Flying Eagle--guess the grade (ANSWER & ORIGINAL PIC)

VicPortland

OK. Here is the original photo that was listed on ebay.

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Told you the image was fuzzy! I was pleasantly surprised by what I received . After having spent many hundreds of hours looking at other Flying Eagle cents via the internet (and in person), I cannot figure out why this coin wasn't graded MS64. As many of you have mentioned, the luster and strike aren't MS65 quality, but I believe this coin looks as good as most MS64 (in PCGS) and almost all MS64 (in NGC).


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MrScience

I'll take a (barely) educated guess: AU58 (rub on the eagle's breast) or MS64 (no rub, just some strike weakness). Either way, it looks great to me!

John

relayer

AU-58 or MS63

Shamika

I think it's a 64. The luster doesn't appear to be strong enough to justify a 65 and the strike is too good for it to be a 63.

roadrunner

I'd say MS64 also. Strike is ok to go 65 but don't see the cartwheel that I'd like to see.

roadrunner

F117ASR

MS64

itsnotjustme

Very nice AU58. See the rub directly right and left of CENT in the wreath. I've seen plenty with eagle breasts like that in MS holders.

relayer

Yes, The reverse shows rub (AU-55 kind of rub) and the obverse looks 63+

Elcontador

You reallly need to see the coin. Grading is all over the planet on these coins. Many holdered 5s I've seen are missing tailfeather detail (which isn't strong on this coin) and sometimes, detail on the eagle's claw as well.

I like this coin. The color seems to be fairly even (many of them are spotted or have ugly blotches). I also agree this coin is a nice AU. Not only does the wreath on the sides of 'CENT' have slight wear, but the detail in the bow knot (reverse) is gone due to circulation.

ER

Very nice, 58.

coinfreak499

AU 58 Slider, probably in a 62 holder.

ms70

I'll go with 65.

pharmer

au55

JRH

MS64 Great looking coin

BigGreek

I think I see rub on the leaves, claw and breast but no rub on
the wing tip which leads me to think it may be a poorly struck
reverse. I'll venture to say its an MS coin. Perhaps a 62 or 3?

ziggy29

Can't tell whether the lack of detail on high points is strike weakness or wear (or a little of both). So I'd say it's 58 or 63 depending on luster and closer examination for wear on the high points.

Baley

I find it amusing that so many people say "it's either a 58 or a 63"

I really wish there would be official AU grades that go to 62 or so

Lacking that, I'll guess MS62, with a weak strike or "cabinet friction" on the reverse, I don't see any wear on the front.

if it has lots of luster, could be as high as MS64, although I'd be surprised if you spent that much on " only one photo (Obverse slab) and it was super fuzzy"

mgoodm3

Obv looks 64. Rev harder on some of the wreath ? a little wear maybe 58

ychange

i'm thinking low MS, 62 or 63. the bow knot detail might there, just hard to see as the lighting angle is coming from the top making for no shadow of that small vertical line.

poor strike? cabinet friction? gasp,..wear? no idea, but i can't bring myself to say it's AU.

nice coin.

rhedden

I think it is PCGS 64 at a minimum or perhaps 65, and some of the other board members are being tough, as usual. No spots, no carbon, sharp strike. I'd love to meet the dealer who would sell a coin like that for AU-58 money.

ziggy29

<< <i>I think it is PCGS 64 at a minimum or perhaps 65, and some of the other board members are being tough, as usual. No spots, no carbon, sharp strike. I'd love to meet the dealer who would sell a coin like that for AU-58 money. >>

More likely, I'd say that people are being careful not to possibly overgrade based on a photo, perhaps thinking about their own experience in deciding what to pay for a coin without examining it in hand.

It could be a 64 or 65, but I see weakness on the right side of the wreath on the reverse which, if not wear, makes it hard to justify much past 64 in terms of strike. (It's possible that this is only because of the image, but that's all we have to grade on. I can't assume it's all there when I can't see it clearly in the image.)

And IF that is "rub," then the coin IS a technical 58. Whether or not the TPGs would market grade it as a 63 (probably) or whether a dealer would sell such a technical 58 for "market" 58 money (almost certainly not) are separate issues.

tjkillian

MS-64. A very nice cent, but I think it is too streaky to be an MS-65. A nice strike.

Tom

VicPortland

Thanks for the inputs!