1887- P $1 Morgan Dollar Toned

I think the toning has come from oxidation after a harsh cleaning. You usually can tell by the abrupt end and harsh colors on the coin.

What I call the Halo Effect. You can spot the same problems on intoned coins too, once you know what to look for. And that is an excellent example of same.

Another reason why PCGS has not hired me as a grader.

MS63 but price wise not at that level due reduced eye appeal

58, artificially toned.

'Could' a TPG assign a details grade to any coin that is only artificially toned for the defect?

Since we are in the grading section I think it is worthwhile mentioning a book I just received called 'Compilation of Articles and Guides about Coins in Coin Grading." This is a book provided from Heritage Auctions when they came out to our local coin club to present us a two day seminar on coin grading: invaluable insights into what really goes on out there.

In this book it rates the 1887-P Morgan, for example, as having an above-average strike while the same year 1887-O as having a below-average strike. I mention this since it's an example of when a weak area above the ear, for example, could be perceived as an AU coin but is instead an MS coin displaying its average customary weak strike for its year/mint etc.

Because of some other wear points and the total lack of eye appeal, AU is still the call on this puppie IMO.

One last comment that our prof. wrote in the book was, "When you send in a coin for grading, they don't grade it, they price it." There are many factors that go into that comment so make your own list the next time you 'guess the grade'.