OK, fess up if you are a snob with respect to particular grades...

[MarkFeld]

Most collectors wont buy coins of certain grades, because, for whatever reason(s), the coins are unappealing.

 

But what about the "grade snob" factor? Are there particular coins/types which are common enough, such that you wont buy them below a particular grade?

 

One example that comes to mind is common date Morgan Dollars. They are readily available and, for many buyers, affordable, even up to MS66. Would you buy a lowly MS64, or is that beneath you and your collection?

 

If you are a "grade snob", please give us an example of the coin type and grade that you exclude from your collection.

 

Thanks and please don't be shy.

[Conder101]

Yes, I avoid buying Mint State. I prefer a coin that has actually done it's duty and circulated.

[TomB]

I buy coins that I like and avoid coins that I do not like. However, even though the coins in my collection range in grade from 10 through 68, there are no representatives for the 58-62 range. I guess you could say that I have not yet found a coin in that range (58-62) to satisfy all my criteria. It's funny that you should use as an example an MS64 Morgan dollar since that is the grade of the only Morgan dollar I have in my collection. Not only is it a relatively lowly MS64, but it is the uber-common 1881-S. Below are two links to rather large images of the obverse and reverse of the coin-

 

Rather large obverse image.

 

Rather large reverse image.

[jerseycat10]

I know that i will never buy an ms-60. I would much rather have the much more eye appealing au-58....

[cpm9ball]

I have a few Morgans that are below MS63, but I really don't care too much for anything below MS64. Some of them were out of necessity like the 90-92 CC. The 1893-CC I have in F12 (raw) is an exception because it is the birth year of my maternal grandmother. When you come down to it, MS63 and below in MS grades have so many distracting marks on them that I don't even enjoy looking at them. On the other hand, if I wanted to collect the circulated grades, I would probably exclude all of those in AU. In essence, the AU's are like the redheaded stepchild, a poor specimen for the MS collector and not circulated enough to appreciate it for the era and the people who used them.

 

Chris

[MarkFeld]

I know that i will never buy an ms-60. I would much rather have the much more eye appealing au-58....

Using words like "never" and "always" will (almost) always make you wrong in some instances.

[James_OldeTowne]

Most collectors wont buy coins of certain grades, because, for whatever reason(s), the coins are unappealing.

I find grades of MS-69 and MS-70 unappealing, and do not buy them ever, unless as an incidental part of a group. Then, I dump them as fast as possible.

 

But what about the "grade snob" factor? Are there particular coins/types which are common enough, such that you wont buy them below a particular grade?

I try to avoid bust half-dimes, dimes and half-dollars in grades below Fine, and bust quarters below VG. At those levels, price dictates my interest.

[bsshog40]

I don't feel I'm a snob about any grade. There are certain grades that I try to aquire for a certain series, but if I'm unable to get that grade, maybe financial reasons or availibility, I will settle for another until I'm able to get the grade I want.

[jom]

I look at the coin first. If I like then the grade will tell me roughly what I'll have to pay to get it...maybe. After purchase I really don't care what the grade is actually...there is no pride of owning a "grade" for instance.. Maybe that makes me a "coin snob".

 

jom

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

Answering, in order of the questions posted:Low Factor, No, Yes, No.

 

Grade Snob status is limited only by funding for me.

 

Unappealing =cheap= good bargain for me.

After all, I am not buying it for someone else, so it is sort of = to not marrying my wife for her Mother (although maybe I should have concerning cooking skills).

 

BTW, I know I will NEVER buy a 60, bcecause everytime I do, its not.

 

Oh, and I ALWAYS experience that which I have stated does not happen everytime.

 

Respectfully,

John Curlis

[Walkerfan]

For Early walkers, I try to buy no lower than MS 63 or 64, unless its a 21-S or 19-D then I think a nice AU 58-MS 62 would have to do.

 

For middle dates to later dates I don't buy anything below MS 65.

