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Grade me - 1936 Walking Liberty Half

33 posts in this topic

This one was sent in already with an economy batch with 4 other coins and I should have grades in the next day or so. (been in Grading/Quality Control status since Tuesday). This is a really nice looking original coin with not many hits on it. There is more luster on the obverse than the photo shows. I took these before I really got my Nikon L830 dialed in.

 

36%20obv_zpsxk06503g.jpg

36%20rev_zpsosucjd7u.jpg

 

 

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I can't find anything wrong with that one. Strike and surfaces are great. I assume that the luster is better in hand. If so, MS 66---otherwise MS 65.

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Here is another pic of the obverse which shows the luster a bit better. It is just a bit out of focus and a tad overexposed. Not that the 1st pic is much to write home about either!

 

36p%20obv_zps8ol49ijn.jpg

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My first impression was 66 maybe 67....fields look clean to me from the pictures...With no real distracting hits...So as long as the luster is there I think there is a chance for 67. But I'm a rookie and I am looking at it off my phone.

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I'd say somewhere in the MS-65 to maybe 67 range, but when you get to coins on this level grading them from a photo involves a lot of guesswork and won't be reliable. It's very nice, but it takes a live review to determine if it is a great coin.

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OK so NGC thought it was a 63?? I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe. (I think they may have also dipped it for me based on the scans.)

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Well in looking at the pictures of the coin, in my onion the coin must have fairly significant hairlines in order for anyone to call it a 63. Those u wouldn't be able to see in the pics. Let us know what u see....

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I got the coin back today and I don't see any hairlines on it. I thought there was something going on between the eagle's wings but there are just a ton of die polish lines.

 

This is by far the nicest 63 I have ever seen! They did give it a quick dip for free which revealed a minute amount of chatter in the RH field, but still I don't get it..

 

A few months ago I submitted a raw 1920 walker that also came back 63 and it was nowhere near the quality of this one.

 

 

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OK so NGC thought it was a 63?? I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe. (I think they may have also dipped it for me based on the scans.)

 

If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

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UM.... what do you mean they gave a quick dip for free?

 

I don't care how free it is, I would have a problem with that...

 

Did you ask them, or request they dip it if need be, or if they thought they should? Did they ask you before they dipped it for you?

 

That would be a concern of mine.

 

 

 

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I didn't ask for it, but they gave the 36 walker a bath (at least, pretty sure) and a 29 quarter I also sent in. (100% sure)

 

The non-walker coins I submitted I was quite pleased with the grades. These 2 walkers made me not want to send in the other 2 I was planning on having graded.

 

OK, so I took the coin outside and now I see that there were some whispy hairlines in the RH field which were previously hiding under the toning/haze, and I can now completely understand the grade.

 

Under normal lighting, it looks like the nicest 63 you ever saw! I will chalk this one up to "paying my tuition".

 

On that note, I need to get a light like the graders use. Can anybody suggest one?

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OK so NGC thought it was a 63?? I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe. (I think they may have also dipped it for me based on the scans.)

 

If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

Are you saying graders do not use a magnifying device when examining a half dollar coin or larger?

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If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

If everyone were proficient at grading, we wouldn't need grading companies.

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If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

If everyone were proficient at grading, we wouldn't need grading companies.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe that was the point he was trying to convey - perhaps exaggerating a little in the attempt to do so. I am not certain though, which is why I asked for clarification.

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I believe that was the point he was trying to convey - perhaps exaggerating a little in the attempt to do so. I am not certain though, which is why I asked for clarification.

 

You are probably right. Everybody a different sense of humor, myself included. Are those magnified lights you normally see in coin shops good for home use or is there something smaller and better?

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OK so NGC thought it was a 63?? I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe. (I think they may have also dipped it for me based on the scans.)

 

If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

Are you saying graders do not use a magnifying device when examining a half dollar coin or larger?

 

In a large majority of cases, I believe they do not.

 

And if the poster is not proficient at grading, using a glass might not help him determine why the coin graded 63.

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If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

If everyone were proficient at grading, we wouldn't need grading companies.

 

I understand that. You posted "I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe". My point was that if you're not proficient at grading, using a glass might not tell you what you need to know. And if you are, you probably wont need a glass.

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"In a large majority of cases, I believe they do not."

 

 

 

 

 

 

So most coins are graded only buy what they can detect with the naked eye, and a minority of coins are graded with a magnifying device which can detect smaller defects than the naked eye.

 

Thanks for responding.

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"In a large majority of cases, I believe they do not."

 

 

 

 

 

 

So most coins are graded only buy what they can detect with the naked eye, and a minority of coins are graded with a magnifying device which can detect smaller defects than the naked eye.

 

Thanks for responding.

 

Other than for a couple of guest appearances, I haven't been a "grader" since I left NGC in 1998. But my guess is that a large majority of larger coins (and many smaller ones as well) are graded without a glass.

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"In a large majority of cases, I believe they do not."

 

 

 

 

 

 

So most coins are graded only buy what they can detect with the naked eye, and a minority of coins are graded with a magnifying device which can detect smaller defects than the naked eye.

 

Thanks for responding.

 

Other than for a couple of guest appearances, I haven't been a "grader" since I left NGC in 1998. But my guess is that a large majority of larger coins (and many smaller ones as well) are graded without a glass.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the helpful information.

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You know, I see this question come up frequently on the forums (and many other grading-related questions) and I just want to point out that there are sooooo many resources where anyone from a collector to a dealer and even wanna be collectors/dealers can learn how to grade coins just like the graders do. In fact, many of the classes are taught by guys who at one point or another graded for NGC/PCGS....

