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Calling CN3C experts (Prethen )

Started by Raybo55,

20 posts in this topic

Conder101

Conder101

Posted
Posted

The pictures are not good, but the strike does not look especially strong. There appears to be weaknes on the reverse at the tops of the III where they "soft at the top edge. The second from the top left cluster of leaves does not appear to be fully struck, there is what looks like a die crack at the next cluster down on the left. There does not seem to be much distiction between the denticals and the rim. They just merge together. I would expect the rims to be seperate and more squared on a proof.

 

I think it is a business strike. I think the seller is a little optimistic, AU-50 at best.

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Prethen

Prethen

Posted
Posted

Those photos do suck.

 

The jury is out on this coin on a couple of fronts. I think it's somewhat overgraded but that's a very, very minor issue for a coin like this. Based on the wear on the cheek it looks no better than XF45 but it might be the poor photo. The reason I say that grading has almost nothing to do with this coin, is if it's at least a choice XF or better, throw out any of the price guides. If you want the coin, you might have to pay dearly for it. If it's an average XF or below you carry a greater risk of not being able to tell with 100% certainty if it's a business strike because those diagnostics have likely worn away.

 

Okay...as far as the real concern. My initial instinct was that it has a good shot at being a business strike based on the softness of the rims. I actually think the strike looks particularly strong on this coin. The hair detail appears to be pretty much all there (even Proofs may not have a perfectly hammered strike) and the dentilation is very strong. The strong dentils makes me a little worried about this possibly being a circulated Proof though. Usually, one of the strongest indicators that this coin could be a business strike is if the dentils show some mushiness in detail. I don't see that in these photos. One member who saw these coin photos noted he thought he saw a wire rim. I don't see that. If there's a wire rim it most certainly is a circulated Proof and worth no more than $450-$500.

 

You won't really know if it's a circulated Proof or not unless he takes much, much better photos with decent resolution or you get it in hand. You'll have to judge by the normal characteristics of strike, rims, and the edge of the coin. Plus, it might be helpful to have the Gifford 3CN book in hand to review the finer details.

 

Finding one of these raw as a business strike would be a very rare and opportunistic find. If it's real, it will be expensive unless others are too afraid to bid.

 

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Raybo55

Raybo55

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Seller has somewhat updated his listing with some other images, coin looks to have been cleaned (to me it does) but still no info as to impaired proof or business strike.

 

Ray

 

PS I don't buy the neighbor BS

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Prethen

Prethen

Posted
Posted

There's a small ding at 10 o'clock on the coin. I'm guessing the services wouldn't slab it. Yes, it looks like it might be a business strike but it still needs to be seen in hand. However, that ding gives me pause.

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Raybo55

Raybo55

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Prethen,

 

I just had a volley of E-mails with the seller and I think I pee'd him off...I don't think his so called neighbor is a coin "expert".

 

I told him for the best results he needed to clairify if the coin was a business strike or impaired proof, asked him three times and no joy (shrug)

 

I also told him my opinion about the coin being cleaned and the fact that it's an XF AND for the best possible results that he should send it to a TPG service.....his neighbor is right and i'm wrong, oh well.

 

I'm starting to have my doubts, he still thinks the coin is made of silver.

 

Ray

 

 

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Raybo55

Raybo55

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wow silver

 

hm

 

must be

 

one of those essai/pattern three cent nickel silver ones :banana:

 

 

Heck!

 

I did not think of this! It's that rare silver pattern (NOT) we did not think about.

Betcha BOILER78 would be up for this coin.

 

Ray

 

 

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rexcat

rexcat

Posted
Posted
WOW! And I though CN3C was a sleepy and underpriced series...

 

Not when they're made of silver!! lol lol lol

 

Man that listing had so many red flags I wouldn't have gone near it! :o

 

Maybe it's just me, but isn't that crazy money to pay for a circulated 1885 Three Cent Nickel?!? :insane:

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michael

michael

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WOW! And I though CN3C was a sleepy and underpriced series...

 

if IF in hand sight seen the coin is an original coin and a true business strike it went cheap in my opinion

 

but the above is a big if

 

again if the coin in hand sight seen is original and with great eye appeal and a true BUSINESS strike then it was a bargain at this price

 

the key is original and business strike and we will never know on both counts with the crappy photos

 

 

 

 

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Prethen

Prethen

Posted
Posted

I'm not surprised at the price the coin fetched. I still wonder if that's a nick on the coin. If so, it would bring down the value somewhat and might never get in a "good" slab. I didn't have the guts to pull the trigger based on the pictures and not seeing it in hand (even though he has a "return policy").

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