PCGS MS69 2005 silver eagle- sunspots & off-center strike

[toddhoss-migration]

Hi! I just bought a PCGS MS69 2005 silver eagle. This one has the sunspots I've heard about, but what gets me is that the coin is slightly off-center. The rim is noticeably wider on one side of the coin, and narrower on the other side of the coin, detracting from the overall look noticeably. My question is this..... Do the "MS" grading guidelines include this as a grading issue? I was very surprised at having received this slabbed as a PCGS MS 69. The case looks untampered. Thanks in advance for your thoughts in this regard!

[toddhoss-migration]

Follow-up... Yes, I bought it on ebay, could've been a stock photo....

[TomB]

I have to confess my ignorance as to what a sunspot silver eagle is. However, since the coin is already in a slab might the off-center appearance really be due to the coin being placed slightly off-center within the inner plastic gasket? An image would help greatly.

[toddhoss-migration]

Tom:

 

I'll check to see if the coin is off-center within the inner plastic gasket... good point!

 

I've heard others on another discussion board mentioning the "sunspots". I definitely have these on my coin! They are small bright spots, appearing like a shinier, polished dot on the more matte-like standard silver eagle finish. The word on the other board was that these sunspots are being found by others....

[toddhoss-migration]

Tom:

 

I'll see if I can get a photo posted here, too....

[Hoot]

I've heard others on another discussion board mentioning the "sunspots". I definitely have these on my coin! They are small bright spots, appearing like a shinier, polished dot on the more matte-like standard silver eagle finish. The word on the other board was that these sunspots are being found by others....

 

Modern circulation strikes on silver eagles and silver commemorative coins are produced with a satin-like finish. In other words, there is a fine satin-like txture on the surfaces of the coins. These are subject to imperfection and scuffs that will cause "shiny spots," as they have been deemed on matte and satin proof coins of the past. Shiny spots are spots in the surface of the coin where the fine texture has been flattened or removed, thus exposing the metal as it appears when flat. "Sun spots" would be a colloquial misnomer (for more than one reason).

 

Hoot

[Hoot]

BTW, shiny spots do affect grade, lowering the grade with the number, size, and location of the spots. I have, however, received (as a gift) a PCGS graded SAE that was majorly scratched. They coin was graded MS69 and should have been tossed into the melting pot.

 

Most of the "off center" strikes of modern pieces that people encounter are very slightly so, only affecting the rim of the coin. This may cause a coin to slide down the grade scale by a point or two. This also bears no premium and may have a negative impact on value.

 

Hoot