Believe it or not, I'm looking to buy a coin

[Architecht]

 

My father has been nosing around coin collecting for a number of years, and with a birthday in the offing, I thought an into coin might be an interesting gift.

 

I'm really only looking to spend about $70 or $80 on it, as I'm not entirely sure how much he'd be into the concept. I was thinking that in that price range, perhaps fishing... er, I mean Mercs would be a good thing to look at?

 

I think a non-contemporary design would be best. Morgans seemed neat, but they also seemed a bit more pricey, and that mercs might be the better gateway-drug so to speak.

 

Anyone have any alternative suggestions/advice?

 

Or better yet a decent buy-it-now ebay opportunity that they noticed that fits these parameters? If you do, maybe you could shoot me a PM?

 

I know it's kind of cheating asking you guys for a recommendation, and that the advice is always "learn first, buy later". BUT since it's really a gift, I'd never get past the "learn first" part - which might make it a pretty dang late birthday gift.

 

Besides, it's not a big ticket coin, obviously. So I can't go too wrong, right?

 

Thanks,

Arc

[MarkFeld]

Arc - very few Ebay "buy it now" options are good ones. Generally, the prices under that option are too high. Other possibilities (not that a Merc dime would be bad): a nice Buffalo Nickel or Walking Liberty half dollar. Or, would you rather get something older and rarer but in lower grade?

[snizzenfixit]

This One Looks AWFULLY nice to me Arch, and no it isn't mine.

 

Phil

 

[MarkFeld]

Phil (and Arc) - the coin pictured in the link is not certified and, in my opinion, the color is not original.

[Android]

Hey Arch!

 

Does it have to be in an NGC slab? Mercs are a good idea. You can get a really nice MS65/66 late '30s thru 40's slabbed merc for 60-80 bucks pretty easily. I wouldn't do a BIN on Ebay for a raw coin unless you really new what you were looking at.

 

Another idea that would be nice might be a year set for the year your Dad was born, depending on what year of course, or even one really nice coin from the year he was born.

 

Just a couple thoughts.

 

Andy

[Guest]

arch:

 

If your Dad was a veteran,. might I suggest a commemorative set from a war he served in - WWII, Korea or Vietnam.

 

My Dad was a World War II veteran of (obviously from my avatar) the Fourth Armored Division - otherwise known as Patton's Army.

 

I was not paying much attention to coins at the time, but in 1993 a Commemorative Set was issued honoring World War II vets. It was only after his passing did I become aware of this commemortaive. I bought a set for myself, and my sister, as rememberances of our fathers service.

 

It breaks my heart that I did not have the opportunity to give him that gift while he was still alive. He would have loved that gift.

 

If you Dad is not a vet, you may want to consider a modern commemorative set with a theme tied to comething of interest to him.

 

If not, I have a dozen beautiful BU 1884-O Morgans. I would part with one if you are interested. But I think a commemorative is teh way to go - beautiful original government packaging and the opportunity to tie it to something of interest to the receipient.

 

[keithdagen]

At that price level, you can find some pretty nice Morgans or Peace dollars, as well as nice Walking Liberty halves. The Walker is considered one of the greatest 20th Century designs, and odds are, would cover your dad's birth year, unless you're REALLY young and you start delving into Franklins.

[Spooly]

Arch I will send you some coins..... you take PCGS coins?

[snizzenfixit]

I do not think it is color at all, it is reflection. It is a prooflike coin, and in a blue lit environment it would reflect blue.

 

Phil

 

 

[Oldtrader3]

I would go with a Franklin Half or perhaps a Walking Liberty Half. You can buy a MS65 for about $100, or $70 for a MS64. Both are nice coins. The Walker is maybe a little more dramatic.Good luck, Arch.

[Architecht]

Oh, you think the CR doesn't discriminate, but I will? I'll just have to crack 'em out and send 'em to NGC.

 

(laughing)

 

Arc

[Fairlaneman]

Arc:

 

A Merc would be my choice but for the amount of money you want to spend all you would get is a common date. NGC 67FB forties Mercs can be had for that amount.

 

For a Gift I really believe I would look for a 1800's Type Coin in AU55/58. Pretty coins can be picked up for the price you want to pay. Check some of them out.

 

Ken

[EVillageProwler]

Arch,

 

About two years ago, a friend of mine asked me to get him some coins. His budget is ~ $100.

 

For around that -- probably just a little overbudget -- I was going to get him a Walker Half, a Peace Dollar and a Morgan Dollar. I spent about 2/3rds of the budget already, and picked up really nice common-date specimens of the two Dollar types.

 

They are both slabbed by PCGS, and both required lots of time going through dealer inventory. I forget the grades, but they were MS63 or MS64.

 

I picked those three types because they are very popular and easy to find nice specimens. And, they're cheap.

