1878 Indian Head Cent AU Please Grade You Vs NGC

Thank you all. Information and opinions on this coin much appreciated. Journeyman collectors ie myself is, are, faced with $40-200.00 decisions frequently on Indian cents. Terrible queasy stomach after buying a bad coin is what I get. Now I get queasy stomach feeling before I buy the coin
Have picked up solid guidance here on Indians and Buffaloes so I give a hearty thank you to moderators and seasoned collectors who help other members. I don't know what it is about the 1878 Indians I love them, 8 examples and counting.
Yep no Diamonds worth worth mentioning but overall can't wait to see it inhand. Its getting cracked, acetone soak then an airtight. From there into the EF-AU bunch (with many vacancies) .

Let the coin speak for itself, don't buy just cause the grading wizards say it's a certain grade (not saying you did that obviously)

That said, you did say it was hard to find natural ones above F-15, and this is much better than F-15. And it looks quite original to me. Overall, not a bad buy if you ask me.




Would love to see photo of how it looks after the acetone.

Yes, and frankly even though the coin is most likely over graded this one was purchased applying basic informed buyer fundementals. I freely admit my experience learning these fundamentals got ugly about 3× probably 5x. Those 5 problem/issues Indian cents caught deep enough down my craw and wallet to influence my purchase habits drastically. Have I got a peach to ashamedly post later, an 1870 shallow N that looks whizzed, soaked, scrubbed, and oiled in EF details. Its in my album as my reminder for patience.
Will post android pics of the 1878 before acetone soak and after soak this weekend. Should have it Thursday and would be nice if more diamonds and pearls show in hand than GC pics.

Not a bad deal at all, on a coin you said yourself, has taken a long time of searching, and not one has met your criteria, at the right price, until this one. Can't go wrong then. I'd go EF40+ a few too many ticks to hit a solid 45 but it's so close we are nitpicking and there really isn't much of a cost difference. Until a better comes along to upgrade, which as you have said could be years and years, you'll enjoy this coin as it's a deal for your set, and that's all that really matters in the long run.

Nice coin! Its not an AU, I would give it VF35/XF40. Its definitely been around and very faint around the ribbon. Could be soft strike, but even the Liberty is worn. This is a perfect example of an overgraded coin. Buy the coin not the slab.

What is the color of the coin? You have three photos of the same coin with different colors. In the GC and your photo with coin in holder, the coin looks original. In your last photo after the acetone bath the coin looks messed with.

I got confused when one coin suddenly came three. Back to the first coin, no one mentioned it shows evidence of being cleaned.

Coinfrog/NumisNorth agree on that for sure. Have looked at many NGC and PCGS semi-key Indian cents last 6 months and seeing F12's only showing L half a B and some Y and F15's graded VF20.
Looks like new grading standards for Indians are a little embarrassing even to a journeyman as myself. Not referring to 3 or 4 coins but over 20 I turned down graded XF40-45 that looked VF30ish to me. On 3 occasions I lost out on AU55-58 PCGS 1878 coins, all 3 went for full book or 15% over (they were older slabs).
I don't even try to figure this out I just accept it as fact now in buying considerations. Interestingly though looked at over 90 1868-78 raw examples at local coin show last Sunday and fewer than 30 were undamaged or uncleaned. Perhaps original examples are in fact scarce? Still seeing plenty AU+ common dates with luster at small shows for under $25.00 but that's another post.
Slider sorry about my pics. an android goes from muesuem quality to junk within minimal light/angle changes. Way behind most on picture skills.