 

The best would be the summer seminar offered by the ANA but there are many that are very inexpensive that could get one on the path to grading coins.

 

 

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If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

If everyone were proficient at grading, we wouldn't need grading companies.

 

I understand that. You posted "I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe". My point was that if you're not proficient at grading, using a glass might not tell you what you need to know. And if you are, you probably wont need a glass.

 

Well, if I had dipped it before I sent it in, I would have probably seen the lines and not bothered sending it in. Since I like undipped coins, I didn't dip it. NGC dipped it, and they saw the lines. I see the lines now too, and without using a loupe.

 

I do get your snarky point, however.

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If you're proficient at grading, you shouldn't ordinarily need a glass for a coin of that size. And if you're not, using a glass probably won't help, anyway. ;)

 

If everyone were proficient at grading, we wouldn't need grading companies.

 

I understand that. You posted "I get the coin back today and will go over it with a fine toothed loupe". My point was that if you're not proficient at grading, using a glass might not tell you what you need to know. And if you are, you probably wont need a glass.

 

Well, if I had dipped it before I sent it in, I would have probably seen the lines and not bothered sending it in. Since I like undipped coins, I didn't dip it. NGC dipped it, and they saw the lines. I see the lines now too, and without using a loupe.

 

I do get your snarky point, however.

 

There was nothing snarky about his post.

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UM.... what do you mean they gave a quick dip for free?

 

I don't care how free it is, I would have a problem with that...

 

Did you ask them, or request they dip it if need be, or if they thought they should? Did they ask you before they dipped it for you?

 

That would be a concern of mine.

 

 

 

I too share your concern. Unless notified and agreed to, I don't see how any service can dip a coin without permission. I would be upset.

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You know, I see this question come up frequently on the forums (and many other grading-related questions) and I just want to point out that there are sooooo many resources where anyone from a collector to a dealer and even wanna be collectors/dealers can learn how to grade coins just like the graders do. In fact, many of the classes are taught by guys who at one point or another graded for NGC/PCGS....

 

The best would be the summer seminar offered by the ANA but there are many that are very inexpensive that could get one on the path to grading coins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a government employee I am required to take over thirty classes a year on a myriad of topics. One thing I have learned is that classes are like price guides and a poor substitution for research and analysis. Besides, I suspect taking such a class would require travel, and that is not likely to happen.

 

By the way, did they recommend grading coins with only the naked eye in this class that I assume you have attended?

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You know, I see this question come up frequently on the forums (and many other grading-related questions) and I just want to point out that there are sooooo many resources where anyone from a collector to a dealer and even wanna be collectors/dealers can learn how to grade coins just like the graders do. In fact, many of the classes are taught by guys who at one point or another graded for NGC/PCGS....

 

The best would be the summer seminar offered by the ANA but there are many that are very inexpensive that could get one on the path to grading coins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a government employee I am required to take over thirty classes a year on a myriad of topics. One thing I have learned is that classes are like price guides and a poor substitution for research and analysis. Besides, I suspect taking such a class would require travel, and that is not likely to happen.

 

By the way, did they recommend grading coins with only the naked eye in this class that I assume you have attended?

 

I realize the question wasn't directed at me. But I did teach the advanced grading class on two different occasions, long ago in Colorado Springs. I highly recommend it for those who seek help with grading.

 

Some students used loupes for each coin, while others rarely used them. As I recall, I and my two co-instructors rarely used them.

 

I strongly encouraged students to view the coins without loupes, initially, then to feel free to use them, after they had gotten a general impression of the entire coin (without a loupe). If you use a loupe on individual portions of a coin, you can lose sight of the big picture. Not that small flaws should necessarily be completely ignored, but placing too much emphasis on them can result in "micro-grading" and unrealistic or impractical grade assessments.

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I got an MS 62 mercury dime back I felt for sure was a 64 or higher. I figured mine was a weak strike. I can only guess there is an unseen problem the photos don't show. The first pictures looked like the coin is hazy perhaps ? Coin looks way better than NGC opinion based on those photos.

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You know, I see this question come up frequently on the forums (and many other grading-related questions) and I just want to point out that there are sooooo many resources where anyone from a collector to a dealer and even wanna be collectors/dealers can learn how to grade coins just like the graders do. In fact, many of the classes are taught by guys who at one point or another graded for NGC/PCGS....

 

The best would be the summer seminar offered by the ANA but there are many that are very inexpensive that could get one on the path to grading coins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a government employee I am required to take over thirty classes a year on a myriad of topics. One thing I have learned is that classes are like price guides and a poor substitution for research and analysis. Besides, I suspect taking such a class would require travel, and that is not likely to happen.

 

By the way, did they recommend grading coins with only the naked eye in this class that I assume you have attended?

 

In every single grading class I have taken yes they absolutely did make it very clear; that you do not/should not need a loupe to establish the grade of any given coin. They also make it clear that a loupe is a must have, and that you should have a good one (a 7X Bausch&Lomb triplet lense is the one they specifically recommended). The loupe is used to take a closer look at an area where you might see or suspect a problem, for instance, many people mistake die polish lines for hairlines, they are two very different things, and have a major affect on a coins grade. So a loupe would come in handy to confirm for sure whether the coin is scratched to heck or just sporting die polish lines....

 

I also grade coins, at least several hundred per week, to determine which to send in, and which not too send in... I do not use a loupe to grade, in fact, I don't even think I could grade coins using a loupe.

 

The most important tool for grading (besides a developed eye) is the right light which can be learned in any of the numerous books about out there on how to grade coins. (for those who aren't willing to travel to take a grading course).

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