Check out these two Morgans I just picked up

Proof69Eagles

Two solid coins that I just picked up today, going to the slab!!!!

Proof69Eagles

Sorry, here are some bigger pics

FC57Coins

nice coins!

dollardude

Welcome to the boards. I'm a Morgan fanatic, and just had to check this out. Very nice!

One small suggestion: I wouldn't get the first one slabbed, as it would cost you more to slab it than it is worth. Just a friendly suggestion.

nankraut

Hard to tell from the photos. depends on what you paid. The first one looks like it may have been cleaned?

darktone

Sorry to sound mean but the first one has been cleaned. The picture on the second one is not good enough to tell much. mike

dollardude

I was trying to be tactful to you in my earlier post. I was trying not to burst your bubble too hard in telling you it has been cleaned, and PCGS will bodybag it anyway. BTW, the second one would probably grade MS64 or so. The second one is worth it ($50-$100 coin in a PCGS MS64 slab -- otherwise a $25-$50 coin), and is a very nice coin.

coinbuf

Dollardude what in the picture tells you it's cleaned?

Chris

fullerfun4

xlnt

dollardude

<< Dollardude what in the picture tells you it's cleaned?

Chris >>

Chris,

I guess this is from experience. The luster appears dull. This is normally due to a cleaning. Also, it just doesn't look natural for an AU coin. Look how lustrous the 87 is compared to the 89. Again, this is from a lot of experience.

Dan

coinbuf

Thanks Dan I was thinking along those lines but not knowing the series very well I was wondering if I was missing something.

Chris

Morgans767

the first one isnt worth sending, it looks to be au55 from my experience. also there is the possibility its cleaned as well. I have bought morgans like that and they were returned strait to the seller. the 2nd one is ok, probably choice

Proof69Eagles

Thanks for all of you guys input. I haven't received these yet, but as soon as I do, I will be able to tell for sure if the 1889 was cleaned or not. The ebay seller has 100% feedback with over 755 positives and no negatives, plus according to his sales he only deals with coins and was listed as uncirculated. I am not gonna bodybag it just yet.

Couldn't it very well be the lighting on the pic? Also could be a DMPL????? I didn't buy it counting on it being a DMPL but that is what it looked like it could have been. I got it for $18.00 so not much at risk.

The 1887 was sold as MS64 or better, from another 100% feedback member as well. I paid a little more for it, but think I paid a good price for it. I will let you guys know when I get them in.

Thanks alot.

BAJJERFAN

How can you tell anything about the luster of the 1887 from THAT picture?

Morgans767

dealers often overgrade by 1 or even 2 grades. I can't tell you how many times I bought ms64+++ coins listed on ebay only to be displeased and return them to seller or resell for small loss. Many of them are ms63, some are even ms62. Not too many are really ms64 and ill be darn impressed if even one goes ms65 when I send my morgans to PCGS once I have the money. Its hard to tell from pictures too, many dmpl coins are actually cleaned. small bagmarks are invisable in the picture too. I bought one morgan thinking its a gem, looked gem in the pic. when I got the coin there were tons of tiny hairlines. probably cleaned and slider

poorguy

Ok. In-depth analysis of Coin Numero Uno.

Here's what a dmpl coin looks like.

1. Notice the contrast between liberty and the dark (mirrored) fields. This is called Cameo. 95% of all dmpl coins have at least some cameo contrast to them.



2. Here's your coin. Notice how there is no frost anywhere on the coin? That's a tell-tale sign of cleaning. Also, notice how the eagle's breast feathers are completely worn down and there is circulation wear on the coin, yet it is still full of "shine"? That's also a tell-tale sign of cleaning. The circulation wear I am referring to is the area to the left of miss liberty. Notice how that flat area is "darker" up until it reaches to just about where the stars are? Then it gets a little lighter by the stars and near the rim because there are raised areas, i.e. the denticles and the stars, "protecting" the frost from being rubbed off as much as it was from the portriat area and the unprotected fields around it. That is from circulation wear. Now whenever you see a coin with circulation wear and it is shiny. It has been cleaned.

It is not a DMPL coin becasuse:

a. The coin has been cleaned and is at most AU. I believe it is more in the range of XF. Only MS coins are designated DMPL.

b. There is no cameo contrast. All dmpl coins have some degree of cameo contrast.





In-depth analysis of Coin Number Two.

First of all, let me fix these horrible pictures. Here we go.



Ok, the obverse has nice frosting with a few breaks on the hat, hair, face, and fields. The cheek area bothers me because it is hidden in shadow. I can still make out some play on the cheek and maybe a moderate rim ding on the left part of the cheek. Still, it's a nice original surface that hasn't been cleaned or manipulated in my eyes. The hair above the ear is a key point to look at when deciding if the coin has been fully struck. It seems to me that this coin was not fully struck. The eagle's breast feathers on the reverse can tell us more about striking fullness.

The reverse has a couple of frost breaks in the fields but nothing too serious and a soft strike is evident by the feathers on the eagle's breast. See how they don't have much detail. But, the Philly mint was varied in their striking pressures generating both fully struck specimens and weakly struck specimens.

Overall, the second coin would grade average uncirculated. About MS62-MS63. MS64 could be attained if there aren't any heavy marks in the shadowed area of the cheek.

-Thats my humble analysis of your coins.
-Brandon