Coinbuf

ASE = deep rabbit hole!

Your first thought is the correct one.

Some, back then an MS66 was a very high grade for some coin series. But really it has been happening (and in my opinion accelerating) because so many collectors now submit, some with out any guidance, and some it seems out of sheer desperation. In the timeframe you noted the bulk of submissions were from dealers, so the low value coins then were likely the setup coins or the total whiffs.

While I agree that those are conditions for some of the low value coins in holders, I would not say that "nearly all" is correct. I would argue that the numbers are as high or higher now due to inexperienced submitters looking for a home run error or variety. I can recall at least a few people from this forum alone that happily shared the pocket change that they sent in for grading.

There are thousands and thousands of coins worth $50 (or less) in TPG slabs, value before and after slabbing is important but only one of the considerations.

Fishing, plain and simple. The consigner must think that the holder will lift it up.

How you are collecting, raw coins vs slabbed coins, will dictate where you can find good coins. The very best resource for finding coins, both raw and slabbed, without paying high retail is to network with other collectors. If there is a coin club in your area joining and being active might lead to finding some of the coins you want at (possibly) slightly lower prices. Plus you have the added benefit of seeing the coins before you buy them. The coin marketplace here on the forum is another resource that you can use to look for coins, it has limited use due to the small number of active participants here. But it is free to use and never hurts to look or place a want to buy thread and see if you get any bites. As there is no real safety net or recourse on the forum please use caution and get references if you are unsure before you send monies, we don't see many but every now and then a scammer does show up. Auction sites like Heritage and Great Collections are excellent sources of slabbed coins, you will pay retail prices but not the high retail prices that you will from many other places. You may on occasion find a "deal" on Ebay and apmex, but you are more likely to pay full retail or get lesser quality coins. There are any number of good dealers, both national and (sometimes) local, these can often be a source for better quality coins but the flip side is you will most often pay high retail. After all many dealers are buying from the auction sites I noted above and then marking up to make their profit. Circling back to my first comment, if you are planning to buy raw coins please do your research before buying, there are many very deceptive counterfeits out there. I would strongly suggest that you only consider buying the key dates slabbed, paying thousands of dollars for a twenty dollar fake really stings.

Coin collecting is a personal journey, there is nothing wrong with buying something that strikes your fancy. Congrats on your newp.

Welcome to the forum, a coin collection is as much or as little as you define it to be. There are no hard and fast rules to what dates should or should not be included, that is completely up to each collector, the only exception is if you decide to do a registry set or have a complete set as defined by what a particular album has holes for. That said I think Mr. Lange's suggestion is a very good one and would likely be the way I would collect the 1878 date myself. Best of luck on your journey.

You should schedule an appointment with a qualified eye doctor.

That may work but the commonly recommended product is Meguiars's PlastX or a similar type of plastic polish. PlastX

He had a coin for sale on ebay, that auction has concluded.

I have not seen these before, but I would guess this might have been a Franklin Mint product

That is VG as in a grade of very good not V6, the 250 is most likely $2.50 which was what the seller wanted for them. Super common coins in low circulated/cleaned/damaged condition, retail for both is around $3-$4 each, a dealer might offer $1 for the pair.

We will need to see a photo so we can determine a grade, from that a market value can be determined.

I'm no expert, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once.

I'm hoping for you that you have a new discovery, please update with any information/feedback you receive on this coin.

Acid etched, environmental damage from spending time in the ground, maybe just a simple layer of paint. Lots of ways coins are damaged as they travel through commerce.

OMG the glare and lighting, sorry couldn't help myself. The split serifs are interesting, and I want to say yes but I'm thinking it could be some die erosion effects. VV has no listing for any DDO for this date, have you tried posting this on the CONECA forum to get feedback there?

One more vote for die erosion.

Etsy, so many crooked sellers, that is a place to stay away from.

When you are first starting out this seems like it should be an easy set, only a couple of expensive keys, and most coins were high mintage. But once you dive in you realize that it can be tougher than at the first glance, this is a tough set. You have made great progress and have learned a lot along the way, and I look forward to seeing your completed set.

There are a couple of areas that have me wondering if this could be a cast counterfeit that has been roughed up and aged. I cannot say for sure either way from the photos.