 

My friend is NOT a coin collector. He was just curious. So, I didn't want to pick a small-sized coin. A larger coin, with the large cartwheels, is just more eye-catching to the typical person.

 

EVP

 

[Clankeye-migration]

How about a nice Stone Mountain commemorative certified 64? That would cost about $80.00 tops. History, beauty, designed by a famous sculptor. Maybe he would find it interesting. Just a thought.

[Architecht]

 

Lots of good suggestions, guys. Thank you

 

All this nosing around in coins prompted me to dig out the ole childhood box of coins. I found, of course, a bunch of uninteresting junk. And a few marginally interesting coins - but still basically junk. (laugh)

 

Coolest stuff in there:

 

A 1943 D steel penny

 

A beat up 1962 washington qarter with some kind of golden toning

 

An highly worn 1938 washington quarter

 

And an 1873 German 1 Mark coin. That one is actually pretty cool.

 

Then just a bunch of more pedestrian foreign coins, some bills, and beat up pennies. Oh, and 3 half dollars of no particular note

 

Arch

The Jacque Cousteau of junky coins

(laugh)

[Oldtrader3]

The old German Mark (1, 2 &5 Mark) coins coined before the 1st WWar were pretty cool. Many of them had some allegorical theme (sometimes even with nudity). This of course did not play well in the Victorian US. There were some pretty interesting themes though.

[Hoot]

Hey Arch - What year was your dad born? What year was his dad born? Coins from those years may be readily available at your price - worth a look!

 

Hoot

[Spooly]

Good idea Hoot! Good idea Hoot!

[CarlWohlforth]

I have a few Mercs in NGC MS 67 Full Band that are in that price range. Please check out my website if interested. I would be happy to provide scans of any that might be interesting...

[paigow_johnny]

It was re-discovering a nicely toned 1900-O Morgan that I won at a club raffle as a kid that sucked me back into collecting...

 

I'd say pick him up a nice, well struck early S-mint Morgan. 80/81/82. Those are generally well struck, lustrous, frosty, downright attractive, and easily in the price range. I wouldn't even worry about getting a slabbed one. If a nice Morgan can't peak his interest in collecting, then Lord help us all

 

( A nice Walker isn't a bad idea either...)

[Architecht]

Why are there ebay auctions with pictures of the obverse and no reverse?

 

Why would you buy something you can only see half of?

 

Arch

[Architecht]

Bought a Morgan Dollar, and I used Buy It Now. Probably not a great deal, as I have little to no idea what I'm doing, but tis enough, twill serve. The idea was just to get a nice little gift, not get the bargain of the century. And if I'm lucky (which I'm usually not), I didn't get totally ripped off.

 

I know, I know. Buy it Now was a bad idea. BUT, I would have been lost in the woods making bids of coins that looked nice to me, only to find out my $70 bid was on a $4,000 rare date coin or something.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1385814322

 

Arc

 

[Clankeye-migration]

Well, that's a fair question. I just did that last week. Picked up a Lincoln commem in NGC 64. I guess the combination of knowing the series, trusting the third party grading, and feeling comfortable enough with the seller and his description, in this case made it okay for me. You can email the seller and ask for either a scan or written description of the reverse. If they don't respond, I wouldn't bid.

 

Edit> I see you got a coin. Looks good. Let us know how he likes it.

[Android]

Nice coin Arch! Your Dad will love it. In, fact he just may get hooked!

 

Andy

[paigow_johnny]

Well the PCGS price guide for a 64 is 51, so I don't think you got ripped.

 

Just hope your dad doesn't say..."What's with this plastic holder ??"

[Architecht]

Yah, but I've heard tell that the PCGS guide is a bit uh... optimistic?

 

I figure the coin really should have gone for about $35 to $40. BUT, I got it now, the guy says on his page that he tries to ship within 24 hours, and I didn't have to lose 3 auctions before getting it, with each auction taking a couple of days, etc. etc..

 

All in all, I'm ok with things as they are, I think.

 

And I like that hint of toning on the obverse. I think toning is cool.

 

Arch

[keithdagen]

A generic Morgan at retail probably would have run you $45, and the 1898 is a slightly better than generic, yet fairly common date.

 

In this case, you done good. If you look at the cheek, it appears pretty clean, and that's always a focal area. Many 64's have a lot of abrasions that detract there.

[Oldtrader3]

I would say that you purchased a nice MS64 Morgan with good strike, clean cheek and some toning. Overall, very nice.

 

The PCGS Price Guide is off (up) by 40% or so on most coins. The only one who sells coins at that price is David Hall.

[IrishMike]

In that price range a walker would be ideal, big enough coin to show some heft and a wonderful design.Or a birthdate coin.

[davefperry]

It looks like you made a good choice on the coin. Not only that, but now your feedback total has climbed to one.

And longevity must be a family trait if that's your dad's birth year