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What makes a coin exceptional?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 16th 04, 08:04 PM
Bruce Hickmott
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Default What makes a coin exceptional?

Have you ever looked at a coin and seen something in it that made it seem
different and better than most other coins of that date and type? Likely yes.
but what is it that makes the coin seem better? Now, I'm NOT referring to grade
here, though grade does occasionally play into this question. Let me give some
examples from the series I collect, and then maybe collectors of other series
will add in their opinions.

Half cents: Surfaces seem to be what makes a half cent exceptional. A half cent
with clean surfaces in any grade is worth a premium. An 1807 with full or
partial dentils is exceptional. An 1825 with all stars showing centers is
exceptional. Off center half cents still showing the date are exceptional.

Early proof cents: Any 1859 showing full mirrors is exceptional. I know where
one of these is and I'm saving up for it. Red proof matte lincoln cents are
exceptional, ESPECIALLY the 1909VDB.

Proof 3cn: Any proof that shows fully struck hair is exceptional. Mostly, the
hair seems soft and smooth. I wonder where this comes from, as the master die
clearly has full hair.

Liberty 5c: Any business strike that has fully struck corn ears on both sides is
exceptional. Even those with only the right corn ear fully struck are worthy of
note. BEWARE of retooling on the ears!!!! Any well struck 1912-S is exceptional,
almost all are weakly struck.

Early Proof Nickels: A shield 5c proof with no die cracks and full mirrors is
exceptional. An 1866 proof with all the rays CLEARLY delineated is exceptional.
A matte proof buffalo that looks like a proof is exceptional. :-)

Bruce



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  #2  
Old January 17th 04, 01:41 AM
James McCown
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A coin is exceptional if I own it. Otherwise, it is boring and common.

Bruce Hickmott wrote in message . ..
Have you ever looked at a coin and seen something in it that made it seem
different and better than most other coins of that date and type? Likely yes.
but what is it that makes the coin seem better? Now, I'm NOT referring to grade
here, though grade does occasionally play into this question. Let me give some
examples from the series I collect, and then maybe collectors of other series
will add in their opinions.

Half cents: Surfaces seem to be what makes a half cent exceptional. A half cent
with clean surfaces in any grade is worth a premium. An 1807 with full or
partial dentils is exceptional. An 1825 with all stars showing centers is
exceptional. Off center half cents still showing the date are exceptional.

Early proof cents: Any 1859 showing full mirrors is exceptional. I know where
one of these is and I'm saving up for it. Red proof matte lincoln cents are
exceptional, ESPECIALLY the 1909VDB.

Proof 3cn: Any proof that shows fully struck hair is exceptional. Mostly, the
hair seems soft and smooth. I wonder where this comes from, as the master die
clearly has full hair.

Liberty 5c: Any business strike that has fully struck corn ears on both sides is
exceptional. Even those with only the right corn ear fully struck are worthy of
note. BEWARE of retooling on the ears!!!! Any well struck 1912-S is exceptional,
almost all are weakly struck.

Early Proof Nickels: A shield 5c proof with no die cracks and full mirrors is
exceptional. An 1866 proof with all the rays CLEARLY delineated is exceptional.
A matte proof buffalo that looks like a proof is exceptional. :-)

Bruce

  #3  
Old January 17th 04, 02:23 AM
Bruce Remick
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Default


"James McCown" wrote in message
m...
A coin is exceptional if I own it. Otherwise, it is boring and common.

Bruce Hickmott wrote in message

. ..
Have you ever looked at a coin and seen something in it that made it

seem
different and better than most other coins of that date and type? Likely

yes.
but what is it that makes the coin seem better? Now, I'm NOT referring

to grade
here, though grade does occasionally play into this question. Let me

give some
examples from the series I collect, and then maybe collectors of other

series
will add in their opinions.

Half cents: Surfaces seem to be what makes a half cent exceptional. A

half cent
with clean surfaces in any grade is worth a premium. An 1807 with full

or
partial dentils is exceptional. An 1825 with all stars showing centers

is
exceptional. Off center half cents still showing the date are

exceptional.

Early proof cents: Any 1859 showing full mirrors is exceptional. I know

where
one of these is and I'm saving up for it. Red proof matte lincoln cents

are
exceptional, ESPECIALLY the 1909VDB.

Proof 3cn: Any proof that shows fully struck hair is exceptional.

Mostly, the
hair seems soft and smooth. I wonder where this comes from, as the

master die
clearly has full hair.

Liberty 5c: Any business strike that has fully struck corn ears on both

sides is
exceptional. Even those with only the right corn ear fully struck are

worthy of
note. BEWARE of retooling on the ears!!!! Any well struck 1912-S is

exceptional,
almost all are weakly struck.

Early Proof Nickels: A shield 5c proof with no die cracks and full

mirrors is
exceptional. An 1866 proof with all the rays CLEARLY delineated is

exceptional.
A matte proof buffalo that looks like a proof is exceptional. :-)


Yep. Half cents, early proof cents, proof 3cn, Liberty 5¢, and early proof
nickels are exceptional to me, too. In any condition.

