Went to a local coin show in Japan.....wish I could grade

[toyonakataro]

Last Sunday, I went to a local coin show in Osaka, Japan.

I wanted to pick up a few cheap Japanese coins for my type set. Whenever I attend a local coin show, I don't expect to find decent U.S coins.....all I can find are common date Morgan and Peace dollers....sometimes common date Mercuries in VF....asking price of whitch is roughly $2.5 each

But this time, I was surprised to see one dealer having many classic U.S coins.

She had many(more than 50) worn seated half dimes, large cents along with 1795 half dime in VF, 1800 half dime in choice VF, 1806 quarter in VF, two 1795 half in VG and cleaned F, three bust doller(I forgot the date but one of whitch was small eagle) in aroud VF and she even had a chain cent!! I was told that she got those coins from an old collector who died recently and I was so impressed to see nice collection of U.S coins here in Japan.

I was tempted to buy 1800 half dime, but the problem was, all were raw and I can't grade It looked nice original and well struck piece to me, but I might have missed something. I ended up picking a Japanese 5 sen coin in BU(very cheap coin) and left the show.

I was told "don't buy if you don't know what you are doing" but I somewhat regret I didn't buy it....I wish I could grade......

[thebeav]

Hi,

Interesting report from the other side of the world. It sounds like someone there had some really neat US stuff. Based on the price of VF mercs, 2.50 for a 49 cent coin, I may have been afraid of the prices on the type. Maybe passing wasn't such a bad thing. With the internet and all, it's fairly easy to buy or sell anything in coins today, no matter where you are.

Thanks for the observations, and don't forget to pick up an ANA Grading Guide.....

Paul

[toyonakataro]

Thanks for the comment Paul.

I think most U.S coins I can find here are overpriced because dealers buy and carry them from U.S...I saw a few Japanese dealers I know of at ANA show.

 

But we sometimes see a fairly priced U.S coins...this happens when dealer buy coins directly from Japanese collectors. The price for 1800 half dime was roughly $2300...not bad for the choice VF example. The dealer didn't know much about U.S coins and was wondering why U.S coins were so expensive even in "worn and dirty" condition.

 

Taro

[Hoot]

Really interesting stuff! What, i wonder, were some of the other prices, such as the chain cent and the bust half dollar, small eagle reverse - 1796 or 97? Cool stuff.

 

yes, I'd highly recommend a few grading texts (PCGS, Halpern's, ANA, photograde) and perhaps the ANA correspondence courses. These will help immensely and will supplement the direct experience that I know you already have.

 

Hoot

[toyonakataro]

Hoot-

Asking price for the chain cent was roughly $8700(950,000 yen) I checked the Heritage auction archive after I got home from the show and campared with the image of two F15 example in PCGS holder. I think the one I saw at the show had slightly better details, but it was clipped on the edge(at 9 O'clock?) and the surface was silightly(not so obvious) rough. But one of the example in PCGS holder also have rough surface. Hammer price for the F15 examples are $17,250 and $13,800 respectively, so I might have missed a bargain. But I couldn't even tell if it was genuine....I already lost too much money by gambling on coins

As for the bust coinage you asked, they were bust dollers, not half dollers with small eagles. I would have fainted if I saw two small eagle bust half at a local show

 

Taro

[Hoot]

Hoot-

Asking price for the chain cent was roughly $8700(950,000 yen) I checked the Heritage auction archive after I got home from the show and campared with the image of two F15 example in PCGS holder. I think the one I saw at the show had slightly better details, but it was clipped on the edge(at 9 O'clock?) and the surface was silightly(not so obvious) rough. But one of the example in PCGS holder also have rough surface. Hammer price for the F15 examples are $17,250 and $13,800 respectively, so I might have missed a bargain. But I couldn't even tell if it was genuine....I already lost too much money by gambling on coins

As for the bust coinage you asked, they were bust dollers, not half dollers with small eagles. I would have fainted if I saw two small eagle bust half at a local show

 

Taro

 

Sounds like you made a wise decision! I'd be scared to death to buy a chain cent raw from anyone I couldn't potentially strangle to death at a later date.

 

Hoot

[Leothelion]

Hoot-

Asking price for the chain cent was roughly $8700(950,000 yen) I checked the Heritage auction archive after I got home from the show and campared with the image of two F15 example in PCGS holder. I think the one I saw at the show had slightly better details, but it was clipped on the edge(at 9 O'clock?) and the surface was silightly(not so obvious) rough. But one of the example in PCGS holder also have rough surface. Hammer price for the F15 examples are $17,250 and $13,800 respectively, so I might have missed a bargain. But I couldn't even tell if it was genuine....I already lost too much money by gambling on coins

As for the bust coinage you asked, they were bust dollers, not half dollers with small eagles. I would have fainted if I saw two small eagle bust half at a local show

 

Taro

 

Sounds like you made a wise decision! I'd be scared to death to buy a chain cent raw from anyone I couldn't potentially strangle to death at a later date.

 

Hoot

 

Tsk, tsk! There are about 3 slim balls out there that come to mind. But I'm only out....lets see, Omar Silva of Beverly Hills CC owes me about $225 plus interest! Then there's the scumbag who owes me $25 for the hyped up cameo nickel he sent me..... no wait... I told him to take his family out and have dinner on me.... since I was never going to see that money again anyhow! Then there's another fellow who has about $60 of my money but he gave me his word that he would pull the nice ones out and send them on approvel..........well, that's been over a year now......can't give up hope on that one yet!

There all scumbags, I tell ya, all of them! Well, if that last one comes through............there will only be two scumbags out there! No wait, there is one more....he banned me from bidding in his auctions......what a scumbag that guy is!

 

Leo