Lincoln collector's opinions of this 1955-S MS68RD

shylock

I noticed this grade rarity pop 1/0 offered in the upcoming Heritage LB, and was curious about Lincoln collector's opinions. Have any of you seen it in person or even owned it? Heritage scans are tough to read, but the obverse looks stunning. The reverse has a toning area they call "powder blue" but I always think of as early RB, and a minor fleck outside the right stalk. Is that light carbon within the stalk as well?

keithdagen

I think that I see some minor carbon in the stalk next to the lower S in States. Other than that, I believe you the rest is just shadowing, beyond the marks you mentioned.

andy007

There's also a fairly large sized carbon speck to the right of the right wheat stalk near the rim, but the coin looks incredibly clean, as far as judging from scans go.

wondercoin

The coin will garner much attention - heck I may buy it if I think it is going too cheap. But, I will tell you this - I can't even get my Lincolns in 67RD holders these days when I submit them with "powder blue" on the reverse. These days, my coins are said to have a trace of "haze" on them, precluding the 67RD grade. It isn't called "powder blue" when it is on my coins

I had dinner last month with the collector who claims to have slabbed that baby. That is a special date.

Wondercoin

shylock

Mitch -- you mean PCGS doesn't give bonus points for 'swirls of originality'?

wondercoin

"Mitch -- you mean PCGS doesn't give bonus points for 'swirls of originality'?"

Paul: I do not recall ever getting credit for a swirl. Unless my originality is dripping, forget it



Wondercoin

lazeroo

LOL!! thanx paul. stand back boys. I need this coin.


don't hurt yourself .

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

Paul - This coin sold in Teletrade in around 1992 for the unbelievable sum of $700. A group of us Lincoln collectors were bidding more for the date than the grade.To the best of my knowledge this was the first ms 68 red made!!!!!

It doesn"t look like much in the photograph.......but buyers today are more concerned what it says on the plastic

In 1992 Heritage would not even consider it for their auctions

I do not know anyone who has ever seen this coin including ME!!!!

Mitch - I promise I will let you outbid me!!!!!!!!!!!

Stewart

wondercoin

"Mitch - I promise I will let you outbid me!!!!!!!!!!!"

Stewart: No, I insist. You can owe me a favor


Wondercoin

braddick

It sold for $800.00 ten years ago.
What is your educated speculation of a closing price today?

LincolnCentMan

Gee... I dont know, I'm going to guess 10K.

David

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

Braddick - At least $8,000.............but it should break $ 10,000

Stewart

merz2

Shylock
I can only hope that coin looks better in person.Based on that pic,I can't see a MS68.I've seen better strikes on MS67's.

braddick

<< <i>Braddick - At least $8,000.............but it should break $ 10,000 Stewart >>



*Whew*!

That's a healthy price to pay for a price jump! Isn't the undergrade about $150.00 or so?
(I honestly wasn't aware.)

That's putting a lot of faith into your own ability to grade and PCGS's skills.

lazeroo

lol, this coin will sell somewere between 3500 and 4000$. 55-s is in demand but not that rare of a date. I have 2 coins I think are 68"s.

i'm sure the coin is going to have alot of attention .

i'm also going to try and buy the 35-p in 68. it's right now up for sale for 6700$. I consider this coin harder to find in 68rd than the 55-s.

but heck, what do I know .

rob.

IrishMike

In 20 years you can always send it back to PCGS, it wil be red brown by then. Nice coin but it doesn't blow my doors off.

Gerry

Bear with me and please consider this hypothetical game if you will ...

The PCGS pop on the 1955-S is 912 in MS66RD, 117 in MS67RD as well as the one in MS68RD.

Suppose we were able to collect all these 1030 coins in one place and disguise the labels (this might require reholding some of the coins that were in older holders) so they were indistinguishable and have them available for inspection.

I then ask four of the most knowledgeable Lincoln experts to independently examine the 1030 coins and have each one of them select the ONE that they think is the best of the lot. My choices for these examiners would be Stewart Blay, Andy Skrabalak, David Schweitz and Rick Montgomery. If you care to join them as a fifth examiner, it's OK with me. I'm trying to select the best Lincoln experts I know to judge these coins.

Now suppose that you could win a large prize (say $10,000) by guessing whether the 4 or 5 coins that the experts collectively select includes that one MS68! Which way would you guess - YES they did select it or NO they did not.

