I See Au@best, PCGS Says MS-65? Buy The Coin Not The Holder!

I think it someone picked a grade out of the hat. If that's a 65 I'm gonna be rich, cause I must own alot of MS70 Morgans

I see a couple problems with your reasoning...

1. I don't believe someone tried to clean off the toning. They touched the coin, leaving their finger oils on it, so when it toned, it didn't tone on the "protected" finger prints. I don't know for sure if oils will remove the toning afterward, I have never tried.

2. You are trying to grade a coin from a photo, not easy to do. You can't see the luster, you aren't holding it in your hand like the graders did. The "weak strike" theory is probably correct.

Then again, this is just my opinion.....

I would agree with a weak strike also but I always thought that if the strike was weak like that one it was impossible to get them in a GEM holder

Well if you click on the ones that sold previously on the same page you will see none of those have a weak strike...unless they actually used a clay die since 1,618,000 were minted!

I see what may be fingerprints and what is obviously an attempt to clean up the toning by some method, look at the reverse between the One and Dollar and to the right of the arrow points?

Definitely not eye candy.

The finger print theory is right on the money, so is the weak strike , MS-65 no way. To my understanding a weak strike on other coins would not ever allow you to receive a MS-65 grade . Unc maybe not MS-65. Like everyone else this is just my opinion.

In my opinion, this is not even an uncirculated coin. I am not accusing anyone, but my initial feeling would be that this holder has been tampered with and the coin replaced with an inferior one. Even if there was some weakness in strike, I do not believe that can account for all of the issues with this coin. The obverse toning pattern indicates an ancient cleaning. The fingerprints on this coin are atrocious. For an MS65 coin, I believe these would have been detected under magnification even without the toning.

I personally find this coin very suspect.

Yes you can have weak strikes in MS-65 I believe. I don't believe they will grade than 65 with a weak strike though (at least not officialy)

quote:

---

I find it hard to believe Heritage would even think of posting/selling/consigning a coin with this many questionable detriments, even with their detailed photography to show folks what this coin entails... I would understand if it was a raw coin, but if this coin really isn't a MS65 coin, when is their reputation at stake?

---

Whose reputation? Heritage's? Heritage makes NO claims as to the grade on this coin. They just quote the PCGS opinion. If there are errors it is PCGS's opinion and reputation not Heritage's. The auction houses love the grading services. They no longer have to go out on a limb and state an opinion on a coins grade and possibly be taken to task by the consignors or the buyers. Just point at the TPG. No chance of calling a coin one thing in one auction and then something else when you handle it again years later and being asked to explain why the inconsistancy. Now you just point to the TPG. Put a clause in your TOS that certified are not returnable because of opinions on grading. Take it up with the TPG. (Read the TOS, these clauses DO exist.)

Anyway this coin is in their Tuesday Internet Only auction and they are known for having coins in them that because of, not problems but let's say "difficulties", they are not suitable for their top line sales.