My Turn At "Guess The Grade" With A Twist

M4Madness

Vote for what you think it should grade, not what PCGS graded it at

M4Madness

Thanks for the votes. Please keep them coming.

Luxor

Not enough luster remaining for an AU grade IMO.

lermish

@Luxor said:
Not enough luster remaining for an AU grade IMO.

+1

M4Madness

Here's a photo of the coin when it was still in the ANACS holder.

braddick

The reverse is often weakly struck.
I stated AU50- keeping in mind that is ten points away from mintstate.

fluffy155

I'd grade it AU50. I'm an early federal collector so maybe my standards are looser, but AU50 to me has always meant AU detail but without luster. PCGS seems to be much stricter on late 19th Century issues so I'd guess they graded it 45.

M4Madness

Looks like we're split about 50/50 on the votes, which doesn't ease my mind any. Lol

PCGS graded it AU50

My Carson City Morgan set is completely XF45 except for this coin. I cannot find an XF45 1884-CC anywhere, so I was thinking of cracking this one out and hoping it'd downgrade from 50 to 45.

I feel that it is right on the line between the two grades.

alaura22

@M4Madness said:
Looks like we're split about 50/50 on the votes, which doesn't ease my mind any. Lol

PCGS graded it AU50

My Carson City Morgan set is completely XF45 except for this coin. I cannot find an XF45 1884-CC anywhere, so I was thinking of cracking this one out and hoping it'd downgrade from 50 to 45.

There are 31 of them out there, I would just keep looking
I'll keep my eyes open too

M4Madness

@alaura22 said:
There are 31 of them out there, I would just keep looking
I'll keep my eyes open too

Thanks. My research shows that these don't show up on auction sites every year. Heritage shows numerous years between the ones sold there. I missed one there back in March, but at the time, my goal wasn't all XF45's and I was content with my AU50.

After I decided I wanted an XF45, I started watching all the auction sites and some of the coin websites I'd bought from before on a daily basis. For some reason, I'd missed a day or two, and as luck would have it, I missed the second one of the year when it had popped into inventory on a dealer's site and sold very quickly.

PeakRarities

I think there’s a decent chance of that coming back as a 45, and it would very likely sticker. PCGS has been tight lately, based on my observations.

Atcarroll

@M4Madness said:
Looks like we're split about 50/50 on the votes, which doesn't ease my mind any. Lol

PCGS graded it AU50

My Carson City Morgan set is completely XF45 except for this coin. I cannot find an XF45 1884-CC anywhere, so I was thinking of cracking this one out and hoping it'd downgrade from 50 to 45.

I feel that it is right on the line between the two grades.

Send it to CACG

M4Madness

@Atcarroll said:
Send it to CACG

I understand where you're coming from, buy I need it in a PCGS holder for my registry set.

Walkerfan

Looks more XF than AU.

oldabeintx

Is the coin different in appearance from your other coins or are you simply hung up on the grade? If the former, then sell it and continue your search. If the latter, probably do the same unless you enjoy spending money and time with an uncertain result. Time that could be spent finding a coin that fits your criteria.

M4Madness

@oldabeintx said:
Is the coin different in appearance from your other coins or are you simply hung up on the grade? If the former, then sell it and continue your search. If the latter, probably do the same unless you enjoy spending money and time with an uncertain result. Time that could be spent finding a coin that fits your criteria.

My entire set is the same grade (XF45) except for this one coin. Believe me, if I could find an 1884-CC Morgan in XF45 for sale, I'd jump right on it. PCGS population in this grade is 31, and years can pass between public sales of them.

I own that coin in both XF40 and AU50 holders, and both have lower populations than the XF45. I feel very fortunate to have found those, but still want my entire set to match grade wise.

oldabeintx

Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

PeakRarities

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

All he has to do is send in the OP coin, perhaps a couple times if necessary, until it comes back as a 45. It's a nice looking coin but not super strong as a 50, imo.

braddick

@PeakRarities said:

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

All he has to do is send in the OP coin, perhaps a couple times if necessary, until it comes back as a 45. It's a nice looking coin but not super strong as a 50, imo.

I'd speculate the OP could send this Morgan a half a dozen times over the course of a couple of years and not once would it be returned as an XF45.

PeakRarities

@braddick said:

@PeakRarities said:

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

All he has to do is send in the OP coin, perhaps a couple times if necessary, until it comes back as a 45. It's a nice looking coin but not super strong as a 50, imo.

I'd speculate the OP could send this Morgan a half a dozen times over the course of a couple of years and not once would it be returned as an XF45.

I'll take that action. Loser has to compensate the cost of the submissions? 😇

braddick

@PeakRarities said:

@braddick said:

@PeakRarities said:

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

All he has to do is send in the OP coin, perhaps a couple times if necessary, until it comes back as a 45. It's a nice looking coin but not super strong as a 50, imo.

