When I am on EBAY, I have a backup explorer window with the PCGS website. This is for fast reference and I am sure thats old news. But my question is when to buy non-slabbed coins. When you see an OLD coin let's say 1866 shield nickel that in just good condition is estimated at $29.00. When you look at the photo it is clear that if the same coin is mailed i will save alot of money, do I buy? Or should I stay with only slabbed coins? What is this forums stance on EBAY? Also some of the proof coins and sets I have purchased on EBAY have the Light spots, when I look under the microscope it has a dulling effect on the coins, and on the lincoln there are tiny green spots. What sort of effect will this have on the value? When would you spend over $100 for a coin or proof set as a small collector? Hope I havent asked too many questions.
some of those "lightly cleaned" or "light cleaning under natural toning" things can fool even sharp coin people, old, unslabbed coins can hurt you, you just can not tell a lightly cleaned coin over the internet especially under natural retoning. And the body bag hurts. I have been burned by the lightly cleaned thing even when I could inspect the coin.
If you buy it, and the green is only PVC you can remove it with an acetone bath and there probably wouldn't be any permanent damage, but if it is the start of verdigris then the coin has a fatal disease and will eventually end up as a corroded piece of junk. In other words green spots are a great big red flag. I can't speak for the entire forum, but my position on EBay is simple Don't buy coins from China Don't buy coins from a seller without a good return policy Don't spend more than a couple of bucks including shipping for any coin unless you know enough about the series to form a reasonably accurate opinion of genuiness and grade Don't spend over $100 without thoroughly checking the Seller's feedback, knowing exactly what you are buying, obeying the other rules, and having enough expertise on the coin you are buying to answer questions about it, not ask them.
I buy raw coins offen...the key is to KNOW the coin....learn how to grade...even if you aren't the best grader, don't worry, nobody is. Try to look at all 3 sides of the coin....look for anything that might hurt the grade...if you think you see something but your not sure...more than likely you saw it--don't get it. Speedy
I shop Ebay for raw coins fairly often, although the window I have open in the background is Heritage, as well as a Greysheet. Heritage gives me an idea of what the coin is actually selling for in the real world, as well as populations. I try to follow all the advice above, and I hold myself to strict rules about what I want and how much I'll pay. Generally, I will not exceed Greysheet Bid for any coin. I've learned not to buy slabbed coins on Ebay. Top-tier slabs are too expensive, and lower-tier slabs are untrustworthy (a label which can be placed on any TPG, IMO). I once bought an NGC MS64 Morgan, a New Orleans coin which was such a poor strike that I couldn't keep it. You have to trust yourself as a grader, and you have to be worthy of that self-trust. Don't shop for raw coins if you can't accurately estimate the grade within a two-point swing, and never pay the price of that upper point. I look at Large Cents, Twos/Threes, Barber Dimes and Quarters, Walkers and Morgans, and within those categories I don't find more than 4-5 coins a week worth my while. Of that, only two or three a month stay within my financial limits. Even with my caution, I've been burned a couple times. I've bought coins which have had the photographs capably altered (I'm proficient with Photoshop and they fooled me). For me, it's about the thrill of the chase and I'm willing to be occasionally burned in return for things like this: You could shave in the mirrors, and I got it for $50-ish. Or this: I don't think anyone would argue that this penny isn't a high AU, and I paid VF money for it. The deals are out there. If you have the willingness to work diligently at learning, and the discipline to stay within your limits, you can find some nice shiny objects at very dull prices.
I think AU is a good grade for that...I look at coins every week (not as much as I should) that I pass up because of eye appeal...I think that is the key to everything. If I building a collection of BU coins....I really don't care if they are MS63 or MS64 but the eye appeal is everything. Speedy
I have to hold my hands up to been a avid ebay buyer to date though I have never bought a slabbed coin as I am allways a bit unsure as to if it has been alterd or not. I also will stay with a seller if in the past I have recieved good service and good coins, never spend much on your 1st few buys De Orc Ps recieved this morning a very nice fake Morgan had to have at least one in my collection LOL
I tend to agree with this. The numerical grade can be given too much importance and can cause the buyer to overpay if the goal is to have a really nice looking collection.
WoW!, Nice photos!, Now if the e-bay shows them like that, gradeing would be easyer for raw coins, I dont bid on e-bay so I dont have to worrie about it, but you are safer somewhat on the slabed coins, BUT!, remember they will grade it say....63 or 64 and the grade will be there, but lack strike and eye appeal, so keep that under your hat, hope it helps. :thumb:
SUPERDAVE what an awesome reply!! I have bought slabs on EBAY and so far I am very pleased with a couple of lincolns in pcgs proof69 deep cameo, worth one worth $25.00 and the other $40.00 . I paid about $5.50 each w/shipping. The others I purchased are questionable. Trial by fire. Thanks for the feedback everyone and I will check out the sights you talked about.
Rujam, the PCGS price guide is not very good for determining coin values. I think Teletrade has the best pricing information for graded modern coins. Charlie
I use a Minolta Z2, a camera I bought for the 10x zoom which I use at Nascar races. It turns out to be a pretty good macro tool, too. I forget who it was at this forum who first turned me on to the concept of increasing aperture and exposure times, but that was the trick which got me finally taking decent pics. I'm still not getting the light right, though - I'll be trying Reveal bulbs (which come highly recommended) to see what that does.
