NGC graded Lowball Commems

[PO01 Commem]

I would like to hear from you if you have any NGC graded lowball commems

[Jim Beam]

I am still learning. What are "Lowball Commems"?

[gmarguli]

Lowball as in the grade (low grade). Commems as in US Commemoratives (1892-1954).

[joes2001]

I have a question about lowball coins. Can't you just artificially wear down a coin so it looks like a lowball? By artificial, i mean wear it down quickly rather than find a coin that has worn down over a long period of time. I don't understand the allure of these coins, since there's this problem. If everyone was honest though, it might be cool.

[gmarguli]

Artificial wear does not look the same as real wear. I suppose you could use a combination of artificial wear and then legitimate wear to get the coin down to a certain grade while looking natural. However, that's a lot of work for little return.

[physics-fan3.14]

Artificial wear does not look the same as real wear. I suppose you could use a combination of artificial wear and then legitimate wear to get the coin down to a certain grade while looking natural. However, that's a lot of work for little return.

 

You buy an Ike for a dollar, and then wear it down and get it certified as a P01. The fools... er, suckers...er, Registry Enthusiasts... will then pay $500 or more for it. I'd say that's a fairly good return, if you don't mind stealing money from stupid people.

 

Collecting P01 coins, and paying very large amounts of money for them, is something I will be unapologetically negative towards. And I don't care who doesn't like it.

[TonerGuy]

Artificial wear does not look the same as real wear. I suppose you could use a combination of artificial wear and then legitimate wear to get the coin down to a certain grade while looking natural. However, that's a lot of work for little return.

 

Do we have a new grading classification ? AW ? Or would it just be considered damage by the TPGs ?

[BillJones]

Collecting P01 coins, and paying very large amounts of money for them, is something I will be unapologetically negative towards. And I don't care who doesn't like it.

 

I agree completely. After spending years trying to buy the best coins you can afford, now it's cool to find the coins with the most honest wear. To me that registry is just plain silly.

 

The best way to create a "perfect PR-01 is to carry the coin as a pocket piece for 20+ years. I've know people who did that. They seemed to be mostly of my father's generation.

 

As for very low grade "old commemoratives" years ago full time dealers used to get as many different low grade coins as they could find. The easiest ones were the early pieces issued up until the 1920s. The "keys" were coins like the Antietam which is in "low grade" if you find one that is less than MS-63. I imagine the York, Maine would also be hard to find as a "slick."

[Walkerfan]

I don't understand the allure, either. They aren't nice to look at and shouldn't be worth much. Paying a huge premium for one?? Now THAT would truly be crazy! IMHO.

[SkyMan]

I don't understand the allure, either. They aren't nice to look at...

 

 

I've seen a variety of classic commems with honest wear on them that are rather attractive. I can't remember who has them on this board, but someone posts them here every now and then. He/She has a nice Pilgrim that sticks in my mind.

 

 

 

Of course, I still prefer a high grade classic commem.

[BillJones]

I don't understand the allure, either. They aren't nice to look at...

 

 

I've seen a variety of classic commems with honest wear on them that are rather attractive. I can't remember who has them on this board, but someone posts them here every now and then. He/She has a nice Pilgrim that sticks in my mind.

 

 

 

Of course, I still prefer a high grade classic commem.

 

An atrractive circulated coin is one thing. I've seen and enjoyed them. A "slick" with not much left on it is another. That's what these "worst known" people want to collect.

[Conder101]

It makes perfect sense to me. A problem free very high grade is very hard to find. The same goes for a problem free very low grade especially in a more recent series or one there circulated very little. Sure you can try the artifical wear route, but in most cases it won't look right and won't get slabbed as problem free. And the number of very low grade coins that haven't been damaged or developed other problems is a small group as well. Such coins are difficult to locate and they command a premium comparative to that difficulty.

 

The pocket piece route can get you those low grades, but one a pocket piece does not wear the same as normal circulation wear, it often doesn't have the same color/toning, and it still takes 20+years

[jom]

This really is just a consequence of the slabbing/registry game. It's similar to the allure of MS70 or the AU58 thing. In this case, it's the WORST registry set game.

 

Whatever the case, if someone wants to pay big premiums for the worst condition coins then have at it.

 

jom

[braddick]

Many of the statements within this thread are a bit misinformed or simply inaccurate.

 

I do appreciate those who preface their comments though with the basic, "collect what you want".

[BROADSTRUCK]

This is just plain silly as you can easily buy 3 nice MS65's for the same ask

[jom]

Many of the statements within this thread are a bit misinformed or simply inaccurate.

 

I do appreciate those who preface their comments though with the basic, "collect what you want".

 

Don't take it to personal Pat...it's all in good fun. I can say you were the first person who I ever knew who went after this kind of material...it was a long time ago too!

 

I'm curious though...did you even find yourself a P01 $10 Indian Eagle? I remember years ago you were looking for one of those. You did have a FR02 I think...just not a an PO1.

