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 Replies: 23 / Views: 1,728 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
The 1889-O is an MS65? Oh dear, I think I'll keep watching my expert friends on the forum and get the book! I have Morgans that look better than that and I wouldn't even think that they would be in MS Condition. The weak strike O that I posted a couple of weeks ago looked nicer than this one TLS5933 and it had very little toning, not the obvious scratches and so forth. I'll just have to study up. Thanks for posting your coin Metalman. It's been yet another learning experience for us all. Thanks to everyone for their response to my questions and answering Metalman so that I could learn.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4589 Posts |
I was thinking ef-45 after I read all your opionions the obverse has been cleaned or wiped their are toned finger prints on the edge and the cheeck shows to much rub for au. I did think that untill I relly looked at it. Nice coin still
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
Checking in late, as usual, but better late than never. This time, I broke my own rule and read the responses since it appears to me that the obverse was cleaned (or the image was taken through plastic) and I was wondering if these points would be expanded upon later. Rick, cleaning aside, with that amount of circulation wear on the obverse and the number of detracting marks on Liberty's face and the obverse field (fingerprint included), the worn hair above Liberty's ear, together with the lack of much/most feathers on the Eagle's breast, I don't think it'll make AU. EF-40 is as high as I'll go with VF-35 more likely, even for a weak strike. I just noticed something: it looks like Liberty has been picking her nose. [:p]  I just compared it with some of my other Morgans and her nasal opening seems comparatively deeper.  As an aside, I really would like to ask the other graders to include reasons for your estimate of a grade. It isn't enough to state "AU-55" or "MS-63"; after all, this isn't a poll, but a discussion group and we need specific points to discuss. Fred |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
Thanks Morgan Fred. I for one need all the help I can get on grading Morgans. For different reasons perhaps, you are agreeing with my estimation of the grade (I think). On most coins I look at scratches and wear where appropriate to do so and this one just didn't match up. However, the 89-O from TLS5933 doesn't look like an MS65 to me either so I have a lot to learn.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7123 Posts |
Ok Fred,, so you think the coin is a VF something ,, I can accept that, I may not like it since I beleive the coin maybe a VAM, showing doubling on the stars mostly left side with a die crack from the second star below the E connecting to the E. This is also the coin which has the obvious reverse die cracks through the Dollar lettering. Thanks for the opinions !! Rick |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
Rick and Deb, over the past couple years, I've sorta adopted PCGS's extremely conservative grading standards which are easily the industry's toughest. I don't agree with PCGS's current policies since I believe it's more of a marketing strategy than a true by-the-book grade, viz. PCGS is trying to lower the curve on its Morgan population reports. Nevertheless, I'll make a mental grade, then drop it down one or two grades and come out about par with PCGS. I also go by overall appearance and attractiveness, something that PCGS says is a key factor when they grade a coin. Unfortunately, this is a VERY subjective and almost completely unquantifiable characteristic. I figure if a coin (i.e., Morgan) has a single or couple blemish which attracts the eye away from the rest of the coin (primarily the obverse), then PCGS is gonna downgrade it no matter how well-struck nor unblemished the rest of the coin might be. I don't think it's either right nor fair since coin grading should be much more exacting than PCGS's nebulous and undefinable standards, but that's the way grading life is these days.
Fred
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
Thank you Fred - understood.
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Forum Mom
 United States
5877 Posts |
Fred, you're right. I usually give reasons for my grades but didn't here.
I still see slight breast feather detail. The fact that I can see any detail at all makes me want to put the grade higher than EF since the 1921 breast feathers always look bad (at least in coins I have seen). Coupled with the fact that the only area in the hairlines that appear to show wear is above the ear, I came up with an AU50 grade.
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Replies: 23 / Views: 1,728 |
First Page
Posted 07/29/2006 7:40 pm
