I think I've found my Randall Hoard cent...

[Jazzy]

Go ahead and give me your best and worst advice.

 

And don't pull any punches.

 

NGC MS 65 BN.

 

ANR - $1200

 

[gmarguli]

Personally, I find the dark black areas distracting and I'd want better for an MS65.

[Jazzy]

But the coin is inevitably much darker than the pics, and the contrast between the colors has to be much less. ANR tends to WAY over-brighten their photos.

 

So should I try to negotiate a lower price?

[zrlevin]

I like it, although I think that the lady on the front is pretty ugly...

 

First time I saw a picture of an UNC one of these, and now I'm kinda glad mine is a G-4.

[Jazzy]

I like it, although I think that the lady on the front is pretty ugly...

 

First time I saw a picture of an UNC one of these, and now I'm kinda glad mine is a G-4.

 

Fair enough, but I'm working on a high-grade type set. A coin from the Randall Hoard is not only a piece of US coinage history, but a fantastic piece of numismatic history as well.

[zrlevin]

To each's own I guess...

 

I agree with you about the Randall Hoard coins though.

[EZ_E]

I like the coin alright but not for $1200.

 

I love your heart and persistence though, Jazzy! Great goals!!!

[Jazzy]

I like the coin alright but not for $1200.

 

I love your heart and persistence though, Jazzy! Great goals!!!

 

OK, so I should try to talk them down?

 

I want a Randall cent in my collection dammit.

[Bruceswar]

call them up and see what they say... never hurts to ask...

[Jazzy]

call them up and see what they say... never hurts to ask...

 

I have a long-standing relationship with ANR - I've taken more than a few drives up to Lake W., although I have yet to meet David Bowers. And I've never tried to negotiate a price, so it makes me a bit nervous. After all, I'm not one of their really "big spender" clients.

[gmarguli]

call them up and see what they say... never hurts to ask...

 

I have a long-standing relationship with ANR - I've taken more than a few drives up to Lake W., although I have yet to meet David Bowers. And I've never tried to negotiate a price, so it makes me a bit nervous. After all, I'm not one of their really "big spender" clients.

 

You don't have to be one of their big spenders to ask them what is the best they can do. All they can say is that the current price is the best they can do. However, even for a new client, I'd guess they'd knock off 5% + free shipping and that would be for someone who has done zero business with them in the past. Just don't nickel and dime the dealer on every transaction - pick your fights.

[Jazzy]

call them up and see what they say... never hurts to ask...

 

I have a long-standing relationship with ANR - I've taken more than a few drives up to Lake W., although I have yet to meet David Bowers. And I've never tried to negotiate a price, so it makes me a bit nervous. After all, I'm not one of their really "big spender" clients.

 

You don't have to be one of their big spenders to ask them what is the best they can do. All they can say is that the current price is the best they can do. However, even for a new client, I'd guess they'd knock off 5% + free shipping and that would be for someone who has done zero business with them in the past. Just don't nickel and dime the dealer on every transaction - pick your fights.

 

Yeah, you're absolutely right. I'll muster my courage and give them a call tomorrow.

[gmarguli]

call them up and see what they say... never hurts to ask...

 

I have a long-standing relationship with ANR - I've taken more than a few drives up to Lake W., although I have yet to meet David Bowers. And I've never tried to negotiate a price, so it makes me a bit nervous. After all, I'm not one of their really "big spender" clients.

 

You don't have to be one of their big spenders to ask them what is the best they can do. All they can say is that the current price is the best they can do. However, even for a new client, I'd guess they'd knock off 5% + free shipping and that would be for someone who has done zero business with them in the past. Just don't nickel and dime the dealer on every transaction - pick your fights.

 

Yeah, you're absolutely right. I'll muster my courage and give them a call tomorrow.

 

My guess is that they'll knock 10% off without any problem. If not, PM me...

