Which one would you choose for your collection and why???

erwindoc · February 13, 2023 6:47PM

The 1885 nickel is a well known key and has a considerable price tag in any grade. Which would you choose and why? For bonus points guess the grades.

coinbuf · February 13, 2023 6:57PM

I like the top one for the sharper strike, but I'll guess the bottom one is graded higher as the eye appeal seems better.

may · February 13, 2023 6:59PM

I would choose 2 because of how uniform the surfaces are. IMO 63-64

Cougar1978 · February 13, 2023 7:04PM

Like the top one better.

fluffy155 · February 13, 2023 7:11PM

The 1st. Sharper strike and the luster looks better, and the (apparent) scratch on the 2nd one would bother me more than the uneven surfaces on the 1st.

Catbert · February 13, 2023 7:13PM

I like coin two’s apparent golden toning (if the TV is accurate). Coin one has better corn definition but the overall look of the coin is secondary to coin 2 from the pics.

pursuitofliberty · February 13, 2023 7:39PM

That would be a tough choice ... I THINK I would take the second one for some of the same reasons that @Catbert describes, but I would have to see each in hand.

The first coin is a little busier but is also hammered for an 1885, and even appears somewhat PL, where the second appears to have thick frost, is attractive overall, and still has a powerful strike.

Yep, tough choice.

erwindoc · February 13, 2023 7:49PM

To further confuse the situation, I will also say that BOTH coins are CAC. I have seen one of the coins in hand and the Trueview is represented very well by the images.

winesteven · February 13, 2023 8:56PM

I like the “cleaner fields” of #2, but I’m not a fan of yellow/golden toned Liberty Nickels.

Steve

ifthevamzarockin · February 13, 2023 9:27PM

I like #2 better.

keyman64 · February 13, 2023 9:29PM

1st one.

I copied the image URLs into another browser window and viewed the images full size.
The first one has a better strike.
The first one I was not too crazy about the obverse rim about 7-8 o'clock.
The second one I did not like the spot near the Y in Liberty. That would be a killer for me. I then see a small black dot on the nose. I also see a spot on the reverse on the V that I am not crazy about. The second one seems to have a bunch of hairlines, obv and rev, That said, it seems the coins were photographed a bit differently so the first one might have the same but hidden...no idea.

Spots and carbon spots are a no-go for me in most cases. They are always distractions that I do not like and they become everything I think about when viewing a coin.

AdamL · February 14, 2023 12:00AM

Bottom one is more attractive to my eye.

AdamL · February 14, 2023 12:00AM

Bottom one is more attractive to my eye.

zippcity · February 14, 2023 3:42AM

Going by the pics provided I would choose #2.

Indianlincoln · February 14, 2023 3:55AM

Second has much more eye appeal

batumi · February 14, 2023 4:34AM

I will guess MS-64 on both. The luster on the first one would make it my choice of the two.

gumby1234 · February 14, 2023 4:44AM

I'll guess 63 and 64 respectively.
I like coin 2 a little better. Looks cleaner and I like toning.

GaCoinGuy · February 14, 2023 4:54AM

I would choose the first one, mostly because I like the way the coin almost has a cameo effect (of course, that could just be the lighting). The second one just doesn't speak to me the way the first one does.

For grades, I would venture a 64 and 65 respectively.

dsessom · February 14, 2023 5:03AM

The bottom one. It's the cleanest 1885 business strike I have ever seen. No real distractions in the fields on either side, solid strike and smooth rims. I have seen it before and it's basically the Holy Grail for V nickel collectors like me. I believe the top one is a proof. It's nice as well, but worth considerably less and '85 proofs are more common. If it's not a proof, it's the most PL '85 I have seen, but I'd still take the bottom one.

