A hopefully fun and challenging "guess the grade" for a coin I recently sold ...

[delta]

In situations like this, our guesses are of course limited by the information available in the photos, as well as our personal experience and powers of observation, so mine may be way off, but I agreed with those who called it a PF66.

 

Edit: changed my mind. After looking again more carefully I'm changing my guess to PF64.

[MarkFeld]

The coin is a business strike. More to follow, later.

[newprepper]

The coin is a business strike. More to follow, later.

 

AAARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AnkurJ]

Ok then MS64

[jom]

The coin is a business strike. More to follow, later.

 

Maybe a different angle photo...?

 

I just can't see any rub on that front leg...

 

Frankly, it could be an AU58 as much as it could be an MS67.

 

jom

[MarkFeld]

NGC graded the coin MS63. From the image, I would have guessed MS66 or MS67. Understandably, it doesn't look as amazing in person, but it sure looks nice and attractive, especially for the assigned grade!

 

I bought it out of an auction for $223, against my maximum bid of $286 and sold it for $275.

[x2rider]

Which does go to show , You can't beat seeing the coin in hand before making the decision to buy . Or having someone who knows what they are doing looking at them

[MarkFeld]

Here is the listing, in case anyone wants to see what the on-line images looked like:

 

see here

[messydesk]

Well, I failed that GTG one with flying colors. Very nice coin with an amazing strike!

[newprepper]

Thank you

[mkman123]

really cool how Mark Feld doesn't charge an arm and a leg. I mean he is fair on his prices and made a small profit, not a profit like the Pawn Stars guys who double or triple their prices on whatever they buy.

[newprepper]

Yup, the pawn shop guys steal at both ends, don't give a fair price, and then sell for more than its worth too. I'm in the wrong business. I think Mark could have easily made more on that deal, but, with everybody exposed to it, he will probably make more in future sales. I know if I am ever in the market for something high end, (to me) I would give him a shout.

[jom]

Those Heritage photos are atrocious. Nice pick-up guys!

 

jom

[Coindude]

Man, Heritage images stink!

[michael]

a sexy choice unc. civil war issue coin

 

i give it 66 for eye appeal and original crustness

[jesbroken]

Mark,

Help me out here, I guessed wrong that it was a proof(go figure), but I felt it would grade lower than most due to what I thought was cabinet friction or thumbing on the lower skirt folds that at first glance might have been wear. I cannot tell lustre from many photos of coins with toning, but thought it to be lacking---jmo. If you, as did most, thought this coin to be of a much higher grade, why do you think they graded it 63? Do you think that CAC would give it a gold bean?

Thanks for sharing and hopefully I will learn something.

Jim

[x2rider]

Hey Jim

 

The coin already has the green bean .

[morganguru]

Nice coin, I'm leaning towards proof, so I'll go PF65.

[jgrinz]

MS63

 

What I saw if anybody cares ... and It looks boiler will concur as his guess was the same.

 

1 - Defintely an MS coin - edges and rims are not the only tells

 

2 - There are marks but the most 'annoying' is on the reverse at 11:00 - mark between device and rim

 

3 - The camera shot does help show worn spots on the obverse - all the out of contrast areas are slightly worn spots and are the high spots on the coin. Breast,right arm,cheek,knees,knuckles.

 

4 - On the reverse there are wear marks on the leave ribbing the most obvious is the leaf at 9:00 outside.

 

This is what I saw and may be wrong in other people eyes but its what I saw to explain the grade I gave. Carry on Peeps ...

[Hard Times]

Whether those are 'worn spots' or just strong 'toning', I think that depends on how the luster rotates through (?). If the luster rotates trough those areas unbroken, then I think TPG's would call it MS. Incredible strike and a nice coin Martin!

 

Best, HT

[MarkFeld]

Mark,

Help me out here, I guessed wrong that it was a proof(go figure), but I felt it would grade lower than most due to what I thought was cabinet friction or thumbing on the lower skirt folds that at first glance might have been wear. I cannot tell lustre from many photos of coins with toning, but thought it to be lacking---jmo. If you, as did most, thought this coin to be of a much higher grade, why do you think they graded it 63? Do you think that CAC would give it a gold bean?

Thanks for sharing and hopefully I will learn something.

Jim

 

Hi Jim,

 

I don't see wear on the coin, and in fact, thought it deserved an MS64 grade. But there is not a big price spread between a 63 and a 64, and I had no desire to mess with a re-grade. As mentioned, after your post, CAC stickered it, but not with a "gold bean".