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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,331 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
618 Posts |
Today Dawson and I made our first Show. Yes the Morgans have hit me and sunk their Venom into me. Still digging the Walkers and Merc's. But Morgans must be learned, by me anyway.  Total Newbie. I got a few that I am trying to grade. 1884-0 I am Guessing AU 55-58 Hair is worn on the surface by the ear, feathers worn on breast. Dings in Lower Breast? What else am I missing?   Here is a 1898-0 Guessing MS 61-62. Wondering of contact marks on reverse affect grade and how much? spot of toning in R in PLURIBUS   Also grabbed an 1880 -0 AU 58 That has what the Dealer calls a Micro O. Wasn't attributed by them (ANACS) and he was surprised? This guy would try to sell Ice to an Eskimo. But he was a salesman. Everything you looked at was "Gorgeous" or a "Pretty Coin". No faults with it and I was getting it at Below Wholesale. Blah Blah Blah. He was fun though. Great learning experience. I have Heard of the Micro S on the 45 Merc but not a Micro O on a Morgan Yet. Remember this is me, a Noob. Also Ran into this guy on the way home. 20 Yards from the Truck. Had no worries that we were there. That time of year. Nummy, Nummy.  Thanks all for the input.    |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
The '84-O looks AU55.
The '98-O should go at 63. The marks don't appear to be bad enough to knock it down to 62.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Cool. You've been assimilated.  New Orleans Morgans are among the most difficult of coins to grade. Strike quality varies wildly, but is expected to be weak by comparison to all other Morgan mintages. "Usual" standards of grading don't apply; you almost have to work by feel rather than fact. I've looked at bazillions, and am convinced that it's not possible to be sure about a New Orleans Morgan from a photograph unless the luster is blinding and accurately represented. As a result, your 1884 could well be Mint State, or it could be circulated. My gut tells me the '84 is circulated, no worse than AU55 and probably 58. Look carefully in the mint mark for overstrike, there are a few 1884-O/O VAM's. The 1898 is a little more obvious due to the luster; I agree with bherring's MS63. Note the clashing on this one. I think you're looking at a VAM-7A: http://www.vamworld.com/1898-O+VAM-7A |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
618 Posts |
Wow I opened a can of worms for myself. Thanks SuperDave. One last Question. Is there a Micro O on the 188O? Thanks I go tone today and as curious. Thanks
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
Is there a Micro O on the 188O? There are two different basic mint mark designs on this one, usually referred to as "Small O" and "Medium O." The Small is almost circular, the Medium more oval. Although these different mint marks play a role in defining VAM's for the date, they aren't in and of themselves the source of additional value. For 1880-O, you want to be interested in potential marks around the second 8 in the date; there were a few 1879 dies altered to 1880 and the "79" remnants can be found on some of them. |
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Moderator
United States
16677 Posts |
84-O Slight wear hairline, breast. AU55 98-O MS63 light fingerprint on obverse. Still, great looking coin  swcoin.ecrater.com
Edited by vermontensium
04/19/2009 09:43 am
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Lovely coins, I agree AU-55 on the 1884 and MS-63 on the 1898.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
618 Posts |
Here is the Close ups of the 1880 look on the lower part on the 18 Is that a crack of some sort? And I believe this is the round O on the reverse That SuperDave is talking about. Not the medium if I am understanding him correctly. Thanks SuperDave. Let me know what you think.    Also I got to looking at the 1884 O and is this what Dave is referring to the O over O ? Also another crack above is this a die Crack? Edited by Chump_Change
04/19/2009 4:21 pm
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
1) Yep, that's a Small O on the 1880. 2) Yep, those are all die cracks you're seeing. 3) I can't say for sure what, if anything, is up with the mint mark on the 1884-O; go here for further research: http://www.vamworld.com/1884-O+ReversesWelcome to VAMming. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
618 Posts |
SuperDave. Thank you so much.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1415 Posts |
Can't help you with the grading - the experts have spoken But I sure do like the looks of 'em  Sorry to hear about your affliction - and there is no cure you only sink in deeper  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
5375 Posts |
The scratches on the turkey knock it down to VF-25.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
618 Posts |
Just think. years ago they voted fo rthe turkey as our national bird. We could of had gold Turkeys and Eagles when we bowled and got 3 strikes in a row. ewww
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
There is one micro-O listed for 1880 - it's a Top 100 VAM but you'll have to compare the pics here to the one in your hand to tell: 1880-O VAM-4 Crossbar Overdate with Micro O http://www.vamworld.com/1880-O+VAM-4 |
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Valued Member
United States
90 Posts |
Nice coins.....I wish I could take pics like you.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6381 Posts |
I think everyone nailed the grades on these dollars. I do have some concern that the toning on the 1884-O could be artificial. The purple color is very uniform which is not typical for natural tone. "Coin Doctors" sometimes apply artificial tone to AU slider coins to conceal light wear, then try to pass the coin as BU. In this case the toning does not conceal the wear, but it could make it more difficult for a novice to identify the coin as circulated.
I've defintely become more suspicious after years of collecting.
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,331 |
Posted 04/18/2009 11:45 pm