BillJones · February 14, 2023 5:07AM

I would take the second one. The first one has many small tick marks which I find distracting. The second one has better eye appeal.

ricko · February 14, 2023 5:22AM

Based on the TruView's, I would choose the second coin. The image of Liberty on the first has a 'roughness' to it that I do not like... and the reverse fields are 'cloudy'.... Cheers, RickO

erwindoc · February 14, 2023 6:39AM

Most people felt the second coin is the better of the two. Both are CAC stickered. The top coin is MS66. The bottom coin is MS64 and is the coin in my collection. I am very happy with it but the MS66 coming up made me wonder about an upgrade.

davewesen · February 14, 2023 6:54AM

I like picture 2, not sure which I would like if both in hand.

privatecoin · February 14, 2023 6:56AM

I'd pick the bottom one.

keyman64 · February 14, 2023 7:07AM

A lot of people like the brighter photos and carbon spots. Interesting. I wonder how many people viewed the full sized images. I like brighter photos too and it would be interesting to see the first coin photographed in the style of the second. The second one also has a bunch of little hits on the V. And what about strike? I think people are choosing photo style over the coins themselves.

Broadstruck · February 14, 2023 7:08AM

I'd probably pass on both, as although I like the top way better it looks like it was dipped and not rinsed properly making it a non-long term ownership coin.

kirkmink · February 14, 2023 7:35AM

I would grade the top one as a 63 and the bottom a 65. The top one seems to have numerous small contacts in the fields that detracts from the eye appeal for me and would keep it from a higher grade IMO.

Now the bottom one, I disagree with it being a less-sharp strike as I think the lighting is washing out the details to some degree. With that said, it is probably contributing to the appearance of better luster and eye appeal as well. However, I do not see the chatter in the fields on this coin as I do with the first.

It would be a difficult choice without them in hand, but I would lean towards the 2nd coin.

These opinions are bases strictly upon the use of the mark one eyeball and did not involve any magnification or looking at larger images.

johnny9434 · February 14, 2023 8:06AM

@Ownerofawheatiehorde said:
I would choose 2 because of how uniform the surfaces are. IMO 63-64

ill go with this as well. both are nice as well

dsessom · February 14, 2023 9:03AM

@erwindoc said:
Most people felt the second coin is the better of the two. Both are CAC stickered. The top coin is MS66. The bottom coin is MS64 and is the coin in my collection. I am very happy with it but the MS66 coming up made me wonder about an upgrade.

Yes sir, you should absolutely upgrade, and sell me your current MS64 coin!

Walkerfan · February 14, 2023 9:55AM

I like number two on the bottom, because there is less disturbance in the fields.

Elcontador · February 14, 2023 11:31AM

This is a good exercise why you should buy the coin, not the holder / sticker. I don't like the first coin at all. I does look PL, but it has unattractive splotchy surfaces, which is not uncommon with high grade Liberty Nickels. On the first coin, in the lt obverse field, there appear to be distracting die polish lines.

DennisH · February 14, 2023 1:04PM

Some coins photograph better than others, and all photographers have better days than others, which may be factoring in here. I'm inclined toward #2, but seeing both in hand is a must.

Piano1 · February 14, 2023 1:10PM

My preference would be #1. I like the way the details "pop" out more distinctly and in my humble opinion,I like the eye-appeal a bit more than the more subdued #2.

Kove · February 14, 2023 1:15PM

Coin #2 is excellent for MS 64. I would keep it until a clearly superior upgrade comes along. Coin #1 is not that coin IMO.

NeophyteNumismatist · February 14, 2023 2:58PM

I prefer bachelorette #2.

Edit note: I guess I got all in the dating game V-day spirit and never said "why" (sorry). The fields look cleaner and to have less chatter. The toning is even, and there are no other toning spots on #2.

pcgscacgold · February 14, 2023 3:09PM

Spots in reverse of #1 would steer me to #2.

Catbert · February 14, 2023 7:15PM

@keyman64 said:
A lot of people like the brighter photos and carbon spots. Interesting. I wonder how many people viewed the full sized images. I like brighter photos too and it would be interesting to see the first coin photographed in the style of the second. The second one also has a bunch of little hits on the V. And what about strike? I think people are choosing photo style over the coins themselves.

I just don’t see these carbon spots for which you note as significant. I expanded the photo on my phone and, if they are there, I surely wouldn’t be able to see them with the coin in hand.