It's 2021, time for a poll.....this one on the ever popular AU58 grade

Goldbully

Which is most important in your mind's eye?

Walkerfan

I voted MS 60......that's assuming the coin has, at least, acceptable eye appeal.

ironmanl63

Depends on the coin. Some are extremely rare in MS. But for the majority of coins AU58+ Would be my choice.

CoinPhysicist

Last time I checked, 60 > 58. I agree with @Walkerfan. If the coin doesn't have eye appeal, then I wouldn't want it in either grade.

ironmanl63

I am assuming for this discussion the condition of the coin is irrelevant. I think the OP is more interested in just the grade. At least that is the way I took the question.

cameonut2011

I'd rather have a nice, eye appealing coin at a reasonable price. Too bad that wasn't a poll option.

From a market perspective, the sticker fans have destroyed the concept that a higher grade is better. Less is more in this crazy market. I'd rather have the 58+ CAC grade to hit all the bases - + everyman registry mania + CAC mania+ right plastic.

cameonut2011

@ironmanl63 said:
I am assuming for this discussion the condition of the coin is irrelevant. I think the OP is more interested in just the grade. At least that is the way I took the question.

Sadly in the current market it largely is.

jesbroken

I would feel that a PCGS AU58+ grade would be representative of a somewhat spectacular coin. After having an everyman's Buffalo Nickel collection at one time, most all of the AU58's were very nice coins and I had no + grades. Many 60 coins are dogs, if not all. CAC means very little to me, unless I was selling it as a flip, not very often occurs with me.
Jim

mirabela

Can't really answer without knowing what sort of a coin we're talking about. There are lots of attractive AU58's, plussed or CAC'ed or not, but not that many attractive MS60's ... and in lots of cases the nice 58 is the way more valuable coin (check out the 1907 $10 Indian that sold on GC the other night in PCGS 58 CAC!) but there are those cases where the legit Unc coin is much rarer than the AU so there's a big price jump, as in many earlier gold issues. So who knows ...

koynekwest

Most AU58+ coins will have superior eye appeal than MS60. I would think most MS60 coins would have negative eye appeal. I am not a fan of CAC.

rec78

Most MS60 coins that I have seen, look beat, but are still unc. But then, I don't remember seeing a lot of MS 60-61 coins. Most coins graded AU58 are very attractive with just very little wear. A lot of people collect AU 55-AU58 coins, But I don't recall anyone that collects MS60-61 or even MS62 coins, save for very rare dates.

david3142

The way I read the question the coin in all three cases is the same, the OP is asking about what grade/sticker you would rather attach to it. Therefore, the questions about eye appeal are moot.

I would pick whichever has the highest market value, and that’s going to be the AU58+ most of the time. In some cases, like an 1893-S or 1901 Morgan, there is a huge jump between AU 58 and MS60 and the latter would likely be priced higher.

oih82w8

How about a PCGS AU58 Gold CAC?

airplanenut

A 58+ should be as good or better than a straight 58 with a CAC. A 58 is more often a 63 or higher with rub. A 60 is almost always atrocious.

@Walkerfan said:
I voted MS 60......that's assuming the coin has, at least, acceptable eye appeal.

Unlikely. And compared to a 58, very highly unlikely. A 60 is an earned grade, and it’s not earned by being nice.

Eric_Babula

For enjoyment of the coin, I'd pick the AU-58. In my experience, MS-60 is the "butt-ugly" of MS coins in all cases. An AU-58 more closely resembles an MS-65 or better, but with slight wear somewhere. For inclusion in my collection, I'd want the AU-58 every time, whether raw or slabbed.

I don't care about CAC. I'm not buying and flipping.

So, if you want to send your AU-58s to me, I'm ok with that! Just PM me and I'll send my address to you.

lkeigwin

MS61 coins are very different from one series to the next. Morgans are dogs. But take a look at these bust half 61's.

I used to say give me the 58+. Those I had were spectacularly eye appealing (if sometimes dipped and toned-over for years), even if it doesn't CAC-sticker.

Today, in the series I collect, recent 58+'s are no longer eye appealing. They are about originality. Maybe as it should have been all along. I have to give it more thought.
Lance.

pursuitofliberty

I think the best situational plastic+grade of those three, at least for most of what I collect, would be the 58+

PCGS would be the strongest plastic, I would expect 58+ would almost certainly be a strong for the grade 58 with eye appeal.

Now, all that said, it still has to be about the coin.

Is it eye appealing to me?

ricko

I like the 58 category for many coins.... Clarifying that a bit, I like the 58 grade with what I consider attractive features. Having one slabbed with a green bean is trim on the cupcake....Cheers, RickO

pcgscacgold

I had the lone 58+ 45D Walker (have not checked pop reports to see if others have come along). When I sold it there was little bump for that but all the CAC Walkers that I sold did nicely. In Gold I will almost always take the CAC sticker over a +

coinkat

Sweeping generalizations do more numismatic harm than good... let's not loose site of the fact that the coin is the focal point-not the opinion contained on the plastic/sticker

CoinJunkie

Depends on the coin, its rarity in MS, its sticker population, whether I want it for a Registry set, what type of Registry set, etc.

Walkerfan

@airplanenut said:
A 58+ should be as good or better than a straight 58 with a CAC. A 58 is more often a 63 or higher with rub. A 60 is almost always atrocious.

@Walkerfan said:
I voted MS 60......that's assuming the coin has, at least, acceptable eye appeal.

Unlikely. And compared to a 58, very highly unlikely. A 60 is an earned grade, and it’s not earned by being nice.

I partially agree with you. It depends upon the series. I have seen some decent 60s.

Namvet69

I really need to have a coin in order to decide. Peace Roy

golden

I would take 58+. Did that surprise anyone?

TheMayor

It looks like 58+ is running away with it due to the "Everyman" premium that those seem to sell for. I suspect the answer would change, or at least be closer, if it were 65+ vs 65 CAC. That would be an interesting poll.

Rexford

MS60 is the closest to a details grade you can get without being a details grade.

TheMayor

@Rexford said:
MS60 is the closest to a details grade you can get without being a details grade.

Please keep it down.. you are going to hurt her feelings..