What is your feeling about adjustment marks on gold coins????

[MikeKing]

This is a link to a photo of a coin up for auction on the David Lawrence web site.

 

Personally, I kind of like this coin, and the adjustment marks don't bother me. The only thing that bothers me is concern about selling this coin in the future.

 

What are your thoughts about adjustment marks

 

[MarkFeld]

I don't "hate" the way the coin looks, but in this case the adjustment marks are too conspicuous for my taste, hence my "none of the above" vote in the poll.

[bsshog40]

"None of the above" also. As I don't have much knowledge on adjustment marks, I would look at this as a damaged coin. Knowing that it is not only because of this post just gives me more knowledge of what these marks are. I would be very skeptical tho' to purchase this elsewhere looking at the marks on the coin. Even tho' there is an explanation for them, it would still make me look elsewhere for a cleaner coin.

[123cents]

I don't "hate" the way the coin looks, but in this case the adjustment marks are too conspicuous for my taste, hence my "none of the above" vote in the poll.

 

 

Well said. I agree 100%.

[MAULEMALL]

I don't "hate" the way the coin looks, but in this case the adjustment marks are too conspicuous for my taste, hence my "none of the above" vote in the poll.

I hate them....Not all adjustment marks,,Just those on that particular coin.

 

Looks like someone took a sharpie to the Mona Lisa.

[conqueror]

I don't care for the adjestment marks and if my intention is to sell the coin later on I would chose a coin without the baggage.

[TomB]

I would not put my money into that coin.

[MunkyMan95]

It's a nice piece of history, so if I never planned to sell it, I might buy it. But if I bought it for the sole purpose of resale, I would keep looking.

[rrantique]

Normally don't mind, but in the case of this coin the focal point marked just doesn't get it.

[stinkycheese1]

What are adjustment marks? Never heard of them.

[James_OldeTowne]

I am not in the least bothered by adjustment marks, whether on gold or silver. The reason is that they are a completely expected part of the coin making process of back then, and in fact, when you own a coin like that, you are even closer to the history of minting than with an unadjusted coin. You see, the planchet for that coin had to be manually weighed prior to striking, then filed down, then weighed again, perhaps filed again, and weighed yet another time, then finally manually fed into the minting process. It's had A LOT of hands touching it over time! That to me is precious, and that is why I personally find adjustment marks to be very attractive.

 

Those who don't want to spend much time actually thinking about coins will frown on them as being "detracting", but that's because they really don't care about the history that went into making that lovely artifact. You may have trouble selling it later, but if that's what's driving your decision, then don't buy. But if you really care about coins and their history and how they came to be, you can't do much better than this one!

 

Honestly, the only thing that would make the coin even better were if it had circulated. Circulation would mean that many more hands touching it back in the reaches of time.

[MikeKing]

I am not in the least bothered by adjustment marks, whether on gold or silver. The reason is that they area completely expected part of the coin making process of back then, and in fact, when you own a coin like that, you are even closer to the history of minting than with an unadjusted coin. You see, the planchet for that coin had to be manually weighed prior to striking, then filed down, then weighed again, perhaps filed again, and weighed yet another time, then finally manually fed into the minting process. It's had A LOT of hands touching it over time! That to me is precious, and that is why I personally find adjustment marks to be very attractive.

 

Those who don't want to spend much time actually thinking about coins will frown on them as being "detracting", but that's because they really don't care about the history that went into making that lovely artifact. You may have trouble selling it later, but if that's what's driving your decision, then don't buy. But if you really care about coins and their history and how they came to be, you can't do much better than this one!

 

Honestly, the only thing that would make the coin even better were if it had circulated. Circulation would mean that many more hands touching it back in the reaches of time.

 

James...

 

I'd buy this coin in a flash, if it wasn't so darn expensive. I agree with James 1000%, but everyone has their likes and dislikes, and that's OK.

 

 

RWB posted a good history on adjustment marks

 

edited to add: in fact, I love the fact that they're right over the center of the coin!

[TJ'S Coins]

Dumb Question #1 How do we know these are adjustment marks and not scratches?

 

Personally I find the coin intriguing in that it is a great year - 1812 - and otherwise an MS specimen. The location of the marks is simply too conspicuous for me and I would pass on this particular coin. To me, these marks detract from the eye appeal and I believe will negatively affect the resale value unless you have an astute, esoteric collector who can look beyond the initial eye distraction and value the coin for what it is. I believe most collectors would not do this.

