EagleRJO

Doesn't look like a whizzed coin which has been discussed here a few times recently, and there was also a Coin Week article about whizzed coins to give you an idea what that looks like [with a "whizzed" Indian Head Cent example from that article attached] ... https://boards.ngccoin.com/topic/428980-whizzed-coin/#comment-9820052 https://boards.ngccoin.com/topic/428710-whizzed-1893-s-morgan-coin/#comment-9815845 https://coinweek.com/counterfeits/counterfeit-detection-take-a-look-at-whizzed-coins/ That looks like a heat damaged or acid dipped coin. If the coin weighs significantly less than it should, then it's likely acid dipped like the attached second pic of a 1952 Lincoln Cent.

Strange view on what is a crime elsewhere, and what at it's core is intended to defraud people. Also, the following is a link to a page on VamWorld that is mostly about counterfeit Morgans, but it also includes diagnostics for identifying counterfeit NGC and PCG$ holders ... http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/COUNTERFEIT_PAGE#Altered_Dates

I have coins with hits, some of them pretty heavy, where any raised metal around that is not apparent from just pics. I also cant picture anything that could end up on a die in the mint which would end up looking like that.

Looks like just damage. What are you thinking was struck thru which could result in that?

... perhaps 40 yrs old, and not really date specific.

I can't imagine that the 1982 date as a cutoff for "modern" coins that the NGCX scale would be used for was just picked out of thin air. I have heard "modern" as being after 1933 when the gold standard ended and post-depression coin production resumed, after 1970 with the end of silver circulation coins and essentially the end of the bi-metallic money standard (also previously considered "modern" for grading submissions, presently 1965), but not 1982 which seemed like a pretty specific date to just be arbitrary.

You might be right with that black background.

Looks like the NGCX scale is intended for "modern" bullion and circulating coins since 1982. What's so significant about the 1982 date other than the change in composition for the cent? I have heard it argued that 1934 and later is a pretty good dividing line for "modern" circulating coins.

I don't recall ever seeing a slabbed coin that was either missing a piece of the coin from the edge or with that heavy of a hit there like that.

I was just curious/joking. I think it's interesting because it could effect everyone eventually if it does carry over to coins other than modern bullion issue. And random boxes of bullion coins? Offf.

I read a really good article on modern Chinese counterfeits by Thomas Walker with numerous example pictures and indicators that I don't recall seeing linked on the board. So I thought it would be good to share that considering the proliferation of these recently, including more commonly with slabbed coins. http://ncna.club/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Counterfeit-Coins-Article.pdf I was pretty amazed at the machinery and number of counterfeit dies in one of the "workshops". I have a particular interest in this as I purchase almost all raw coins, but the last few years it seems like many are aware of these raw coin fakes so they are getting into counterfeit slabs more which can effect every collector.

I checked in on this thread to see what people were saying about the new NGCX grading scale, and there are pages with virtually nothing to do with the new scale. Who hijacked Mike's thread?

How do I request an additional sticky topic?

Btw, I meant to post something about this before, that after finding out about these I think of spooned coins as being different than "dryer coins" which I had heard of before and associate more with a coin tumbling around a commercial dryer and becoming dinged up and mushy, with maybe the rims flattened out a little too (not pushed in reducing the diameter), like the attached.

Idk, sounds like a loss. I get a thrill from searching thru face value bank rolls and finding errors and unusual things, even if they aren't worth that much. To each his own.

So what is the value of the roll/box vs the purchase price, and which ones made it worth while if more?

What's up WC, it's been a little while. Wanting something to be more logical and user friendly does not mean there isn't an understanding of that or being based on flawed principals simply used because those before them used that, and are not necessarily mutually inclusive. Plus running a business naturally means that decisions will mostly be made that benefit that business. And I for one don't mind things being "nuts-and-bolts" if it works.

