EagleRJO

Agree, I collect ASEs and would never pay a premium for any of those marketing spins given it is only a designation that a TPG received the coin for grading within an arbitrary period of time from the release. Some say it's supposed to be a sharper strike coin, but how many dies are used and at what times. The US Mint apparently doesn't say exactly for specific coins. I collect bullion coins and bars, both silver and gold, and I would never have a bullion coin graded. You will lose money. But the OP is talking about a Proof coin from the US Mint, not bullion that they don't even sell, and you have to get through a dealer. Check out going prices for various slabbed Proof ASEs, but I think unless you're sure it would grade out PR-70 it may a loser without one of the marketing designations.

Yea, I have a feeling that one will be a 1933-S half dollar as there are plenty of other early year ones where there aren't many options to avoid a more costly coin. I go for mostly raw coins, but that is one coin where I am definitely getting a slabbed one. I understand NGC required a certified provenance for the coins to label them "SS Republic - Shipwrecked". I'm sure there are a bunch of scammers out there taking common period details coins and subjecting them to some kind of corrosive/abrasive abuse, and bingo a "Shipwrecked Effect" coin to add to their "Nice Details" coins.

Looks like you have the basics covered. 😉 I think that loupe (although I prefer the glass) and a 100w light (may change) is good enough for a quick check and grade, but found these tired old eyes need the 40x LED loupe to see more detail like maybe the # of steps, corner of the steps, die line vs a scratch, tool marks around a date, etc. Some swear by the newer USB scopes, so maybe I just can't shake that old school.

My eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be either. Sounds like you need a good 40x LED loupe (to go with a 10x LED glass for quick checks). I understand some swear by the USB scopes, but that's not really my style.

Interesting that there are that many varieties for the 1939 nickel. Hopefully you learn something new every day. I also use USA Coin Book, but just as a quick reference, with the Red Book as the source. So far, they have been close, with maybe USA CB just missing a few varieties. The interesting thing is that the RB also only has one per mint plus the DDR for the 1939 nickel, and you have to go to say CoinFacts to see all the varieties. Maybe not considered significant by the RB, although that would be strange.

You gave me a good laugh with that reply recalling how funny I thought that movie was.

I agree it is a matter of taste. I just find them interesting enough to get one to put with my other half dollars if at a reasonable price, and prices seem reasonable versus what I image was an initial craze. My brother used to dive on deep/older wrecks specifically to look for artifacts/coins, and some I could barely recognize, but they were still cool. The almost completely washed-out appearance of some really isn't for me, and I prefer one that has a little more detail if it's only a little more. Yea, even a 1807-1933 one-per-year half dollar set would be tough and take time, so I'm not sure yet other than picking up one I like occasionally if I find it at a reasonable price, keeping the set possibility in mind. I am pretty focused on my complete circulated Morgan set for now, but I might switch gears once I get to the point where I have to just be really patient to plug more expensive holes in that set.

Maybe, although the very early ones (1794-1806) even in VF/XF can be costly. So, I might just do 1807-1933 and maybe if I hit the lottery get the earlier ones.

2009D I seem to get more P coins around me, and not so many D. Like for the 50 State quarters I started adding to I am missing quite a few D coins (I just had one per state, almost all P).

Well, I didn't also want a shipwrecked holder. [I am probably going to do a pre-1933 half dollar one-per-year set because I like the 50C coins and have a few already. I thought it would be interesting if the set included one of the shipwreck coins, so when I saw one for a good price I got it. Now I know why it was such a good price, and I should have just gone to the FinestKnown.com link in the write up of the wreck which still has some of these coins NGC labeled, although I didnt like the dark blue holder as much.]

I changed the photo to show both sides of the holder. Holding it and tilting it under a light didn't reveal any darker areas, just the obscured hologram. It may very well be a sticker that someone put on it and scraped off which damaged the holder. I just have never seen something like that as I am mostly collecting raw coins. I swore it was whiteout when I saw it, but there was nothing on the surface.

