Scratch On An MS Coin

And here it is.
AU58, no mention of a scratch.
Thanks for playing!

Enough of you convinced me that it was AU, but I still wonder what it would grade if it didn't have the scratch.

Absent examining the coin in hand I can not rule out this being a die-crack.

The field betwixt the denticle and the R in Victoria is tiny. The line butts hard against the denticle and the R. To replicate this line with even a hardened scribe would prove most difficult.

doug

It's certainly beautiful, shame about the scratch and the earlier photos did make it appear as if it was cleaned. Luster looks great!

As much as I would like it to be a die crack, It is a scratch. As you can see, the mark is incuse, rather then raised.

Hard to tell from pictures but I think The Cook 1872H 25 cents sp-65 had a similar scratch on the obverse.

https://coins.ha.com/itm/canada/wor...bnail-071515

https://images.PCGS.com/TrueView/37099211_max.jpg

I would say your coin looks like an ms 64 it has little to no luster but that could be due to picture quality light almost unnoticeable wear to the hair and the scratches are light to nonexistent to the naked eye but under magnification shows a scratch and a few hairline scratches. The lack of luster keeps the coin at best ms64 if it had full luster you would assume ms 65 but no higher because the scratch noticeable under magnification but those hairline scratches could be overlooked in high grades but not in this case because of the scratch. The good thing is the scratch is not in the field so their are no disturbances to this coins overall look. If a grader grades this coin at an AU55 then they relying on the loop to much. Even an ms65 with full luster can have a scratch on the bust as long it doesn't disturb the overall appearance of the coin and its bust. when you pass ms65 scratches should sees but if theirs one on the bust and its unnoticeable to the naked eye that coin can still grade high but closer to ms67 no scratches should be present but hairline ones can be seen under the loop and no wear present. The ms68 and ms69 category may be one or two hairline scratches seen but only under magnification but otherwise flawless no rub marks or stains high luster flawless to the naked eye. An Ms70 is a flawless coin even under magnification not a stain or rub marks no hairline scratches and full luster all through out the coin almost blinding luster under a loop. The only reason I know this is because I once owned an ms70 cent I forget the year I think it was a 1974 p cent graded by ANA but I sent it away to a campaign fund for President Trump. I bought it on ebay and the seller sent his card along with the package his name was Jaime Hernandez. I also got his card when I bought a flying eagle from ebay which was in original condition no cleaning or corrosion but would grade about a very fine 20. I hope this helps!

Have it your way I see light scratches plus the scratch the poster pointed out. The light scratches that could be from being in a roll not circulation wear. Wear comes from handling and freely rubbing in registers. Those light scratches look to have came from a roll which wears evenly which is not highly worn. MS 64 is a low grade so I don't see what your saying nonsense to. Here is a picture of an ms64 with a scratch on both sides but it's not visible except under a light and a loop and coin camera microscope but it has no luster and corrosion spots all over the reverse. The Canadian coin depicted has no spots. The lair on my 1909 vdb ms64 has light scratches and some light wear in the hair just like the Canadian coin.


you can tell where the scratches are they look pink on a golden yellow coin with no luster.

Then again your probably right AU coin because I'm looking at my silver ms 64's and their is definitely luster but my ms64 pennies have no luster with scratches and wear that can only be seen under the light and the loop. Sorry