Still Crazy?

[Treeman]

I've been away from collecting for a number of years, just now getting back into my Large Cents...

Anyway, I see that the "Lowball" thing ATS is still around. I remember saying it was a fad that would never last. My question is this: Are people still paying crazy money to get the worst holdered coin possible?

 

Of course, I should mention that I never thought the CAC stickers would last either :-)

[Walkerfan]

Yep----I'm sure they (the Lowballers) are still at it and you're right, as I think it's crazy, too!

 

But CAC----I find them to be beneficial for the most part. NOT as a buyer but for sellers and investors.

[Conder101]

Lowball collecting isn't really a fad. There have been lowball collectors around for a long time, even a long time before the TPG's.

[mommam17]

I agree lowballers still around. Also, when CAC started, I too wasn't sure it would catch on, but when I went to the second Coinfest Show and saw the LONG line of submitters I knew it would be a success.

[BillJones]

The most common low ball collectors that I saw before the advent of the TPGs were dealers who tried to find the lowest grade commemorative half dollars in existence. Some of these pieces are a real challenge. For example finding an Antietam commemorative half dollar in less than Mint State BY HONEST WEAR is very difficult. There are a lot of other commemorative half dollars that were issued in the 1930s where one will find similar situations. Most of these coins were bought by collectors who carefully preserved them. Very few were ever spent, and the worn examples were more than likely pocket pieces.

 

The trouble is a lot of this low ball collecting and the rush to buy modern coins in highest grades was created by the registries. Most people could not afford to compete in the classic coin categories so they went after the more low hanging fruit. The trouble is once a few people grabbed off the lowest hanging "apples" the tree started growing because of market demand. Now many of these sets are almost as far out of financial reach for those who want them as the classic coins were.

 

Of course I think that a grading company who shall remain nameless (not our hosts) limits the number coins that they grade at certain levels at given times to keep the prices up. That might see like a conspiracy theory, but it's my impression.

 

[James_OldeTowne]

Of course I think that a grading company who shall remain nameless (not our hosts) limits the number coins that they grade at certain levels at given times to keep the prices up. That might see like a conspiracy theory, but it's my impression.

(thumbs u

[Mr. Smith Guesser]

Of course I think that a grading company who shall remain nameless (not our hosts) limits the number coins that they grade at certain levels at given times to keep the prices up. That might see like a conspiracy theory, but it's my impression.

That's crossed my mind more than once too.