Grading Help on an 1893 Columbian Exposition Commemorative?

SarasotaFrank

This is one of four Columbian Exposition Commemoratives I picked up this weekend. This is the best of the four, but they are all very close to this condition. In particular, the Lat and long lines on the maps on the reverse are very clear, which I find most encouraging. While none of these boast brilliant luster, there is some nice toning on two of the others.

Please let me know what you think of possible grading.

Thanks!

gmarguli

AU50. Maybe XF45. Looks harshly cleaned.

wingedliberty

Nice AU50, cleaned a long time ago and retoned.

Frank: The Tampa coin show was good today. I picked up alot for my collection.
Watch the listings in CoinWorld/N.News.


Brian.

BigDipper

MS-63 - looks like a bad scan

BigDipper

Just my opinion, i think it's a bad scan. Doesn't look circulated to me.

SarasotaFrank

thanks for the update winged. Sorry I was unable to go, was up North. I should definately be going to Lakeland, however. Perhaps we can grab a cup of coffee.

darktone

XF- these are one of my favorite coins. mike

its4real

I posted one of these here and asked for opinions. It was heavily toned but looked uncirculated - all of the details were there.

Everyone said it was f, xf, or au53 or even good. I sent it in to PCGS - we will see.

I would say that if you think it will grade MS-60+ then send it in and take your chances.

Kejun99

XF , can't see any ribs on the jibsail at the stern, few at the bow.. slight wear on the globes,
on the obv., appears a little wear on hair above neck, brow, cheek.Could be because of the image size that I can't see them clearly..

dorkkarl

au-ish. is that a grey-scale digipic, or full color?

K S

UncleJoe

XF.

Joe.

BillJones

EF 40 or 45 depending upon the amount of luster that might not be showing between the letters. The coin was probably cleaned with baking soda years ago.

Don't feel badly. Most of the slabbed MS-60 though 63 coins are AUs. Really nice Columbians are scarcer that people think.

keets

cleaned by someone and done poorly. i have similar coins bought when i was, how should i say it, a little less informed. mine are devoid of all but the faintest luster, and though the detail is mint state the obverse is marred by hailined fields. your coin shows rub on the cheek below the eye and along the jawline on the obverse. the reverse is a bit harder for me to judge, but look at the sails. there's probably rub on the centers or at the points, like by the tip of the right sail close to the "TI" in exposition. as AU's or XF's they really aren't worthy of the slabbing fee unless you hold out for a freebie like a quarterly.

probably the best thing to do is what i've done. keep them and look at them often enough to learn from your mistake. mine are nice coins, one has some beautiful toning. i just got taken by a shyster who didn't even realize he was educating me!!! in that regard it was a good deal.

al h.

BillJones

Frank, I've got a couple of MS-63 Columbians in NGC or PCGS holders that I can sell to you for less than $100. Contact me if you are interested, I can send pictures and the rest of the particulars.

MICHAELDIXON

Extra Fine - All day long. And...I agree with the cleaning.

BillJones

Here's the Colombian from my collection (not one of the ones for sale). It has monster color. Believe it or not PCGS only gave this coin an MS-63 back in the conservative green label days.

keets

OK, Bill. you're gonna have to move this over to the BST forum!!!!! hehehehehehehehe!!!!!

al h.

BillJones

The MS-63 coins I have for sale are not as good as this. I'm "buried" into this one at $125.00 (I bought it back in 1994), but frankly I don't care. That's one of the reasons why I can't offer this one. I'd get about half my money back if you had to go by the slab grade.

keets

Bill

i have an 1893 that looks quite close to the toned scan with the exception that there's some rub just under the eye and a small spot on the hair below the ear. other than that and some weakness in the strike on the reverse it's a beautiful coin. do you think a short period in the open air would "color" those small rubbed areas? the only thing i can figure is that maybe it sat somewhere, like a drawer or a box, and that's where it slid every time it moved.

al h.

BillJones

I've got a 1795 half dime with a rub on the nose that is exactly the same way. The coin came for an English hoard that was brought in by "a little old lady." The dealer from whom I bought it tried and tried to get it into an MS-60 holder, but it always came back as AU-58. It's so nice and original that I would say it's easly worth MS-60 money.

michael

hi there i think the coin is an xf/au coin with neutral eye appeal not good but not bad either

if i were you and they were my coins
or put them into a sulfur envelope or in an older sulfur coin folder and have them retone nicely
then i think they would be more pleasing to the eye i think the coins have a good shot at toning nicely in the near future just view them occasionally and see how they are toning

sincerely michael

BillJones

I don't think that there is anything to retone here. If the picture is a true reflection of this coin, it's a dull gray, and it's pretty much going to stay that way or perhaps get darker.

darktone

BillJones- really nice toning on that columbian! If you ever consider selling it let me know. mike

michael

for me i think this columbian can be retoned naturally and successfully abet it will take a long time and will look okie

sincerely michael