Bruce









  #4  
Old January 17th 04, 02:44 AM
Richard Adams
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Default

Bruce Hickmott wrote:

Have you ever looked at a coin and seen something in it that made it seem
different and better than most other coins of that date and type? Likely yes.
but what is it that makes the coin seem better? Now, I'm NOT referring to grade
here, though grade does occasionally play into this question. Let me give some
examples from the series I collect, and then maybe collectors of other series
will add in their opinions.

[snip]

I follow where you're going, but I'm generally burned out on US coins.
After collecting most of a set of Morgans, Mercuries, etc., I got fed up
with the long prices and crappy quality of many overvalued coins. A few
remain in my collection, but by and large I sold it all off (probably
one reason I'm not on RCC much these days.)

I picked up a few foreign coins and found in them the beauty I thought
largely lacking in the domestic issues. Since that time my collection
of world crowns and minors has eclisped even the glory days of my
domestic collection and grows steadily, with new and exciting
discoveries (on just posed under Unusualy Find Baht over Yen.)

Many foreign coins are far lower in mintage but also far more accessible
to collector on a limited budget. Then there's the numismonia angle,
like countermarks and trade coinage which tells some tale, rather than
just lay there and look beautiful. Frank Rose wrote a short, but lovely
book on Chopmarked Coins. The investigation of these unusual artifacts
has propelled me into the directions of reading history and doing
research to better understand what was going on in the New World, Old
World and Cathay over the past 400 years.

It's all thrilling stuff and it provides the spark I could never find in
US coins besides niggling over toning or grade. There are very few MS
grade coins in my collection, but one has a soft spot in my heart and I
keep it in a PCGS holder just to keep it looking the way it does, I'll
probably never see it's like again.

http://www.dragonswest.com/coins/m24.jpg

To each their own and vive la difference!

  #5  
Old January 17th 04, 03:05 AM
Stujoe
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Bruce Hickmott wrote:
Have you ever looked at a coin and seen something in it that made it
seem different and better than most other coins of that date and
type?


For me (as most of my coins are Circulated and many Well Circulated), it
often comes down to the surface and a lack of big circulation marks as being
most pleasing to me.

--
Stujoe
Email: http://tinyurl.com/wu00
Grading Challenge, Coin News, Virtual Coin Museum and mo
http://www.CoinPeople.com


  #6  
Old January 17th 04, 07:47 PM
The Silver Jar...
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"Stujoe" wrote in message m...
Bruce Hickmott wrote:
Have you ever looked at a coin and seen something in it that made it
seem different and better than most other coins of that date and
type?


For me (as most of my coins are Circulated and many Well Circulated), it
often comes down to the surface and a lack of big circulation marks as being
most pleasing to me.


I like silver coins with either a bright white lustrous surface (that
looks kinda milky and silky at the same time...see the link!)...

http://www.coinpeople.com/forums/alb...php?pic_id=441

and

http://www.coinpeople.com/forums/alb...php?pic_id=442


But i also love silver coins with an even dark tone...(preferably with
a nice hint of blue)...

http://www.coinpeople.com/forums/alb...php?pic_id=443


I also like coins with very high relief.


Sylvester.
  #7  
Old January 17th 04, 08:12 PM
Edward McGrath
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I've been looking seriously into old coins this year and I have
developed a liking of lightly circulated slightly toned coins. This
change in my preference from blast white BU old coins to circulated
toned coins I find exceptional. I've been hovering over my local coin
store counter looking at the standing liberty quarters, they are well
worn but I feel they have a certain quality maybe even a personality
that draws my interest in them. I think my appreciation of old US coins
comes from the start of my collecting Ancient coins. Ed

  #8  
Old January 17th 04, 10:17 PM
Bruce Hickmott
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Default

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:23:31 -0500, "Bruce Remick" is alleged
to have written:


Yep. Half cents, early proof cents, proof 3cn, Liberty 5¢, and early proof
nickels are exceptional to me, too. In any condition.

Bruce



But within what you collect, what makes a coin exceptional?

Bruce








  #9  
Old January 18th 04, 12:20 AM
F B
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Default

For me (as most of my coins are Circulated and many Well Circulated), it
often comes down to the surface and a lack of big circulation marks as
being most pleasing to me.
--
Stujoe
I agree. Something just catches your eye. When you see it, you know
it's the one you want to keep.
Doris

  #10  
Old January 18th 04, 02:29 AM
Bruce Remick
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Default


"Bruce Hickmott" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:23:31 -0500, "Bruce Remick" is

alleged
to have written:


Yep. Half cents, early proof cents, proof 3cn, Liberty 5¢, and early

proof
nickels are exceptional to me, too. In any condition.

Bruce



But within what you collect, what makes a coin exceptional?

Bruce


Other than an an extreme rarity (which I don't have) it has to be the grade
and/or overall appearance, in my case with large cents. Not very original,
but I couldn't think of any other criterion. I have a 1813 in F15 with
flawless satin surfaces that I am at least as proud of as other cents from
the 1850's in AU.

Bruce







 




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