GTG - 1889-CC Morgan Dollar Circulated (with a twist) [Revealed]
brocmitchell
Posts: 96 ✭✭✭
Two PCGS TrueViews, both 1889-CC and straight graded. Would you like to guess the grade for each and state which one you think you'd like best? I own one of the two but won't disclose that until after the exercise. Thank you!
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Comments
Look like nice VF. I like the bottom one.
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Cool example of how different coins of the same grade can look.
I would say VF 30 on both. The top coin has the look I usually prefer but the face crater would make me lean toward the latter in this case.
Some of the toned TV pics are pretty spectacular looking, but in reality the coin's toning is boring and lifeless in hand - I'll go with the first one as a nice original circulated coin
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I guess the top is VF30 and bottom is VF25. I like the top one.
30, 35.
I'm going with 25 for the top and 30 for the bottom. They are equal as to wear IMHO. The distracting dig on the cheek brings the top 1 down but I still like it best!
30 and 35. I could never get past the dig on the cheek on the top one.
I thought VF for both also. I like the bottom one better mainly because of the huge divot on Liberty’s cheek on the top one
Mr_Spud
25 and 30.
Thank you everyone for the responses thus far! I'll give a chance for the morning crowd to weigh in and reveal the grades later in the day tomorrow.
Nice old CC Morgans.... The bottom coin has my vote due to detail and lack of the dig on Liberty's jaw. They appear to be VF.... Cheers, RickO
I'm also in the 25 and 30 camp. Like the color of the first.
Thank you everyone for your responses. It seems I am not crazy after all (at least when it comes to estimating coin grades).
Coin 1 is from PCGS Coin Facts and grades VF-30 which I can see and agree with. If nothing, I might want to see it in a VF-25 holder due to the flatness around Liberty's eye and brow, maybe a discount for the mark on the cheek, but VF-30 is passable.
Coin 2 is my coin recently graded by PCGS as VF20. I was in shock to receive such a grade, It was in an older NGC holder (mid-late 90's) graded VF25. I thought it was worthy of VF30 grade and I like TrueViews no matter how over-glamours they often are, the the only real reason I cracked it and resubmitted to PCGS was because the NGC holder had two sizable cracks in it. It seems at the very least, the original VF25 was warranted but given the roundness about Liberty's brow, the roundness of the eagle's chest, along with all of the corresponding detail, I thought VF30 would be in this coin's future.
As was mentioned, the coin doesn't look in hand immediately like it does in the TV, you've got to shine copious amounts of light and get the correct angle for that look. But it does have a lustrous appearance rather than the wholly flat appearance of the comparison coin. I'm left wondering what could have brought this coin down to the VF20 level. I've already shipped it to CAC to see if it passes muster there. If not, I'll have to write this off as a learning experience. Otherwise if it at least gets a green bean I'll be doing alright.
The only thing left now is a curiosity from the CAC perspective, is when does a circulated coin get a Gold sticker? I have looked for the answer unsuccessfully. Would a VF20 need to be a top-notch XF40 to get gold, or would VF20-VF30 do it? Given my lack of success so far on this coin, I'm inclined not to hold my breath for a green, much less gold, for this poor lady.
I can post an update when the results for CAC are in. Thank you again for the insights of those who have posted!
Wow! Certainly a compelling argument as it looks like a 30! Still, my gut tells me there is something in the second coin that is not reflected by the pic. And if that is the case, CAC will not sticker it, no matter what, IMO. But if it is original, I would think it would get a gold sticker. I simply cannot say without an in-hand viewing. First coin looks like a solid vf and CACable.
Tom
What is going on near 9 o'clock obverse rim of the 2nd coin? Planchet flaw or rim mark?
The obverse lower cotton leaves and eagle's wing on the left, for both coins, more closely matches the PCGS Photograde for VF-20 rather than VF-30.
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Now that is an interesting comparison. I've been back & forth with my reply. At first I thought they got it wrong and your coin deserved a higher grade. Now I can see how it does meet some criteria for VF20 - split the difference with 25? I wonder just how many graders looked at it and wrestled with the same merit.
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on wear, the bottom coin is equivalent to the top one. However, the bottom one does seem to have some minor rim damage on the obverse and reverse. That toning also looks a bit burned. I really don't see anything demanding an upgrade.