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Grade of Morgan
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9 posts in this topic

I am starting to dig a little more into each grade for which there is a fine line between them sometimes.  I think the attached 1892-CC Morgan is VF-25 (with possible light cleaning) but some feedback would be appreciated.

I have the ANA grading standards and RB descriptions for general grades and came up with VF for the coin. I then went to PCGS CoinFacts for this specific coin and looked up examples of various middle grades. Definitely less wear than a PCGS CoinFacts VF-20. Looks like a pretty close match with a VF-25. Actually, looks like slightly less wear compared to a VF-25, but not quite as sharp in detail as a VF-30. Thoughts?

1892-CC Morgan Dollar VF.jpg

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   I think that the detail is more like VF30-35. Note the stronger hair and cotton leaves on the obverse and the complete feathers on the reverse as compared with the VF25 example.  However, the coin has extensive rim damage, both nicks and lengthy scrapes, and almost certainly wouldn't numerically grade.  It may also be "cleaned", but for reasons I've previously stated it's hard to determine this from the photos.

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Attached is the VF-30 I was using for comparison, which is close but then there are the rim dings you noted which I thought would just knock it down a bit as they didn't seem as heavy as the hits the PCGS "No Grade" examples had.

1892-CC Morgan Dollar PCGS VF30 CoinFacts.jpg

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[I am a member of a TPGS which laid out the red carpet for a counterfeit coin they couldn't wait to authenticate, certify, and encapsulate which weeks ago realized a hefty $3,600 at auction... and top billing at Coin Week.

Comes now, member EagleRJO, bearing photos, as Rod Serling would say,  "submitted for our approval," and getting opinions as varied as, "VF30-35," "VF Damaged," "certainly wouldn't numerically grade," and a consolation prize to boot, suggesting qualification as an "album hole filler."

What is a newbie to make of all this?  The "counterfeit," deemed "rare" and produced here in America's infancy (1777) was of a British halfpenny!  The slab, a photo of which accompanied the submission, clearly read: "Fine Details Excessive Corrosion." A prominent member here (whose name I am forbidden to mention) gave it his Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.  So what gives? Here we are talking about mere dings; there the coin is clearly misshapen (my word). See it for yourself: Topic: "Tantalizing Tidbit," by [yours truly].

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Looks like a 30 to me but I think the rim shots would drive it down to a 20 and still damaged.  I bet it is still a heavy price being a CC

Edited by J P M
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VF details, clearly cleaned/wiped/dipped/helped or whatever word you wish to use, with significant rim damage.   I have not looked at VAM World or any other reference material but I am wondering if it is even legit.   The indentions on the eagle's breast and there appears (to me anyway) that there is something on the cheek just below the eye and just right of the nose, for lack of a better description it looks like an upside down heart; give me pause.   Maybe just a stain or discolored area, I would pass myself.

Edited by Coinbuf
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I was going to ask for some additional pics because of a few (discolored?) areas that looked off like the cheek and breast, and the left wing with a few discolored areas and one or 2 spots that looked like holes. I was on the fence with the multiple rim dings, but I think I agree those knock it into details and I will pass. Thanks for the feedback.

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