1888-O Revisited

I would absolutely have it slabbed, if only for future threads like this one. :) I'll call it MS63.

the New Orleans coins are the hardest Morgans to try and grade because of the very weak strike they are famous for. its about like trying to grade a 1921 Peace dollar to me, they all look very well circulated but in fact they are MS coins

well MS just means Mint State, which means it has the same amount of luster/detail that it had when it left the mint, so the spots/marks doesn't keep it from being a MS coin because it does in fact still have the features I mentioned. it will drop the grade down but it is still considered a MS coin

Rick...I have the ANA Grading Book but, I try to grade without it sometimes and go by memory. So much for my memory! lol

It has been exlained to me that the weak strikes don't necessarily effect the grade on Morgans which I was under the wrong assumption that it does, nor apparently do the marks. It's primarily the luster (as Bryan and TLS5933 has explained) that has more impact on the grade. I understand now (I hope). Yes Bryan I know what MS stands for. Thanks all! I think that I'll do better now, hopefully!

Thanks Bryan! I hope that my questions and the wonderful answers from you, Rick, etc. have helped others to understand what I apparently missed about Morgans!

Thanks a bunch!

Rick,
Have you thought about getting this one graded? It is definately a nice example piece of being a weak strike. Had you turned it down, I would have kept it. Originally I was selling it as a VF (bought it as such), until a dealer saw it and told me it was a weak strike and what to look for for the weak strikes. I am hoping to eventually run across a 96 or 97 like this. Buy it as a VF although it is UNC.

I recently sold a 91-O on ebay that was a weak strike, but not matter what I said in the description, nobody wanted to believe me (accept for the winner). It ended up selling for $40 $100 Greysheet bid in 60). I sent a message to the winner and said I will pay you $20 if I don't sell the coin... he did not accept.

If Metalman's coin had been in circulation, as was mentioned previously we would see much more damage in the fields (there are no serious bagmarks visible - if we ignore the strike weakness this coin has fewer bagmarks than some I have seen graded MS65). One other point to note is how strong and square the rim is. It does not require much circulation to damage that rim and give it a rounded look.

I just love the natural look of Superdave's coin...

Incidentally, is that weak strike typical of an 1888-O?

Just got back from several days in the boonies of Prescott, AZ.

Rick, isn't this the Morgan I threatened to come over to look at (presuming I could get past your Rotties - Oh, I see we have some new smilies added while I was gone) since this is the kind of coin which can really only be evaluated in hand. I figured the last time it was discussed it was either a VF-25 or -30 or an MS-xx, IIRC. The dark spots and marks on Liberty's face and neck would bring it down some if it proved to be MS. I'm still not completely convinced it's uncirculated, but these updated pics have me leaning more toward that direction than in the previous thread. If it's just an uncirculated very weak strike from N'Orleans, it's the weakest strike I've ever seen and perhaps might set a record at one of the top TPGs (SGS might give it an MS-69 and HCGS would go one step further and give it an MS-71 ).

Even back in the 1800s, they pulled cull coins at the mint, so I'm surprised this one made it past them.

Definitely should be graded and slabbed.

Tell you what: maybe you should send it over so I can give it my personal attention. And I'd be happy to store it for you in our new ultra-low humidity non-reactive atmosphere vault in the middle of the ultra-low humidity non-reactive atmosphere Aridzona desert

As Always,
Fred

PS - I'll be offline off and on again over the next couple weeks. Gotta get back to the desert - it's getting ready to snow up here in the mountains- and I gotta pack up. That said, I'll try to check in on Morgan topics as often as possible. I shudda married Lady Liberty!