes it detracts from the coins value because it will not grade straight. Which means you will get a grade that declares the coin to be cleaned which will end up a waste of money for you for the grading fees, and you will now have a coin with stigma attached to it...unless you crack it out and just keep it in an album.

Why are you collecting. Again I use the rabbit hole analogy, but if you are collecting based only on value, and that value increasing then I say you are not collecting, but investing. If you are collecting because you like how that coin looks with the rest of your collection then I say well done, you've chosen a great coin from a great series of coins to collect.

I have a collection of Liberty Nickels going right now. I'd put yours in my set any day. Its a clean looking coin with little distraction to it and its in the grade range that I want. The toning (AT or not) is a nice touch. I know my set has cleaned coins in it but I don't care. I like'em. If I get into financial trouble and have to sell my set, I know I'm not going to get what I paid out of it, cleaned coins or no cleaned coins.

Believe it or not this was my short answer!

 

Let 'em have it! It's about time someone said it.

 

My problem wasn't with how much I can sell it for (I personally don't plan on it), but with how much I bought it for. At my age I don't have much money to spend so if I bought a coin that has been cleaned and I paid for one that wasn't it doesn't make me happy. So I need to know this information so this doesn't happen to me. (still not sure if this coin is or isn't)

 

Well I sat here last night and gave you an answer on exactly what it was. And I stand by my attribution as I have enough reference books on nickels a lone to create a library by them selves.
I do understand that you did not have the camera to give a great image. I was willing to help you out....and for the most part did. As to what ever you paid for it as it stands the value even cleaned is between 75-$100.
Looking at trends on this date if you paid any more than $40 for it maybe you shouldn't be in the coin flipping business, you got lucky. But only so if another is looking for this variety and willing to pay you for this variety in a detail condition .

 

I have the Cherrypicker's Guide right in front of me...still don't see it being an RPD nor do I see the die clash. I blame it on the pictures tho...I just don't feel I could 100% for sure say its that variety until I have loupe and coin in hand or a magnified high def pic.

@thepersonman - if you have a loupe You can try to figure it out...her is the info

I get what you're saying here. But again I feel the cleaning part is irrelevant. If Paddy54 is right then he's right on with the price...even looking at the pic, Cherrypicker's says $75. Only you can determine if its that variety. If it is...that's really cool!

If it's not that variety and its just a straight up 1899 Liberty Nickel in XF condition, Gray Sheet ask is $27 (keep in mind that's dealer to dealer pricing). Coin world price guide says $33 for XF 40, and Numismedia FMV says $36 for XF40. I'd put yours north of that at XF45. Even if you paid $40 I still think you did OK.

If you paid somewhere in that range for a straight up non variety V nickel you did good, even if its been cleaned...just my humble opinion tho. If you paid more than that...meh...maybe you over paid...but buy how much and could you have purchased more coins with the overage...i dunno...again only you can know that.

I'd say find out if its the FS-05-1899-301.

And for God's sake...tell us if YOU like the coin! That's what's important.

 

Yes, I like the coin. I like liberty nickels in general.

 

There 6 varieties of the 1899 Liberty nickel all repunched dates. #36.1 #36.2#36.3#36.4#36.5&#36A.1. The latter being early die state as well as a late die state.

 

Thank you Paddy54 for all your help, but after closer examination I believe that it does not possess the variety. I may be wrong, but to me it doesn't look like the variety.

 

If you look inside the 9 upper loop as well as the loop of the tail. What I'm seeing is the same as what is picture in the complete guide to shield & Liberty nickels. They have 7 images and the last one the later stage looks just like yours last 9

 

I do to. I've been putting an XF set together for about a year now...I've slowed down because I'm to the expensive ones. It will be a work in progress I'm sure. But I love a project that takes time and patience.

FWIW, I think you have a great coin there, its nice, it has some great eye appeal, at least from the pics, and i bet it looks great in your album.

 

Since liberty nickels are a bit on the pricey side this is my first one above fine-very good condition. Thanks for your help.

 

You look at the coin. Do you like it? Yes. Does the price seem reasonable and affordable to you based on how the coin looks to you? Yes. Do you plan on trying to sell or flip it for a profit? No. Then buy the coin and enjoy it. Who cares if it may have been cleaned or not?

 

It's too bad I cant click the like button 50 times....because you just summed up in less 4 lines exactly what I'm trying to say!

 

One must remember why the nickel was minted in the first place. It was minted for a few very important reasons. One after the Civil war to get coinage into the main stream. Silver coins were hoarded. After the war they needed a work horse to fuel up the economy . A coin that would wear well and would not be kept because of its melt value.
The cent and nickel was the working man's coin.
I would venture to say from 1866 to 1966 and maybe a few years longer a nickel had buying power. In the early years it got you lunch and a beer,it got you a good cigar.Towards the latter part of the 100 years I'm talking about the time of my childhood a nickel got you, a candy bar, a 8 oz. Coke, a hand dipped ice cream cone, and five pieces of penny candy. You could buy a news paper for a nickel, in 1964 you could go to a McDonald's and for 5 nickels get the equivalent of a quarter pounder meal deal.
Yes a burger,fries,and a drink for a quarter !
Now one also must think about this work horse. Yes for the most part millions were minted, and used daily. And over this 100 year period you better know they been through hell and back. Cleaned yes ,any coin over 150 years old I would bet has been exposed to some sort of cleaning or wear.
Anytime you find a coin that age is 150 years plus,and the coin was in circulation for the most part of that time period and is in vf to xf condition you have scored well.
As collectors all of us for the most part want high grades xf or better coins. But our wants always exceed our needs.
Nickels are for the most part not a highly desired coin to collect. Unless you're talking a 1913 Liberty. But some of the highest finial value auctions have been a nickel.
In my nickel collection I have coins who's values range from face value to thousands of dollars.
Even those who are in the high dollar price range ,as rare as they maybe are only worth at the end of a day what another collector is willing to pay.
Coin collecting is like boating some like go fast boats,some enjoy the power of the wind and sailing a long . Be the ride fast or slow it don't matter as long as you enjoy the ride. Because one day all the coins you own will be in the hands of another ,as the coins you hold once where in someone else's hands. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the knowledge.