1838 Large Cent

Actually those "features" you talk about are the features used to grade a particular coin. They are the high points of the coin. If every older coin got netted down to nothing over a little extra wear somewhere, no older coins would be sent in to be graded and certainly if every coin came back in a "details" slab no coins would be sent in. Generally, older coins are cut more slack from what I hear. Repeating what others say doesn't change anything. This is not a G-4 coin, I would disagree with that. I don't know what would cause a coin to have dis-proportional but do know striking was not exactly perfect back then.

Your right, the points you mentioned are the high points of the coin and generally used to determin the grade. But some coins do not wear in the "normal" areas, the "normal" pattern.. wether it was from some long ago damage, how the coin was carried of stored... or whatever it may be. If wear not normally seen appears in some of the lower areas those will absolutly be taken into account in the grading prosess as well. Wether or not the cords match a VG doesn't matter, because of the other wear on the coin it would net lower overall.

Again, on a well preserved example only the high points of the coin are worn down, and these are used to grade the coin. But there are the exceptions and the coin as a whole has to be taken into account.. If there's wear not normally seen, on some of the lower features its definitely going to net it a lower grade. So if a coin exibits wear not in the normal places, no matter how good the hair cords are its going to downgrade the overall grade.

Just an example because your dates not worn off, but that's like saying a Morgan with the head and hair detail in the EF to AU range but has had some abnormal wear and the date was heavily worn would still grade at that EF/AU level.. No.. It wouldn't happen, it would be downgraded due to the date, even though its not one of the high points. Again, the whole coin must be taken into account when grading, especially if it shows wear in a place there is usually none.

While your coin has better details in the head and hair than the G6 on photograde, the lack of detail to the left of the date on the obverse and "OF" on the reverse would definitely net a lower grade. As I said in my above post the G6 on photograde looks better "overall"... And overall was the key word.. Yours has better detail in the hair cords but due to what happened in the forementioned places it will absolutely grade lower...

Nobody on here is trying to be rude, (at least I'm not) were just trying to explain this as easily as possible. The high points of a coin are not the only thing taken into consideration when grading if the coin shows wear in places uncommon. But your obviously not going to believe anyone on here about the grade or as to the reasoning why but in all honesty there's is no way that if you sent this coin to a TPG it would grade above the G level.

I really wish it would be worth it to send it to ANACS even just so you could understand what were explaining better, but it wouldn't justify the cost. It's got good color and is still a very nice example of a large cent, but due to whats been explained it would net a lower grade than the hair cords alone would warrant. Sorry, again I'm not trying to be rude or argue, just trying to explain the reasoning...

G6. when grading you must look at the overall coin. grading is very subjective. you can't always apply the exact verbiage of what a grade should be. this is where years of handling coins comes into play. in this case I agree with NathanASE comments in regards to wear and grade.

If a grease filled strike is the culprit, it wouldn't net the coin, it is mint error that doesn't fetch a premium on these since it was common.

[Up]Ya that one you just posted is a nice, more uncommon early date. But I dont know if I'd even put that one at AG, it looks more of an FR-02 to me, or a 2 1/2 maybe, lol. Still a nice example though! I'd be happy with either of them as there both date I don't have yet. My earliest is a 1820sm date.

You asked for opinions and I know it's not what you were "hoping" for, but you got opinions from some people who know what there talkng about, there not "just messing with you" or something like that, there giving honest opinions.

Again the coin as a whole needs to be taken into account... Even with the cords matching a VG the overall coin would be netted down due to the uncommon wear. You don't have to believe any of us, it really doesn't matter. You like the coin and that's all that matters.. We're not trying to say the coin isn't nice, it is nice... or that you got ripped off or anything like that. Were just trying to explain how a TPGing servise would view and grade this coin so you know for future reference. Again, if the grade means that much to you send it to ANACS just to see what they say... And then maybe you wouldn't think we're all crazy, lol.

You know what, come to think of it, I don't know even think it matters about whether it is G4, G6, VG8, or even F-12 since there is little price jump between these grades. At least it isn't a "details" coin. Honestly I got them for 10 bucks a piece but got them wholesale since the guy knows I flip them on ebay although I am probably going to keep one of the braided hairs.

I also got 2 braided hairs, one 1840 and one 1849. I was thinking I should have got more but can always go back. I am actually going to flip both the matron heads and one of the 1940 braided head. I actually just got a Matron head that won't seem to sell so I will just keep that one.

I am not even going to go there. I didn't post that one to get graded. My point was the head looks like one on a G4 except the G04 has less blending of the rims although it has some. The PCGS Photograde coin in G04 has a bent rim. These are my opinions and do not state them as fact since I am not a grader. I am not going to go into the differences between a number grade or two. I know it is low grade, I bought it because it is a date I rarely see on those. I mostly see dates in the 30s listed. I am trying to get a better picture than this scan of the 1838 cent since it looks a lot better in hand than in this scan.