 

I use the word NEVER with the greatest caution, since I have found a few lower grade, very choice examples in MS 62 for early and MS 64 for mid-late dates for example.

 

I'll agree that most MS 60-61 look worse than a good AU 58.

[gmarguli]

100% proud snob.

 

For the US coins I collect, I tend to not want anything below MS65 in my collection. Psychologically that "Gem" grade just holds so much more appeal to me than the just missed MS64. If I were to collect common coins like Morgans or Walkers, I'd probably require MS67 examples as below that is just too pedestrian.

[shirohniichan]

I look at the coin first. If I like then the grade will tell me roughly what I'll have to pay to get it...maybe. After purchase I really don't care what the grade is actually...there is no pride of owning a "grade" for instance.. Maybe that makes me a "coin snob".

 

jom

 

I reckon you're a reverse coin snob (aka "bons nioc").

 

I'm more interested in eye-appeal. I've found a seated quarter in MS60 that I lived, so I'll never say "never" about low MS grades.

[Chris1976]

For me, its really hard to say for certian. For slabed coins (since I am only collecting moderns) I tend to stay no lower than MS68. I do have a couple of MS67's but I bought those on sale for a penny each while buying the MS68's. But for my modern proofs, I wont go any lower than PF69 UCAM.

 

On the opposite end of the scope, I do have circulated pocket change that I have been putting into whitmans and littletons to be given to my niece later after they are full. And I also have some in the middle of the roadway that are just standard uncircs that I put into the few danscos that I have been working on.

 

With all that being said, I cant say that I'm really a "grade snob" in a sense, But I do keep certian standards for slabed coins that I am using in my registry sets.

 

-Chris#2

[michael]

any grade coin is fine with me

 

as long as it meets my approval for eye appeal and price

[TonerGuy]

I guess it depends on the series & toning... for my main collecting interest those coins have to be MS and graded by PCGS or NGC. I really cant say nothing below a MS65 since there are few nicely toned examples of the series I collect in general. So being that picky would be I would never be able to finish the series....anything MS60+ and Im good to go.

 

Now for album coins thats a whole different ball game. I want to do a problem free Barber & SLQ date series in the XF/AU range. And even more so I want all the coins to have a similar look...

[leeg]

I'm all about Eye Appeal for me. Has to be nice for the grade and pricing should be somewhat in line. Been burnt in the past when paying a premium for color, then losing my a** when selling.

[JOBESSI]

I'm only a snob when it comes to Indian head cents. I'd rather own a few high quality coins than a hoard of low end coins. Of course there are exceptions for key dates.

 

indian cents= 59-79 nothing below MS64, everything post has to be a 65+

[rrantique]

any grade coin is fine with me

 

as long as it meets my approval for eye appeal and price

 

I buy coins that I like and avoid coins that I do not like[/b].

 

I agree with Michael and TomB. (thumbs u

[lehigh96]

I am absolutely a grade snob with my chosen series. However, when dealing with Jefferson Nickels, being a grade snob is almost a pre-requisite. I only buy MS66 or better examples for my collection. I will make exceptions only for the varieties.

 

[jom]

100% proud snob.

 

For the US coins I collect, I tend to not want anything below MS65 in my collection. Psychologically that "Gem" grade just holds so much more appeal to me than the just missed MS64. If I were to collect common coins like Morgans or Walkers, I'd probably require MS67 examples as below that is just too pedestrian.

 

Soooo...how's that PR70 Silver Eagle Registry set you've been working on? Completed yet?

 

jom

[HiHoAudio]

any grade coin is fine with me

 

as long as it meets my approval for eye appeal and price

 

Amen brother. Some of my Pidcock's Exhibition Conder tokens are pretty ugly, but to me they are beautiful.

 

Especially this one...

 

[PerryHall]

any grade coin is fine with me

 

as long as it meets my approval for eye appeal and price

 

I buy coins that I like and avoid coins that I do not like[/b].

