1939-S Lincoln Cent

What kind of soup is that? I love cream of broccoli!

Very nice! Obverse pic is a bit blurry toward the top, but it looks as good as some legitimately (PCGS, NGS, IGC, ANACS) certified M67s I've seen on ebay lately that could be viewed at comparable magnification.

Flaws tend to be a lot more noticeable at high magnification.

If the blurriness and camera angle aren't hiding some noticeable marks, I'd say it just makes MS67 by Sheldon / ANA standards and the letter of PCGS standards (though they might go lower in practice), on the strength of a great strike, exceptional luster, and overall appeal.

Note the PCGS MS66 piece with noticeably heavier marks and a less "clean" strike posted in a reply to my thread. This piece clearly looks like it merits a better grade, based on the above pics, at least if that line between the cheek and ear is not a scratch.

But I'd have to see other angles to make a more confident call.

Looks like a lock for a 65RD and would probably go 66.

Easy 65RD with a shot at 66....but it may fall short. Here's a shot of my 39-D NGC MS-66 for you to compare with. However, I have to say I was robbed by NGC, IMO my coin is an easy 67 when I compare it to all the 66's and 67's I've seen.

I think you was robbed, too, Bad Thad, based on what I've been seeing of "big 4" graded Lincolns on ebay. Probably the collar marks sunk it, but even those should be hardly detectable to the naked eye.

I'd bet this 1939S looks just about flawless to the naked eye.

Have you sent in other older high MS Lincolns to the TPGs, BadThad?

Wow, that's a nice one, too, BadThad!

Sort of red/brown, but I find the multi-colored toning quite attractive. Very interesting.

Apologies for hijacking the thread... back to our scheduled programming ... this 1939s should go within one number of BadThad's piece.