Another work of "art" goes sky high!

[spy88]

Just got back from visiting Heritage auction #346 and found this Jeff. Similar situation as to the $69,000 commem threaded not too long ago. As a FS Jeff collector, I would have to agree with John (Wihlborg) on what he would probably say.

"Buy the same grade w/o the tone (as in the second auction link) and spend the saved money on more coins!" Close enough John?

 

http://apps.heritagecoin.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=346&Lot_No=6437&sid=BBD756F4BC6CF2D060A36664EF804030

 

http://apps.heritagecoin.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=343&Lot_No=420&sid=BBD756F4BC6CF2D060A36664EF804030

 

And here is my 6 stepper. LOVE comparing coins!

 

 

David

[solid]

I would bet the first coin looks way nicer in the hand than it does in the dark Heritage photo, but this is the most common issue for the grade with lots of nicely toned specimens available. It would really have to knock my socks off (and make my feet dance) to be worth 5x or 6x the going rate.

 

Your gold-toned 43D looks very nice!

 

Ken

[Wihlborg]

Hi David,

 

Yes, your paraphrase is very close to my thoughts on the subject of paying high multiples for a toned coin over the price of an untoned coin in the same grade.

 

I have paid premiums for toned coins, but I like white coins also, so once the premium being asked for the tone reaches two or three times what I can buy the same grade untoned coin for, I’ll buy an untoned coin and save the money for other coins.

 

For instance, using the two 1943D nickels in the Heritage auction as an example, you have two coins in the same grade, both graded by the same company. One is toned and the other is white. Personally, I would have bought the white coin, which looks to be a very nice coin in its own right. The toned coin sold for $718.75 and the white coin sold for $132.25. While I agree with Ken that the toned coin probably looks nicer in hand that the photo, it is not the type of tone that I would ever consider paying a $586.50 premium for.

 

John

[Hoot]

Ack!

 

It also seems to me that Heritage Signature auctions have been showing great success with full step Jeffs. Granted, they likely place a lot of the better specimens in those auctions, but some of the prices realized are flatly absurd - like the one you pointed out David. I've gotten so that I pay little attention to those sales. My great joy with Jefferson nickels is stll looking (far and wide) for them raw and finding gems and superb gems.

 

Hoot

[gmarguli]

The pictures on the web site for this auction sunk to a new low level of quality. Looking at the photos, I have ZERO idea what the coin would actually look like.

[spy88]

I agree with you Greg. That is a terrible pic for a coin that obviously has some outstanding tone. Had it been properly represented, it could have brought even more!

 

As the 6 bidders for it saw something that had them bidding it up to over $700., they had to assume it would be even more impressive in hand then as shown. Still, can't see myself spending that kind of money for a fairly common year/mm/grade just because it is beautifully toned. It is quite possible the eye appeal got the better of the graders technical grade and the dark pics hide the flaws. Been known to happen more then a few times!

 

And thanks for the compliment, Ken!

 

David

[Leothelion]

I have several 1943-D's that would blow that heritage coin away! Very nice 43-D you have there David!

The ANACS, ICG and NGC coins did quite well.........as well!

Browsing through Heritages auctions, again, there's nothing much there except a bunch of pcgs MS63FS to MS65FS Jeffs! I know what their MS66 and MS67's usually look like, how much worse could those coins be?

 

I don't eeeeeeeeeeeeven want to look!

 

Leo

[TomB]

I think I've seen that $700+ coin in person and it has been offered to me, by two different sellers, for $900 and $950. If it is the same coin, then the image taken should be grounds for a lawsuit as the coin is substantially nicer than is suggested. Obviously, the coin is not worth $900 or so dollars to me or else I would already own it. I would have paid $350 for it, but not much more.