Thoughts on a 72-S Seated Dollar

JRGeyer

Hello all, I recently acquired the coin below. I would like to get it encapsulated, but I would appreciate the opinions of some more discerning eyes before doing so.

ChrisH821

That obverse does not look original to me. I suspect it will come back with a details grade.

MFeld

@ChrisH821 said:
That obverse does not look original to me. I suspect it will come back with a details grade.

Agreed - the obverse looks cleaned.

Meltdown

Nice details though I agree with the cleaning. Unless you want it authenticated, I'd keep it raw... the heft, design and cool factor on those are better appreciated without the plastic tomb in my opinion.

JRGeyer

Thanks for the quick responses! I posted it up here because I had similar suspicions regarding the obverse but my local dealer, who is reputable, assured me otherwise. I mean it's not a bad looking coin, but I did not buy, nor was it sold as a details grade coin.

braddick

Many of these were somewhat gently cleaned with baking soda/water back in the 60s and 70s. This one appears to have suffered that fate.
Still a highly desirable coin.

Higashiyama

@JRGeyer: I agree it is a nice coin in spite of the cleaning. It's surprising that an experienced dealer would miss this, but it's possible that he was fooled by the absence of hairlines. It looks like it was cleaned with a mild pasty type cleaner, not too abrasively. That gives the obverse a somewhat too monotone look, as compared to the reverse, where there is some variegated toning.

rec78

Nice coin, I would be more worried about all the obverse pock marks than the cleaning. It is a scarcer date coin. Most circulated seated coins have been cleaned.

291fifth

Keep looking. If it has been cleaned as many suspect it is just another problem coin.

Walkerguy21D

Assuming that you already own it and can’t return it, there is no harm in getting it certified as genuine/details grade. Yes it’s a better date coin, and with all the fakes around, it may give you peace of mind and sale ability down the road.

Crusty

VF35/XF40 details... Extremely tough date in the series. If you can return it, I would... Trying to find a nice PQ example of this date is almost impossible and when found will go for multiple of what the price guides say. Good luck!

CalifornianKing

@ChrisH821 said:
That obverse does not look original to me. I suspect it will come back with a details grade.

I also agree. I don’t think it will straight grade. Best case ___ details obv cleaned or whizzed or smth.

JRGeyer

Appreciate the help!

Very valuable information for me when I look to purchase more LSD. I love the allure of finding raw coins and getting them slabbed but it just seems like it's extremely difficult to find non-problem coins in this set that have not been professionally graded.

ricko

@JRGeyer.... Welcome aboard.... When buying raw coins, one must be super careful and also knowledgeable about the series and grading. Good luck with your coin, if you submit it, let us know the results. Cheers, RickO

johnny9434

welcome to the forums. the obverse looks cleaned to me.

skier07

@JRGeyer said:
Appreciate the help!

Very valuable information for me when I look to purchase more LSD. I love the allure of finding raw coins and getting them slabbed but it just seems like it's extremely difficult to find non-problem coins in this set that have not been professionally graded.

Unless you’re an expert do yourself and wallet a favor, don’t buy expensive raw coins. Raw coins may not straight grade and they might be fake.

TomB

No experienced dealer "missed this" unless it was only looked at in the dark. The dealer misled you if the intent was to tell you it was an original-skin coin. However, if the dealer was hedging and suggesting it "could" get into a problem-free PCGS slab then that is believable.

The coin has been worked on, fairly thoroughly, in the past. I would be more cautious with the seller of this coin in the future.

savitale

Unless you know for a fact it has been in Grandpa’s collection since the 70’s, the chances of finding a raw seated dollar in that grade that hasn’t been cleaned or otherwise adulterated is about 100:1.

BustDMs

@JRGeyer said:
Thanks for the quick responses! I posted it up here because I had similar suspicions regarding the obverse but my local dealer, who is reputable, assured me otherwise. I mean it's not a bad looking coin, but I did not buy, nor was it sold as a details grade coin.

Sounds like you need a new dealer.

Buy only ready made certified coins if you are not 100% confident in your own ability to recognize original surfaces.

Avocet

The coin appears to have had some work -- I have the same experience...

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1054847/does-this-coin-appear-cleaned-a-new-member-to-the-forum#latest

Inspired70

1872-S are so difficult to find in original good form. They almost don't exist. Your's has historical significance, but I agree with many other comments here that it has been messed with in the past. Such a shame as seated liberty dollars are such as treasure and those that mess with them should be ashamed of their role in destroying history.

Overdate

I've been noticing on eBay that "details" graded Seated dollars are sometimes bringing 60% or more of the price of standard graded ones. I would get the coin graded for authenticity, I don't think grading will diminish its value even if it comes back with a details grade.

Walkerfan

Cleaned and polished.

Walkerguy21D

@savitale said:
Unless you know for a fact it has been in Grandpa’s collection since the 70’s, the chances of finding a raw seated dollar in that grade that hasn’t been cleaned or otherwise adulterated is about 100:1.

Probably true, and you likely have to go further back than the 70's to find them.
There may still be a few around, hiding in old 7070 albums....actually even this one likely was lightly wiped many years ago, but I'm guessing it's 'market acceptable'. But even market acceptable coins are hard to locate. Seated dollars were always the last coins found when I was helping guys build type sets years ago.

mannie gray

The 72-S has been cleaned and rather harshly so on the obverse.

Crypto

Look for layers of age, silver doesn’t mono tone after 150 years.

JRGeyer

Really appreciate everyone's input on this coin, I was able to exchange it out. Thanks again!

tradedollarnut

Hmmmm. Wasn’t there a series of deceptive LSD fakes that had a flaw in the shield?

ColonelJessup

@Higashiyama said:
@JRGeyer: I agree it is a nice coin in spite of the cleaning. It's surprising that an experienced dealer would miss this, but it's possible that he was fooled by the absence of hairlines. It looks like it was cleaned with a mild pasty type cleaner, not too abrasively. That gives the obverse a somewhat too monotone look, as compared to the reverse, where there is some variegated toning.

This nails it.