a super high grade rare plastic common coin or damaged low grade rare coin??

[michael]

either a 2003 lincoln cent ms70 pcgs

 

or

 

a damaged low grade pcgs holdered 1794 holdered flowing hair dollar which says "genuine fair-2 details" on the holder; but good eye appeal

 

 

which do you choose and why??

 

assume both are worth approximately the same

 

i choose the 1794 flowing hair dollar

[Zoins]

I thought PCGS didn't give details grades?

[James_OldeTowne]

I would choose the MS-70 Lincoln cent and sell it immediately, then use the cash to buy some real coins. A modern MS-70 Lincoln is just junk to me, representing nothing more than a tied-up wad of cash.

 

The damaged half would be too slow to sell, even being a 1794.

[PerryHall]

I wouldn't choose either option.

[okbustchaser]

The half...

 

I have in the past never owned and in the future never will own a Lincoln cent of any date for any longer than it takes to spend it at the next store I go to. The "Great Emasculator" of the Constitution does not deserve the recognition given by a coin.

[Conder101]

James, he didn't say 1794 HALF dollar.

 

I'd take the dollar no question.

 

If you take the cent there is always the good chance of it going bad and it doesn't take much "going" before the value drops to nearly nothing. (Sure you get compensated but so what.) Plus there are TONS of nearly identical coins available that are also worth basically nothing. So since all of the demand for the very high grade 2003 cents could easily be satisfied by those tons of MS68 and 69 coins, the value of the MS70 cent is solely defined by a few Registry fanatics who will happily trade SERIOUS money for the bragging rights to say "I have the best 2003 cent in the world."

 

On the other hand there are just a little over 100 1794 dollars existing in ANY condition. There are no where near the number of coins available to satisfy the demand for this coin from collectors who would just be tickled to death to own one in any condition. It has history, it has rarity, it has demand, they all have some form of pedigree, they have a LONG track record of high demand. To me it is just a no brainer. (Of course I'm a collector and numismatist, not someone who is concerned about getting my money back out of it later or making a profit out of it.)

[okbustchaser]

James, he didn't say 1794 HALF dollar.

 

 

Although I am a James, I am probably not the James you were refering to. But, you're right therefore I would take the dollar over the Lincoln.

[James_OldeTowne]

James, he didn't say 1794 HALF dollar.

 

I'd take the dollar no question.

Oh, crud! For the 1794 DOLLAR, most definitely!

 

Here again, though, I would cash it out immediately and use the funds to buy a lot more coins I want.

[cladking]

And I didn't know that they're making plastic coins so soon.

 

The risk of 2003 cents spotting is very low. This risk varies widely by date and could change in the longer term.

 

I like my coins undamaged so would prefer a very low grade to damage.

 

...But any early US coin would look pretty silly in my Lincoln collection.

 

 

[WoodenJefferson]

For some reason, I enjoy collecting coins that pre-date my birth year, or in other words, coins that were minted before I was alive. The mystique of holding a coin that precedes me by 100-150 years brings to life all the history and wonderment.

 

Obviously I would have to choose the later date. I want George Washington and Thomas Jefferson pocket change, not something that would be used to pay a current percent tax.

 

(7% of $1.00 = 1 Jefferson in Veiw nickel, plus two MS-69, downgraded, Zincolns)

[EZ_E]

For some reason, I enjoy collecting coins that pre-date my birth year, or in other words, coins that were minted before I was alive.

 

So, you collect ancient Greek and Roman coins then, do ya, Woody?

[Just Bob]

[MikeInFL]

which do you choose and why??

 

Whichever I could sell faster/easier -- probably the dollar -- as neither a MS 70 modern or a holed dollar fit into my collection well.

 

Setting aside my collection's direction, I'd still choose the dollar....there's just something about a big silver coin from the 1700s.

