Grading opinion

WACoinGuy

Although I've been collecting for several years, I only recently got the ANA grading book to help me tune my grading skills (I know, long overdue). Now that I've been giving my collection a second look, there's a few coins that I'd like to get someone else's opinion on, so I figured I'd post them here. Here's one that I'm not sure about -- I've heard 1912-D liberty nickels tend to have weaker strikes, so my question is, does this coin show wear, or is it just a weaker strike?

1912-D nickel

agfox

I'll vote weaker strike. Mostly because it seems to be only on the right side. But the surfaces look like they've been "worn".

And is that some nice doubling on the bottom of the date or are my eyes not playing nice today?

coinkat

Good question and I would say its a combination of a weak strike with some wear. I would grade the coin in the AU50-55 range tops. from the photo/scan, the coin looks lightly circulated and is lacking full lustre to warrant a higher grade.

WACoinGuy

Thanks for the opinions -- this is one of the coins in my collection that I didn't actually get from a dealer, so I don't have a "dealer grade" on it, but I was thinking AU-55 or MS-60 myself -- I just wasn't sure what constituted a weak strike vs. wear.

The doubling of the date doesn't actually appear on the coin itself -- I'm not sure why it's showing up on the scan I took. Maybe because the coin was in an airtight holder when I scanned it in?

ursabear

Hello Welcome to the boards!

Well, first of all, those are great pictures! Well done!

I think it is a combination of weak strike (exhibited by the edge details of the devices against the fields on the hair and branches), plus some moderate - but VERY smooth and gentle wear.

Nice coin! I like it!

Edited fer bad spellin'.

dwood

W A...

I'm with you. I think it's VERY VERY SLIGHTLY worn, and could go 60. The 1912-D is a weak strike, and I've seen MS62s that looked like an AU 50 in another date. Its really borderline, and tough tou tell over the Internet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it went MS60.

Good looking coin, whatever it grades!

Edited to add:

Looking again, especially at the reverse, I think it has to go MS. If there's any wear on the back, I'm not seeing it. One of the markers for me is the kernels in the ear of corn. If I see them well, its a good indication that the coin hasn't been circulated much, if any. I think you have a nice example there! Good luck!

longtimecollector

comparing it to a number of slabbed libs......... 50

dwood

longtime...are you looking at a 1912-D? I think the reverse on this one is pretty strong, but the obverse looks like the typical, weakly struck 12-D? How does the reverse look against your slab(s)? (I'd grab mine, but its a bit of trouble

coinguy1

WACoinGuy,

The coin appears to have wear and not just a weak strike. I say that because there seems to be obvious wear on the face, an area which would not typically be subject to problems with striking weakness. It looks to be a lower grade of AU.

coppercoins

I would have to see the luster pattern on the coin to be able to determine whether it has wear, and a scan just doesn't do it. Scans do a really good job of washing the luster out of a coin and making it look dull. The coin appears to be AU, but I can't tell that without a photograph of the coin.

dwood

On the obverse, I'm intrigued by the wear on the SouthEast stars, while the NorthWest stars show almost no wear at all. That is what leads me to think it is the weakness of the strike. Almost all of the Western stars look MS, while almost all of the Eastern stars look very worn.

And I do see the areas of "wear" on the head and hair, but again I'm wondering if it is the strike?

Finally! A good "grade it" thread in a pattern I collect! Thanks W A!

dwood

Wow...the more I look at it, the more I'm unsure. This would surely be one of those "UNC REVERSE!" listings on eBay

WACoinGuy

Glad you liked that one -- I'll have to take it in to my dealer and get his opinion on it (I wasn't planning to have it slabbed since it's not that valuable). If you liked that one, I have another liberty nickel that I'd like to get some other opinions on -- I'll post that one in a sec...