1856 Coronet Head Gold $2.50 Quarter Eagle. Opinions on condition, and worthy or not to be graded? 1 1

[NeverEnoughCoins09]

[RWB]

Nice EF condition but, like the 1903 quarter, scrubbed into limited desirability.

[J P M]

Good looking Liberty Head, I would guess a XF40 to 45 I think there is to much wear on the coin to get a AU grade.  

[NeverEnoughCoins09]

Thanks again RWB. I had a question though how do you determine scrubbed or cleaning lines versus from being in circulation or other variables from over the years? Would you just have to send it in to get graded to be sure? Looks very similar to an AU 58 1851 $1 I have.

[NeverEnoughCoins09]

On 8/10/2023 at 3:33 PM, J P M said:

Good looking Liberty Head, I would guess a XF40 to 45 I think there is to much wear on the coin to get a AU grade.  

Thanks J P M I was originally thinking a possible XF40ish myself haha always hoping for more though. Nice to hold on occasion but I would prefer for it to be kept safer than raw. Do you think it's worth getting graded? I have a AU58 1851 $1 for comparison posted. 

[J P M]

On 8/10/2023 at 5:02 PM, NeverEnoughCoins09 said:

Thanks J P M I was originally thinking a possible XF40ish myself haha always hoping for more though. Nice to hold on occasion but I would prefer for it to be kept safer than raw. Do you think it's worth getting graded? I have a AU58 1851 $1 for comparison posted. 

Well the coin is worth the cost to grade due to its value being high enough. It is your choice, at the least you would know the grade for sure.  

[Sandon]

    In terms of details, the 1856 quarter eagle would grade Ch. XF (45) by the standards I learned in the 1970s and 80s but would probably receive a grade at the AU level today.  The coin does appear to have been abrasively "cleaned" based upon the unusually dull surfaces considering the level of detail and the extensive hairlines going in the same direction.  It's probably worth $500 or more retail even as a net VF, and it's arguably worthwhile to have all gold coins certified nowadays if for no other reason than to authenticate them. You should submit it, if you decide to do so, with a group of coins at the same tier level or through a dealer to save on the processing fees and shipping costs. If you choose to submit yourself to NGC, first carefully review the various topics under the "Submit" tab at the top of the NGC home page.  

On 8/10/2023 at 4:53 PM, NeverEnoughCoins09 said:

how do you determine scrubbed or cleaning lines versus from being in circulation or other variables from over the years?

    The term "cleaning" refers to a wide range of chemical and abrasive treatments that alter the appearance of a coin in ways that are now found to be unnatural and undesirable to most collectors. Even experienced collectors and grading services may disagree over whether a particular coin has been "cleaned". This is another reason why you should try to examine a number of coins that have already been professionally evaluated.  While photos provide limited information, I have a custom registry set that tries to explain and illustrate with pieces from my collection the various appearances that will likely result in a coin being regarded as "cleaned". Characteristics of "Cleaned" Coins - Custom Set (collectors-society.com). 

[JKK]

On 8/10/2023 at 1:53 PM, NeverEnoughCoins09 said:

Thanks again RWB. I had a question though how do you determine scrubbed or cleaning lines versus from being in circulation or other variables from over the years? Would you just have to send it in to get graded to be sure? Looks very similar to an AU 58 1851 $1 I have.

While one doesn't grade with magnification--at least not up to MS or PF-68--one does authenticate and assess cleaning with it. One major tell is when the coin is too bright for its level of wear, especially when it's the same on the worn parts and the protected areas. Another is tiny scratches, either horizontal (handheld wire brush side to side) or circular (dremel tool rotary wire brush). Mag can also show areas of dip residue, for example. I hit it with a 60x coin microscope and can usually tell when it's been whizzed. Also a good tool for spotting varieties.

[JT2]

If you are just looking to get it slabbed then yes it is a candidate.  however if you are looking to get an actual grade on it you should pass.   The coin will defiantly get a details grade or Net grade if you send it in.  anywhere from 35 - 45 in the Fine categories. just like the guys said.

[Sandon]

   By way of comparison, PCGS graded this 1853 quarter eagle AU 53.  (The weakness in some of the details, especially on the reverse, is due to strike, but it would still be XF by my standards.) I bought it mostly because of the interesting repunched date, which isn't mentioned on the holder.

Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.

[Coinbuf]

On 8/10/2023 at 1:53 PM, NeverEnoughCoins09 said:

Thanks again RWB. I had a question though how do you determine scrubbed or cleaning lines versus from being in circulation or other variables from over the years? Would you just have to send it in to get graded to be sure? Looks very similar to an AU 58 1851 $1 I have.

When you see parallel lines across the coin, like you took a piece of sandpaper and moved the coin back and forth across the sandpaper in one direction, that is a good sign a coin has been cleaned in an abrasive way.   At first this can be difficult for someone new to coins to see and grasp, but after you see enough of this look it stands right out, marks from circulation are random with no pattern.

[RWB]

On 8/10/2023 at 4:53 PM, NeverEnoughCoins09 said:

how do you determine scrubbed or cleaning lines versus from being in circulation or other variables from over the years?

Coinbuf answered your question just fine. Circulation abrasion is also smoother in appearance because it is of lower pressure than deliberate cleaning and is random.

[powermad5000]

I agree that any gold is a candidate for submitting, if only to verify authenticity. I am not saying your coin is counterfeit, but it is just that there are counterfeits out there. Imho, your coin would grade at low end AU, most likely AU 50. It has definitely been cleaned. Other than the hairlines, another "tell" is that the color around the raised details is different. Most cleanings involve some type of rubbing of the surface. Even cleaning a coin under a stream of water and using only the fingers will cause the raised details to have the surface affected, but the fingers cannot get into the small spaces between letters and numerals and the edges around the devices. This is especially evident on the reverse of your coin between the arrows and under the olive branch. I would say it would grade AU details. Unlike silver, though, gold coins do not drop precipitously in value due to a cleaning (unless the coin is in a high MS range) due to the gold content. Silver coins can lose a third to a half of their value depending on how badly the cleaning was done when trying to sell the coin. Gold is a little more stable in value and if yours got the AU designation might only be valued at base XF when selling.

[JKK]

With sending stuff in for professional grading, my counsel is to ask yourself what is the desired result. Broadly speaking, is it profit or hobby? If it's profit, you have to think you're increasing its value by $60 or more, or that its value is worth confirming. Obviously, if the coin is only worth a fraction of the grading cost, the profit motive is probably mistaken. If it's hobby, there could be many reasons: you're doing a fully slabbed collection, you just want to be sure it's real or a certain variety, you are assembling a registry set, your grandfather gave it to you and you like it, whatever. All hobby reasons are valid because they don't require the math to work out to a financial benefit.