Grading Test.. All Come and Try.... -Revealed-

[Bruceswar]

Here is a coin from my collection. This one is certified by ANACS. If you already know the grade on this one please let others try. Thanks and good luck.

 

Added: The coin is net graded by ANACS. That should ruffle some guesses

 

 

 

 

This is an example of what images sometimes do not show. Images make the coin look very good if you ask me. These images were shot some time back with indirect sunlight used. The coin grades AU Details, but netted out at EF 40 by ANACS, due to cleaning, which I think is a bit hard on the coin. It should be more like 45 or 50. Coin has way to much shine on it, but no real hairlines I can see. Coin is still pretty pleasing in hand as it has starting retoning nicely as some people pointed out. I see that Michael changed his guess after I revised my original post. NOBODY picked up on that the coin was cleaned from the images, but if I showd all of you the coin in hand most everybody here could tell it was cleaned.. The images were not messed with in any way at all. They are as I took them even with a bit of blurr as it was pointed out. I know some of yall had seen this coin before as I had for opinions on it long ago. The grades some of yall gave the coin were a bit off, but thats what these are for to help everybody learn, new and long time collectors. These images or some really simular could turn up in an auction on a raw coin and just by judging on the commits here the bids would be strong and someone would swallow the coin for the price they got it at. Just remember when I give these test out there is always something to them. Not the easy coins to guess. Keep that in mind. Any opinions now? As James put it back the first post around "I would love for ANACS to kindly tell me where I can find coins this nice net graded at EF 40 for $125.00(Which was market value at the time) and I will buy every last one of them" - JamesEarlyUS

[michael]

au 50

 

 

[Brotherman]

Bruce, I’m glad you are still doing this. I’ve got my book now and I’m studying my tail off but without feedback I have no way of knowing if I’m getting better at this or not. (Judging from how I’ve been doing so far I would have to say I am NOT getting better - sigh)

 

This time I pulled a photo from the PCGS coin facts page to do a side-by-side comparison. Hope it helps.

 

I definitely see wear here - I think. The side of Liberty’s face seems to be a little flat and small lines in the drape are not visible. The little bumps in the chest plate are also missing on the tip of the right breast. The rest of her dress is missing some lines as well, particularly the one on her right thigh that shows where her bare leg begins AND the lines that are present seem to be “rounded off” a bit. The thing at really jumps out on the obverse is her shield. The details in the center design are not visible at all.

On the reverse the only wear I see is on the leading edge of the eagle’s front wing – maybe a tad bit in it’s chest too. All this wear is on the coin’s highest points, which would lead me to believe that it is AU. I think it might be too much wear to be AU58, however there is still a lot of detail here so I’m going to say AU55.

 

AU55

 

Sorry to be so longwinded, I’m just trying to show why I came up with my grading guess.

 

Hays

[Bruceswar]

I am glad you are enjoying the test. I have had good response to them, so I am going to keep them going. Learning to grade from images is key in this day and age. I like the way you broke the coin down. We shall see if you are right.

[Jazzy]

The pic is out of focus, and it looks like rub all over the coin.

[Bruceswar]

The pic is out of focus, and it looks like rub all over the coin.

 

Pic looks in focus to me, but maybe I am not seeing it.

[Jazzy]

Every single edge of the design is fuzzy. Bad focus.

 

Still, if I had to take a guess, somewhere in MS, but no FH designation.

 

I don't really know this series, but I sent one off to Hayden to get a good pic of it, so I'll post mine as soon as I can.

[MikeInFL]

AU 55

[Gembeeyou]

Although it's hard to tell from the somewhat dark and (I agree), slightly out of focus pic., I don't see any noticable wear on it.

 

The '27-D's are known for having weak strikes, especially the shield lines in both directions, and flat heads, as well as poorly struck reverses, usually lacking center breast feathers. Actually the shield rivets appear to be better than average for that date.

 

I'll venture an MS 63-64!

 

 

[fwwebb-migration]

AU 58

[fwwebb-migration]

Ahem, AU58 FH

 

Sorry, nix the above reply

[Regis44]

I'll have to go with AU-55 (unless the shield and eagles breast are just weakly struck, then MS-61)

[James_OldeTowne]

AU-53?

 

James

[MunkyMan95]

I'm going to say MS62... don't know why.

[Bruceswar]

AU-53?

 

James

 

If I ever want to sell this coin I think I know someone who may like it

[Brotherman]

AU-53?

 

James

 

If I ever want to sell this coin I think I know someone who may like it

 

Does that mean that it IS AU53?

 

HOLY COW! That means my AU55 guess wasn't that far off!!!

 

Woo-HOO!

 

Oh - wait...

Please say that James got it right...

