Grade opinions on Liberty Nickel

[mleider-migration]

Greetings,

 

First post here... looks like a great forum... i've been lurking a lot and learning a ton from everyone over the last few months... i've learned from experience on a variety of bulletin boards that participation is vital to the continued success of a great board and everyone has something to offer... I hope to join into more discussions in the future...

 

Christmas was kind enough to bring me a new camera (Canon 60D) and I borrowed a friends 100mm macro lens for the day so I shot a number of pieces... some are already graded (but i wonder if maybe they're worth resubmitting) and some I just have a grade in my head and interested to see how I fair against your guesses.

 

first up is a 1897 Lib "V" Nickel....

 

has a pleasing light-golden toning over both sides but retains a strong cartwheel... tough to photograph and pics came out more yellow than it is... even has some light blues/greens around perimeter in a few places... obv. is very nice w/ the only scratch just below the eye (in reality well hidden w/in eye contours... wasn't noticed until looked at under a loupe)... all other markings/specs in photo are from the plastic... rev. is nearly flawless w/ a few hairlines visible at 10x... personally i can see this getting upgraded from it's present slab but before i break out the hammer i'd love to see some opinions...

 

 

 

thanks for any input!

 

-matt

 

[Coindude]

Welcome to the boards Matt.

 

I'll let the V nickel pro's bring their thoughts and advice, especially Old Pueblo, our resident expert.

 

 

[x2rider]

Nice colour, with a few areas of softness in the strike, so I'll go for a 65

 

I'd agree with Sam, OP is the wizz on these

[Brol]

Welcome to the boards!

[coinman_23885]

Nice colour, with a few areas of softness in the strike, so I'll go for a 65

 

I'd agree with Sam, OP is the wizz on these

 

First of all, welcome to the boards! In my opinion, the strike is too weak to warrant a grade of MS65 not even mentioning the chatter. I don't know that I would resubmit the coin. While I would need to see the original grade to determine if it would upgrade, I'm going to guess that the grade on the slab is probably correct. Watch me be completely wrong on this, but I would only grade this coin MS63 unless what I'm perceiving to be chatter is on the slab itself.

 

Edited to add: If you are going to take the coin out of its slab, you might as well have it conserved at NCS if the grade on the holder is high enough for you to consider resubmission in the first place.

[James_OldeTowne]

First of all, Welcome to our friendly little neighborhood!

 

Sorry, but I do not like the looks of this coin at all. It seems to have damaged surfaces, most likely from being improperly dipped or processed. Did PCGS assign a grade? It wouldn't surprise me if it were rejected for "altered surfaces".

 

Assuming it did grade, I'll guess MS-62. I would definitely not pay strong money for it, though.

[mleider-migration]

Thanks for the input... i did notice the weak strike in places but i was smitten by the color... also i was putting my attention to the cleanliness of the fields... others have noted things that hadn't occurred to me...

 

here's a second picture.. a more "raw" image (i may have gone a bit "saturation" happy w/ the first)... that gives a better in-hand look and feel... i think the "chatter" is not as apparent as my pic #1 made it look...

 

FWIW, it's presently sitting in a PCGS MS64 holder... guess i'm getting cold feet cutting it out now

 

 

please keep opinions coming... always learning more and enjoy hearing your thoughts...

 

-matt

[James_OldeTowne]

With the way the "toning" shifts and changes with each new picture you take (at a different angle), I become more and more convinced that the coin is a big problem piece. The "tone" seems to lay on top of the surface, which is a bad sign. I would definitely pass. These are too plentiful in BU to pursue anything other than a no-problem example.

[coinman_23885]

First of all, Welcome to our friendly little neighborhood!

 

Sorry, but I do not like the looks of this coin at all. It seems to have damaged surfaces, most likely from being improperly dipped or processed. Did PCGS assign a grade? It wouldn't surprise me if it were rejected for "altered surfaces".

