I bought a 31-S Lincoln, help me grade it

Geoman · February 7, 2003 1:42PM

Today, I bought a 1931-S Lincoln Cent from my local coin dealer. Not the highest-graded coin, but the price was right. Plus, it was what I could afford on my small budget. There wasn't a grade listed on it, and he didn't tell me a grade. I have my opinions, but am curious as to what you think. Sorry, I am terrible at pictures yet. And I know how you can't really get a proper grade from a picture. But humor me, and get me in the ballpark. Sorry, only picture of the obverse right now. Reverse is nice, shows full wheat stalks.

relayer · February 7, 2003 1:44PM

I'd say AU-50

coppercoins · February 7, 2003 1:48PM

Yep, that's on....AU50.

Geoman · February 7, 2003 2:06PM

Well, that's encouraging!!!

Again, I realize that you can not really grade a coin from a picture, but just wanted a general ballpark idea. The reason for asking is he charged me VF-20 money (ie: I bought it for $45) and I thought it may be a EF-40. Thanks!

dabugler · February 7, 2003 2:11PM

$45.00, I'm jealous.

clackamas · February 7, 2003 2:20PM

Cleaned XF45

dwood · February 7, 2003 2:28PM

Looks AU to me too...and I can't see any signs of cleaning. Hard to tell from the picture.

I'd say you did pretty well!

clackamas · February 7, 2003 2:38PM

>>>>and I can't see any signs of cleaning.

The color. Its a blatant Pumpkin.

Monstavet · February 7, 2003 2:45PM

I'm no expert, but the color raises my eyebrows, too. Still, for $45 it seems like a nice coin, especially for the date.

dwood · February 7, 2003 2:59PM

Could be...but I'll bet it doesn't look that orange in your hand. The INternet doesn't do color well (light source, photo itself, color balance of HIS monitor vs OUR'S). If its really that orange, yep, probably cleaned. If its a little darker, (which I suspect) could be legit.

Monstavet · February 7, 2003 3:05PM

Those are good points, David.

mnmcoin · February 7, 2003 3:29PM

Probably a EF-45.

mo <><

ksteelheader · February 7, 2003 7:51PM

AU 50 cleaned

BillJones · February 7, 2003 10:08PM

If the picture is showing the true color of this piece, it's been cleaned. The sharpness looks to be choice VF to me. These Lincolns were made before the hub wore out in later years. Mr. Lincoln had a lot more detail than this coin shows when he came off the dies in 1931.

Sorry to be the pessimist, but I call them as I see them.

Cam40 · February 7, 2003 10:22PM

Me too,but I,d question the authenticity of it being raw.It looks too clean and worn...smooth?.

Probably whizzed and TarnXed at one time which wasnt uncommon way back when.We,ve come a long way
in coin handling today I,ll tell ya.
Its really rare to find old coinage that hasnt had something done to it by someone at sometime.

KlectorKid · February 7, 2003 10:22PM

AU-50! Good coin

Great price

Ogden · February 7, 2003 10:22PM

Au55 net grade EF-40. My opinion also cleaned.

Ogden

coppercoins · February 7, 2003 10:25PM

<< <i>>>>>and I can't see any signs of cleaning.

The color. Its a blatant Pumpkin. >>

The color is because of the image. The apparent contrast and texture of the image shows that.

Cam40 · February 7, 2003 10:37PM

The pic may show an overly orange color but as frequent observers of all types of Lincolns one knows the signs of
any post-strike characteristics.Ie;we can spot cleaning/alterations most of the time.Being the coin is a scan only makes it harder to accuratly judge these things,some things can still be picked up.
The big one for me is.its not slabbed/authenticated.Those Key-Dates are tough coins and are often counterfieted.
Unless your confident on what to look for to authenticate it yourself then its best to have the experts look at it.
I hope its all real and it is an AU coin.It sure would be a real hum-dinger to own.