[BillJones]

I'd choose the 1794 dollar because it has a HUGE history as the first U.S. silver coin that was issued from the U.S. mint. Please note that it was not the first U.S. silver coin because the 1792 half disme holds that distinction, and there are a couple of MAJOR U.S. numismatic authors who support my position on that. (Jeff Garrett, Ron Guth and John W. Dannreuther)

 

I don’t know if the 1794 dollar would last very long with me, however. My attitude in the past as been if I can’t afford a decent example of a coin, even if it at the core of my want list, I won’t buy a low grade, ugly example. It’s the reason why I’ve never owned a 1796-7 half dollar.

 

As for the 2003 cent, as someone else stated it is a piece of modern junk given the price that someone would be willing to pay for it. Like the 1913 Liberty nickel, which is another coin I hold in low regard, I’d sell the thing ASAP if I owned one and would buy some or one REAL COIN(S) with the proceeds.

 

[Doogy]

neither. can i just have the $15,000 instead?

[cladking]

I'd choose the 1794 dollar because it has a HUGE history as the first U.S. silver coin that was issued from the U.S. mint. Please note that it was not the first U.S. silver coin because the 1792 half disme holds that distinction, and there are a couple of MAJOR U.S. numismatic authors who support my position on that. (Jeff Garrett, Ron Guth and John W. Dannreuther)

 

I don’t know if the 1794 dollar would last very long with me, however. My attitude in the past as been if I can’t afford a decent example of a coin, even if it at the core of my want list, I won’t buy a low grade, ugly example. It’s the reason why I’ve never owned a 1796-7 half dollar.

 

As for the 2003 cent, as someone else stated it is a piece of modern junk given the price that someone would be willing to pay for it. Like the 1913 Liberty nickel, which is another coin I hold in low regard, I’d sell the thing ASAP if I owned one and would buy some or one REAL COIN(S) with the proceeds.

 

 

If there were an MS-70 2003 cent graded by one of the services there would be many thousands of cent collectors who would desire to own it. If it were a 1909-S VDB there would be millions who wanted to own it but most collectors arbitrarily draw a line beyond which they don't collect.

 

This coin would be virtually perfect and probably the finest Lincoln cent. While mere thousands might desire it now the increase in demand when the Lincoln is discontinued could be very substantial. People tend to ignore the inevitable until it takes a chunk out of their backsides. You'll see many thousands of people scrambling to update their Lincoln sets when these are ended. Then you'll see the difficulty in getting coins like a nice attractive '79-D that doesn't have scratches and gouges. As long as everyone merely pronounces them common then they don't have to go out and find one. Who wants to collect common coins?

 

And how much more common can you get than old beat up and damaged junk? The stuff exists by the boatload and just because one has a little scarcer date makes it collectible only to date collectors. ...And relatively few date collectors would want a holed or mangled coin.

 

If I were selling the coin than obviously I'd want whichever would bring more. If I'm collecting it then I really wouldn't want the holed coin at all.

 

People collect what they like and if they want a damaged coin there's nothing wrong with that. There are even some items that I collect in damaged condition though they tend to be tokens and medals rather than coins.

[just-john]

assume both are worth approximately the same. To me the ms70pcgs is a $30.00 dollar coin so I would take the 1794 dollar.it can only go up. Didn't that PCGS MS70 2003

get spots and changed to MS69. With a MS 70 cent your buying the plastic and the hype simple as that.

[BillJones]

assume both are worth approximately the same. To me the ms70pcgs is a $30.00 dollar coin so I would take the 1794 dollar.it can only go up. Didn't that PCGS MS70 2003

get spots and changed to MS69. With a MS 70 cent your buying the plastic and the hype simple as that.

 

If the thing now has spots, it's probably not even an MS-69.

 

Look, I don’t have a problem with people collecting this stuff. But if you are going pay stupid, registry driven money, like $15 grand for a coin with a mintage in the billions, don’t come crying to me when your “investment” goes south. Once the first wave of hysteria has passed, most people have habit of gaining their sanity. Over priced collectables don’t say over priced forever. As I’ve written before, you been warned by voices as diverse as my own, Q. David Bowers and even Laura the Legend.

