Interesting tale of consistency

ms70

I have an 1878-CC Seated Lib Quarter that is beautiful- prooflike surfaces with rainbow toning around the rims on both sides. I bought it in a PCGS AU58 holder. I had the privilege of having two VERY reputable experts at a coin show check it out. Both covered the label and did not look at it until they were finished examining it. One said MS62/63, the other MS63/64 & offered me MS money for it right then and there! I liked the coin & declined, but chose to send it to NGC for crossover. I did not want it to cross unless it was going higher & misunderstood the form (first submission to NGC). Because of my mistake on the form, they crossed it into their holder, AU58. Damn. I figured what the heck, cracked it out & sent it raw to PCGS. I got the grade today - AU58. I'm SPECULATING that a mark on the obverse which is a die chip, is being taken for a large contact mark. Oh well. I thought the consistency was unusual though. It graded the same 2X at PCGS & 1X at NGC. Based on so many stories posted here about the consistency topic, I thought some might enjoy this short story! The pic is below showing it with the original tag, but believe me when I tell you, the toning is absolutely beautiful with rich rainbows! Much, much better than the pic!

MadMonk

I'm not able to view your picture, but on the classic stuff, your story does not suprise me.
AU58 is both of there "nervous" Grades. A lot of dealers consider that a lot of coins can fetch MS-62/63 money because of the eye appeal. I would say your case would remain the same, MS-63 money.
added: ok, I see it now. That's a sweet coin. Why have it re-slabbed if you can get the money anyway?
I hate trying to judge a coin from an image, but I would venture to say that there appears to be some circulation contact in the fields.

ms70

I wasn't trying for the money, the coin's a keeper! I just wanted to shoot for the number! I like the coin for the coin & the grade is secondary, but it still would have been nice to see it bumped up!

MadMonk

You know, you could try once a year for giggles, and see what happens. Look at the piece under a halogen light to see if there is any contact in the fields. You neve know, it could go 63 on the right day, it has happened. Either way, IMHO thats a VERY nice coin, one that any collector would love to own.

ms70

Thanks!

dorkkarl

why would you want to risk the holder saying "ms-60" or "ms-61"? au-58 on classic coins is a superior grade to either.

K S

MadMonk

<< <i>why would you want to risk the holder saying "ms-60" or "ms-61"? au-58 on classic coins is a superior grade to either.K S >>



I disagree!

Actually, there is a lot of meat in what Sir Dork is saying. I love the AU58 grade. Usually the eye appeal is far superior to lower MS grades. Especially contact marks.

ms70

Well..... We all have our "reasons" and manage our collections differently, BUT... the point here is the story of steady consistency within PCGS and NCG with the same coin!

eagle7

My guess is that the fields are full of tiny hairlines which are visible under pinpoint lighting and proper magnification. This down grades what is other wise a full luster coin to AU-58 status. NGC used to forget about hairlines and grade on luster only, but no more. Five years ago NGC would have put the coin in an NGC holder in the grade of MS62.

DCAMFranklin

MS70- That is a beautiful coin. You are right. It is a "keeper"!

SeattleSlammer

"I wasn't trying for the money, the coin's a keeper! I just wanted to shoot for the number! I like the coin for the coin & the grade is secondary, but it still would have been nice to see it bumped up!"

Huh? Doesn't your wanting to "shoot for the number" mean that in fact the coin grade ISN'T secondary to you...especially when you send it in multiple times?

Anyways, it is a beautiful coin and I'm really not trying to yank your chain....really.

anoldgoat

Not my series but is my weak point, grading. But what eagly7 said makes sense about why it grades AU58. It is still a beautiful coin and deffinately a keeper. By the way, did you pay AU for it?

mike

ms70

No, I paid slightly above that- Just as someone stated above the eye appeal can bring in bigger $$ which is what happened here. I liked it too much to pass up & bought it for higher $$! It was worth it to me. You know- one of those things you just gotta have!!

Seattle- If the grade mattered that much to me, I'd be cracking it out again in a month & sending it in. I never wanted it in an NGC slab unless it went higher. It was my fault for not understanding their "minimum grade" policy for crossover. (I do now!). It was more of an experiment than anything else since there's no intention of ever selling it. It went back to PCGS with my annual free submissions and will be staying in it's brandy new slab for as long as it's mine!