remmy
Forum Supporter
This is what I mentioned in the original post
Who has sold "dug" key date silver
- Thread starter remmy
- Start date
This is what I mentioned in the original post
markinswpa
Forum Supporter
I agree
Well said Ron.
Ok, good points from all! This is what I thought reality should be, if it is beautiful, rare or both someone will want it. I just saw so many opinions that sounded like "dug" coins were plain trash to so many.
I have no plans to sell any of my coins but I wanted to know how others made out in case I have to someday. I am not a coin collector but digging has made me collect coins. I live for the hunt and the wow moment of finding anything cool or just plain neat.
And just for the record, I still think the "environmental damage" is really a jealous putdown because we "find" instead of "buy" our coins. No disrespect to my brothers here who are coin collectors as well as diggers. I value their opinions greatly. It makes me wonder if you found a coin in great condition and washed the dirt off in an ultrasonic cleaner and distilled water how would it grade? I mean any coin that was in circulation and has wear is going to have scratches right? Wear is caused by abrasion...thus scuffing right?
Well said Ron.
woodbutcher
Forum Supporter
Dug or not dug a key date coin is a key date coin.Ive talked with 3 coin dealers about my 1921 silver half,which is a key date coin.And they said it's a circulated coin,and it's gonna have blemishes,and character scars.Mines up for sale here for a lot less than they're getting on eBay,and it's in far better shape.Honestly I could care less if it sells or not,it cannot depreciate in value.
Coinshark
Elite Member
Selling Ground Found Coins
Rule #1....."Your coin is worth what someone is willing to pay to make it theirs." (You will hear this over and over again because it's true!)
Rule #2....."A little research goes a long way. If you are truly interested, find a major dealer/collector that will take the time to teach you." (Major, not a novice fly by night collector!)
Rule #3....."If you are wanting to make money off your coins, take it as serious as the people that buy the coins!"
Rule #4....."Don't assume what someone does to their coins is the best thing to do to yours." (Other people have their priorities and beliefs; doesn't mean they are right!)(Peoples advice sucks, always get a knowledgeable second opinion!)
Rule #5....."Don't be afraid to ask questions!" (Rule 2)
Rule #6....."If you don't what to damage a coin and you don't know what you're doing, don't do anything!"
Rule #7....."Shinny doesn't mean valuable." (If you want a shinny coin, go buy one.) (Clean doesn't make it valuable. The coin can be valuable or not on its own.)
***Can a coin be cleaned? Yes. Can that take away from the value? In most cases, yes.***
***If it is a good looking coin with details, I don't care how dirty to slightly dirty it is, don't clean it!!! Unless you are the guy getting paid to clean coins you are probably going to do some damage (something improper) that could cost you money.*** (If you want to learn, find a cheap junk date coin. You can't hurt the value of cheap junk coins.) ***So, if you dig a cheap junk date coin, feel free to clean it. Why not try to learn what is best when it's not going to cost you in the end***
Dirt, scratches, holes, environmental damage, spots and stains are part of the character of some coins. Each collector wants something different.
(Stop and think...even if you are not in it for the profit today, there is always tomorrow.)
***Cleaning coins is not recommended, unless it's done by a professional with the knowledge that the coin will become more valuable afterwards!***
Red Book and the Gray Sheets gives a starting point in prices. Dealers and collectors control the market value. If your coin has great detail and shows cleaning issues, it's still a coin with great detail. There is value in your coins it's just not black and white, by the book pricing. Every coin is different, ask an expert about each one you think is special.
Final notes---if it's worth only a few dollars, you can only hurt it by a few dollars. If it's worth hundreds of dollars, you can damage it by hundreds of dollars. Its your choice.
Here's an answer for you Remmy.....Everyone has heard most of these things but most people don't know how it applies and that it applies differently to each and every coin.
Rule #1....."Your coin is worth what someone is willing to pay to make it theirs." (You will hear this over and over again because it's true!)
Rule #2....."A little research goes a long way. If you are truly interested, find a major dealer/collector that will take the time to teach you." (Major, not a novice fly by night collector!)
Rule #3....."If you are wanting to make money off your coins, take it as serious as the people that buy the coins!"
Rule #4....."Don't assume what someone does to their coins is the best thing to do to yours." (Other people have their priorities and beliefs; doesn't mean they are right!)(Peoples advice sucks, always get a knowledgeable second opinion!)
Rule #5....."Don't be afraid to ask questions!" (Rule 2)
Rule #6....."If you don't what to damage a coin and you don't know what you're doing, don't do anything!"
Rule #7....."Shinny doesn't mean valuable." (If you want a shinny coin, go buy one.) (Clean doesn't make it valuable. The coin can be valuable or not on its own.)
***Can a coin be cleaned? Yes. Can that take away from the value? In most cases, yes.***
***If it is a good looking coin with details, I don't care how dirty to slightly dirty it is, don't clean it!!! Unless you are the guy getting paid to clean coins you are probably going to do some damage (something improper) that could cost you money.*** (If you want to learn, find a cheap junk date coin. You can't hurt the value of cheap junk coins.) ***So, if you dig a cheap junk date coin, feel free to clean it. Why not try to learn what is best when it's not going to cost you in the end***
Dirt, scratches, holes, environmental damage, spots and stains are part of the character of some coins. Each collector wants something different.
(Stop and think...even if you are not in it for the profit today, there is always tomorrow.)
***Cleaning coins is not recommended, unless it's done by a professional with the knowledge that the coin will become more valuable afterwards!***
Red Book and the Gray Sheets gives a starting point in prices. Dealers and collectors control the market value. If your coin has great detail and shows cleaning issues, it's still a coin with great detail. There is value in your coins it's just not black and white, by the book pricing. Every coin is different, ask an expert about each one you think is special.