 

Hays

[XpipedreamR]

The edge of the eagle's wing definitely seems to be worn to me. That's the only part that definitely looks to me like wear vs. weak strike or other factors related to the quality of the photograph. The obverse does have kind of an AU look to it, but you can only tell so much from a picture. So, I'll say AU58

[RGT]

I was out of town over the weekend and missed the other grading test, but I will give this one a shot. Grading coins at this level from a picture is more guesswork than anything else. With practice you can start to recognise typical characteristics in images that help to asses a coin.

 

This one is difficult. At first I didn't see any signs of wear, only weakness in strike. As I studied a bit closer I believe I do see some rub on the high points. You can't rotate an image to check for luster breaks so you just have to guess from subtle color changes. I will guess AU58 on this one though I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was graded MS63.

[supertooth]

Bruce----I waited awhile to post----Just love the toning on this piece----wonderful coin. Am not a SLQ person normally but do like them. RGT has expressed my feelings exactly. And this coin shows what I have been trying to explain to Regis44. Hope he comes back to this thread. Anyway, I would bet that ANACS would grade this a 63----just a feeling. But, in truth, I vote for a true AU58 coin if it were graded by NGC or PCGS. PCGS would give it a 58 simply because they hate decent original toned coins on the whole. This is a coin that one needs in hand---and, I have another feeling that the vote might still be split 50--50 on this piece. Either way, it is a beautiful coin and deserves a premium. A great coin for a post like this. Thanks. Bob [supertooth]

[Regis44]

Bob, I was struggling with the wear vs weak strike and that prompted me to post the wear vs strike question. I'm glad to see that I under grade rather than over grade on the last couple of these.

 

Regis

[Bruceswar]

please read the added note I figured some people would figure out that it was net graded, but does not look like it so now its been pointed out

[Bruceswar]

AU-53?

 

James

 

If I ever want to sell this coin I think I know someone who may like it

 

Does that mean that it IS AU53?

 

HOLY COW! That means my AU55 guess wasn't that far off!!!

 

Woo-HOO!

 

Oh - wait...

Please say that James got it right...

 

Hays

 

James has put together a top notch SLQ set and has shown many pieces here.

[Regis44]

Bruce, is that PVC green that I see near the date? If so, I guess BB. Otherwise I stick with AU-55

 

Regis

[Bruceswar]

Bruce, is that PVC green that I see near the date? If so, I guess BB. Otherwise I stick with AU-55

 

Regis

 

What you are seeing is toning not PVC. As stated the coin is slabbed by ANACS

[Brotherman]

AU-53?

 

James

 

If I ever want to sell this coin I think I know someone who may like it

 

Does that mean that it IS AU53?

 

HOLY COW! That means my AU55 guess wasn't that far off!!!

 

Woo-HOO!

 

Oh - wait...

Please say that James got it right...

 

Hays

 

James has put together a top notch SLQ set and has shown many pieces here.

 

RATS!

I figured as much...

maybe I ought to think about collecting seashells instead.

 

Hays

[Bruceswar]

With that being said, still does not mean he is right, but he could be.

[supertooth]

Bruce----Now I know why I hate pictures----any pictures. I will stick with my Walkers, thank you. But, now that I am in this, I will still say---unc details with au net grade. Toning still looks NT to me from these pictures. So, my guess is the coin has been cleaned [which it sure does not look like it] and is retoning nicely. Might feel differently if the coin was in hand. Bob [supertooth]----Good thing that I have a sense of humor!!

[Brotherman]

Net grade hum…

Several people keep bringing up the possibility of a” weak strike”- I don’t think so. The date is very sharp in comparison to the rest of the obverse. The R,T and Y look less worn than the L,I and B in “Liberty”. It looks like uneven wear to me. The reverse seems to be very well struck, look at the details in the eagle’s wings. I’m going to say that the front is AU53 and the back is AU58 with a net grade of AU55.

 

Yup, AU55. I’m going down with that ship.

 

Ooo – maybe I can find some seashells while I’m down there!

 

Hays

[Bruceswar]

Bruce----Now I know why I hate pictures----any pictures. I will stick with my Walkers, thank you. But, now that I am in this, I will still say---unc details with au net grade. Toning still looks NT to me from these pictures. So, my guess is the coin has been cleaned [which it sure does not look like it] and is retoning nicely. Might feel differently if the coin was in hand. Bob [supertooth]----Good thing that I have a sense of humor!!

 

Bob, in hand you and many others would nail this coin. But now with the internet many people buy coins online via pictures such as this and raw at that. These pictures could very well turn up in auction and just by judging from the guesses, some people may have been out some money. We shall see when I reveal the grade later on.

[ldhair]

I'll go 65 or 66