Featured My recent coin show buys

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by John Skelton, Aug 5, 2019.

  1. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    I had mentioned before that I was interested in FEs, and this monthly coin show was my first stop. I first went to a dealer that I have a relationship with, but I knew he likely didn't have the coin since he has a small inventory and seems to be leaning more to selling supplies. Anyway he didn't have it but pointed out two other dealers he said might have one. One didn't have one and the other was busy. While I waited for the one to get freed up, I wandered around and came across this quarter in a half-price bin.
    1974 quarter off001.jpg
    1974 quarter off002.jpg

    I thought it was a nice off-centered strike, but even though it was going for half the $25 it was marked, I wanted to wait until I knew how much the FE would cost. So when the dealer was free, I asked what he had. He brought out about 15 FE coins from behind the counter and told me to look through them. Out of those, this one was the best as far as having better defined feathers.
    1878 FE 001.jpg
    1878 FE 002.jpg

    I was concerned about the white spot on the wing, but otherwise I liked what I saw. I could have liked one in better condition, and I'm asking for comments on it. Priced at $33, I got it for $25. That left me with enough money to go back and get the quarter!

    Made my day!
     
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  3. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    The discoloring is concerning. Not sure what caused it, but it might be a candidate for conservation efforts.

    Love the quarter.
     
    Paul M. likes this.
  4. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    I agree about the discoloration. Any ideas how to do the conservation? My first instinct would be to use acetone on it and a distilled water rinse.
     
  5. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    The least invasive methods are starting with distilled water, then (after ensuring the coin has dried completely), soaking it in acetone, then once again in water afterwards. If that doesn't help it, you might consider using @BadThad 's verdicare (https://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/products/verdi-care.html). However, my ultimate recommendation is to not buy problem coins and avoid this conundrum in the future. Good luck!
     
  6. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    I know it's better to not buy problem coins, but....but....I just had to have it! I mean, it was the best of the fifteen other FEs I looked at, and I didn't want to wait and go to my LCS and see what he had, which would probably be more expensive anyway. I do with what I got.

    But thanks for the information!
     
  7. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    Not too shabby John. I love the cent......
     
  8. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    And I would't use acetone on the cent. Sometimes the reaction of such is undesirable.......
     
    John Skelton likes this.
  9. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    Thanks for the Like. But what would you use to conserve it? I do think it needs a little help.
     
  10. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    I wouldn't use anything at all. E-zest is an option but if you don't have experience with that cleaner it's best to leave it be......
     
  11. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    Not gonna lie, I like the off center a lot more than the FEC. That spot, the active corrosion, scratches, and cleaning make this a problem coin. Take it as a lesson learned.

    The off center is really cool, though.
     
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  12. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    Yes, I know the FEC is a problem coin, but like I said, I wanted it! :rolleyes:
    I don't think of it as learning a lesson, I think of it as being a coin I wanted, and that's good enough for me. I may look for a better coin later, but for now, I'm happy.

    As for the quarter, it was so obvious I think it's beautiful! It was a lesson as to what an off center should look like.
     
  13. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

    The quarter is not off center, it is a broad strike

    check the rim, there shouldn't be any reeding
     
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  14. Vess1

    Vess1 CT SP VIP Supporter

    I've found it nearly impossible to locate a flying eagle cent without issue. I finally settled on one for my type set that was attractive and in great condition, sent it in to be graded and came back cleaned. That one cost me $125 plus grading. Worn ones are common.
     
  15. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    I decided to go to my local coin shop and ask him what he thought. Considering that most people here said it was off center, and that it was labeled as such, I tend to believe it is. The dealer who looked at it in hand said not only was it an off center piece, but explained what a broad strike would look like. Given all that, I'm inclined to say it is an off center coin,
     
  16. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    NO! not on a mostly copper based coin (unless you LIKE pink obviously cleaned copper coins)

    The quarter is a broadstrike, an uncentered broadstrike. (On a centered broadstrike the collar is not present and the planchet is properly centered between the dies.) The difference between an uncentered broadstrike and an off-center strike is that on the off-center, part of the design is off the edge of the planchet. On the broadstrike all of the design is present. Your coin shows all of the design. Just a little further and part of the word DOLLAR would have been missing and then it would have been an off-center strike.
     
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  17. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    Okay, I'll accept that about the quarter. Now, do you have any sugegstions about the condition of the cent and if I should even try to have it cleaned, and with what.
     
  18. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    The better buy was the Quarter. That white spot on the FE bothers me. Maybe acetone would help.
     
  19. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    For copper distilled water, acetone, xylol or high % content isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol 91%) You could use ethyl alcohol as well but to get that high an alcohol content gets a bit costly. For any of these soak and/or rinse, but don't rub.
     
  20. John Skelton

    John Skelton Morgan man!

    Okay, so I actually wasn't too pleased with that FE, but, as I said, I really wanted a FE, so I bought it. Now, the show was on a Sunday, and having spent my coin money on the FE and the quarter, I didn't think I'd go looking for another. But after thinking about it, I decided to take an advance on my coin budget and see, if by any chance, my LCS had one. The only reason I hadn't gone there first was because I just felt there would be a greater chance at a coin show that some dealer would have one. Well, we know how that turned out.

    So anyway, the next week, I took out the advance on my coin budget and went to the LCS. And yes, they did have one. And here it is.
    1858 FE LL001.jpg
    1858 FE LL001.jpg 1858 FE LL002.jpg

    Mow according to the diagnostics I believe this to be one with large letters, while the first one had small letters. But I leave it to you good folks to decide what is what.
     
  21. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    I have to say, I like this second one *a lot* better.
     
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