Which would you choose ?.

[Rob]

2 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

I assume that one is rare Rob ?

Therefore is there not much if anything better ?.

Almost certainly unique given there is no duplication known in the 8 or 9 similar pieces struck in aluminium around this one (Ballpark of Peck types R20-30 refers). This is one of a few exceptions to the rule of a piece of red felt having more appeal than the unpleasant coin within the tray recess. Anything struck in aluminium during the 19th centurey will be rare as it was a precious metal at the time.

[PWA 1967]

Unique then yes we have know choice.

Think i might be getting to fussy sometimes.

I have a Few pennies that are rare F8,F41,Three plumes ETC but minor faults and when i look at them dont get the same satisfaction as one BU even if its a common date.

Just makes me think sometimes........Quality/Rare.... think the answer is  sometimes better to have one with a fault rather than not have one at all 

[1949threepence]

6 hours ago, PWA 1967 said:

This is a wide open question    but more related to scarcer coins as with common ones the answer would be obvious.

If a coin was scarce /rare and one was higher grade but had problems verd,cleaned,corrosion etc.

Would you buy that one or for a similar price , lesser grade but problem free.
 

I only buy pennies but the question relates to any coin.

Pete.

More than likely I'd go for the problem free lesser grade. Although with rare coins, beggars often can't be choosers. 

[Rob]

Does anybody have a real-life example of this hypothetical conundrum? Just wondering if we are tying ourselves in knots about a situation which doesn't actually exist as far as we know.

[PWA 1967]

I did say it was a wide open question Rob 

[jaggy]

2 hours ago, Rob said:

17 minutes ago, Rob said:

Does anybody have a real-life example of this hypothetical conundrum? Just wondering if we are tying ourselves in knots about a situation which doesn't actually exist as far as we know.

I should imagine it is limited to conundrum collectors. 

Edited February 29, 2016 by jaggy

[Prax]

I'd fill a gap (at a fair price) and then look to upgrade. But once I've acquired a specimen (in any grade) I will only be interested to upgrade to a mint state specimen (by paying over the odds if need be).

[davidrj]

33 minutes ago, Prax said:

I'd fill a gap (at a fair price) and then look to upgrade. But once I've acquired a specimen (in any grade) I will only be interested to upgrade to a mint state specimen (by paying over the odds if need be).

Agreed! I have 3 1875H gap fillers

The middle one that looks as though it's been sand-blasted is a Gouby 1875 Hf, with recut obverse lettering

So not likely to find an upgrade anytime soon on my budget

[Rob]

The third needs Polyfiller.

[TomGoodheart]

I feel foolish for only just realising this but of course, the question also comes down to what sort of collector we are.

When I started I was I guess a 'completist'.  I had a book with all varieties illustrated and I wanted to assemble a collection, like that.  One example of each type/ variety.  Hence I was prepared to accept this:

A coin for which three examples are known.  Now?  I wouldn't bother.  Because my focus has shifted.  I realised that while I do get a slight thrill from owning one of the very few examples of a really rare coin, I get far more pleasure from better looking coins.  And on my budget I can't afford to collect both, so there are some gaps that will remain until budget and opportunity come together. 

And if they don't?  That no longer troubles me as much as it once did.  I am happy to have a representative collection of the types, sometimes several, as hammered coins are never perfect and different examples can have different pleasing strengths.

 

Edited March 1, 2016 by TomGoodheart

[davidrj]

1 hour ago, Rob said:

The third needs Polyfiller.

I thought I might put on Ebay as "RARE @@@ Mint Error (Polo variety)"

Edited March 1, 2016 by davidrj

[Rob]

1 minute ago, davidrj said:

I thought I might put on Ebay as "RARE @@@ Mint Error (Polo variety)"

Doubly rare with 3 'eyes'

[copper123]

this is just nasty - it is an e/r though and did cost 40p

I am open to offers from scott LOL

[PWA 1967]

As an example i bought this last year .

Halfpenny date they are quite rare.

It has some faults but seen some worse.

I would not like something really horrible but filled a gap.

[pokal02]

It's impossible to generalise.  I generally avoid milled coins with serious defects, although I don't mind a bit of scratching or polishing provided the price is discounted accordingly. 

Hammered is more difficult.  I'd obviously rather have full, round coins but sometimes it just isn't possible particularly for Anglo-Saxon.    Affordability is a factor too, for example a good Henry IV groat with no defects is well outside my price range, so my Henry IV groat has a small fragment missing and looks polished too although otherwise it's NVF.  I'd rather have it than an undamaged one in say Fair-NF, although I know others will disagree.  

 

[Bernie]

This coin that I once owned must take the biscuit !

[John Kamps]

Depends on problem....

For example a Charles II 5 Guineas in EF, problem free, would be much better, then a mint state one that had been improperly cleaned. On the otherhand, if the coin was struck by the mint (milled/hammered) and there was a fault due to bad dies, off strike, weak strike, planchet flaws, etc., then I would rather have the FDC example then a EF with no minting errors. I will show an example from my coll.Austrian Netherlands  AV Double Souverain d'or 1749 Antwerpen Mint Maria Theresia. This coin is FDC, but was struck with dies that had cracks.

[Nordle11]

49 minutes ago, Bernie said:

This coin that I once owned must take the biscuit

I would love a coin like that in my error collection, it's almost in half!!

[hazelman]

Verdigris - not for me. 

I just cant even consider buying such a coin knowing first that it looks like warts and secondly medication will not help

as those warts will just keep expanding.

[1949threepence]

1 hour ago, Bernie said:

This coin that I once owned must take the biscuit !

Went for £2100 from the Tony Crocker collection a few years back. I just wonder what the near VF trouble free specimen in the LCA, ex Freeman, ex Bamford will fetch......

Hell of a die crack on that one. 

 

[copper123]

Saying that its a great coin if you can forget about the crack LOL