Graded MS68+ What's keeping it from a MS69?
bestday
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GC Item ID: 1523928
https://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/1523928/1879-S-Morgan-Silver-Dollar-PCGS-MS-68-CAC-Green
Cleanest Morgan I have seen
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there appear to be reed marks between the cap & M in unum
if so, why did it get a plus? tho visually it is highly appealing
The minor bit of stuff in obverse fields keep it held back from a 69 IMO. Absolutely incredible coin!
Obverse chatter. The 69s are ridiculously clean. I mean ridiculously.
Coin Photographer.
Scrape in front of Liberty’s eye, scrape to the right of “T” in United on reverse. This is a 68.
Here’s a 69 for comparison.
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Because it is not. it has to be so clean for a 69, heck the description tells you why.
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IF that’s the same coin, I’ve seen it. I think it was Martin Paul’s coin around 20 years ago. He handed it to Laura and me and said ‘what do you grade it’? said wow - 69? And that was despite the one tiny mark of notice to the left of the eagle [which is why I think it’s the same coin as he showed us].
One thing my mentor thought me is not all coins are made as 70s. Some coins start life as 64s or worse and go down from there. 70 isn’t just flawless, it’s perfectly made and flawless. Things like blinding luster, strike and perfect planchets go into that calculus. There are some headlight /liquid mercury luster Morgan’s out there which become the perfect standard. An 8/10 frost luster based example might have it start at 69 and then a couple of ticks take it down from there where a headlight might get the 69 with the same ticks since it started at 70.
It’s hard to grade ultra gems from photos but I always start how perfect the coin would if unblemished before adding up the blemishes. Also worth noting is that Obv ticks count more than rev ticks such as the frost brake in front of her eye, esp in focal areas.
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Most of the coins I collect are MS68, and I find that a pleasing grade, a fine example of the minter's art. The difference between a * or a + and the next step up is, like all grading, the opinion of the graders hopefully based in the history of how a particular coin or series has been graded. Like anything, human frailties sometimes get in the way. In any case you have a beautiful silver dollar, 68+ or 69.
Slight imperfections.
Just from the two pictures in the thread you can easily see why the OP coin mentioned is not an MS69.
That 69 is mind blowing.
Yeah. I don't even like it as a 68+
The 69 looks almost like a modern day proof. Insane looking Morgan.
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Here's the TV of my MS68 -- you can definitely see why the OP's posted coin (deservedly) earned the plus.
I broke up with a 10 once because I saw one black hair growing out of here big toe
Out of all the common date S mints I've seen in 68+, I think this one's my favorite:
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Why is the cheek so dark?
It could be the lighting.
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I’ve seen 67+ and 68 coins that I have liked better at a fraction of the price.
There is one of the most important lessons in collectibles in that statement in that the preservation grade does not always directly align with eye appeal. At the end of the day eye appeal tugs at the heart more than a numerical grade ever will
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Since we're talking about 69's, just wanted to know if any of you who have seen them think that ANY of the 10 1908 NM Saints given that grade are deserving of it ? I don't believe any have CAC'd.
Alot of the wells fargo coins are overgraded in my opinion, but I havent seen any of the 69s in hand. Looking at the coinfacts example, It does not look like a 69 to me.
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This was a more important situation than this coins grade!
So beautiful. It's a miracle of survival. That must have been hand plucked. I can't imagine that it would continue to be in that condition from a bag or even being dropped into a bin. I have a 68 which suits me just fine. Not as clean as that 69 that's for sure.
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There are tiny marks in the right obverse field, and there is an under the “T” in “UNITED” on the reverse.
You should hardly be able to see any defects on an MS-69 which is really an MS-70 for a Morgan Dollar since that grade is pretty much impossible for that coin.
1/2 point in grade ?
PS:
Nice.