Could an off-center coin ever grade MS70?

braddick

We all know that strike; luster; lack of marks and originality all play a role in a coin's grade. Let's say you stumble upon a Lincoln cent (let's call it a 1999) that is flawless. Even under 10X magnification you see absolutely no issues that detract or would bump the coin out of the perfect MS70 class.

There is one additional detail: This Lincoln is 10% off-center. Now- because this is a "minting error"- a 'mistake', so to speak, would this defect also affect the grade?
Would you then think of this Lincoln as not perfect and thus not worthy of the MS70 grade?

Do minting errors, as cool as some may seem, lower the grade of a coin?

itsnotjustme

I would hope so, but I don't know the PCGS answer. Maybe the Q&A Forum.

Of course first we may need to get an on center cent to grade MS70!

dorkkarl

my answer would be "no". the intent of coin manufacture is not to produce coins that are o-c. in fact, i think it is ridiculous to grade error coins at all on the sheldon scale, & that includes o-c coins.

K S

kieferscoins

I don't think so but then again PCGS only grades the struck part of the coin and not the off center part.

Cameron Kiefer

braddick

<< <i>I don't think so but then again PCGS only grades the struck part of the coin and not the off center part.

Cameron Kiefer >>

Cameron, I didn't know that. You mean the unstruck planchet part- say on a 70% off-center coin, is not graded? For example, it could contain a large, deep gouge and the grade of the coin is reflected only via the stuck portion of it?

I don't mean to hijack my own thread by asking, but your statement causes me to ask.

kieferscoins

Yes, thats the way it is. We learned it at the ANA advanced coin grading class and even a PCGS grader said that was true.

But then again, PCGS grades a blank planchet. They have two standards. No grading the unstruck part unless it is a blank planchet.

Cameron Kiefer