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1895-S Morgan: What do you think?

AotearoaAotearoa Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭✭✭

Up for auction locally. I saw this coin in hand very briefly and thought it looked OK now I’m thinking it might be cleaned. Thoughts?


Smitten with DBLCs.

Comments

  • braddickbraddick Posts: 24,783 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Back in the 1960s it wasn't uncommon to gently clean these large coins with baking soda and water. It would often leave a soft gray/white look about the coin. The Morgan you are showing has this indication although it simply might be the photography.
    Neat coin regardless and many times these still straight grade today.

    peacockcoins

  • 7Jaguars7Jaguars Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Mild cleaned, got that "blondie" look..

    Love that Milled British (1830-1960)
    Well, just Love coins, period.
  • Morgan WhiteMorgan White Posts: 8,572 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Doesn't look cleaned to me.

  • coastaljerseyguycoastaljerseyguy Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Hard to tell from photo but looks a little white, but crust around devices, so might be photo. Maybe MS70 or some other mild cleaner. Might still be MA. F15?

  • TypekatTypekat Posts: 532 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It might have been cleaned at some time, but it’s a pretty decent looking circ coin.

    30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!

  • vplite99vplite99 Posts: 1,367 ✭✭✭✭✭

    light, old cleaning.

    Vplite99
  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 14,835 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The coin looks lightly (but not offensively) cleaned to me.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,816 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Hard to tell with any degree of certainty from the images... I would rather take a good look at the fields in hand.

    If you are assembling a raw set in a Dansco or Whitman book shelf album, that one seems to fit. If you are seeking to assemble a higher graded set and this is one you are planning to submit, you might wait or buy one already graded. The 95-s is tougher than most collectors think in the VF35 to AU range- especially for original examples. I see this one as a VF25 which is a reasonable grade for an album set.

    Good luck with the decision

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • Coins3675Coins3675 Posts: 291 ✭✭✭

    It has some light old cleaning.

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 35,749 ✭✭✭✭✭

    those are scans. they can make a coin look cleaned, but as we know, there's a lot of cleaned stuff out there and i'm not sure there has been a scan through here where it looked cleaned on the scan and later it was found to be so. (saying scanning doesn't change the lookof the skin like it does with no cleaning)

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,676 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably burnished.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • pcgsregistrycollectorpcgsregistrycollector Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Old cleaning. I think it would straight grade though if submitted. I would be proud to own this example.

    God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 35,749 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @pcgsregistrycollector said:
    Old cleaning. I think it would straight grade though if submitted. I would be proud to own this example.

    assuming it is cleaned, for how much?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,773 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 11, 2025 3:47PM

    @pcgsregistrycollector said:
    Old cleaning. I think it would straight grade though if submitted. I would be proud to own this example.

    Having some “details” slabs, I am not sure if this piece will get a straight grade. It seems like the grading services at getting more strict about this. It’s a bit too light to qualify. The look is unnatural.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • The_Dinosaur_ManThe_Dinosaur_Man Posts: 1,089 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree with the old cleaning. I don't think there is a 100% chance of a straight grade and would opt to keep it raw as an album piece.

    Custom album maker and numismatic photographer.
    Need a personalized album made? Design it on the website below and I'll build it for you.
    https://www.donahuenumismatics.com/.

  • pcgsregistrycollectorpcgsregistrycollector Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MsMorrisine said:

    @pcgsregistrycollector said:
    Old cleaning. I think it would straight grade though if submitted. I would be proud to own this example.

    assuming it is cleaned, for how much?

    350?

    God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️

  • AotearoaAotearoa Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks all. Good point about the pics actually being scans. That helps explain why the coin looks quite a lot better in hand. Anyway, my low-ball bid has been submitted. We'll see what happens....

    Smitten with DBLCs.

  • pcgsregistrycollectorpcgsregistrycollector Posts: 1,432 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Aotearoa said:
    Thanks all. Good point about the pics actually being scans. That helps explain why the coin looks quite a lot better in hand. Anyway, my low-ball bid has been submitted. We'll see what happens....

    Good luck!

    God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️

  • fluffy155fluffy155 Posts: 285 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 11, 2025 4:11PM

    There are a lot of coins with exactly this look in straight graded holders, it would probably be acceptable. But I think the crusty black halos around every element contrasted with the even light devices and fields give it an unnatural scrubbed look that I could never enjoy owning; I would pass.

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 35,749 ✭✭✭✭✭

    the halos are worrisome

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • AotearoaAotearoa Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The coin went for US$1150 (including juice). Far beyond what I bid…

    Smitten with DBLCs.

  • AotearoaAotearoa Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MsMorrisine said:
    the halos are worrisome

    Exactly my concern.

    Smitten with DBLCs.

  • AotearoaAotearoa Posts: 1,549 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 11, 2025 10:29PM

    @pcgsregistrycollector said:

    @MsMorrisine said:

    @pcgsregistrycollector said:
    Old cleaning. I think it would straight grade though if submitted. I would be proud to own this example.

    assuming it is cleaned, for how much?

    350?

    I would buy a bunch at that price!

    Smitten with DBLCs.

  • 7Jaguars7Jaguars Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow! that is a crazy price IMHO, and FWIW would step on and wait for a better one to come along as they will. I do like this date even if it is not "top of the heap".

    Love that Milled British (1830-1960)
    Well, just Love coins, period.
  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,765 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 12, 2025 7:35PM

    Pass

    Investor
  • WalkerfanWalkerfan Posts: 9,725 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A gentle, market acceptable, cleansing likely took place long ago.

    Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍

    My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):

    https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,817 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No CAC with that light cleaning.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • CryptoCrypto Posts: 3,867 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:
    No CAC with that light cleaning.

    Depends on the grade on the holder no? It’s a market B- VF20 but in a Fine (15) it’s a A- coin. Or a liberal D VF25.

    At those ranges the need for absolute originality isn’t absolute

  • coastaljerseyguycoastaljerseyguy Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sold for strong VF20/25 money. The wear looks VF but thought the old, light cleaning might warrant the F15 grade. Unless we're wrong and the scan isn't representative of the color and the patina is darker.

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 9,070 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 13, 2025 3:32PM

    I would not classify that coin as "cleaned" and I would have no objection to it being categorized as a natural "VF".
    I think the photo is overexposed somewhat (making the coin look lighter than it really is).
    Look at how light the shadows are to the right side of the obverse and reverse.

    A nice aspect of the coin is that it has no significant marks and no major rim bumps.
    .

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