[michael]

I would not put my money into that coin.

 

 

[michael]

 

Personally I find the coin intriguing in that it is a great year - 1812 - and otherwise an MS specimen. The location of the marks is simply too conspicuous for me and I would pass on this particular coin. To me, these marks detract from the eye appeal and I believe will negatively affect the resale value unless you have an astute, esoteric collector who can look beyond the initial eye distraction and value the coin for what it is. I believe most collectors would not do this.

 

[James_OldeTowne]

To me, these marks detract from the eye appeal

Tim, they do detract from the eye-appeal. BUT.... they add considerably to the historic appeal!

 

As others have noted - to each his own, but eye-appeal is hardly the only factor that comes into play for buying coins, at least for me. In fact, the vast majority of my coins have perfectly average eye-appeal, and some of mine are downright ugly! But there can be reasons above and beyond the mere appearance that have enormous appeal.

 

As a quick example, most ancient coins are ugly and have no eye-appeal at all, but they are just a wee bit popular with collectors. Connecticut coins are among the ugliest ever struck on American soil - but is there a more fanatical group of collectors than their supporters? Mass silver is seldom "pretty", nor are St. Patrick farthings, Voce Populi coppers, Bar coppers, and on and on, but they are coins with historic appeal that far exceeds any notion of "eye-appeal".

 

Just my thoughts....

[WinstonWare]

I would not put my money into that coin.

 

 

 

I agree

[supertooth]

Mike---- I'm going with TJ on this one. How do we know that these marks are mint made adjustment marks? Most of the ones that I have seen are on the rim. Why would a mint employee totally deface his product? At any rate, I would pass like many of the others have said. Unless the price was foolishly low. Bob [supertooth]

[TJ'S Coins]

Interesting thread developing....

 

Thanks Bob for the added support about the location of the marks. I also thought that they were taken primarily from the rim of the planchet. I guess anything is possible in that a mint employee could use the surface of the coin for such an effect but that also strikes me as odd.

 

James, I have no dispute about the historical value of the coin. If these are adjustment marks and not merely scratches than it can be an educational and informative coin. However, there are other examples of 1812 half eagles that do not possess the marks across the face of the coin. For many collectors, as the comments above suggest, the marks are just too much of an obstacle to overcome to invest money into this coin. For other collectors, such as yourself, this coin can be quite appealing because of the fact it has obvious adjustment marks (if that is what they are) and can be used to tell a story behind and beyond the coin in hand. I would not be willing to do that with this particular coin which I why I would pass and not put any money into it.

[MarkFeld]

Interesting thread developing....

 

Thanks Bob for the added support about the location of the marks. I also thought that they were taken primarily from the rim of the planchet. I guess anything is possible in that a mint employee could use the surface of the coin for such an effect but that also strikes me as odd.

 

James, I have no dispute about the historical value of the coin. If these are adjustment marks and not merely scratches than it can be an educational and informative coin. However, there are other examples of 1812 half eagles that do not possess the marks across the face of the coin. For many collectors, as the comments above suggest, the marks are just too much of an obstacle to overcome to invest money into this coin. For other collectors, such as yourself, this coin can be quite appealing because of the fact it has obvious adjustment marks (if that is what they are) and can be used to tell a story behind and beyond the coin in hand. I would not be willing to do that with this particular coin which I why I would pass and not put any money into it.

I have seen numerous early gold and silver coins which displayed adjustment marks on the face or the reverse device. Some of the marks were heavy, and others, light. One clue which helps confirm the mint-made status (as opposed to post production damage) on the coin in this thread is the presence of additional/consistent (more subtle) adjustment marks in Liberty's hair too.

[TJ'S Coins]

Thanks Mark for the further explanation. Your experience in seeing more coins definitely comes into play understanding how varied the adjustments can be on a coin.

 

James, your point on ugly coins being collectible is well taken. Still, I wouldn't my money into this 1812 gold.

[MBA101]

If the coin were discounted by a couple of grade levels, then I would consider buying the coin. To me, adjustment marks are the same as scratches, and on an original coin will not distract, but I would expect the pricing to take them into consideration.

 

And these AM's are rather severe, so at least two grade levels lower, minimum...