Which Would You Rather Have and Why

Gimme the graded...at least until the TPGs start better and more consistently considering the typical sort of stuff that can/does happen in the life of 100-150-200 year-old coins (and certain moderns, too) that they all-too-often have a penchant for rendering ineligible for straight grades.

 

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I second this opinion.

 

I would take the VG in this case. Not over a details grade, which I would most certainly would have chosen except for the distracting scratches.

 

You may be inclined to overlook the scratches on the raw one at first, but eventually you'll be stuck with a problem coin you don't like.

 

I bought a scratched large cent once and regretted it less than an hour later. When I had to sell some coins I couldn't even get a third of what I paid for it. I learned a hard lesson. Some types of problem coins are ok but never buy one with a scratch unless it's dirt cheap.

 

I am in the "Graded" camp.