1864 2-Cent

I wouldn't crack it if you're going to let it go. The old-style ANACS holder is almost certain to provoke a bidding war, especially in AU58. The coin is gorgeous, and the wannabe crackout artists will line up for it. No doubt in my mind it would hammer for MS money.

I want it!

I always check the horizontal shield lines on the upper right side. They will usually show a touch of softness when rubbed, not so much wear as a duller point from finger oils and such. The "WE" is notoriously not struck up so well, on many examples, as the mint was in a hurry to mint millions of these, from a somewhat hard metal planchet mix. (though not as hard as nickel) the copper, brass, tin could be tough on the dies back then, and the dies were often used long after they should have been retired. Many showing wear from polishing and die cracks from stress.

Its an AU 58 coin ANACS were my base line for 2 cents they always came within a point or two of my own grade. I base my grading of coins for the most part on my 1970's photograde. Recently ANACS has turned to what I and many would call market grade. where eye appeal plays a major part in the grade. A nice coin such as yours would almost certainly be bumped a couple of points in today's ANACS Personally I find NGC the worst for this. Your second picture shows the wear that the first did not. As with all coins I tend not to take note of the grade on the holder and assign my own based on the coin and pay accordingly. Makes for fewer purchase but there are dealers who sell based on technical grade rather than market. For Two Cents at least if its in an small older holder it will generally sell for a premium over the listed grade value.

There is nobody in this forum whose opinion I would place higher than nohope's with regard to 2C issues. He has more experience with them than the rest of us combined.

Great thread.

Oops, double post!