Opinions On 1871 PEI Large Cent On Ebay

Here's the one you want.
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Well, I do WANT it (smirk), but I really wonder if that price can possibly stand up. I did a search of sold specimens and found one I was looking at a while ago, and it went for about half the price of your find, but was one point lower, and graded by NGC instead of ICCS.

In any case, these are clearly really high end specimens that I would gladly pay $300 or so for any MS grade. That may be unrealistic, but it's amazing how often sellers that accept offers will take 50% less than asking price. However, what I don't understand is that the wear on the leaves is so heavy on the XF45s and even the AU50-55s that show up from time to time, that it seems like everyone is over-grading the rest of the bunch. Of course, about half of the specimens sold have dark, almost black photo's that no one could judge condition by, in fact, a lot of them it's hard to tell it's a PEI penny.

I really want to know opinions if I am on track with my feelings about the kind of grading going on, especially with significant wear on any of them below MS 60. Again, I mostly look at the crosses and jewels on the crown, and especially the wear on the leaves on the reverse. One thing that confuses me is that some have pretty good detail on the obverse, but terrible wear on the reverse, and others are totally opposite.

I'm looking to be educated. I just figured out a fairly decent way to take photos with my ipad, so I'm including my PEI penny. With my aging eyes, the coin definitely looked sharper and more detailed than with my naked eye, so I'm guessing I've got somewhere around a F-VF. I don't have anywhere the detail on the crown now that I can see it larger. I think I paid about $7-$8 for it, so I don't think I got ripped off, but this one still looks better than most of what I see on ebay.

So, I'd like help grading it from any experienced graders here, and I'd like to get an idea of a reasonable price to expect to pay for an AU55-MS60.

Mine is a coinage, and it seems like any seller I've seen that lists the orientation, that coinage seems to be more common, yet it commands higher prices. I know the mint didn't keep numbers on them, so I assume the prices for orientation evolved from what people seemed to find more often.

I definitely want to have both orientations in decent condition in my collection. Though I grew up and live in the states, I visited relatives on PEI in my youth, and they got me started in collecting with a gift of a complete set of Canadian nickels. Amazing how giving a boy or girl something at an early age so often starts them on a lifetime of passion.

Thanks for the pricing link. I have other sites with similar pricing information, but I didn't have that one, and PEI isn't as easy.

My photos really convinced me that I need to save some of my retirement pennies and get some sort of microscope with photo taking ability. I keep checking local Craigslist ads hoping to pick up one at a good price.

Thanks for all your help.

Jim