Tips for Hunting $20 Saints

Unless it's a rare date/mint, go for 64 or higher. Alot of 62's/61's/60's aren't much nicer than AU-58s (see the thread talking about that).

If it's a coin you are going to hold for a while, if it's not something you are looking to make a quick buck off of, if it something you want to look at and show family and friends, go for Gem Quality (MS-65) if it's within your budget.

Good Luck !

 

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Just letting you know right now on Collecters Corner there is a 1928 St Gaudens Ms-63 by NGC for $1275 Seller is J&M Jewelry

 

Thanks, @James S . Looks like there might be some wear on the thigh (obverse) and wing tips (reverse) maybe?

 

Doug I didn't see it I'm not saying it isn't there if it was Friday I would buy it, that's the cheapest I have seen especially Ms-63 I couldn't find a 62 that cheap yesterday on Ebay especially graded by NGC or PCGS

 

Yeah, the cheapest I am seeing is $1,335 but this is my 1st time to this site and who knows if I am navigating around properly:

http://www.collectorscorner.com/Category/Category.aspx?catId=67&pId=4

One thing I can say for sure....when buying an MS-65 or lower common date....DON'T RUSH !! There are tons of similar coins such that you don't have to wait long so make sure you like the coin AND the price is right.

A rarer date and/or a grade of MS-66 or higher, then you may need to pounce.

 

IMO, that's silly. Coins with most copper spots can be conserved in seconds. You should be able to purchase them cheaper by bitching about the spots!

 

BTW, beautiful coin you have there....

 

What do you mean "conserved in seconds" -- you mean the spots REMOVED or no further damage ?

 

Low/mid grade MS Saints are now available for a very low premium above spot, if you want to go the bargain/bullion route. You can still get a nice, common date at the MS63-64 level and pay less than 5% above spot, if all you want is a nice coin.

I also would not ignore properly graded and priced AU-58 coins, including coins that say 63 or 64 on the label but are really AU-58's. You get 99% of the eye appeal and flash with a good AU58 at a much lower price than an MS-64.

 

Don't buy a 64 unless it looks like a 65.
Don't buy a 65 unless it looks like a 66...And so on.
They are out there.

I don't do CAC but it might be something to look into if you're unsure about keeping the coin and/or your grading skills.

I won't buy a coin if liberty has a bag mark on her face but that's just me.
You may have other standards

Here a 11-S for sale now that I'm thinking about buying.
It's a 65 but it looks like a 66

 

Yup, there was a time the premiums were 50-100% above spot, Paul !

Yup !!

 

How's the reverse ?

It IS a nice coin. Lately, I've been looking at the columns in the Capitol building to gauge strike quality.

Fields...bag marks on face/mouth and knee and torch....Eagles breast and beak....hits on rays....Capitol....that is some (most) of my Big Checkpoints Saint-Gaudens checklist.

 

A little bite out of the rim but the obverse should carry it.
The columns on the capital are a good thing to look at.

The 1907/1908 NM short ray & blind eagle dies are sensitive to light hits.
I'm not usually concerned too much w/ strike on these soft coins.
Sometimes the dies are just bad.

I look at Liberty's left wrist and the hair on the left side of her face.

 

Capitol !! Never forgot Miss Martini's 6th-grade lectures about the different spellings !

Short rays are the ones below the date ?

You mean BALD eagle dies ?

HER left wrist and the hair on HER left side of the face ? From her POV, not ours....?

 

Conserved = removed completely. The only copper spots that ar a little mor difficult to conserve are the ones caused by black debris.

 

What if the copper spot has DEPTH to it, it's not just a surface stain ?

 

Removing the evidence of a copper spot temporarily is quite easy.

Preventing the copper spot from reappearing is impossible.

The whole idea of a "copper spot" is that this is potentially a localized area of higher copper concentration in the alloy of a coin, making it more likely to tone. You aren't removing the alloy, you're just removing the thin layer of toning where the alloy is.

 

The only copper spots that are a little more difficult to conserve are the ones caused by black debris. That's because the debris is into the coin's surface.

physics-fan3.14, posted: "Removing the evidence of a copper spot temporarily is quite easy. Preventing the copper spot from reappearing is impossible.

The whole idea of a "copper spot" is that this is potentially a localized area of higher copper concentration in the alloy of a coin, making it more likely to tone. You aren't removing the alloy, you're just removing the thin layer of toning where the alloy is."

Very well stated from the voice of experience. Fortunately, the spot won't return in your lifetime!

 

I don't know about that. I'm a great deal younger than you are

 

What do you use to remove the copper spot? Actually my question is what is the best way to conserve MS gold coinage?