Take a shot at grading my SBA $1

[pendragon1998]

Nice luster and a fairly sharp strike. This coin has some little bag marks along the edges, mainly on the obverse

and on Susie's collar, but otherwise seems fairly clean to me. The two colored areas on the obverse are almost

invisible in hand without magnification, but the reverse does have a little minor bag scuffing. I got this coin and a

1999-P for $2.25 (including S&H) from an eBayer who said he was taking them out of a mint bag.

 

What do you think the grade is? I'm still learning to grade these in MS, so I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts.

I'm also working hard on my photography, so have pity; it's the best picture I can take so far :-)

 

[MunkyMan95]

MS63-65

[ldhair]

I'll guess 64 from the image. Really nice but it's hard to tell much about the bag marks you described. They hardly show. You got a great deal.

[Bruceswar]

That SBA is all day long MS66 if the luster is all there.. Shot MS67

[James_OldeTowne]

I'll guess MS-65. There's a little "noise" going on around the "L" of LIBERTY that would put off a higher grade, I think.

 

James

[Stanley]

Could be a 67. Depending on the noise around the L that James has mentioned. It looks to be a nice one.

 

Here is one I pulled from a mint set. NGC graded 68. I think (I know) it should be PL but I’m not sending it back in just for that. Sorry for the old crappy image.

[WaxonWaxov]

Good pics, spider... or are they scans?

[physics-fan3.14]

The picture is not all that great, but I am going to guess 66. The advantage you have here is that the strike is very good. Yes, there are a few marks her and there, and the spots are unattractive, but I think you might be able to get a 66 out of that, if the luster is blazing. If the luster is missing, then it will only be a 65.

[Bruceswar]

Good pics, spider... or are they scans?

 

They look like pics to me. Nice coin ... but staying on topic, What does the owner of the first coin think? Pendragon1998? Your thoughts on the coin since you collect SBA's... I am referring to your coin...

[MAULEMALL]

Could be a 67. Depending on the noise around the L that James has mentioned. It looks to be a nice one.

 

Here is one I pulled from a mint set. NGC graded 68. I think (I know) it should be PL but I’m not sending it back in just for that. Sorry for the old crappy image.

Wouldn't that just be a designation rev? I wouldn't think it would cost anything...It sure looks PL to me.

[pendragon1998]

Spider's coin was taken from one of the special mint sets, thus it is almost certainly proof-like - almost all of them are that way. The SMS coins in 1999 were produced using a double strike on polished dies, which produces a peculiar proof-like effect that almost seems like they were chrome-plated. Because of the different manufacturing technique that I consider SMS coins to be a separate variety from the regular P and D circulation strikes of that year. I consider examples of both SMS and circ. strikes to be necessary for a full type/variety set of the series. Too bad the TPG's don't recognize them as separate (yet).

 

As for my coin, a circulation strike, I personally consider it a MS-66. Not banged up quite enough to warrant MS-65, I think. The strike is beautiful, and the luster is full and lovely. The spotting on the obverse, as I mentioned, is almost not noticable, but there's something hazy on the reverse between the last A in America and the moon that I can't decide as to whether it's bag contact or foreign material. It's got some minor bag marks as mentioned above, but has an otherwise very clean field. Absent some of the itty-bitties, I wouldn't have a problem calling it an MS-67, and I might even have a shot at that with a TPG, but I honestly wouldn't call it above 66 myself. I'm fairly hard on my coins when I'm grading them, but I feel fairly confident in that number.

 

For $2.25, out of a loose bag, I'm thrilled with it.