Final notes---if it's worth only a few dollars, you can only hurt it by a few dollars. If it's worth hundreds of dollars, you can damage it by hundreds of dollars. Its your choice.
Last edited:
remmy
Forum Supporter
Thank you! This is great info and written out so I can easily understand! I appreciate that you took time to do this!
Eastharlemghost
Full Member
What's a Fair Price
Greeting's Remmy... Ah... The all magical question... What is she worth... I have family and friends who used to ask me how much their coins were worth, thinking that because the coin(s) were old, they were worth a lot of money.
All I've known is that the coins rarity, condition, and appeal, is the guide line to what a coin is worth.
I've educated those family members and friends as to this fact, and their anticipating look of having found or thinking they have in their possession a valuable coin, turns into a chucks look, and you see the euphoria gradual come back to normal.
The grade of a coin (condition) is another aspect of its worth. It's common practice for a coin collector, or numismatist to have their coin graded by the major well know grading companies to inspect, grade, and set a grade for a coin, and this is where our dug coins come in, as they are always graded as, environmentally damage, but the god news is that even an environmentally coin which is very rare will demand a higher price, and is noted in the red book.
Example: The Holy Grail of the Barber Dimes - The 1894 S Barber Dime, commands and are worth thousands, and dig one in very good condition, even more bucks, but get a hold of the proof in mint condition, over a million bucks.
Example number two... and perhaps you've read about this one. A newbie with a low end detector, goes and dig a barber 1901 S Quarter Dollar, and cashes it in for thousand's of dollar's. We all look forward to dig a 1916 D Merc, or a 1916 Bare Breasted on one side Standing Liberty, or 1877 Indian Head.
Slabbing these coins could bring in a higher price, but is it worth the addition money that has to be paid for grading. If the coin is in very good shape, I would slab it regardless if one is going to sell or not, or just selling them as is with ones own interpretation as to condition, also has its advantage, as one would ask the buyer to look and guess or agree to the condition of a dug or even circulated coin.
Lastly, I have a few dug coins, Barbers, Mercs, Standing Liberty, Walkers , that look like the day they were minted, and of course would demand a higher premium is I should decide to sell them, but owning one of these coins in that condition, only makes me hold on to them to either enjoy the day I dug it, and felt that satisfaction of bringing it to light, and just pass it on to my children with a note as to its value, and let them decide if they will sell it, or keep as a memento and pass it on to their children. These of course are my opinions and others may add other thoughts as t dug coins... Happy Hunting every body, oh, and remember that saving your silver of worn, circulated silver coins in weight, also brings home a premium, you have a hundred pounds of silver, you are looking at a very nice windfall, regardless if you sell them on fleebay, and pay the fees, or on a forum like ours or a numismatic forum where people like us sell and or trade our coins...
The Ghost Of East Harlem...
Philo
PS To agree with another member, it's what people are willing to pay, because they need the coin for there collection, or just the appeal of the coin, and the "I got to have this coin"
Greeting's Remmy... Ah... The all magical question... What is she worth... I have family and friends who used to ask me how much their coins were worth, thinking that because the coin(s) were old, they were worth a lot of money.
All I've known is that the coins rarity, condition, and appeal, is the guide line to what a coin is worth.
I've educated those family members and friends as to this fact, and their anticipating look of having found or thinking they have in their possession a valuable coin, turns into a chucks look, and you see the euphoria gradual come back to normal.
The grade of a coin (condition) is another aspect of its worth. It's common practice for a coin collector, or numismatist to have their coin graded by the major well know grading companies to inspect, grade, and set a grade for a coin, and this is where our dug coins come in, as they are always graded as, environmentally damage, but the god news is that even an environmentally coin which is very rare will demand a higher price, and is noted in the red book.
Example: The Holy Grail of the Barber Dimes - The 1894 S Barber Dime, commands and are worth thousands, and dig one in very good condition, even more bucks, but get a hold of the proof in mint condition, over a million bucks.
Example number two... and perhaps you've read about this one. A newbie with a low end detector, goes and dig a barber 1901 S Quarter Dollar, and cashes it in for thousand's of dollar's. We all look forward to dig a 1916 D Merc, or a 1916 Bare Breasted on one side Standing Liberty, or 1877 Indian Head.
Slabbing these coins could bring in a higher price, but is it worth the addition money that has to be paid for grading. If the coin is in very good shape, I would slab it regardless if one is going to sell or not, or just selling them as is with ones own interpretation as to condition, also has its advantage, as one would ask the buyer to look and guess or agree to the condition of a dug or even circulated coin.
Lastly, I have a few dug coins, Barbers, Mercs, Standing Liberty, Walkers , that look like the day they were minted, and of course would demand a higher premium is I should decide to sell them, but owning one of these coins in that condition, only makes me hold on to them to either enjoy the day I dug it, and felt that satisfaction of bringing it to light, and just pass it on to my children with a note as to its value, and let them decide if they will sell it, or keep as a memento and pass it on to their children. These of course are my opinions and others may add other thoughts as t dug coins... Happy Hunting every body, oh, and remember that saving your silver of worn, circulated silver coins in weight, also brings home a premium, you have a hundred pounds of silver, you are looking at a very nice windfall, regardless if you sell them on fleebay, and pay the fees, or on a forum like ours or a numismatic forum where people like us sell and or trade our coins...
The Ghost Of East Harlem...
Philo
PS To agree with another member, it's what people are willing to pay, because they need the coin for there collection, or just the appeal of the coin, and the "I got to have this coin"
Exactly.
Null Detector
Junior Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2016
- Messages
- 80
Well, Brad from the Hoover Boys just found a doozy, but I don't presume to know if he'd sell it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui2h_FrqeT8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui2h_FrqeT8