Wait, there can be a correct answer to that ... for ME where I live ... [Duck]

It was just a common date pre-1933 $20 Saint that ended up going for about an $1,800 hammer bid (~$1,980 with the BP) which was in my $1,900 to $2,000 range I set for that. Looks like prices are coming down, so it probably worked out for the best in the end. I usually don't wait till the very last second to try to time it at zero, which I know some do, but I was having some issues trying to place the bid from my phone.

@Hoghead515 I have noticed that too about the counter not going down on my phone, so I just periodically refresh the page if I am submitting a last-minute bid at GC from my phone.

I just purchased an 1850-O Seated 50C which was supposed to be NGC certified, but when I received it the hologram on the reverse side had what looked like whiteout over the hologram ... see pic. It's not on the outside of the holder, so I really don't know what the heck it is or why that was done, as it does appear to be an intention up and down cover up. I checked the original listing and of course they have the full obverse holder and then cropped pics of the obverse and reverse coin, but no pic of the full reverse holder, which now I understand why. It's going back as not having an unaltered or undamaged NGC holder as expected from the listing, but I am just curious why that was done or what happened to the holder if unintentional, however unlikely.

@CoinJockey73You only need slabbed coins for the NGC Registry "Competitive" Sets. You can do your own sets with raw coins under the NGC Registry "Custom" Sets. https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7261/ I am doing a NGC Custom Set for Circulated Coins - Morgan Dollars, and they are almost all raw coins, which is what I prefer.

True that is the game. I have started allowing a little more time to account for counters being off due to server lag, etc.

Well that doesn't sound good, I wouldn't even bother then.

I wait till the very last second to put bids in on eBay, GC, etc., and send sellers on eBay messages asking if they would accept lower numbers all the time, as I'm sure many others do too. There is a flip side. I lost a bid on a $20 Gold Saint I liked by waiting just a hair too long on Sun. It didn't register my bid in time. Oh well, maybe I will get the next one I like for even less.

I mean the guy just starts a topic with the title "LINCOLN" with no questions or observations and some pictures of run of the mill common proofs. What did he think was going to happen.

I think your right that the topic has significantly morphed from the original intent of discussing the 1893-S Morgan, what whizzing is, and my options for completing that Morgan set including the possibility of acquiring an impaired coin at a reduced cost. I did enjoy the thread drift into fake coins and things that may or may not be indicators, including widely varying mint mark locations and layout of dates for older coins. It is also extremely helpful when I can post comments on coins either I or others post, and then get some feedback from other more experienced collectors or experts on this board. That feedback is much appreciated and valued. My final thoughts are that I will really have to hold some lower grade 1893-S Morgans in my hand to make a final call on that, just as I think I will have to hold the raw 1854-O coin I like more in my hand and closely examine it for potential issues, which I am getting more comfortable with.

@SandonCompletely understood, and your input as a much more experienced collector is much appreciated and valued. I just would have expected to see at least one of the multiple dozens of examples that had the mintmark positioned at least similarly as on the coin @Mr.Bill347 originally posted with the "O" centered on the vertical line of the "F" below that. Maybe more like the examples you posted, which I do recognize as similar to examples. Again, doesn't mean it's a fake and I'm not an expert, but I just wouldn't buy a coin that got my senses tingling like that coin did. Now to figure out if I really want to take a shot at that raw 1854-O Arrow Seated Liberty Half Dollar that I really like the appearance of as a circulated coin from one of the larger dealers, or go the safer route with the darker 1858-O coin in a slab coffin never to actually end up in my hand unless I crack it out.

Yea, that is an interesting story about 1865 sinking of the SS Republic with over 50k gold and silver coins which were more recently recovered and often sold as "SS Republic Shipwrecked Effect" coins like the attached. Idk how the TPGs verify it's from the SS Republic with just paperwork of the coins confirmed and documented origins (required for that label), or for that matter sellers who claim raw coins are "Shipwrecked" to cash in on the premium with these coins, but still interesting. Republic History | Shipwreck.net

It's in a GSA holder, but not sealed and no COA so it could be any old BU. If I offer anything it will be at a BU price.

Here is the raw 1854-O Arrow Liberty Seated Half Dollar I was initially looking into buying in XF grade, and then the slabbed 1858-O Arrow Liberty Seated Half Dollar I probably will get at just about the same cost to add to my collection considering the article I read about the fakes.