[EZ_E]

I wouldn't pay over $900 for it. I'd actually shoot for a raw MS63/64 if I were you.

[TomB]

Obviously, the coin will be much darker than the image suggests. Therefore, I really have no idea how it looks and can't give you any other details. You may want to try Pinnacle as they seem to have one of these quite often, mine came from them.

[Jazzy]

I wouldn't pay over $900 for it. I'd actually shoot for a raw MS63/64 if I were you.

 

OK, EZ, but where do I find that coin?

 

I previously posted an MS 64 that Heritage had for sale, and everyone said I should shoot higher because of the weak strike.

 

Now I find one that I really like in a great strike, and yall say - TOO MUCH!

 

[TomB]

I don't think the coin has a great strike. There are typical scattered areas of weakness on the stars and reverse lettering. Also, and more important to me, the forehead curls looked meshed together almost all the way down to the ear. In my opinion, this makes the coin either an AU65 or a coin with a weaker strike than desireable in this area.

[EZ_E]

I can't tell you, bro. I ran across mine at a coin show at the Tacoma Dome in Washington about 2 years ago. I was looking for a small planchet half dime but couldn't find one. I saw this cent and knew very little about it at the time but knew that it was a coin for me. I gave $550 for it then although the dealer initially wanted $625. You just have to get lucky or bit the bullit and buy a slabbed one. This ANR coin is a little better than the typical Randal hoard cent so, if you have the cash and can get them down a couple of hundred dollars then go for this one.

 

These are terrible pictures of mine but you get the idea:

 

[EZ_E]

Thomas B.,

 

Habla mi idioma, senor!

[Jazzy]

I don't think the coin has a great strike. There are typical scattered areas of weakness on the stars and reverse lettering. Also, and more important to me, the forehead curls looked meshed together almost all the way down to the ear. In my opinion, this makes the coin either an AU65 or a coin with a weaker strike than desireable in this area.

 

Granted it's market grading. AU 65 sounds about right, at least by EAC standards.

 

So what do you think I should offer for the coin? $800? $900?

[Hoot]

I don't think the coin is badly priced at $1200, but the coin just does not leap out and grab me. The dark stains on the coin bug me, as well as the overall weakness of the peripheral strike, both obverse and reverse. The obverse die was in a very late state, indicated by the weakness of the stars and the fact that the crack runs through the date. Most coins of this type (N-13) have the crack but only through the stars. The reverse is quite mushy in the dentils from 3-6 and 9-12 o'clock. Now, if you were collecting die states, this might be a nice addition, but the coin is also exceedingly common in mint state. This variety comprised a large fraction of the Randall hoard.

 

For a RH coin, you should be patient and buy one with amazing luster and a great strike in the central and peripheral devices. Look for even color too - either an even red or a nice, even tan or chocolatey brown. Granted, they are harder to locate than an average RH coin, but they are also worth the wait (I'm still waiting).

 

BTW, I would not offer less than $1050 for this coin (if I were buying).

 

Hoot

[James_OldeTowne]

Those dark stains are a sure sign that this coin has been conserved - as have probably 98% of the Randall coins. But this coin just has too much fungus. It's a $750 coin, NOT $1200.

 

Perhaps more importantly, the images have been cranked up in some bizarre way, and are almost completely useless for evaluating the surface quality. These are about as misleading images as I've ever seen. I brought the images in, combined them, and simply toned down the brightness and cut the size in half. It MIGHT be more realistic:

 

 

In short, definitely pass on this coin at $1200.

 

James

[leeg]

I agree with the majority here. Don't like the coin at that price. I feel the black spots are distracting also. I think if your patient you'll find a much nicer example for half that price. I was fortunate when I purchased this example in 2004 on the PCGS B/S/T Forum for 1/4 of this price. Was in an NGC 63 holder went to ANACS on a crossover to a 62. Now Raw in my DANSCO 7070 Type Set Album. This coin is one of my favorites.