 

jom

[PO01 Commem]

Trying to find nice looking lowball commems isn't as easy as one might think. PCGS has a lot in their Pop report. I know that NGC has some but I just don't see them offered that often. I won an NGC FR2 Missouri that crossed over to PCGS as a FR02. Does anyone have an NGC lowball collection.

 

Some people think that you can wear them down in a couple of years. Doesn't work. Check with someone that has carried an Ike dollar and see what it looks like.

[mtnstyne]

Just crack out the FR2 and carry it in your pocket for a year or so and resubmit!

 

I say to each his own. If it wasn't so cost prohibative I would try to put together an everymans type set.

[BillJones]

Trying to find nice looking lowball commems isn't as easy as one might think. PCGS has a lot in their Pop report. I know that NGC has some but I just don't see them offered that often. I won an NGC FR2 Missouri that crossed over to PCGS as a FR02. Does anyone an NGC lowball collection.

 

Some people think that you can wear them down in a couple of years. Doesn't work. Check with someone that has carried an Ike dollar and see what it looks like.

 

I would not say that they are easy to find. I just don't want them. Collect what you like, but don't get angry with those who don't share you tastes.

 

As for comparing wear on silver coins with Ike dollars, that is not a valid comparison. Copper-nickel is a lot harder and lasts longer in circulation.

[Coindude]

Pat, I just wanted to say that it's been a long time since I've seen you around here and I for one was glad to see your name.

[Old Pueblo]

The roll of 2009 Lincoln pennies I put in my rock tumbler for that " worn down" look, turned into BBs

 

 

 

 

OP

[braddick]

Never found a lower grade $10. Indian. (I didn't want to crack the FA2 as it was in an OGH and the overall presentation/patina was attractive to me, as it was.)

 

The asking price for the Pilgrim is an example of when and why I quietly faded from collecting these.

Although to label collectors as foolish I'd have to see not the asking price of a lowball commemorative/coin but rather the selling price of such a coin that sold.

 

 

 

 

[jom]

Never found a lower grade $10. Indian. (I didn't want to crack the FA2 as it was in an OGH and the overall presentation/patina was attractive to me, as it was.)

 

The asking price for the Pilgrim is an example of when and why I quietly faded from collecting these.

Although to label collectors as foolish I'd have to see not the asking price of a lowball commemorative/coin but rather the selling price of such a coin that sold.

 

See? You created a frenzy...it's all your fault.

 

I do remember the FR02 Indian...it was actually pretty cool. An odd bird for sure...

 

jom

[Conder101]

This is just plain silly as you can easily buy 3 nice MS65's for the same ask

That's because compared to that coin the MS-65's are common.

[PO01 Commem]

A statement was made by one of the responders in this thread about worn commems "That full time dealers use to get as many as they could find".

 

I have never found that dealer. Does anyone else know a dealer that saved worn commems years ago?

[BillJones]

A statement was made by one of the responders in this thread about worn commems "That full time dealers use to get as many as they could find".

 

I have never found that dealer. Does anyone else know a dealer that saved worn commems years ago?

 

I remember seeing their collections at the Bay State shows in Boston, but the coins were "for display only" and not for sale. They didn't have a lot of them, and their comment was that they were hard to find. They were always on the lookout for pieces from the 1930s when collectors preserved large numbers of the coins in Mint State. Something like a very low grade Antietam, Norfolk or York is probably next to impossible to find.

 

If you are looking for the pre 1928 commemorative half dollars in VF or so, that can be done without a lot of work, but really low grade pieces are hard to find.

 

I don't dispute that very low grade commemoratives are scarce. I just don't have an appreciation for them. To me they are more like curiosities than collectables.

 

[e1cnr]

I think they have a 'cool' factor, just like some people like attractively toned and others like the ones looking like they came from the mint press this morning.

 

[PO01 Commem]

That is a classic looking commem,

[World Colonial]

I don't understand the allure, either. They aren't nice to look at and shouldn't be worth much. Paying a huge premium for one?? Now THAT would truly be crazy! IMHO.

 

I believe I understand the allure. It is what I stated in a recent post. So many US coins are so common that some collectors have found it necessary to invent artificial and arbitrary criteria to create a collecting challenge that otherwise would not exist. A second possibility that I did not state earlier is that many high quality coins which were previously affordable are now so expensive due to TPG and "investment" money that many collectors can no longer afford them.

 

Personally, I do not find that it makes any sense but what I find completely ridiculous is paying an exorbitant premium for them. That I find is a page taken directly out of Bizarro World.

[jsilver2th]

Well if I had a budget for top notch pieces maybe I would have a different view but I think the worn coins are very interesting you just have to wonder on the history how many times the thing must have been passed from person to person and what it bought and sold... I would love some circulated Oregon Trails if anyone has some. I have some worn Columbus I could trade.