That Is One Ugly MS 66

Personally I really do not like any toning on any of my coins I own a 1921 5 cents in PCGS AU-55 (full blast white with super nice details) that looks a heck of a lot better than 90 to 95 percent of the ones in mint state. I would not up grade mine for any one having toning on it. That is my main reason for not going after the MS-67 example to be sold in the up coming Torex auction by C&P. I am NOT saying that the coin is not super nice but just not for me. I understand some like toning and I respect that. I love coins with ultra blast white looks. I would only make a exception for a ultra rare coin that only comes up say every 10 years other than that forget it I would pass.

It is the same case with the 1921 50 cents the only mint state that has real nice appeal is the ex Pittman example (Now graded MS-65 by ICCS without the pedigree) all others are just plain old ugly to me. The PCGS MS-67 is a dull looking coin. It was lucky to grade MS-67! It sold over 10 years ago for 400 000$ and probably is a 1$ million dollar coin now. I may be wrong there maybe 1 to 2 more out there I have never seen but the 3 I have seen only the Pittman is a real nice looking coin.

I think natural toning is what makes PM's so beautiful. Otherwise, they could just be minted from aluminum.

Scans on E-bay or as a matter of fact anywhere on the internet showing coins can be very deceiving. As an example, several years ago I won an I.C.C.S., 1934 dime, MS-64 on an internet auction (Torex). The coin displayed in the scan did not look all that "hot", as a matter of fact after I won the coin, I regretted placing the winning bid on it. But I placed the bid because of the KEY date that I desperately needed and felt I would not have another great opportunity again.
A week or so past and I received the coin, I wasn't expecting much as a result of my thoughts of what the coin looked like on the photos displayed at the auction.
When I received the coin from C & P , I was not expecting much as I opened the Expresspost envelope. When I held the coin in my hand, I was floored! It was a gorgeous "gold toned" with a soft sheen of luster around the peripherals. This coin is now a Pillar of my Collection and will come to the grave with Me!
So, until you have a coin in your hand, it's very hard to make an educated guess on it's true Beauty! After all, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", right Ugly!

Glenn

Ugly:

Yes congrats!!

Black can be beautiful too. I really like EF and AU Victorian large cents with that almost ebony black toning. That matte black colour brings the devices and relief to life.

How about deep burgundy:

That's a different matter, black on copper is a rich deep colour with gloss. I keep some just for that reason, especially pre confed tokens. The black on silver looks like someone forgot the cathode for a powder coat o_O .

That cent is a beaut Dialog.

I don't find the coin ugly at all. The reverse appears to have some blue/purple tone.
I would bet that in-hand, this coin looks much nicer than some of you may think. An 1858 20c of mine
is the same way: boring and dark around the rims in a scan, but with lively colors ranging from deep
orange to bright blue in the light.