The toned coin is definately a weaker strike. Looks like some break in the toning... maybe partial fingerprint. Though I love color, I would stay with the white.
The answer is whichever one YOU like the best!!!! The toning on the pitifully struck one (sorry) is pretty, but the strike......on the other hand, the white one has little luster, and poor Mercury looks like she took a hit to the temple that could be an issue.....unless really in the case (she may have some smaller tics in field above her and on her neck.....nasal bridge not well struck--or lost to die polishing, but overall better than the one above) I appreciate MercuryDimeGuy's comments. It may in part be an artifact due to the slight cant of the photo, making the mint mark appear in a different relative position, but it does look smaller, better defined, and spaced farther from the rim----may indeed be a different mintmark (is that really a D on the toned one!!! ) If I HAD to keep one, i'd probably pick the white one---but keep my eyes open!!!!
knowing you - I'd keep the toned one. Nice eye appeal overall - actually like it alot - of course being it's no band who cares if the whole darn fasces is obliterated - I like the 0 in the date much better on the toned one too....a great NB MS example of a 2o-D. Of course if are into white coins or so forth...def the white one for reasons already mentioned by the noble others above.
This is interesting and now I will address some of the points that were made.
First, on the White one which is really a gun metal grayish color, what looks to be a pretty big hit above her eye is not. That is the light reflecting off just how deeply this coin is struck. The only hits on the gray coin are the two very small ticks on the neck. The coin is slide mark free also. What held this coin back a grade or two is that it appears to have been dipped at one time and the luster is not booming at all. If, and we can always say if, the luster was present it would go 65 for sure and maybe a point higher. The coin is a 64.
My little toned baby, which by the way I kept after for well over a year and is still on a Web Site even though I own it, just suffers from a little too weak of a strike to suit me. I actually like the obverse strike just as much if not more than the Gray dime. When it comes to buying these I buy both sides and just not the graded side if at all possible. It is also a very clean dime and as you can see the tone is almost in the knock out range in my opinion. If the strike was just a little more "there" this would be a no brainer and in fact I never would have purchased the other dime. This dime also is a 64. Also I think I am correct in saying this dime was in a NGC 65 holder at one time. I bought it in a NGC 64 holder and crossed it to the PCGS 64 holder. She has been around a little.
My choice......The Gray Dime because of the strike and the Gun Metal Gray color which I like alot.
Mike you were almost on the money with your thoughts.
Tony and Marc.....I faked you out on this one.
Rad......I did...
rainbowroosie.....Should I believe your choice ? The King of Color would take the light dime ? I'm flabbergasted.
Rad the colored one is in the safety deposit box. When I take the Gray one to the bank I will take a look and see if there is a difference. I use to really keep a eye on the mint mark position on 16S dimes. If I remember correctly I think I found four different postions for the S. 38D's are pretty cool also, stand up, slanted and all over the place.
Mike it starts out with 218 so it has been recently. It could have went either way IMO, 64 or 65. It is clean, clean, clean. If it would have got a 63 Highway Robbery would have taken place.
And yes the 27D is a 64 with the same color look sort of. I'm pretty sure the 27D started with a 218 number also.
Comments
GrandAm
I like the toned coin better, even though the strike looks weaker.
My guess on which you would keep... the toned one.
President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay
rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
I appreciate MercuryDimeGuy's comments. It may in part be an artifact due to the slight cant of the photo, making the mint mark appear in a different relative position, but it does look smaller, better defined, and spaced farther from the rim----may indeed be a different mintmark (is that really a D on the toned one!!!
If I HAD to keep one, i'd probably pick the white one---but keep my eyes open!!!!
Of course if are into white coins or so forth...def the white one for reasons already mentioned by the noble others above.
Marc
First, on the White one which is really a gun metal grayish color, what looks to be a pretty big hit above her eye is not. That is the light reflecting off just how deeply this coin is struck. The only hits on the gray coin are the two very small ticks on the neck. The coin is slide mark free also. What held this coin back a grade or two is that it appears to have been dipped at one time and the luster is not booming at all. If, and we can always say if, the luster was present it would go 65 for sure and maybe a point higher. The coin is a 64.
My little toned baby, which by the way I kept after for well over a year and is still on a Web Site even though I own it, just suffers from a little too weak of a strike to suit me. I actually like the obverse strike just as much if not more than the Gray dime. When it comes to buying these I buy both sides and just not the graded side if at all possible. It is also a very clean dime and as you can see the tone is almost in the knock out range in my opinion. If the strike was just a little more "there" this would be a no brainer and in fact I never would have purchased the other dime. This dime also is a 64. Also I think I am correct in saying this dime was in a NGC 65 holder at one time. I bought it in a NGC 64 holder and crossed it to the PCGS 64 holder. She has been around a little.
My choice......The Gray Dime because of the strike and the Gun Metal Gray color which I like alot.
Mike you were almost on the money with your thoughts.
Tony and Marc.....I faked you out on this one.
Rad......I did...
rainbowroosie.....Should I believe your choice ? The King of Color would take the light dime ? I'm flabbergasted.
Ken
rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
Ken
And yes the 27D is a 64 with the same color look sort of. I'm pretty sure the 27D started with a 218 number also.
Ken
I am truly sorry.
Regards,
Mike.
PS. I have deleted my posts (other than the pics).