Damaged coating: possible problems?

[panocho]

I've just found an opportunity of getting an AF Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (a lens that I've been considering to add to my gear for a while) for a bargain price (something around 30-40 euro). The catch is that the coating in the rear element is damaged. See the picture:

My question is, to what extent would this affect the image? Sorry it may be a stupid question, but it does seem to be only the coating; on the other hand, I can't really see the point of coating the rear element (excuse my ignorance here).

I am considering going for the bargain, but as you see I still can't see whether it really is a bargain or just a way of throwing money away, since as it is the lens would perform badly.

Thanks for your comments!

By the way, I would appreciate a quick response here: this is an ebay listing that I've just seen a few hours before it ends!

 

[chrisburke]

ask the seller to take a picture with it and send it to you.. mind you if he is a crook he could just send an old picture taken before the damage

 

[Sulfur]

Ask him to take a picture of the calendar.

 

[Early]

I'd leave it alone unless you're getting it cheap enough to use for parts or something. Where you can sometimes get away with blemishes on the front element, you can't with the rear.

 

[tirediron]

Walk away. It might not affect the images at all, it might affect them all the time, but much more likely it will only affect them some of the time, when the sun is at a certain angle to the lens axis, or at a certain aperture. Dealing with those sorts of issues is not worth the saving.

 

[panocho]

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I am already starting to walk away. The fear of problems is enough for letting it go.

My inicial consideration had to do with the idea that a rear element coating didn't sound important. As I consider it (and here I stress what I already said about my ignorance in the matter), the coating does its function on the surface of the front element. And thus the light that does enter the lens is already "flare-harmless", etc.

But then common sense says I'm wrong, otherwise the rear element wouldn't be coated at all, would it?