#5761349 - 06/11/1211:33 AMThanks, Heritage, Followup posted by Electric Peak Collection
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Just got here
Registered: 04/20/10
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Responses to some comments
Wow. With relatively few views of my previous post, there have been more replies than usual. This is just to respond to some of those messages.
First up, regarding internet speed: At the time, I was on 15/5 (megabits per sec, download/upload) FiOS service, which has been adequate for my coin activities (browsing, bidding, etc.) at the same time as both of my sons playing on-line action games, without any issues. Nevertheless, this past week I did, for other reasons, upgrade the package to include 25/25 internet service. (With the perk, it will actually be cheaper to get more TV selection [is that a good thing?], more phone services, and faster internet than I have been paying.)
Second, it seems I did not identify the coin that I did not want. It was an 1891 half dollar, NGC graded MS65PL. At first glance, it is a pretty coin. But I have no particular interest in Seated half dollars, other than to get the 1890 for the gift. If I were looking for a type coin, I think I would go for a higher grade in a more common date. Upon closer inspection, this 1891 is not so nice. In addition to dies lines in lower parts of the design relief (as-made, and okay as far as I am concerned), there are scratches on the high points, primarily the breasts and legs. Not good.
Finally, a few expressed that they would not participate in the live internet bidding. For folks like me, sometimes it is "necessary". Certainly I have a good amount of money to spend on some nice coins. But I do not have enough at any given time to enter truly competitive bids on more than one or two of the kinds of coins I pursue. If there are multiple "coins of interest", sometimes live bidding is essential depending on how things go. So I will not swear off live bidding. But now I will probably take some video of the computer screen while I bid! If getting out of that 1891 half dollar was a "one-time courtesy", then I want to be able to prove my case should this ever happen again.
Despite the problem I just had, I do want to say that I think Heritage has grown to be the #3 auction company in the world, #1 in coins, for a reason. Their website, including the live bidding, is a big part of it. It is far and away the best out there. (My only complaint in the past has been inconsistent quality in the photography, which has improved recently.)
Nevertheless, as a software professional myself, I know there is no such thing as perfect, flawless software. We always need to be careful when our money is on the line, whether it is our tax money for the software I develop, or our own hard-earned dollars for coins or whatever.
I'm Glad to hear that Heritage came through for you! I have used Heritage for several years, buying and selling both coins and currency without difficulty, but I know that stuff happens. I think you may be right about the 1891 half ~ it does look a bit scruffy to me, although I make no claims to being an expert on that series.
Alan, I'm in about the same position as you concerning live auctions. I also bid live on a couple of lots in the same Heritage auction, winning one with a live bid (the same I bid on!) and two others with previous Internet bids. There were at least a dozen lots I was interested in but I'd be in bankruptcy court if I won all of them, so I had to watch the live action until the bids got above my limit.
My experiences with Heritage over the last ten years or so have been good. They consistently have the largest selection of mid to high end coins in their auctions, and their photography (at least recently) is as good as any of the competitors.
I'm not a Seated Half collector either, except for a type set, but the marks on the 1891 don't look out of line to me for a MS65. I have seen worse on coins in PCGS and NGC MS-66 holders.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience; glad it turned out OK, and based on your experience I will be very careful in future live bidding.
