Just looking fro opinions on finding valuable modern coins. Most seem to be worthless. For example, I sold a cameo proof SBA dollar that went for .74 on eBay! Creating rarity with the high grade MS 67++ makes me nervous as: 1) I have read that NGC grades 1-2 points higher creating a false higher value. and 2) these high grade coins are susceptible to corrosion (like my sealed 1981 proof set) so sure they are rare because how many coins make it for 50+ years without self-deterioration? Will toned coins continue to tone into a less desirable coin? I have a 1950 toned nickel that I wish would stop right now or it could get unappealing. Any opinions on errors like 3-legged buffaloes or double die coins? These seem to be the most stable as for condition, desirability, and stability. But what do I know? Thanks
understanding the conditions it takes for toning to happen.. air , heat, and interaction. even if you have a half dollar in a o.m.p. package that has not tone doesnt mean it will it need to interact with air cause oxidization is needed in most processes pr even a chemical interaction..
The SBA's have never gained too much popularity among collectors, but they aren't rare by any means. It's just that they're not worth submitting for grading. I think you should ignore some of the things you've read. For one thing, if NGC did grade 1-2 points higher (which they don't on average) the values would be lower rather than higher. Any coin is susceptible to toning depending on the climate where they are stored, and there is no way to stop toning completely. All you can do is slow it down. It doesn't matter if they are "high-grade" coins or not. If yours have corroded, then you should be concerned about where and under what climate conditions you're storing them. Chris
I'd agree, most modern coins are worthless, at least in the sense you are talking about. Condition rarity, meaning that the nicer a coin is the less there are of them, is something that has been with us since before the time of grading scales. And it applies to all coins, not just modern coins. Higher than what ? Or, perhaps more appropriately, higher than who ? Higher than PCGS is about the only answer there can be. That said, what you have heard is both correct, and incorrect. And this is the point that just about everybody who makes comments like yours, ignores. NGC and PCGS use different grading standards, so of course you would expect them to grade coins differently. There's no big surprise in that.Yes there are some coins that NGC will assign a higher grade to than PCGS would. But by the same token there are some coins that NGC will assign a lower grade to than PCGS would. In other words, sometimes PCGS has the tougher grading standards, and sometimes NGC has the tougher grading standards. All coins are susceptible to corrosion, or toning as we call it. And it doesn't take 50 years. Toning begins as soon as the coin is struck. The only variable is how fast that toning occurs. If the toning is allowed to continue unchecked - yes, they will. Then stop it. Whether or not the coin continues to tone is entirely up to you. While you cannot stop it completely, you can slow down the toning so much that the coin will remain pretty much just as it is now until you are dead and buried. But the choice is yours. You have to take the steps to do that. Left on its own the coin will continue to tone until it turns black. All you have to do is practice proper storage methods and it will stay just like it is now. It seems this part of your question is directed more towards a coin retaining its value than it is towards a coin maintaining its condition. But even your assumption there is incorrect. For a 3 legged Buff, or a doubled die coin will vary greatly in value depending on the grade/condition of the coin. And as for toning, even these coins will go up or down in value depending on whether or not that toning is attractive, or unattractive. And if market changes occur, varieties and errors change in value just like all other coins. They are not immune to dropping in price any more than any other coin. The value of all coins, no matter what they are, go up and down in value all the time depending on the situation at hand at the present time. None of them are immune to this.
Your proof SBA sold for less than a buck probably because you charged shipping, which deters many people from buying lower value coins where the shipping may cost as much as the coin itself.
GDJMSP, The nickel was in a 2x2 paper holder but I put it into a plastic case. Doesn't seem any better. I would need to put it in humidity controlled environment? phdunay, right. Shipping was $1.77 for me so I charged $2.00 to cover Ebay fees.
There's more to proper storage than just the coin holder, but that is the start. In a nutshell, coins need to be stored in a sealed container - that can be a safe, a Tupperware bin, or something like that. That sealed container then needs to be stored in a cool, dark place where the temperature rarely changes. Like a closet in your home - hopefully one that has no exterior walls. And you need to use silica gel packs (inside the container) that are properly sized for the container, and change or recharge them as needed. Do that and toning should be slowed down so much that you'll never notice any change. Of course that is assuming that there are no environmental contaminants on the coin itself.