 

I agree with Michael and TomB. (thumbs u

 

Ditto. Nice looking coins come in all grades and ugly coins come in all grades. If a coin has nice eye appeal and is reasonably priced, I'll consider it for purchase.

[tejas1836]

any grade coin is fine with me

 

as long as it meets my approval for eye appeal and price

 

I buy coins that I like and avoid coins that I do not like[/b].

 

I agree with Michael and TomB. (thumbs u

 

Ditto. Nice looking coins come in all grades and ugly coins come in all grades. If a coin has nice eye appeal and is reasonably priced, I'll consider it for purchase.

 

Well said and I agree.

[lcoopie]

Point well taken.

[MarkFeld]

Point well taken.

I agree. But collectors who think and act like that aren't "grade snobs". I want to hear from some more of the latter

[DC Dawg]

I am a grade snob for my active registry sets, mainly the 1976 coins. For my other collections, it is based on what on what I am collecting and what it looks like. In fact, I love low grade early US coins. As long as I can make out the date, I have bought early large cents. Now that I am into Maryland Colonial Currency, I prefer a lower grade, notes that have been used, to higher grades--as long as they are readable.

 

Scott

[BillJones]

For me it all depends upon the era. For example all of the ultra modern coins (after 1970) that I put in my type sets are Proofs. For that era, I would not buy anything below PR-69, Ultra Cameo, but I also will not buy PR-70 coins in most cases, because I won’t pay the premium for them.

 

For 20th century type coins, my grades are usually MS-65 for pieces like the Standing Liberty quarter that were not made in Proof, and PR-64 to 67 for Proof coins. I don’t have anything against PR-64 coins, and actually have a couple of them that I think are more attractive than their MS-66 counterparts. I know why they were graded PR-64 and agree that the PR-66 coins are that grade, BUT eye appeal-wise, excluding some minor mark, the PR-64 can look better.

 

For 19th century coins from say 1840 to 1899, I’ve been upgrading to MS or PR-65 pieces. I’ve got some PR or MS-64 coins that I may never upgrade.

 

For early (1792 to 1807), rarer U.S. coins, my copper and silver coins grade from a low of Fine-15 to MS-62. I can’t see going any lower than Fine-15, and I almost did not buy that coin which was a 1796 half dollar. For early gold coins (pre August 1834), AU-50 is lowest acceptable grade for me. I just don’t like low grade circulated gold coins, and have not liked them since I was in high school buying my first gold pieces.

 

I guess that’s snobby, but what can I say?

 

[Walkerfan]

I am addicted to the Registry game. I admit it. So I am a snob. I (many times) see no differences between a good MS 65 or MS 66 mid to late date Walker and a MS 67. I would rather have that superb gem MS 67 for the points, though. The only thing that REALLY stops me from spending that money on 1934-1947 suberb gems is that I like the earier Walkers (1916-1933) much better, so I'm happy with a MS 65 late date. This way I can spend that add'l money on my earlier dates. I focus on early dates, exclusively, at this time. The TPGS really had a monster marketing genius, when they developed the Registry sets. It is sooo addictive. I would really like to know who is responsible for the development of this concept. He is a genius. The show-off, exhibitionism for the registrant and the play on natural human competitiveness plus the interest and educational factor for onlookers is just pure genius. I must make one thing clear, though. If I had my choice between a REALLY GOOD MS 64 and a BAD MS 65; I would ALWAYS go for the 64. In the end I am ALL about the coins and you can ALWAYS resubmit or re-grade and have a better coin for much less money.

[messydesk]

I know that i will never buy an ms-60. I would much rather have the much more eye appealing au-58....

Using words like "never" and "always" will (almost) always make you wrong in some instances.

Never generalize!

 

I'm most unlikely to buy an MS60, compared to other grades. The coin was graded MS60 because it was too unappealing to be graded MS61. While I also don't get into the whole lowball thing, I think I'd be more likely to buy a PO1, since it may actually have a better chance at being cool.