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 Replies: 7 / Views: 996 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
612 Posts |
Yesterday I posted my question about grading standards at the main coin forum, and somebody moved it over here. Email said it was in the wrong forum, so OK, I'm posting this new question here and someone can move it over there if they like. It also has to do with grading. Hairlines ...... I have read so many times on coins graded here that people say they see hairlines and therefore a Morgan is nearly always relegated to an AU grade, yet when I look at the PCGS site where they not only show a photo-grade pictures but describe each coin as well, they say that hairlines are allowed all the way up to MS-66 with each higher grade allowing fewer. ANA grading standards also say that hairlines are allowed up to a certain grade in MS graded Morgans. So are PCGS and ANA wrong or are some people misunderstanding hairlines, as I do? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11880 Posts |
Wear comes about due to rub from manually handling coins.
Hairlines are thin parallel scratches that result from improperly cleaning a coin with a cloth that has fibers capable of scratching a coin surface, a brush and even by abrasive particles like sand or grit in a cloth that marrs a coin's surface.
So no, hairlines are not wear but damage to a coin.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
612 Posts |
Quote:
Wear comes about due to rub from manually handling coins.
Quote:
So no, hairlines are not wear but damage to a coin OK then, that leads me to this. If both PCGS and ANA say hairlines are acceptable in MS grades, and hairlines are caused by manually handling the coins and "rub" (wiping,cleaning), then why do so many graders here call hairlines and rub as disqualifying conditions for MS grades? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11880 Posts |
Not sure what other graders do, but hairlines are not wear, they are damage. Wear immediately places a coin from unc into circulated. Hairlines are damage, and the extent of the damage affects a coin's grade. Because hairlines are not wear, hairlined coins can be unc or circulated depending on the extent of hairlining.
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
18660 Posts |
i'd also like to add that what looks hairlines can be from die polishing which does not detail a coin nor reduce its grade. if the hairlines do not cross over the devices and are going basically in the same direction, you most likely have die polishing lines
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
The term "hairlines" is used loosely by many collectors, including when they are actually referring to "cleaning lines". True hairlines should not prevent a coin from grading MS.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
When I think of hairlines, I think of multiple scratches in the coin in a given area. It could be cleaning, scratches from it sliding in a drawer, or maybe it was in somebody's pocket. But maybe hairlines can be interpretted as die polish lines too? I am not sure what PCGS and the ANA grading standards define hairlines as. Either way I see hairlines as damage, as what numismatic student said. Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4680 Posts |
Agreed with the upthread. I'm guilty of using the term hairlines a little loosely. It ultimately depends on the hairlines. A small amount isolated to the highest points would not be considered wear and therefor will not necessarily knock it out of MS, these are true "hairlines". Very commonly caused by cabinet rub or album rub from the sliding plastic window. If the hairlines cover a larger area or cross into the mid relief points and fields, then it's likely from a cleaning or intentional alteration. If the damage is minimal then it would be UNC Details. IMO, if it's enough to remove the majority of original surfaces, or gives the effect of "wear", then AU Details for me.
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Replies: 7 / Views: 996 |
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Posted 10/06/2021 1:37 pm
