Do you check auction archive carefully before you bid on a coin?

[toyonakataro]

Have you ever bought a certain coin and happened to find the same coin while you are checking previous auction archive...in lesser grade?

When I first saw this coin auctioned by previous Heritage Long Beach Sale, I was wowed and asked a member to look it in person. He got back to me saying the color wasn't actually nice in person so I passed.

Now, a few days ago, I looked through Heritage exclusively internet auction and came across this coin.

Well, I said "wow" again and was about to place bid on it, but my tiny brain warned me something and I checked the auction archive before I placed my bid.

Do you usually check auction archive carefully before you bid on coins?

[gmarguli]

I rarely check archives before buying. I either like the coin at the current grade/price or I don't.

 

Also, that coin is awful looking. Any time the toning is described as "charcoal" you should run from the coin. I'd be upset if I received that coin and it was in anything higher than an MS62 slab.

[toyonakataro]

gmarguli, you are right.

We should buy coin if we like it no matter it was upgraded or not. But the problem is we can't always view coins in person. And I also don't like to find my coin sold much cheaper in the past.

Seems like you don't like the color. Another board member who looked at this coin in person for me didn't like it either so it must be an unattractive coin, but I thought it will well macth my type3 SLQ whitch has similar toning...and I like it I'll post a picture of it after I get back home.

 

As for the "charcoal" comment by Heritage, I once had a good luck with Franklin half witch they described as charcoal. link

This Franklin is one of my favorite...I'll also post the pic later...hope you won't say "it's ugly"!!

[gmarguli]

As long as you like the coin that is all that matters. Just understand that when you want to sell it, it is going to be a very tough sell.

 

That Franklin does nothing for me. I like light colorful toning.

[toyonakataro]

Well, I'll post a picture of Franklin anyway

Same coin under different light condition.

The color is deep green with some wine red. If you like light color, you won't like this coin. But it looks better than the image taken by Heritage.

[keithdagen]

The coin appears a little dark, but then Heritage pics are notorious for being bad. Even then, it's a refreshing alternative to all the dipped white Type 1's that are usually available.

[James_OldeTowne]

I don't. I'm usually at the auction "live", so I don't have access

 

James

[TomB]

I don't normally check the archives but I will also tell you that based upon the images of that SLQ that I do not care for it at all. This is an issue that is abundant in high grade, with terrific luster and light, pale toning. It might be the single prettiest date in the series. Unless you are in love with the toning scheme on this coin, which I do not care for at all, then I would stay away from it. After all, when and if you try to sell the coin you will be selling into a market that does not currently value that look in a high regard.

[toyonakataro]

I'm very shocked to know that my taste for coins quite differ from some knowledgeable collectors on this board.....are deeply colored coins not popular in general?

[TomB]

I certainly don't believe that there is anything wrong with your taste regarding this coin, however, I do believe that there is a very small niche of people who share that view on this particular issue. That being the case, should you buy the coin and subsequently want to sell it at some point in the future, you will likely have a more difficult time moving it than if it did not have this look.

[gmarguli]

I'm very shocked to know that my taste for coins quite differ from some knowledgeable collectors on this board.....are deeply colored coins not popular in general?

 

Deeply colored yes, found in a fireplace after a long, cold winter season no.

 

Dark toned coins are not popular at all and I can't remember them ever being popular.

[Hoot]

To answer your original question Toyonakataro, I watch auction archives almost obsessively for the series I mainly collect (buffalo and Jefferson nickels, commems), and I am a bit obsessive before I buy anything outside of those series as well! When I can't check auction archives, I go to other available sources, usually Coin Values (Trends) and greysheet. The combination of sources gives me a jumping off point, but does not ultimately determine what I'll bid/pay.

 

I'm not attracted to as darkly toned coins as you are, but that means very little. (But as Keith said, Heritage scans can truly suck). I can like some dark toning, especially in purples and reds. If you were the winner of the SLQ, conrats!

 

Hoot

[toyonakataro]

Thanks for your comment Hoot.

As for the SLQ, I passed.

I couldn't bid 65 money for a sight unseen coin whitch was upgraded from 64 a few months ago.

[keithdagen]

I'll let you know what it looks like in a few days.

 

I put a low-ball bid in well before seeing this thread, and didn't expect to win the piece. I've had some good luck with picking up "darker" pieces from Heritage in the past, so figured I'd give it a shot and take a look at it.

[jtryka]

The only time I look at the archives is for better dates. It's really of no benefit to look through the thousands of 1924 Saints on the cance I might find an earlier iteration of the one I am bidding on. But for a 1909-D, or a 1922-S or something like that, where there may be less than 100 offered in the last few years, I do check. I find it instructive on these coins in particular to see the pricing trends over time, as well as to see the varying descriptions of the coins (even if they are different) as the common themes lend insight into what the market has deemed important over time. That also provides a little more insight into the series itself. If I learned I was bidding on a coin that was upgraded, I doubt I would change my bid (unless it was obviously overgraded in its current state), since in this series it seems like there are more freequent cases of coins being undergraded and remaining in the holders (for some reason the more serious collectors of Saints tend to look much more at the coin than the holder).

[toyonakataro]

I'll let you know what it looks like in a few days.

Seems like you imagined the same colors as me from the image?

As I wrote, one member looked at it in person and he didn't like it(sorry), but it might just be a matter of personal taste. Please update your opinion on this coin when you get it.

[keithdagen]

Seems like you imagined the same colors as me from the image?

 

Probably so. I've seen a few in person that looked great but had images similar to this, so decided to take a chance. I live about two miles from Heritage, so hopefully I'll have a scan up by the weekend. My gut feeling is that it's going back, but you never know.

[keithdagen]

[keithdagen]

[keithdagen]

Well, I think I gambled on this one and found a winner, at least in my book.

 

The coin is dark on the obverse rims, but has considerable luster. The two scans are straight pass scans with slight color adjustments and a slight sharpening to the image. Very minor tweaks overall.

 

The reverse is excellent, with a golden-red in the middle, turning red into America, then blue-green into the rims. This was not a quarter that can ever be successfully sold sight-unseen. I've worked on scanning the coin for 30 minutes, and haven't found a pic yet that conveys the true beauty of this coin.

[toyonakataro]

Wow, I like it. Thank you for the update

The reverse seems nicer than I imagined from Heritage image. I could see some red, but coundn't imagine those green on the rim.

 

My type 2&3 SLQ have some red/purple and faint green toning(attached) and would be interesting to find type 1 SLQ with similar toning as yours for myself