1872 IHC Grade And Authenticity Check

Because I had some problems reading the date I put the shot through a gray filter and held the coin at a 45 degree angle to the iPhone lens.

Insofar as the date goes do all of those numbers in that date look real?

Looks like 78 to me , what confuses me is the 7 and 8 looks lower than the 1 and 8.

If you have to go to such measures to detect a date, is it even worth having in a collection? I'd keep it, but in my cull box, JMHO

Looks like an 1872 to me. I'd say AG/G details. I'd gently swab it with acetone or Coin Care to remove surface debris.

One sold on ebay tonight (with a readable date, and AG details, but corroded reverse) for $8.79. It may have even been a Shallow N, to boot, but the corrosion and wear would have made it difficult to determine.

That date, and coin, does get expensive, regardless, in anything resembling problem-free. My lone example is an NGC full grade VG10 which set me back something like $125 a few years ago. Not including the overdates or value-added varieties, only the 1877 and 1909-S are more expensive in MS60 grade than the 1872.