 

Assuming it did grade, I'll guess MS-62. I would definitely not pay strong money for it, though.

 

James, I ironically chose MS62 originally, but edited the post because I thought that I was being too tough on the coin. I'm glad that you concur, and at least I don't feel as bad now!

[coinman_23885]

Thanks for the input... i did notice the weak strike in places but i was smitten by the color... also i was putting my attention to the cleanliness of the fields... others have noted things that hadn't occurred to me...

 

here's a second picture.. a more "raw" image (i may have gone a bit "saturation" happy w/ the first)... that gives a better in-hand look and feel... i think the "chatter" is not as apparent as my pic #1 made it look...

 

FWIW, it's presently sitting in a PCGS MS64 holder... guess i'm getting cold feet cutting it out now

 

 

please keep opinions coming... always learning more and enjoy hearing your thoughts...

 

-matt

 

Don't crack it out. I would place this on eBay and unload it. I agree with James that there appears to be some dip residue. I would suggest NCS to see if there is anything that they can do, but the coin isn't valuable enough in MS64 to warrant this service. These coins are readily available in mint state grades, so I would pass. Take the funds from this coin, save a bit, and buy yourself a nice solid MS65 or MS66 example.

 

I wish you the best of luck.

[coinman_23885]

Where is Old Pueblo? I'm surprised that he hasn't chimed in, Liberty Nickels being his favorite series.

[physics-fan3.14]

Where is Old Pueblo? I'm surprised that he hasn't chimed in, Liberty Nickels being his favorite series.

 

Some people don't get on here every day. Some people don't come to the grading forum. :shrug:

[Mark T]

Thanks for the input... i did notice the weak strike in places but i was smitten by the color... also i was putting my attention to the cleanliness of the fields... others have noted things that hadn't occurred to me...

 

here's a second picture.. a more "raw" image (i may have gone a bit "saturation" happy w/ the first)... that gives a better in-hand look and feel... i think the "chatter" is not as apparent as my pic #1 made it look...

 

FWIW, it's presently sitting in a PCGS MS64 holder... guess i'm getting cold feet cutting it out now

 

 

please keep opinions coming... always learning more and enjoy hearing your thoughts...

 

-matt

 

Don't crack it out. I would place this on eBay and unload it. I agree with James that there appears to be some dip residue. I would suggest NCS to see if there is anything that they can do, but the coin isn't valuable enough in MS64 to warrant this service. These coins are readily available in mint state grades, so I would pass. Take the funds from this coin, save a bit, and buy yourself a nice solid MS65 or MS66 example.

 

I wish you the best of luck.

 

 

 

That does appear to be dip residue. You could send this back to PCGS for a spot review, if they thought it was dip residue they would re dip it and then put it back in the slab with the same cert number. Obviously this is a matter of personal preference, do you want a shiny white nickel or a coin that now has a little color from a possible improper dip.

[mleider-migration]

Again, thanks for the insight... i didn't overpay but i didn't underpay either... i'll probably hold for a bit and sell at a little later date... its a pretty coin regardless...

 

-matt

[Coindude]

Matt, in the end, that's all that really matters. You being happy with the coin you purchased.

[Walkerfan]

Extremely nice, clean & lusterous coin. Only detraction that Ii see is softness in the hair behind Liberty's ear. If that doesn't bother you then this coin is a VERY FINE MS 64 representative. It would NOT bother me.

[Old Pueblo]

Actually, I have been looking at this thread. I learn more here than I can share!

The example is not "my" favorite coloring and clearly a weaker strike.

The banding coloration is common to this issue and I would need to put this under a glass to truly make a comment on the surface originality.

Before knowing the grade, I had successfully estimated a 64, (whew)...but I would give it a "C+" for that grade.

Leave the 1897 as is and patiently wait for one that says "me"

I have acquired many times, coins that fall flat on eye appeal and only after a few years, and lots of examinations have I begun to find "the look" I like most.

If I may post a coin