1881 $5 Lib

I know nothing about grading gold, although I understand the variability of strikes and relative lenience given to bagmarks.

Based on the really nice reverse devices, I think it's MS (the obverse pic, I think, is a little lacking in the areas where wear would first show). If it were a Morgan, the snap grade would be MS62 or low-end MS63. I'll guess this one is in a slab with a similar number on it, albeit a higher-end 63. Wouldn't really surprise me if it were 64.

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Originally posted by B12

I going to guess it's either AU58 or MS60/61.

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This being sunday I have a lot of grading to do on a few hundred coins on ebay
On ebay as a raw coin I would not give it a second glance
Of the cuff after 3 seconds
AU 58 or worse
The fields are disturbed in the whole lower 6 to 9 O'clock quater of the obverse
If you got a better grade brake out the champaigne and have a party

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Originally posted by ageka

[quote]Originally posted by SuperDave

So help educate me here, please. I can see the problems with the obverse, but how does one reconcile that with what looks like a nearly-pristine reverse, from a grading standpoint?

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I cannot find anything pristine about the reverse
Maybe it is the photo
But I never like it when the strike lustre changes drastically outside the protection of the lettres
Look at the circled area an how the bright lustre ends exactly where the wording ends especially at 7 o'clock inside of the dot between united and five



Image: anno jpeg.jpg
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Edited because the pic did not show ; I am a klutz

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Originally posted by SuperDave

I see your point. Given the softness of gold, I had attributed that effect to the coin becoming somewhat concave during the strike. I see similar effects on photos at Heritage.

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Normally the effect is due to fingerfat

The coin graded PCGS MS-63.

Superdave was on the right track -- there seems to be a tad more tolerance for marks on gold than on Morgans. The crummy images probably threw off the others. I will try to post better images within the next few days.

I, of course, defer to your experience with gold, ageka, but I wonder if in this case the effect might have been enhanced by being imaged in a slab. Of course, it's equally possible that PCGS let one slip through.

My coindealing friend had some remarks for me
some of them not for public consumption

But essentially he suggested that if it were a foreign coin it probably would go AU58 and for me not to change my grading of Napoleons or any other non american coins in any way

And second that even if there were a fingerprint etched allover the face it still would be MS if that is what Sheldon evaluation dictated because fingerprints and fingerfat are no prove of circulation in this scale however ugly they might make the coin

He agreed however the submitter of the coin should break out the champagne anyway

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Originally posted by ageka

Break out the champagne
Attached my personally owned ref for an MS63
Note the continuity from rim over lettres to the middle of the coin
without any circle delineation of fingerfat circulation

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Um, the coin is uncirculated -- I don't know what you mean by "fingerfat" -- must be some Belgian term. The so-called break in luster you are seeing is likely some subtle toning from being in an after-market holder. There is no rub. But of course you know better from a less than perfect picture than a PCGS grader does with the coin in hand.

By the way, the coin you posted looks nice and should be a 64 if the obverse is just as nice.