Would you rather find...

[Iron Patch]

Assuming each is the same type of item, and about the same age, and has the same value.... Would you rather find....

An extremely rare find that is dug in very bad condition, a semi rare find in so so condition, or a common find that looks just awesome? On detecting forums condition seems to trump rarity if the rare find is in poor shape, but picking out of the three I'll take the extr. rare find every time. Something that comes out of the ground looking sweet is cool too, but for me I like having something that very few others have even if ain't ain't that pretty. When I first started detecting I probably would have went with the common find in great condition, but the more I became interested in a find's history the condition didn't matter quite as much.

 

[jeff of pa]

I would prefer to find something
that has never been found before.
to me Rarety has a different meaning then most.

Example: say somone found an Item
the books say is rare.
Lets assign it a 100

then a second one is found.
I would then assign them each a 50
because it is now Half as rare to me.

4 members find one .25 each.

So I wanna find a 100

and condition dosn't matter a whole lot

an example of a 100
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,54406.html

if another is ever found, I'd say
they are only half as rare as the books say

 

[Woodland Detectors]

I get pretty darn excited digging Colonial nails and iron
I'd love to find an extremely rare find that has been through the ringer too

 

[shaun7]

Rare is definitely best! I've dug a couple of rare things and it's a much better feeling. Although something medieval in great condition is still nice even if common :- \

 

[allen]

much rather find something really rare in poor condition.
most of my finds are in poor condition, just not rare...

 

[Smudge]

I prefer a common find in very bad condition!

(Let's see if reverse psychology works)

 

[GopherDaGold]

I get pretty darn excited digging Colonial nails and iron
I'd love to find an extremely rare find that has been through the ringer too

But you did! It's up there now!

 

[jlasserton]

I would rather find something that is rare. I would feel special if this happened, but finding something that is common would help add to my collection. Either way finding a treasure that has any interest to me is exciting!

 

[Frankn]

Jeff, that theory doesn't always hold true. If a very rare item is found and sold, it more or less sets the price for the next one found.
I would like to find a rare item that only one other has been found and it sold for over a million! I like the thrill of the hunt, but everything has it's price, with the possible exception of reptutanion.

​

 

[jeff of pa]

Jeff, that theory doesn't always hold true. If a very rare item is found and sold, it more or less sets the price for the next one found.
left][/left]

maybe not to the extent I go by,
but I Believe it does.

you admit a 1792 Half Disme is rare.

if one goes up for sale The price could reach a Million
in a AU Condition.

If 2 AU 1792 Half Disme's go up
probably $750,000 each would be looked at

If somone had 5o of them & Flooded the market
through christie's,

They would still be called rare But
$20.000 each wouldn't surprise me.

& I'd no longer agree with them being Rare

 

[Iron Patch]

Jeff, that theory doesn't always hold true. If a very rare item is found and sold, it more or less sets the price for the next one found.
left][/left]

maybe not to the extent I go by,
but I Believe it does.

you admit a 1792 Half Disme is rare.

if one goes up for sale The price could reach a Million
in a AU Condition.

If 2 AU 1792 Half Disme's go up
probably $750,000 each would be looked at

If somone had 5o of them & Flooded the market
through christie's,

They would still be called rare But
$20.000 each wouldn't surprise me.

& I'd no longer agree with them being Rare

We've done that here with Rev War buttons that were rarer than a half disme, and if you think coins lose rarity and value quick, it ain't nothing compared to buttons. The reason is there are so button collectors by comparison. In one sense that might not be such a good comparison because of the value of a disme, but in another sense it might actually be close because I would imagine there's not a whole lot of people ready to throw down thousands of dollars for a coin. (Probably still way more than the Rev buttons though)

PS.... Sometimes there's one thing that's even worse than several of the same rare item showing up, it's the fear collectors have there could be many more. If both happen that could be trouble if you're in teh market to sell.

 

[DigginThePast]

From the choices: "An extremely rare find that is dug in very bad condition".

 

[trainermick]

I would take the rare item anytime regardless of shape. I once found a Royal Scots officers brass button at an 1812 camp that was in great shape. George Juno made me an offer but I turned him down. Anyway, I thought that I could really improve it by cleaning it up and polishing it, then used electrolysis on it. You know the rest.....completely ruined the button to the point that it is almost embarrassing to show anyone and lost 90% of it's value. But, I will be keeping it anyway. Lesson learned.
As far as coins go, I am only interested in any dated prior to 1867, anything later than that is for sale regardless of rarity or condition.

 

[BuckleBoy]

You should've made this a POLL.


What I'd RATHER find is Iron Patch riding by in the SkunkMobile while I wave to him with my pockets loaded full of Rev War buttons.

 

[Iron Patch]

You should've made this a POLL.


What I'd RATHER find is Iron Patch riding by in the SkunkMobile while I wave to him with my pockets loaded full of Rev War buttons.

I recently did the drive but didn't see you in the field!

Yeah a poll would have worked but I'm more interested in the conversation.

 

[shaun7]

The drive of shame

 

[BuckleBoy]

Yeah a poll would have worked but I'm more interested in the conversation.

In that case...

I leave the house each hunt wanting just one keeper. Most of the time I come back with a good many keepers. But I would take a semi-rare find in average condition. I get a lot of kicks displaying and enjoying my finds, and while I might love to dig a super-rare plate, I have seen some plates come up that are almost unidentifiable. (Common finds, we usually find several examples of over the years, so there's a always a chance that one will be dug that's in excellent condition.)

P.S.--You didn't specify whether or not it could be a find that could be restored.
If so, then that'd be a no-brainer. Super rare, looks like crap, and it'd get sent in to be restored.


-Buck

 

[savant365]

I like my ribeyes medium rare and looking perfect but I would take any finds rare no matter what they look like I love finding anything that people haven't touched for years but to find something that very few people have ever had the oppurtunity to touch would be even better.

HH Charlie

 

[Iron Patch]

Yeah a poll would have worked but I'm more interested in the conversation.

In that case...

I leave the house each hunt wanting just one keeper. Most of the time I come back with a good many keepers. But I would take a semi-rare find in average condition. I get a lot of kicks displaying and enjoying my finds, and while I might love to dig a super-rare plate, I have seen some plates come up that are almost unidentifiable. (Common finds, we usually find several examples of over the years, so there's a always a chance that one will be dug that's in excellent condition.)

P.S.--You didn't specify whether or not it could be a find that could be restored.
If so, then that'd be a no-brainer. Super rare, looks like crap, and it'd get sent in to be restored.


-Buck

No chance of being restored. That would probably defeat the purpose.

On the topic of restoration, I'm not a big fan. My pet peeve is adding material to a find... just don't believe in it, but under the right circumstance would probably do it.

 

[NHBandit]

Definately I'd want the really rare find no matter what the condition. To me it's ALL about the history and not about the money although finding something valuable would be nice. Even so unless it was worth a huge amount of money that could change my life I'd probably be more likely to keep it. It's why I'd rather spend 8 hours in the woods to find one 200 year old coin than to spend a couple hours at the park or the beach and come home with a pocket full of clad. Holding an early large cent or a colonial button that's worn so bad you need to squint to make out the faint details and wondering who lost it and what they were doing at the time is priceless. That same coin or button in a shop in good condition for sale cheap dosn't normally catch my eye.