Opinion on the seated quarter

Draco

I recently picked this up and it's my first seated quarter. Could this be a proof or just a well cleaned MS? I have no idea what proof quarters looked like during this time period so if someone has a good picture, I'd love to see one. I suppose that since I'd like to submit this to PCGS, does anyone think it will be bodybagged?

hookedoncoins

Looks proof to me. It looks like it will be lower grade though. Looks like there is some hits and mabey hairlines in the fields.

-Jarrett Roberts

CalGold

The surfaces in the scan do not look deeply mirrored but its hard to tell from a scan. The coin seems to have contact marks, including marks on the rims, but again its hard to tell. Of course a carelessly handled proof can have contact marks, but there should be very few.

Deep mirror proof like coins can be difficult to differentiate from proofs. Some things to look for are whether the flat surfaces between the shield verticle lines are mirrored, and whther the reeded edges are sharp and square and the area between the reeds are mirrored.

CG

Draco

Yes, the surfaces are mirrored, but nothing compared to todays camoes which is what confuses me. The entire coin is somewhat mirrored (meaning that I can make out a reflection, but it's nothing you could floss your teeth in). I really need to find one good CAM or DCAM picture.

Placid

Probably bodybag for cleaning.

1861 PR63

FC57Coins

Very nice piece - I'd send it to ANACS and see what they say about it.

Frank

BigD5

Looks to be a decent prooflike example. Tough to tell from the scan on an exact grade, but depending on hairlines and such that don't come out in the scan, the coin looks ms/61-63. The strike looks excellent. Let us know if you decide to slab it and how it turns out.
What do you think the coin grades?

stman

<< <i> suppose that since I'd like to submit this to PCGS, does anyone think it will be bodybagged? >>



Yes I do. I can see what appears to be cleaning on the coin. And I'm sure what I can't see is worse. Sorry

Draco

It will be submitted and I hope it won't be bagged, but I'll take the chance.

I'll post the results when I have them. Thanks all for your comments.

Draco

Oh. . .stman, the mark you can see on the obverse looks much worse in that scan than it really is (not even sure what it is). The coin does, however, have lots of marks and nicks. If it does grade, I expect it to come back MS62.

stman

<< <i>Oh. . .stman, the mark you can see on the obverse looks much worse in that scan than it really is (not even sure what it is). >>



Yes, I understand things will look worse from an image sometimes. And sometimes you can see something on a scan you never noticed on the coin.

But it clearly looks like it has been cleaned, wiped or something like that. Good luck on it and let us know.

Trime

I think it is a proof also. If not bagged for cleaning I would have thought PR61

Gemini

Not a bad looking coin attractive...
Some Seated Liberty coins do come with nicely mirrored surfaces and some even with cameos which greatly resemble a proof.
I do think this is a businsess strike though.
I have never submitted a coin for grading so I can't advise you there but I really don't see any reason why this coin couldn't be graded.

Cowbilly

Here's a proof.

Morgan Proof .25 Thread

Catch22

Looks like a proof example to me. You might check out the rims and see if they are nicely squared off. If so, it's likely a proof. Hard to tell from a scan, but I don't think it has been cleaned. I'd guess a 63. Either way, I wouldn't be able to resist sending it in for authentication and grading. PCGS would be my first choice with this particular coin.

Of the 1000 proof issues of that date, 600 were melted. There were well over 70 dies used for this date and they tend to be well struck. Numerous variaties exist, few are particularly rare.
This, according to Larry Briggs, in his book on Seated Quarters.

Dog97

The dark rings around the left stars make me think chemically cleaned and the spot by the date that looks like somebody used a pencil eraser to remove a spot. It also looks pitted between the right stars & Liberty's foot like maybe it had pvc one time. The slick spots on Liberty's leg and on the high points of the eagle makes me thin the numerical grade would be no higher than AU55/58.
Good luck & keep us posted.

MrKelso

What kind of cleaning would cause all that chatter on the fields?

Dog97

Contact with other coins during minting or in circulation.

redhott

Altered surfaces body bag, perhaps whizzed.

Draco

Thanks for the comments. . .I'll let everyone know how it does.

sinin1

looks like a wipe by the date anyway, probably enough for PCGS to bodybag. Good luck though and it is an awfully nice coin !

lathmach

This is not a proof. Early strikes off a die produce prooflike coins.
This is struck from type 2 obverse and type 2 reverse style dies as is the proof though.
There was only one die marriage used for striking proofs in 1861. The date is located farther to the left in relation to the verticle shield lines.
Compare your coin with the proof coin placid has a hyperlink to and you'll see the difference.

Ray