Using some of the advice I see so often on these boards (by the best coin you can afford, buy the coin not the slab, premium coins cost premium money), I checked out the auctions ending earlier tonight (Tuesday). I can't really spend the money for an AU or greater Bust Half, so XF is about my limit. I'm a sucker for shiny silver, and I figure the safest bet that the shine is not from cleaning is in a TPG slab (though I know that's not foolproof). Based on previous prices realized, I thought I was paying just a bit extra, but I now realize that those prices included the 15% fee. So I paid about 25% more than the recent averages. Oh well, live and learn. Here's the coin: http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=29121&Lot_No=20284 I also have a raw 1836 XF on the way from Apmex, from their numismatic closeout, at about 1/2 the cost of this one, so I'll need to make a choice and sell one of them. Or not.
Yeh, when the buyer's fee and S&H show up, sticker shock is often the result. I'm slowly learning the same lesson. Teletrade is the same way.
jcz, I would respectfully suggest you find a mentor and/or post coins your interested in before you bid on them. IMO, that coin is not one to be spending a premium on, and it HAS been cleaned/dipped in the past. Respectfully...Mike
Sorry to say it being in a slab(NGC and PCGS) does not mean the coin is not cleaned. I hope the coin looks different in hand, but from these pictures the coin does look cleaned. Typically these should be a more gun metal gray. Hope it is just the heritage picture. And yes - been there done that with the additional costs.
I've seen slabs with Details that say "improperly cleaned" or something like that. Does this imply that the TPG's believe that there exists a "proper" cleaning? Or should any cleaning at all be rejected by them? If it does appear cleaned when I get it, what does one do then? Does NGC have a buy-back for this reason?
Yes, it's called "market acceptable". This means, in the TPGs eyes, whatever was done to this coin is acceptable in the market and therefore graded. While you can send it back to NGC under their grade guarantee, chances are they will not do anything. Therefore, it is up to you to become more educated -- thus my original comments to this thread. Respectfully...Mike
I agree with Leadfoot - that poor thing has been so overdipped that it is bright, shiny, and unattractive. I would have spent 25% under average, not 25% over.