 

If you want to talk about a "perfect" Lincoln cent, I'll bet that a really great candidate would be a 1909-VDB that's probably hiding somewhere. The mint made a special effort to produce high quality coins when it issued the first Lincoln cents, and the master dies were top shape. If you want the "perfect Lincoln cent," look through the better grade 1909-VDB cents. And if you can get over the foolishness about "red copper," you'll could one for FAR, FAR less than $15 grand. In fact the price would be less than a couple of good meals at nice restaurant.

 

And that 1909 cent will be made out of REAL bronze. It won't be a hunk of copper coated zinc, which is very unstable and subject to deterioration.

 

[shirohniichan]

James, he didn't say 1794 HALF dollar.

 

I'd take the dollar no question.

 

If you take the cent there is always the good chance of it going bad and it doesn't take much "going" before the value drops to nearly nothing. (Sure you get compensated but so what.) Plus there are TONS of nearly identical coins available that are also worth basically nothing. So since all of the demand for the very high grade 2003 cents could easily be satisfied by those tons of MS68 and 69 coins, the value of the MS70 cent is solely defined by a few Registry fanatics who will happily trade SERIOUS money for the bragging rights to say "I have the best 2003 cent in the world."

 

On the other hand there are just a little over 100 1794 dollars existing in ANY condition. There are no where near the number of coins available to satisfy the demand for this coin from collectors who would just be tickled to death to own one in any condition. It has history, it has rarity, it has demand, they all have some form of pedigree, they have a LONG track record of high demand. To me it is just a no brainer. (Of course I'm a collector and numismatist, not someone who is concerned about getting my money back out of it later or making a profit out of it.)

 

Yea, verily.

[michael]

FYI

 

lincoln cents are not made out of plastic they are made out of metal

 

rare plastic common coin lincoln implies

 

just that

 

rare plastic common lincoln cent

 

lincolns are not made out of plastic in 2003 the last time i looked

 

 

[WoodenJefferson]

For some reason, I enjoy collecting coins that pre-date my birth year, or in other words, coins that were minted before I was alive.

 

So, yI was born ?ou collect ancient Greek and Roman coins then, do ya, Woody?

 

Hey Victor...the last time I checked I was born A.D. B.C.E.

 

AD is Anno Domini or Year of our Lord referring to the year of Christ’s birth.

 

The meaning of BC is Before Christ.

 

CE is a recent term. It refers to Common Era and is used in place of A.D.

 

BCE means Before Common Era.

 

[just-john]

If you took both coins out of their slab set them on a table and asked 10 people which would you rather have .How many would take the 2003 cent ? that's the answer you should asking yourself before buying

[cladking]

FYI

 

 

lincolns are not made out of plastic in 2003 the last time i looked

 

 

 

Are you sure they didn't switch to plastic in 1965.

 

Have you actually looked at one?

[cladking]

If you took both coins out of their slab set them on a table and asked 10 people which would you rather have .How many would take the 2003 cent ? that's the answer you should asking yourself before buying

 

 

Neither exists in a slab. The former can not exist in a slab.

 

I get a lot more reaction showing people an old clad quarter in high grade than a 19th century silver quarter. People don't know what's typical for a 19th century coin but few have seen an old unc clad quarter in decades.

 

Indeed, some older people have never seen an old clad quarter in high grade period.

[World Colonial]

OK, these people might be impressed by a high grade example of our ciculating coinage but how many of them (or anyone lese) could tell the difference between an MS-70 and a coin that is several grades lower? The answer is that most could not and the eye appeal of an a slightly lower grade specimen is not that different.

 

If someone really wants such a coin, they can buy one a few grades lower for 1% (or less) of the price and put the difference to a much better use.

[just-john]

clad king did you read the first post===first post say they were in slabs already

anything can be put in a slab maybe not in a NGC or PCGS but a slab as far as not seeing an older clad coin you mean 42 yr old clads like 1965 to present show them a $10 mint set or a $16 dollar proof set imagine the reactions them wow

 

The Dumbing Down Of America Is just About Complete

[michael]