Today, I took another trip to my local antique mall to pick up some coins, and came away with a few lessons in addition. I've been looking at a 1937 Mercury dime for a while now, in excellent condition -- at least in comparison to the other coins they carry -- maybe MS-60 or 61, and given a quick look-over, it seemed to be FB as well. Getting it home and under my own lamp however, it became apparent that I had not looked closely enough: the middle bands were intact, but slight nicks mar the upper and lower bands. No FB for me Even so, it is the best looking coin in my small Mercury collection, but I did end up paying more than I should have. It's not quite as expensive a mistake as some make, but it still has given me some pause. Maybe I will stick to certified FB coins from now on. As consolation though, I also picked up a 1987 proof set for $10. All of the coins are at least cameo quality, possibly DCAM, and judging by Numismedia's FMV, it seems like a pretty good deal, even if each is only PR-60 You win some, you lose some, I suppose.
Yep - been there done that, but hey as long as you had fun and learned a lesson there is nothing bad about it. Enjoy.
Did you have the old trusty loupe with you? I never buy coins without that old trusty loupe. I'll stare at that coin for minutes, rotating, flipping, evaluating. Then I make that decision as to whether to buy or not. Never give that coin a quick "look over". You'll be dissatisfied every time.....
They have an in-house magnifying glass that I thought would be good enough, but I didn't realize until using it that it wasn't as powerful as I thought. I'll certainly be bringing my own loupe with me on my next visit.
I always have a spare loupe and small magnify glass in my ash tray since I do not allow smoking in my truck, also handy , for a flea market or yard sale.
Many times the different magnifications you may have may also not be of any usage. Looking at a coin under the lighting provided may also be a problem. Then too, if your standing or sitting makes a difference in what you think you see. For example if standing while looking at a prospective coin to purchase, you may have a slight back or leg pain making your decisions rather on the fast side. The lighting usually provided at any store is done to make items look better. Ever notice an auto dealers lighting in thier show rooms? Ever notice the always wet surfaces on the streets for auto adds on TV? Many, many such things make your eyes see something different than reality. And that Mercury Dime may still be a decent deal pending on how much you paid for it.
Thanks for the info on the lighting, Carl, it seems like that was probably also a factor, considering the immediate difference when I looked at it under my own lamp. I'll certainly be keeping that in mind in the future. I paid about $11 for it, which, again going by Numismedia's FMV, is a few more dollars than I should have gotten it for if it is MS-60 as I think, but my grading is still rough. I'll try to get a picture or scan up soon. I'm still very happy with the coin though, just not as happy as I could have been.
