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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,490 |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
Having looked at many coins for sale on ebay, it seems there is some variation in what people think the correct grading should be. One persons 'fine' is another's 'very fine', etc. I have been looking at some of mine (not valuable but interesting). For instance this 1891 Victorian 3d piece looks quite nice under a normal magnifier (with plenty of detail remaining) but when photographed with a USB microscope shows up hundreds of fine scratch marks (is this normal for most coins)? Just wondering how you grade such a coin; what would be your grading for it? Mike.   |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
 mate, looks like this has been harshly cleaned. Don't take any grade listed on ebay as gospal, Have a good look at the images and make your own assesment. If the images are crap, DON'T GO THERE |
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Moderator
 Australia
16830 Posts |
The third-party grading companies don't grade using any kind of magnification; neither should you. Using magnification will make tiny defects jump out and seem more significant than they really are, causing you to downgrade a coin unnecessarily.
However, the overall effect of each of those tiny individual scratch marks should be considered. It may just be the lighting in this case making them stand out, but to me it looks like the scratches might be indication of long-ago harsh polishing that has since retoned.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
 United Kingdom
128 Posts |
Thanks for your reply Sap.
Thanks folks,
I doubt it's ever been polished or cleaned; they were found in the effects of a deceased member of our family a weeks ago, just in a bag with a couple of dozen other coins, all rattling around together. I would have thought they have been untouched for decades. I guess general wear and rubbing against other coins probably accounts for much of the scratch marks.
I agree with the magnification issue. The lighting and extreme magnification spoils the look of the coin greatly; with the naked eye it looks a reasonable specimen for it's year.
Mike.
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
Just been experimenting with lighting; the original pics were taken with the overhead LED in the microscope. These were taken with a small LED torch 18" away from the side with a low angle. What a difference; you wouldn't think it was the same coin.   |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1610 Posts |
Still looks cleaned to me, sorry. The slight wear in overall details and still slightly present hairlines is a heavy indicator.Though I think some don't grade cleaned coins, this looks ``VF20 cleaned`` (as would say a TPG who grades cleaned coins). Please show the over coins that were found, looks like that relative had good taste. |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
I'll gladly post pics of some of the rest of them when I've sorted out a good way of photographing them; need to experiment a lot more; have plenty of digital cameras here to play with; just need to sort out which works best. Unfortunately the USB microscope is unsuitable for all but the very smallest, like that silver 3d piece.
Have a few early silver amongst this collection but they are very worn. I don't think he collected them as such; think they were just hanging around from past family members.
I have found a large box (mostly 20th century pennies) of my own which I've had for years but know I have some more interesting ones somewhere; will have a hunt.
Mike.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1610 Posts |
Old pennies are very interesting, can't wait.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I'm a lousy grader of our own US coins so I wouldn't attempt a guess on those. I came from a time when there was only G, F, Unc and Proof. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
Fine but cleaned. Reasoning: All of the details are visible, no silhouettes, but the field is very busy and too much sheen for what it is.
Edited by Libertad
12/29/2011 4:03 pm
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1610 Posts |
Are these the coins from your relative...
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
128 Posts |
Hi 10xloupe; yes most of them are, especially the early ones but I did find my box of old later pennies; 1940's onward so a couple of the later ones were probably my older stock.
Hope to gradually get all pictured and added to my site when time allows but it takes a couple of hours to create a page. Think I'll do the silver ones next. On next week's list of things to do.
Mike.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,490 |
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Posted 12/29/2011 08:07 am
