Flowme911

Excellent post, and fun to read! I agree with the majority of the advice, and it is very well presented. I would offer 2 observations though, newbie that I am. Most of the more experienced posters of this...or any, really...forum, may want to skip these observations though, as the following statements are facts most will prefer not to admit. Not as condusive to their ego health as lightly masked patronization via charity answers they could be giving out instead. Observation 1: The use of the term "Pros" in forums here should not be assumed to mean professionals. What it means is that there are individuals whom have invested enough time and generated and continue to generate volumes of experience, whether towards general knowledge or through niche specializations that most of us have never even heard of, that when time permits may be willing to offer relevant information from their knowledge and/or experience as it applies to the photos and questions that newbie members post to forum chat when seeking answers. Giving answers to such questions without requiring compensation redefines those who answer as hobbyists, charity providers, and on VERY rare occasions, Sadists. So any newbie should construct their post in such a manner as to attract an answer from whichever of those 3 types previously defined as "pros" that will likely reply/comment/answer. Observation 2: Time is precious, most of us understand this on some level. So anyone that takes time to answer any newbie post, should be appreciated whether it be Welcome! Congratulations! Or I'm sorry, but that is PSD! What I failed to mention in Observation 1, is that a hobbyist, charity provider, and yes even a sadist (actually very likely a sadist!) Can all be highly knowledgeable experts that have forgotten more about numismatics than...no, that is b.s. because they are usually sharp as tacks and rarely forget anything, remembering even the most obscure facts that have seemingly no actual purpose other than to remain known by someone! Plus many possess the ability to discern variances in details paired with knowledge through experience of where to even look for such variances. Or have established relationships with others who specialize in such things. These are some of the people answering questions, the people us newbies came to hear from, so we should accept the answer, not waste time that could be better spent searching for another REAL rarity! Right? Ummm, about that. I honestly don't know anyone here. Likely my post was my first, and I am not sure what your 5876 other posts over the last 14 years were about, so please do not take offense when you tell me my coin is Post Strike Damage and I inquire how you have discerned this and point out elements of the perceived damage that I feel strongly, whether actually right or not, could have only happened in a striking event at the mint. What is happening here is common sense, I want to perceive my coin as having added value, just like nearly every other post that you see x-times a day. Much uninformed thought, lacking from actual experiences or knowledge of the minting processes, has gone into this before my actual posting. So the typical responses of PSD and general refusal to take the extra time to explain how you came to the conclusion through education and even personal experiences similar to mine that helped you recognize common PSD mistaken for rare errors. THAT is an answer with true value. If they refuse to believe still, we'll, you did your part, and they will one day find that out the hard way just like you did. Saying PSD, then following up with because I said so, why ask experts if you won't listen? "Because I said so" didn't fly when I was a kid and asked why something was some way. That is the answer that the sadist gives the newbie. Hopefully, some of that made sense to someone. Would be nice to actually get that answer that explains how experience and research identified my coin as the real deal some day, until then though, showing you know your stuff in your answers could go a long way in helping newbies like myself. Heck, might even have to retract my statement about "Pros" on here if that happened! Happy hunting everyone! Sorry so long winded, it's my first post and I had a bit to say!