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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,466 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11892 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7621 Posts |
Will reserve grading judgement unti photos with better lighting conditions are posted.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5672 Posts |
Looks AU details. Poor photos, but obverse hairlines suggest a past cleaning.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8938 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Obverse hairlines seem pretty clear in this pic. I'll wait for better pics as well
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
11892 Posts |
My 2 cents ia that this is a tricky Morgan to grade. The 1896-O is scarce in mint state and rare in gem grades. Most coins with this date/mm are circulated.
This issue is known for poor luster, strike and surface abrasions. I agree that this coin is AU due to muted luster, but it exhibits mint state strike amd detail. The hair above the ear is a high point in the obverse and it is fully struck in this coin. Many choice BU examples are notand show flat hair above the ear. The obverse looks lightly wiped and may merit a details cleaned designation, but that doesn't detract from the superior strike, detail and lack of surface abrasions. The reverse does not appear to be hairlined and the surfaces look largely mark free, but it looks a little shiny.
Net net I think it has some issues and some outstanding characteristics -- the strike and detail. I like the look of the coin overall. I would say AU58 details lightly cleaned.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
If the obverse hairlines are as severe as they appear in this image then it's harshly cleaned. Sometimes photos can make hairlines look a lot worse than they really are and hopefully that will be the case here.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9792 Posts |
I think the darker areas are all very bright in reality. This looks like a tricky purchase from mediocre photos to me, I'm thinking harshly cleaned or just beat/scuffed to heck.
AU Details from these photos. The reverse sure is better than many one sees at coin shows or in auctions.
"Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2˘ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36746 Posts |
Will wait to see the photos you post when it arrives. Hopefully it is genuine but can't tell from these photos.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
18668 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3649 Posts |
I, too, can't grade it from these photos. The reverse is a beaut for an 1896-O!
Is that a NW-SE lamination on the obverse from immediately behind the eye to just SW of the ear lobe?
EDIT: There is a die crack on the eagle's right wing tip (our visual left) that may be a VAM-14 marker. The photos are too blurry for much more, but once you have the coin in hand, check it out.
Edited by fortcollins
06/01/2019 4:03 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
Don't see much, if any, circulation, do see lots of hairlines from an improper cleaning.
For my money I'd say AU details, cleaned. Lots of slider 1896-O's in AU55-AU58 have been lightly buffed or cleaned in the past to try to sneak them into much more expensive MS holders.
If this one came back Unc details I wouldn't be surprised, either.
And yes, 1896-O is a crummy date for attractive coins. Even straight-graded MS examples usually look like they got tossed around in a rock tumbler at the Mint.
1897-O is worse.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,466 |
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Posted 05/31/2019 2:01 pm
