Mint Bag of 1870-S Seated Dollars

[Coinosaurus]

OK, EVP, try not to have a heart attack

 

Suppose you ran across a bag with a thousand 1870-S dollars in it, all in MS. What would be the best way to maximize the results of selling these?

 

a) sell them privately one at a time until all the "big money" types have one, then release the rest to the public

b) sell them all at once to one of the auctions houses and let them deal with it

c) set up a big promotion and direct market them to the public at a fixed price

 

 

[Guest]

Mind If I add a option ?

 

Call It a hoard , Get them Graded with Pedigree and add a story behind the lost coin's.

 

[prooflike]

To expand the option -- be a widow and the bag is from your departed husband's collection (that keeps growing.)

[EVillageProwler]

Coin-beast,

 

I just had an accident in my pants!!!

 

Ok, here's what I think I'd do:

 

I'd immediately divide the bag up into different grade ranges, and I'd keep the finest specimens for myself. I'd get the finest specimen slabbed. And, I'd immediately hire a lawyer to help release a mini-hoard of 5 of the worst ones.

 

Every few years, I'd release another mini-hoard of the worst specimens, along with a better specimen.

 

After about 10 years of this have passed, I'd wait 10 years before starting to release more. So, on the 21st year, I'd release about 10 mixed grade specimens at FUN and another 10 during the summer ANA, all via private auction.

 

That's 50 released so far. Then, at the Fall LB or Baltimore show, I'd release another 50 specimens of mixed grade specimens via private auction. That makes a total of 100 released.

 

(Each time I release a mini-hoard, I'd hold back most of the better specimens.)

 

I'd wait 5 years for things to subside.

 

On the 5th year, I'd release another 100, with 20 at FUN, 30 at summer ANA, and 50 at a Fall show. That makes 200 released.

 

*** During each release, I'm going through a front (like an established and connected dealership), and I will not let the dealer know much in advance how many specimens I intend to release. And, all bids will be done as mail bids. That is, no live bidding. Minimal, hidden, reserves will be set.

 

I'll do this for another 3 years, leaving 500 unsold specimens that are mostly of better quality.

 

Then, I'll wait 20 years.

 

And, I'll start to release better quality mini-hoards, with 300 hundred coming out over 5 years.

 

Of the remaining 200, I intend to keep the best of them for posterity. Of course, I'll still keep the finest in my collection, and I'll slowly slab a couple more of the finest in such a way as to indicate that these are resubmissions.

 

EVP

 

[PQSeated]

I'd keep all of the little buggers. Actually, I'd keep the 5 finest specimens. Then I would find some young numismatists that are interested in the series and give them some nicer ones. Then I would slowly release them in to the mainstream, so careful as not to drive the price down. Now I'm in dream mode.

[shirohniichan]

I think EVP has it a little too well planned out. Just what is he hiding?

[GDJMSP]

Alright EVP - what did you do with my time machine ??