What are the KEY points for grading Morgans's??

AtcBob

Okay folks, it's time for Saturday morning classroom stuff.

What are the KEY points when grading Morgans? What are deficit area's to look for? What are the positive's to look for?

ccr

Here`s a link that will be of help. On the obverse, the spots to look for is the tip of the cap. The spot of hair above the ear and hairline. The amount of chatter in the fields and on the neck ( fewer the better on AU and MS especially ).

morgan dollars side by side grading

pandaman

For circulated Morgans, check the "high points" for wear...the hair esp above ear, cap, cheek & neck on obverse & eagle (esp. breast & leg feathers) on reverse. Check rims & fields. Fewer marks the better. Bag marks not so bad & are expected, but if get into gashes & digs, grade & value dramatically effected. Avoid!! There are too many morgans to waste time on "damaged" coins.

For uncirculated (Mint State). Can be VERY subjective. There, of course, should be no "wear". So strike, clear fields (bag marks) & eye appeal are all important. Strike is best determined by hair (esp above ear-often flat) & breast feathers. "P" morgans tend to have stronger strikes than other Mint marks esp "O". The coin (esp the fields & high points) should be as clear as possible. The fewer the bag marks the better. (Even though never circulated, coins have had to exist in bags w/ other coins). Appeal is most subjective. Some like bright white coins, some like toning. Is it PROOF or Proof Like? (Reflective, mirrored fields). Does coin have glowing luster called cartwheeling. (rotate coin & see if has hourglass shaped glow that moves -cartwheels- as you move coin). Many people like that. Some could care less...hence subjectivity!! Toning is a natural discoloration of coin. Often golden, air has effect on coins. Once again, some love tone some don't. You can send same coin to five different grading companies & get five different grades & they are "experts"!!! Look at certified coins you are selling & try to see what makes one morgan better than another. Compare MS63 to MS65. Good Luck

FC57Coins

Like everything else, experience in grading coins and looking at lots of them - especially if you're going to grade MS coins is probably the best experience you'll get with Morgans. There are a lot of range even within one grade that you have to become accustomed to reading. There's also eye appeal - and let's not forget toning. Although technically it shouldn't come into the picture, I see a lot of slabbed coins that get pooched a grade higher because of unbelievable toning. And of course figuring out fair prices for these is then a nightmare!

Frank