The One That Got Away...And Came Back!!! A True Story.

[TomB]

I have been fortunate enough in my buying and selling of coins to have very few instances where I passed up a coin that I should have immediately purchased. Those few instances are vividly splashed across my brain and they gnaw at me when I let them. However, most times I buy the coin immediately if it sings to me and this has worked out splendidly for me in terms of quality of my collection and also in terms of resale value.

 

During the GSNA show in May I had a table for the three days and the show was really active. I knew I had done a bit of business with lots of money changing hands but I had not worked out the specifics of it while the show was in progress. On the last day of the show I was over at another table and a truly stunning Washington quarter caught my attention as if it were shot out of a gun at me.

 

The coin was a 1947-S NGC MS67 with terrific obverse color of robin's egg blue flowing smoothly into a pinkish-rose in the center. It was a perfect bull's-eye pattern with light flecks of gold as a backdrop to the dappled, feathery color. Flipping the coin over revealed a near blast white reverse that looked like it was a medal because of the enormous strike. Running around the reverse was a very thin ring of the same robin's egg blue that turned into a faint chestnut ring thick enough to nearly completely encompass the peripheral lettering. I couldn't find a mark on the obverse and only noticed two inconsequential marks on the reverse. One on the lower portion of the eagle's right leg and the other hidden in the upper portion of the eagle's right wing. What a coin! My first thought about the coin that did not focus on its beauty was that it was an MS67.999 or better.

 

So, what did I do? I asked about the price and the price quoted was about 15% lower than the sticker on the coin but was still substantial because of the coin's superior properties.

 

I hemmed...

 

I hawed...

 

I passed.

 

I passed?!?!?!?!?

 

This was late in the show and somewhere between breaking down the table and walking to my room it dawned on me:

 

I am a insufficiently_thoughtful_person!

 

I didn't know where the dealer would be next so I kept my eyes open for him and scutinized the bourse at the ANA in search of him and his Wonder-Washington. The coin was on my mind so much that a good friend of mine asked me what I was looking for at the ANA and I would only tell him that I was looking for "THE" coin and would not elaborate until I found it. There was no sign of the coin at the ANA.

 

I gave up hope...

 

Yesterday I did the Parsippany, NJ show and after I had spoken at length with DaveG and njcoincrank I was walking the floor when that dealer, the one who had the Wonder-Washington, saw me and motioned me over to his table. He had some colorful Roosevelts he had just bought but I was not interested in those. Instead, my eyes scanned the case and...and...and...there was the coin!

 

The price had been raised in the three months since I had seen it and I asked what he needed. He asked what he had originally quoted me and I told him. He was surprised he had come down that far but seemed to remember the conversation quite well. I told him that since I had passed on the original offer that the price he quoted was no longer valid and he should not feel any obligation to adhere to it as I did not expect him to. He told me to take the coin at the price quoted three months ago.

 

I bought the coin!

 

The one that got away finally came home.

 

As a side note, I recently sold one of the three PCGS MS68 1947-S Washingtons and kept extremely detailed scans, notes and photos of the coin. This coin is nicer!

 

I am happy.

[BOILER78]

Gotta love a happy ending!

[SilverEagleCoins]

Now that is good customer service. Love to hear stories about good deals and dealers.

[GP_]

[Dry]

Nice story. Hey TomB can you put up a scan of the obverse of your icon (52s right?)?

Feel free to post more of the reverse too!

 

I dont collect Washingtons, but DAMN IM JEALOUS!

[goose3]

I've never been that fortunate to come across one that got away.

 

Please attach some pics Tom! Sounds like a beauty!

[braddick]

Pictures!

[jom]

You are very lucky...I never been lucky enough to have found a coin I passed on earlier.

 

Not exactly the same story but there was a super nice 14-S $5 Indian in, believe it or not, a recent Heritage "bullet" sale (yes, I know...you're shocked! So was I). It didn't sell in the auction so I called up Heritage to see if I could work a deal but basically it didn't work out because of the fee Heritage wanted. I would have bought the coin for what the guy wanted but the 15% killed the deal. I just couldn't make that "leap" I guess. It is a hard coin to judge basically because of the exponential rise in value between grades....still makes me sad I didn't get this one.

 

jom

[EVillageProwler]

Tom,

 

I will NOT congratulate you until you post an image of it or I see the coin in person.

 

I WANT A PICTURE!!!

 

I would also be happy to image it for you if you want, whenever our paths cross again. (I live near Somerset.)

 

EVP

 

[Tradedollarnut]

My one that got away was a beautiful full red 1836 Gobrecht 'name under base' copper pattern that I saw at an ANA show 5-6 years back. I made up my mind to buy it about a half hour after seeing it, went back and it was gone.

 

Thought I'd reacquired it when Legend bought the Share Collection, but it wasn't the same coin - different variety.

[TomB]

Okay, here's an image for you folks to look at. Please note that this is simply a quick scan and that it does not capture the luster of the coin. Nor does it capture the true depth and subtlety of the colors present. Of course, you also do not see any cartwheel effect in the scan, but that is normal. Lastly, the marks on the eagle are exagerated in the scan. Please see the attachment.

[TomB]

Here is a scan of the 1952-S that I use as my avitar. The black streakiness on the obverse is not nearly as bad in hand as it is in the scan. All of the caveats that were mentioned in my previous post with the other attachment also apply to this coin.

[truthteller]

 

TRUTH

[keithdagen]

Very nice acquisition -- I have a similar story on my 1804 Half Cent that I watched a dealer snag as part of a package deal before my turn at the table. Took me eight months to track him down while the had the coin in posession and was in the right mood to strike a killer deal on the piece.

[Beijim]

Superb and entertaining story, Tom. I'm happy for you. It's nice to get a second chance at anything in life and have it come out right, isn't it? And someone should give that dealer a pat on the back. He sounds like the kind of person with whom I'd want to do business.

 

Beijim

 

[classicalman-migration]

Tom, I really enjoyed that story, it gave me a faith in there being some truly respectable dealers out there. And a really cool coin too!!!

[shirohniichan]

I'm glad it worked out for you, Tom. I haven't been quite as fortunate-- or maybe I have. I've bought coins and wondered why I did since they didn't fit into any sets I was collecting. Later I just realized that the coins had "the look" so I couldn't let them escape.