Raw tricks I got from NGC instead of treats. No Happy Halloween here.

In my last 2 journals I showed about my latest crossover and in this one it's about the raw coins I sent in with them.

I sent in 5 raw Irish coins to be graded. I picked up a nice 1942 half cent at the Michigan State Spring Show. The dealer had 5 of them in his case, the only Irish he had. As this was a coin I was missing I looked them all over and purchased the best one. I always jot down what grade I think a coin will come back as after NGC grades them and I put down MS-64 with a outside shot at 65. It's now in a NGC slab as a MS-64. I'm happy. Next up was a 1928 Ireland shilling. Purchased off eBay for a good price, can't remember exactly how much, I was happy when I got it thinking it was a MS-65 but by the time I sent it in I was thinking maybe only a 64. Alas, it came back a MS-63. Darn it, oh well, it's an up-grade from the MS-62 I had in the set. I keep telling myself it's the best looking MS-63 out there.

Okay, now for the proof Irish coins I sent in. I purchased a 1928 proof set about a year ago and have been sending a few of them in with every submission. Now this proof set was just a back up to my high grade proof set. The copper was all R&B with nice mirrored fields and looked to be PF-63 and 64s, which they were. The other five is were I got duped. When I took them out of the flips they looked way differant than they did in the flips. I should have asked Steve, the auctioneer, if I could look at then out of the flips, I'm sure he would have let me as he's a great guy. The 6 pence and shilling were okay with a few hairlines. I was thinking they were PF-65s in the flips and 62 or 63 out of the flips, which they were. The 3 pence looked like a PF64 in the flip, it had a great obv. with some gray spoted toning but highly mirrored fields. The reverse was not so nice, it had a heavey gray toning that the fields barely shown thru. It had a bunch of small spots and was so dull, from the toning, that the mirrored field only showed at the very edge of the rim. Still was thinking it was a PF-64 as it was free of any hairlines or dings. It came back as a MS-63. Man did they miss that one, okay, I'll go with the 63 grade but to say it's a mint state coin and not a proof is way off the chart. Next up is the florin which in the flip looked to be a PF-66. Highly mirrored fields with a eye appealing blue tone around the rims on both sides, mark free and no hairlines, that is until I took it out of the flip. The entire reverse had been wiped at one time and was covered with very fine hairlines. , couldn't even send it in now. I decided to send it and get the Details grade just because it looked so nice and to teach myself a lesson. Take coins out of the flip when viewing at auctions, if they let you. Low and behold it comes back in a NGC slab graded PF-62 with no Details grading. Don't worry, when I sell it I'll mention the hairlines, maybe. Now lastly the 1928 proof 1/2 crown. There was no doubt in my mind this was a proof but it did have some problems. Looked like it had been dipped once and maybe once again. Very dull surfaces, very fine hairlines over the reverse, a few spots and somewhat weakly struck in the middle of the harp and at the horses feet on the reverse. Afer taking it out of the flip it looked worse yet. Very dull, hairlines over the entire reverse and more spots. It still looks like a proof to me but there are those weak spots, which proofs shouldn't have. While, it came back a Unc. Details grade for the hairlines.

What does all this mean. When viewing at a auction make sure you see the coins for what they really are. Ask the auctioneer if they could take the coins out of the flips for you. Most auctions will do this on higher priced items, or if they know you. I guess I'm happy with the results from my submission, except for the 3 pence, and more mad at myself for not really seeing what I was buying.

Okay, this went way to long and now I'll have to do another post for the "Conder" tokens I sent in. Look for journal 10 9/10s next week. Best2u.