1889 O VAM 20A Morgan Thoughts

maybe the photos are hiding something we cant see here. its going to take an in hand review to see whats there. it could be a candidate for resub

AU? Not a chance. This is a definite resubmit. This is a bourse floor UNC, any day. I think your coin got a Monday grade.

Because New Orleans was a bullion depository, there were lightly circulated dollars commingled with freshly minted dollars in the mint bags released during the 1950s and 1960s silver rush. Dollars weren't popular in New Orleans (or much of anywhere else except the northeast). I see lightly circulated New Orleans UNCs all the time, and they are correctly graded as UNCs.

On your coin, there is cabinet rub on the obverse. The reverse would have to show evidence of circulation to bring it in under UNC. I see no evidence of wear on the eagle's breast, head, tail feathers, talons, or wing tips. If cabinet rub is enough to drop-grade this coin, then fully half of all 19th Century UNCs aren't UNCs.

AU-58......wow...

ok she is here and she's a beauty . more of a greasy luster but nice luster , I do not see the wear but maybe I am missing it.
really nice coin. a few of the check scratches are on the holder.

I don't know if this was MS-63 for VAM 20a its probably a few thousand dollar coin.
VAM 20a is a tough cookie

With these pics I'm dropping mine from MS64 to MS-63. I'm not seeing any wear either. Unless they're seeing the slightest bit of broken luster on the cheek and breast feathers, but I think it still warrants a 62 minimum.

Prime candidate for a resub, given you most certainly can't get worse than a 58.

With the new pics, I have to drop the grade a couple notches.

The obverse has superficial but visible parallel scratches. The other obverse marks are minor. What I see from the new photos puts the obverse in MS-63/-63+ range. The reverse is solid at MS-64+/MS-65. There is one ding on the eagle's breast and a couple scratches between the right wreath and "ERIC" of AMERICA. IMHO, the new pics now net this one to MS-63+/MS-64.

I'm confident the obverse shows cabinet rub, rather than circulation. Where is there any evidence of circulation on either bear claw, the cap, or the wheat grains? The parallel scratches, cheek rub and second cotton blossom rub are classic for cabinet rub. This is borne out by the reverse. Not only is there no evidence of wear on the reverse, but the reverse has almost perfect, but light, frost. That would not be uninterrupted on a circulated coin, but would definitely be preserved on a coin stored in an older cabinet.

There's quite a swing from their 58 to a 64. There is zero chance this would come in below a 58. There is a solid chance for 63/63+/64. That's a $200-$500 +/- swing from a 58, and that doesn't take the VAM into consideration. What's to lose by cracking and resubmitting?

Just a thought. This might be one to run by ANACS first, and then try to crossover if ANACS brings it in as mid-MS. ANACS is running their summer special, and it would be a cheap submission. A later crossover attempt could have less risk.