KlectorKid · February 7, 2003 10:44PM

I bet it really looks more like this.

rd5425 · February 7, 2003 11:25PM

I'm gonna have to go with Au-55 , looks like it has been cleaned, but for the price I think you got a good deal.

lincolnSence · February 7, 2003 11:44PM

Depending on the reverse I might go MS, but cleaned definately. Great price!

Geoman · February 7, 2003 11:55PM

Wow! I am happy with all the posts. I went to bed last night with only 4 being posted.

Thanks for all the input. I am just happy that no one said F-12 or VF-20. As for it being cleaned, I hope not. And I don't think so. But it was interested to hear why people think it is cleaned, as I am no expert at cleaning. It seems like a lot of it has to do with the color. I have to apoligize here, as I am terrible at taking pictures. The coin is a darker brown than posted. Even a little darker than KlectorKid shows. I'll have to work on the color. Thanks for all the input.

MosesBlack · February 8, 2003 12:22AM

Very nice VF-20

KlectorKid · February 8, 2003 12:56AM

<< <i>Thanks for all the input. I am just happy that no one said F-12 or VF-20 >>

Not anymore thnks to MB. I'm going to try the color altering agian. Is it like this?

Geoman · February 8, 2003 1:09AM

Thanks KlectorKid, that is pretty close. It isn't a dark chocolate brown, but just a nice medium brown.

Yep, MB thinks VF. That's okay, either way, I still am happy with the purchase.

Spinynorman · February 8, 2003 1:16AM

How about a picture of the reverse? My initial feeling was VF to EF, but can't tell for sure that what I think is wear showing in the picture is truly wear on the coin.

CapAnson · February 8, 2003 1:20AM

I can't tell if it's been cleaned or not by the lighting but if you paid VF money for it you got a good deal.. It's ef45/au50

Geoman · February 8, 2003 1:20AM

Okay, here is a pic of the reverse. Again, the color is way off; and I am terrible at talking pictures. I can't get close details either of the back. The wheat stalks are actually well defined, and not worn smooth like it looks in the picture. But my crappy, and bad camera skills, won't allow me to get any closer. Sorry.

clw54 · February 8, 2003 1:21AM

I have a PCGS VF35 cent in front of me and it has much more wear than this 1931-S. It's EF or better.

BillJones · February 8, 2003 2:12AM

The only caution I will give is that the grading services overgrade many circulated coins. If they are have changed the standards, so be it, but so far as ANA standards, the services have thrown them out the window. Dave Bowers referred to "gradeflation" in his Coin World column in early February. Maybe that frankness helped to get him pushed out of B&M.

Spinynorman · February 8, 2003 2:20AM

Here is the one from my album that I bought as a VF and have always thought it was. I thought I was seeing about the same obverse wear on yours.

baccaruda · February 8, 2003 2:50AM

geoman - don't mean to change the subject but as long as we have the lincoln collectors attention...

i bought a few lots of lincoln sets (BU wheats 1950-58, memorials 59-02) and noticed a great deal of differences in color. many have that very deep, dark copper color which i find very attractive though it's darker, some are a very light bright "orange" color which looks unnatural to me. i bought some jewelustre to dip a penny to find out what a cleaned one looks like (i know you don't use jewelustre for pennies). yes, it creates that same light unnatural orange color. now is it possible that some pennies are actually that hue but not dipped? if not, why would someone go through the trouble of cleaning a common date BU cent 1950-1970 when the coin is very low priced anyway?

coppercoins · February 8, 2003 7:00AM

Spinynorman - That's an EF if I've ever seen one. Nice coin, and really nice image

Spinynorman · February 8, 2003 7:12AM

Hey, Chuck. Well, I've been known to undergrade...

Getting into collecting Canadian and world coins probably hasn't helped any in grading US coins, either. I really thought there was too much wear above the ear and above the eye for it to make EF. Maybe I got it for VF because of the small scratch on the reverse...

I bought a 31-S Lincoln, help me grade it

Comments

Leave a Comment