I'd speculate the OP could send this Morgan a half a dozen times over the course of a couple of years and not once would it be returned as an XF45.

I'll take that action. Loser has to compensate the cost of the submissions? 😇

It's a speculation on my part.
But your answer did put me in my place.

PeakRarities

@braddick said:

@PeakRarities said:

@braddick said:

@PeakRarities said:

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

All he has to do is send in the OP coin, perhaps a couple times if necessary, until it comes back as a 45. It's a nice looking coin but not super strong as a 50, imo.

I'd speculate the OP could send this Morgan a half a dozen times over the course of a couple of years and not once would it be returned as an XF45.

I'll take that action. Loser has to compensate the cost of the submissions? 😇

It's a speculation on my part.
But your answer did put me in my place.

Lol, I'm just messing around. Though my "GTG" answer would have been 45, based on the TV. Based on the second phot, I probably would have said 50 or 53. If it sits on the line where I think it does, I predict that the coin would come back as a 45 at least 25% of the time. A quality video would be necessary to solidify my opinion and double down, however.

I actually have a similar experiement in the works that should be insightful for all of us. Sadly, there are no Morgans, but I would appreciate if the OP keeps us informed if he resubmits.

braddick

@PeakRarities said:

@braddick said:

@PeakRarities said:

@braddick said:

@PeakRarities said:

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

All he has to do is send in the OP coin, perhaps a couple times if necessary, until it comes back as a 45. It's a nice looking coin but not super strong as a 50, imo.

I'd speculate the OP could send this Morgan a half a dozen times over the course of a couple of years and not once would it be returned as an XF45.

I'll take that action. Loser has to compensate the cost of the submissions? 😇

It's a speculation on my part.
But your answer did put me in my place.

Lol, I'm just messing around. Though my "GTG" answer would have been 45, based on the TV. Based on the second phot, I probably would have said 50 or 53. If it sits on the line where I think it does, I predict that the coin would come back as a 45 at least 25% of the time. A quality video would be necessary to solidify my opinion and double down, however.

I actually have a similar experiement in the works that should be insightful for all of us. Sadly, there are no Morgans, but I would appreciate if the OP keeps us informed if he resubmits.

I enjoy and appreciate your tenacity and wish you success!

M4Madness

@oldabeintx said:
Seems like your best bet then would be to try to cross a coin that looks as close to your set as possible. Or find a raw coin. Find an NGC coin that grades higher, but appears XF and cross it with a 45 minimum, for example.

Here's an NGC AU50, but again, it's too close to call as well:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/116339502435

Here's a raw one that I personally think will fall short and grade XF40 (and which I fear may end up in a details holder):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/365157556921

Namvet69

I used my magic 8 ball on this one.

coinkat

I would be happy with it and move on. It looks original instead of some dipped out pos so it likely received the benefit of the doubt…that is if there was doubt.

clarkbar04

The more amazing thing is you found a circulated 84-CC.

oldabeintx

If I were doing an XF set, I wouldn’t want the subject coin in my set, based on the SECOND photo. If the TV is accurate, the first photo, then I would like it in such a set and would ignore the numeric grade on the plastic. Does a registry participant get points for matching grades or something? (I have plenty of my own collecting obsessions and eccentricities, so I’m not being at all critical.)

oldabeintx

BTW I like the raw coin’s overall look, you might discuss with L&C. But does look shy of 45. I don’t like the 50, based on the photo provided. I didn’t look it up on NGC.

M4Madness

The coin IS brighter than most of the others in the set. The TrueView is WAY darker than the coin in hand. The in-slab photo earlier in this thread gets close to how it actually looks, but I still think it looks even more shiny in person. ANACS straight graded it, and PCGS did as well when I crossed it over. Both gave it AU50. If it's been cleaned, it must be market acceptable in their eyes.

M4Madness

Here's my XF40:

I'D LOVE AN XF45 THAT LOOKS LIKE IT.

oldabeintx

I have to admit to a bias when it comes to the 50 grade. I my LIMITED experience, many seem sort of “washed out”. Same with 53.

Copperindian

As it’s the only 50 in your set, why not wait? I agree with others, though, that targeting a NGC50 when one comes along might be a better idea. PCGS may end up keeping this a 50 several times over.

BillJones

The coin has a lot of dull luster remaining, but it has no “pizzaz.” I would guess that this was lightly cleaned with fine baking soda many years ago. It killed the strong luster, leaving the dull luster you see now.

As such, I can't give it an AU grade. This is an unnatural look.

allnewsanchor

I voted the AU, but if you gave me a 3rd choice of AU Details, I would have chosen that. Muchisimo hairlines on the obverse.

coinkat

Seems the real takeaway is coin photography… and how difficult it is to really handicap what the coin looks like in hand based on an image… or multiple images.