1888-O Scarface Morgan

MrEureka

I recently picked one up from an earlier die state, with the crack only extending halfway from the rim to Miss Liberty’s head. What should I expect PCGS to call it?

Lakesammman

Hmmmm..... I'll bite - Scarface Morgan EDS?

ricko

I would be surprised if they gave it a name at all...since at that point it is just a die crack...However, I have extensive experience being wrong.... Cheers, RickO

mbogoman

They will call it Scarface EDS if you pay for the variety designation.

MrEureka

The die stages and estimated values are well explained here, starting at page 27:

http://www.ssdcvams.com/VAMview9.pdf

LanceNewmanOCC

.
from my understanding and experience, pcgs does not delineate between the various 10 states. all are simply 1B or simply, scarface. after checking the pops to verify, it seems there are only 2 options (for pcgs).

you may opt to send the coin(s) to @messydesk for a professional and very well respected and accepted designation/attribution with a nice big sticker on the back and anyone who knows anything about vams, will know right away it is good to go. may help you on the back end about any disputes about the die stage. sending coins to him is very similar to sending them to a top tpg. i have probably sent over 100 to him.

it will behoove you to do historic prices realized for these. since one of our members found one that went ms63 and sold for a wonderful, and at the time in-line selling price, they seem to have dropped 30% or so, which is a big hit. cac, good attribution and good selling channels will help considerably for getting retail price for this item, and a very tough decision to sell now or wait to see prices rebound. (ever the investors/sellers conundrum)

heritage and i think gc both accept the sticker fwiw.

here are some images of what you may expect to see on the back of your pcgs slab.

hope it helps.

johnny9434

@Lakesammman said:
Hmmmm..... I'll bite - Scarface Morgan EDS?

ill go along with this one as well

messydesk

I'm not sure if PCGS will use the word "Scarface" on the early die stages. They might put it a "Minor Variety" label on it and say EDS of VAM 1B and use the "V7184" spec number. Since you've looked at the VAMView publication, you know that there are 10 stages recognized by collectors (actually 11, since the initial die stage with no cracks was found a few years ago). The ones where the crack goes about half way to Liberty's head are not as desirable as the full Scarface, but they're still collected. It sounds like you probably have stage H-4 or H-5.

@LanceNewmanOCC said:
...
you may opt to send the coin(s) to @messydesk for a professional and very well respected and accepted designation/attribution with a nice big sticker on the back and anyone who knows anything about vams, will know right away it is good to go. may help you on the back end about any disputes about the die stage. sending coins to him is very similar to sending them to a top tpg. i have probably sent over 100 to him.

I approve of this idea.