Widgets do you avoid them?

This is an almost incomprehensible thread. I still am having trouble with exactly what the meaning of widget is with respect to coins.

 

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I can understand why people want to own rare coins in the best possible condition, but there is a steep price. I think common coins in circulated condition are sometimes underappreciated. As a middle ground, you can sometimes purchase a fairly scarce coin for a reasonable price if it is worn or slightly damaged. And you can sometimes purchase a fairly common coin in a very high MS/PF grade. There is something for everyone and no collecting technique is right or wrong in my opinion.

 

Well said.

 

Its not brought up much here, but there are other boards that talk about this a lot. It kind of messed with me.

 

Is low grade BU the opposite of high grade AU?
You are including ms63 dollars as widgets?

 

Jube Jubes , do you mean JUJUBEES ?
rzage

 

I avoid the sickening term WIDGETS. Anyway, there is no reason to avoid the coins themselves, just the nauseating term.

 

What are and what are not widgets are in the eye of the beholder.

 

GD is right on his definition common, generic, easily replaceable, typical, are all terms that can be used to describe a widget, and like he said most, probably better than 98% of all coins could be called widgets. MS-65 1881-S dollars are around by the bag, multiple bags. They are definitely widgets. Doesn't mean they aren't purdy and I do like them.

Costly coins can also be widgets. Good example is the 1909-SVDB. Sure a MS-68 isn't but the run of the mill piece is easily available in quantity. All it takes is the money.

If you are going to collect coins rather than just speculate, you pretty much are going to HAVE to buy widgets. A handful of expensive, unrelated, high end coins is not a collection, its a portfollio.

 

Excellent way to put this into perpective.

 

MS-63? Sure, depends on the date, but absolutely. Like the 1881-S.. PCGS and NGC, between the two of them, have slabbed over TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND in MS grades under 65. To be honest, if you throw in the 65s it's close to 300,000.

Plenty of Morgan dollars are incredibly common in Mint State, 2 phone calls and you can have rolls and rolls of them in MS or a 55 gallon drum full of slabs. Remember, most Morgans didn't enter circulation.

 

Oh, and I bought 5 common date BU Morgans in probably 62-63 for $25 each this week. Local B&M dealer, he's got plenty.

Are they Widgets? Yes. Still, I like them