Awesome Toning on 1945-S Merc from eBay

[Mr. Smith Guesser]

Awesome toning...

 

PCGS MS66+FB

 

Steep price... http://www.ebay.com/itm/272101377250?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Six Mile Rick]

There is a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.

[brg5658]

There is a "Make an Offer" option -- I know the seller from another forum, and he's a very reasonable guy with a good eye.

 

That being said, I wouldn't touch that dime for $3K, but there are LOTS of people with deep pockets. I still remember the 1882-S Morgan from a year ago that sold for $14.1K in a PCGS MS65 holder. Talk about a super common coin -- and a 100x toning premium!

[BillJones]

I don't understand the toner market at all. I don't find that coin to be overly attractive, especially since the color is only on one side.

 

If you want to bid or pay $3,000 for that, go ahead. You won't get any competition from me.

[jerseycat10]

It seems that in the toner market, I am seeing signs of people trying to sell 1K coins for 3K-4K. Of course they're not actually being sold, but people are trying.

[DWLange]

Colorful toning on 1945-S dimes is not hard to find, as this issue was widely hoarded by the roll. Even the Micro S coins are often found with gorgeous color. One thing not mentioned about the coin illustrated is how weakly struck it is. I've found that such weakness tends to accelerate the toning process, though I don't fully understand the science behind that.

[brg5658]

Let's remember, that merc that went for more than $8K in the Legend Auction that was recently posted -- with the staple scratch, and somewhat blotchy toning.

 

I'm not saying I'd ever pay up to those silly levels of toner premium, but there is clearly a market for at least 2 bidders. It only takes 2 bidiots...

 

EDIT: PCGS guide on this coin is $265. This seller thinks it worth around a 11-12x toning premium. That's not completely out in left field when I have seen 100x toning premiums paid for completely generic date/mm Morgans. I think the most I've paid for a coin for a toning/eye appeal premium is around 4-5 times guide. That's about my limit. Beyond that and I fear being in "totally buried land"...and I'm not a flipper, I plan to hold for decades the coins in my collection like this.

 

 

[coinman_23885]

I remember this coin very well; I believe I was the direct under bidder on the coin when it sold in a PCGS MS66 FB holder. I bid what I thought was a nuclear bid and still lost.

 

It is absolutely stunning and by Mercury Dime standards is a very high end ("monster") toned piece that is deserving of a premium to toned collectors. I will say that the seller, if the purchaser at auction, absolutely did pay up for the coin and deserves to make a profit. This isn't a case of someone flipping the coin for 4x-5x the purchase price. I wish him well with his sale.

[coinman_23885]

Let's remember, that merc that went for more than $8K in the Legend Auction that was recently posted -- with the staple scratch, and somewhat blotchy toning.

 

I agree that the Legend Mercury Dime wasn't attractive, but I didn't see the staple scratch. It is quite possible that the OP of that thread confused the coin with one he had. Regardless, I agree that the 1944-S was ugly to me. I would much rather have this coin. The reason the Legend coin went so high IMHO wasn't primarily because of the color though, but because that date is a condition rarity in MS68 FB. A condition rarity/top pop in PCGS plastic with a CAC sticker will cause many registry players to pay up. The color might have been icing on the cupcake.

[KeyMan64]

In the neighborhood of $800-$1000 max in my opinion, nowhere close to $3K.

As for the grade, I would call that a 66FB with all of the spots, chatter, hits

and luster breaks....but then again I am judging it from less than ideal images.

[clydedenver]

I believe that coin sold for around 2k on GreatCollections maybe just over a year ago. Yes, in a 66FB holder at the time.

 

Weakness in strike accelerates the toning process? Interesting input, DWLange; I had not noticed nor heard of that one.

[johnny9434]

$3,000, no thanks. nice coin and all but id prefer a rarity. jmo

[coinman_23885]

I believe that coin sold for around 2k on GreatCollections maybe just over a year ago. Yes, in a 66FB holder at the time.

 

Weakness in strike accelerates the toning process? Interesting input, DWLange; I had not noticed nor heard of that one.

 

If my memory is correct, is was around $1750 with juice in a no reserve auction as a MS66 FB.

[bochiman]

I remember this coin very well; I believe I was the direct under bidder on the coin when it sold in a PCGS MS66 FB holder. I bid what I thought was a nuclear bid and still lost.

 

It is absolutely stunning and by Mercury Dime standards is a very high end ("monster") toned piece that is deserving of a premium to toned collectors. I will say that the seller, if the purchaser at auction, absolutely did pay up for the coin and deserves to make a profit. This isn't a case of someone flipping the coin for 4x-5x the purchase price. I wish him well with his sale.

 

I'm not sure that I would agree that someone "paying up" equates to them "deserving" to make a profit.

 

If someone search a ton of mercs, found one like this, had it slabbed, for sale, etc, then, yes, I would personally think they should make some money on it.

 

Someone paying up for something that, while nice, is not unique nor rare.....well, that is their business but I wouldn't agree they deserve to make a profit.

 

I have a particular eye on that year for the mercs and, like mentioned in another post, that year is not unique to nice toning.

 

Heck.....I recall some MS68 in PCGS a few years back that were going for $2k plus...they looked pretty darn nice. So, $3k for this? More power to anyone wanting to pay that, but the "deserved profit" won't be coming from me.

[brg5658]

Let me remind you all again (and myself) -- this coin is listed for sale at an asking price of $3,000 currently. It has not sold, and the seller has given anyone truly interested in the coin the "Make Offer" options.

 

There are many other sellers on eBay who are truly shady (one comes to mind who is an "esteemed" member of the PNG -- he lists his coins at absurd prices, make comments in the description of the items that the coins are undergraded -- or even that they are proofs when they aren't -- and still doesn't give buyers the option of making a serious offer).

 

[Walkerfan]

No Thank You.

 

That is too much for a common coin, IMHO, regardless of the slab number and the designation.