Let me suggest that if you say YES you are thinking that the MS68RD is really a standout coin and will be selected by at least one of the experts - if you say NO you are thinking that the one MS68RD is really not the best of the lot, but rather one that had a lucky day years ago at the grading service!

How would I vote? Probably NO, but in fairness I haven't seen the coin yet - imho, a scan is just not adequate to judge a coin at this level.

wondercoin

"collect all these 1030 coins in one place"

Don't put yourself out. One could simply gather up the (24) MS67RD 1955(s) coins I graded in the past 120-150 days under the most adverse grading conditions for copper in years (perhaps in the history of PCGS), add in the MS68RD piece and I would be surprised if the top experts selected the "right" MS68RD coin from among a mere 25 contestants!!

Wondercoin.

solid

Mitch, this is interesting...

Most would agree that you are an expert on the top-pop moderns, and by your own
statement you should be an expert on this particular date, having made 24 MS67's
in recent months.

As an expert, you have stated it would be surprising if other top experts could pick this
coin out as the MS68 coin amongst the 24 MS67's you made. You also state that you
might buy it if it's going too cheap.

Let's say you did buy the coin. You should be in a good position to determine if it's a
legitimate 68 coin. If so, great!

If in your opinion it is not a 68 coin, would you try to have it downgraded and eliminate
the pop 1 coin for this date? Or would there be pressure for you to sell it as is to a
customer?

Would your expert status, your "frequent customer" status at PCGS, and possibly having
multiple (dozens?) of MS67 examples as evidence of it's non-legitimacy have any sway
in getting the coin downgraded?

And what if they did downgrade it? Would PCGS use your purchase price in determining
a grade-guarantee refund? Would your (inventory?) of MS67's then instantly increase in
value as they are now top-pop coins?

BTW, I'm not really looking for answers to all these questions...I don't know beans about
Lincolns, and have no idea how many 68RD wheats there are. I'm assuming that this is
an important coin and it just made me wonder how a case like this might be handled...

wondercoin

Ken: Those are ALL excellent questions!!

First, let me mention that I am personally working on a project of 1955(s) Lincolns and have been for the greater part of this year. The theme of the project is simple - GRADE A COUPLE MS68 EXAMPLES, plain and simple. When I started the project, I advised several of my customers, who presently hold some of the finer Lincoln sets in the country, that I hope to deliver them a 1955(s) in PCGS-MS68RD sometime soon. As I mentioned, I have now graded (24) PCGS-MS67RD pieces with no success on obtaining the first MS68RD. But, as I also mentioned, it is the opinion of many that these have been some of the most difficult times in slab history to try to make high end copper coins (go read mnm's thread on the other board). Suffice it to say that one or two of my top MS67RD coins still have potential.

I truly hope the MS68RD coin is a super quality coin deserving of the grade. I have sold a handful of PCGS-MS68RD wheat Lincolns over the years and liked the coins. But, if the coin is "lower end" for the grade, it may have some appeal to me (at the right price) anyway in connection with my project. Of course, if the coin is the wrong grade in my personal opinion, I will not be the high bidder anyway, so there is little to talk about there.

Also, odds are someone I dealt with in the past or a forum member will win this coin at auction, so I will not further comment on the coin once I have actually seen it, unless I have great things to say about the coin. Wondercoin.

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

There are 912 1955 s Lincoln cents graded ms 66 red by PCGS

There are 117 1955 s Lincoln cents graded ms 67 red by PCGS

Is someone saying 1955 s Lincoln cents are rare ?

Maybe it is the "Blue Swirl" on the reverse that is rare ?

Is this thread about mental masturbation ? Hoping for a 68 ?

No !!!!!! It is about making money !!!!!!

Is PCGS going to buy this coin back if I don"t think it is a ms 68 by today's standards? ............ I don't think so

Everyone must realize .....Grading is subjective ......just like beauty

GOOD LUCK

Stewart

MastaHanky

<<Is this thread about mental masturbation ? Hoping for a 68 ?

No !!!!!! It is about making money !!!!!!>>

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

///BEST QUOTE EVER

(You weren't listening to Sammy Hagar at the time we're you?)

DAM

Touche Stewart! Subjective grading. My 65 is your 64, or 66.

Also, rarity can be be, and is, an over used description. Especially by those who are on the selling end and stand to gain from price escalation generated by hype.

Today's pop 1 can be tomorrow's pop 5. Especially when you're dealing with coins still found in rolls, and bags.