What to do with this trade dollar?

First time I have bought a coin that has serious damage. It's not really a rare coin, but there are several things I have considered. I have a number of issues, so please bear with me.

1)There seems to be luster on the coin, but toning is pretty awful.
2)The hole removed about 0.25 grams of silver, or 1% of the coin.

So I have four options. The repair will be approximately $75. I have already spent $60 on the coin. My main goal is to have a coin that looks okay, value is secondary.

1)leave the coin as is
2)repair the coin at an experienced silversmith, who will fill the hole, remake the star and dentils. Allow the coin to have mirror polish at the repaired portions and hopefully it will tone to become less visible over the next few decades.
3)repair the coin and artificially tone it so the repair is less visible. I'm not trying to fool anyone as no one can repair the coin to its original state. I just want a coin that looks acceptable.
4)repair the coin and clean it, so the repair is less visible.

 

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Since you don't like it don't spend any more money on it.Get rid of it and buy one you like.

 

ditto

 

Never should have spent the money on this in the first place. Dump it for what you paid, save a few bucks and buy one you like.

 

I would leave it the way it is.

 

A better date 73-s. I'd have the coin professionally repaired and have the repair toned to match the rest of the coin which has good original skin. There's a guy in Kentucky that soecializes in coin restoration and repair or leave it alone. At least it's real

 

A better question is why would you buy something that you were unhappy and didn't like to begin with. I would think that would be the only issue you have. Must have got caught up in the bidding fever frenzy! I agree with the others. move it on and get one you like. Since you say that it isn't a rare coin. Granted other than a surface knowledge of U.S. trade dollars being a token collector. It seems that it was an unwanted purchase and to and more money to something that you will always remember the damage when you look at the repaired coin

 

Actually this is a 1873-s trade dollar and a lot scarcer coin then most people realize. Is the only s mint trade that's a challenging date especially problem free. Without the hole I'd LOVE to own this coin as it's got it's original skin too an au details and worth having skillfully and professionally restored. If it was a 78-s I'd say who really cares. Check out the coinfacts on 73-s if interested

 

One other thought. You could find an old fancy silver chain for it and display it on a little stand somewhere.

 

It appears the hole isn't the only problem. The edges look pretty bungled too.

 

There are certain people who do type sets with all holed coins. This would be a pretty good addition to a set like that. Just a thought

 

Best thing to do? Sell it. Cut your losses. Buy a nicer one. There is no reason to keep throwing good money after bad.

 

Nothing you can do to the coin will increase its' value - it's still a holed Details coin of a very common, available date for the issue. Time to cut bait.

 

Sell it and apply the proceeds, along with the $75 you would have spent on the restoration, and buy another Trade Dollar with no hole. A slabbed problem free VF won't set you back much more than that, or you could buy an XF details with cleaning but no damage. Definitely buy one that's slabbed, unless Beijing is one of the mints you are interested in collecting.​

 

Mainebill has a point. That is a really scarce Trade Dollar. Fixing the hole would help, but I worry about the amount of rim damage and how well that could be corrected. Personally, I would leave it as is... a piece of history and an artifact.

 

A very common available date? I'll take all the au 73-s problem free not made in China trade dollars you run across.

 

Yes. It is pretty common compared to the demand for dates. Very few people collect Trade Dollars by date so this one is available for the same price as more common ones until you reach the higher grades.

 

Why don't I see a nice 73-s for sale at shows or even at the major auctions I like. I seldom see any type 1 trades for sale except at the bigger sales. At shows it's the same old 76-78-s and 77p all over the place. In vf to low au. If the price was right I'd take all the 73-s trades I could get in original skin xf and better. And I do collect trade dollars by date. And there's at least 3 more of us on ct

 

Heck, I looked at it and saw '78. Oops. Wasn't expecting to see an 1873, so I didn't.

Still amounts only to an aesthetic decision, but for me I feel the coin is better left alone from a historical standpoint. The hole is probably contemporary, and a modern repair would turn off the purist. I'd leave it as-is, and at that price you haven't been robbed.

 

Yup 78-s is common as dirt for trade dollars. 73-s by far the toughest San Francisco minted trade dollar. Only s mint I lack in my collection waiting for the right one.