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 Replies: 5 / Views: 928 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3644 Posts |
This proof-only date coin is from a partial 1878 proof set that I acquired way back in the day. The rest of the coins were sold some time back. When I bought them, the coins had not been stored in ideal conditions, though they have lived lives of comfort since then.  Frankly, I forgot I had these. I'm concerned about the obverse and reverse carbon spots on this one. I'd welcome all thoughts and opinions. I have additional detailed photos, if needed. Thanks!   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11884 Posts |
PR65. I don't think the carbon spots affect the grade but do affect the eye appeal and value.
IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: " It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." My coin website: https://fairfaxcoins.com |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3644 Posts |
 The carbon spots are in bad locations, too. There are quite a few beautiful examples of this date, and this definitely isn't one of them. The proofs from this era have taken a beating on the market recently, too. There just aren't that many collectors looking for the proofs. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
Can't visualize any contact marks or hairlines on this coin. But I would estimate at MS-64 or 65.
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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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
18663 Posts |
FC are these scans? the reason I ask is that these are really tough to determine surfaces and what the coin actually looks like in hand. NS is correct about the carbon spots. I have a few coins graded by PCGS that have a couple small carbon spots and still pulled a 65. I'm thinking so long as they are not all over the coin which would reduce eye appeal they overlook them.
without seeing the actual surfaces PF64 or 65. I'm leaning 64 only because of the weak leaves on the upper 1/4 of the obv
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3644 Posts |
These aren't scans. They are USB scope photos, using indirect lighting. The surface is milky, with a film of some type in areas. There is luster, but it is subdued. The devices have some frost, especially on the reverse, but nowhere near enough to have a discussion about a CAM. The obverse has a bit of golden toning, but the reverse is gray and lifeless. They were stored in a leather coin purse for probably close to 100 years. The coins apparently had been wrapped in cotton, but not well enough to keep them from the effects of the tanned leather. The Twenty Cent from this set was a beauty, though. These three are essentially freebies, because the entire deal was about flipping the Twenty Cent. I agree. They will take a hard knock on value. |
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Replies: 5 / Views: 928 |
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Posted 04/12/2025 12:01 pm