Unsearched coin rolls for sale virtually means that nobody has looked thru the roll since the flim-lam artist put that roll together using older style paper wrappers with bait coins on the ends and total garbage in between. Classic bait end coins include a date on one end and a mark on the other end when combined together would be rare, but of course there is no such coin in the roll. It's funny watching these tubers going thru "unsearched" rolls they paid a premium for and coming up craps.

No hate or slander, just my own and Sandon's personal experiences. You are free to believe what you think also.

I have been working on a complete circulation Morgan set with all years and marks in a target XF to BU grade for a while, and I'm only missing a handful of mostly more expensive early CC or later S marks I have been shopping around for in a slightly lower grade. You prolly can get an 1894 (P) in AU-50 for around your target price if you can be patient. And I also prefer quality over quantity.

Just having some scratches doesn't mean it's a total loss in my book, unless you really wanted to to have an MS grade for that coin. I don't get hung up on high MS grades in slab coffins as some do, and have many coins with indications of being circulated, as that is mostly the ultimate intent of coins in the first place. I actually like the way some of the raw XF or AU coins I have look compared to other ones that are slabbed mint state coins. To each his own.

Interesting campaign contribution. Are you sure they didn't just spend it! Prices for these are definitely coming down recently. I have been watching them like a hawk to plug holes in a complete Morgan collection I have been working on to finally finish that. NGC and PCG$ guide prices are also coming down. With the anticipated economic downturn that's likely to continue. Understood about not always finding what you are looking for at your LCSs, as I have been running into the same issue plugging holes, and also in general, due to local COL pushing those prices up for me. As long as they are reputable, expected to be around down the road, and have no questions returns. Plus I'm not an advocate of driving across several state lines to buy a $75 coin that you can't get locally.

Agree about the scope, and only somewhat about the still photos if well taken and kept to the ballpark. Bowers wrote a whole book about that. The final arbiter is having the coin in-hand and accessing that yourself, with references like the ANA standards and CoinFacts as noted. Really helped me when jumping into more serious collecting.

Is that your story, and your sticking to it.

@StandbyGlad to hear you are having fun with coin collecting, because that's what pursuing it as a hobby should be all about. Learning how to properly grade and evaluate coins is difficult at first but extremely important, and should actually increase your enjoyment as then you are less likely to make mistakes which can result in having a coin that's not as nice as you thought and maybe loosing money too. I hope the materials you ordered at least includes a Red Book and ANA Grading Standards. Also consider a book on grading coins since it's that important. I got a copy of Bowers "Grading Coins by Photographs" which was really helpful before I jumped into taking up collecting as a more serious hobby earlier this year. Also check your local library for books on grading (you know, that big building flying a flag with a lot of books in it ... lol). They may not have certain ones, but can usually find them to borrow with a little time. Keep in mind that grading is intended to be done by just looking at a coin with good lighting, initially with no magnification, and then using a max 10x loupe or glass to confirm the initial impression and look for other things (like signs of cleaning, or looking at if something is a scratch vs a die crack, etc.). A scope is only used for very specific circumstances, and in any event should allow you to zoom out to see the entire coin. Maybe that's why you seemed surprised that your follow up pics (even though of a different coin and a little blurry) were more helpful than your initial photographs. The following is a good article on "grading tools" which may also help ... https://www.pcgs.com/news/tools-of-a-professional-coin-grader. And about taking pics, try to stack up a few books to rest your hand and phone on while taking a pic, which I find makes a huge difference when you zoom in on pics. And then crop them close to the edges as RWB did. Now I think a good next step with the 1945 Merc you are asking about, since you have some initial opinions on grade, is to go to PCGS CoinFacts (https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts) and find that specific coin (https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1945-10c/5056), and click on "View More Images" in blue below the first coin. This will bring up a series of coin photos for specific grades, and then scroll down to photos of coins in the mid AU to low MS range (which you can download to zoom in) and compare to your coin to better determine the grade. If you have any questions post a few that are close with some better pics of your coin and you should be able to get more assistance. Hope that helps, and if people haven't said this welcome to the forum.