Received -- Update: 1881-S (Purple Toned Obv) PCGS MS-63 Morgan Dollar -- New Photos

Stuart

I purchased this 1881-S (Purple Toned Obv) PCGS MS-63 Morgan Dollar at auction last night, and was wondering how some of you think the coin will look in hand. This is the original auction photo of the obverse, however I was unable to archive the photo of the reverse which is blast white untoned.

Close examination of this photo will reveal a small untoned area under the date (pullaway toning) which you may use as a reference for silver/white base color from which to compare the toned area. I essentially paid no premium for the toning. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

1881-S (Purple Toned) PCGS MS-63 Morgan Dollar

Leiana

Maybe I'm uneducated but I don't really see it. Toning you pay extra for should be obvious, so it's good you didn't pay extra. Maybe it will have some lustre in hand. It does have a nice sharp strike thouoh.

-Amanda

ABC123

Very Nice +++

AceK

It looks very clean for a 63. I always wonder about the toning when the photos look like that - definitely a chance it could be really cool. In all events, a good pick up at no premium. Please let us know how it looks in hand!

Sunnywood

I think much of the "color" in the pic is due to the imaging method. A clue is the glare spot at about 1:30 ... notice how the glare itself has a bluish-green tint to it ... that means those colors need to be "subtracted" from the image to get closer to the real color of the coin. I don't think this coin has much color.

I will repeat my usual mantras about images:

1) You can NOT grade from images. Only with the largest and most detailed high-resolution images can you even approximate a grade accurately. Example: PCGS TrueView large size 4400x2200 pixel images that they send you on a CD for an extra fee are as good as it gets for grading ... whereas their smaller 1100x505 pixel and 550x278 pixel images are absolutely not suitable for guessing a grade. In general, I find the "guess the grade" threads to be fun but inaccurate and useless.

2) The SAME COIN can look COMPLETELY DIFFERENT in different images. One image can be washed out and colorless, while another can be vibrant enough to inspire claims of "neon fluorescent Godzilla toning" ... and it's the SAME COIN. One image can hide scratches while another shows them; one can blur striking details while another shows it clearly; one can show luster and depth while another has a flat matte appearance. Do NOT be fooled by images. You MUST see the coins in hand.

3) As a corollary of (2) above, two DIFFERENT coins imaged by DIFFERENT methods cannot EVER be compared as "apples to apples" on the basis of those images. Except in obvious cases, you can't look at Coin #1 imaged by person A and say that it is "better" than Coin #2 imaged by person B ... if the coins are even remaotely comparable in appearance and quality, you will not be able to make a judgment from the images. (Yes, I know, you will all rush to post a pair of images, one of a circ piece of garbage, and the other of a cameo proof Liberty $20 ... but that's obviously not what I am addressing here.)

Here are some pics of coins that I own, showing the differences between imaging methods:

The first is a "Battle Creek Morgan" PCGS MS66 / NGC MS66*
At left, a fluorescent image created via scan; at right a digital camera shot with Photoshop image correction:




Here are four sets of images of an 1892-P quarter, Type I Reverse, PCGS MS68.
The first two sets are from Heritage, the third from Pinnacle Rarities, the fourth from PCGS:










Best,
Sunnywood

Stuart

Sunnywood: Thanks for your post and for sharing toned coin info with us. Your posts are always much appreciated.

However, regarding this specific coin, if you had seen the similarly photographed reverse coin image (which unfortunately I did not save, and is no longer available online), I think that you might feel differently about the obverse likely being toned purple.

I'll post an update to this thread after receiving the coin and having examined her in person.

itsnotjustme

Hey Goldylocks... I was under bidder. Maybe I should have taken the $40 BIN it started with. My judgement is it will be toned. I also compared to the reverse image and other images the seller had up.

Let us know how it looks in hand.

Stuart

<< My judgement is it will be toned. I also compared to the reverse image and other images the seller had up. Let us know how it looks in hand. >>

Brian: Thanks! Will do!!

Sunnywood

Stuart, I will be very interested to know as well. And I certainly do hope it meets your expectations. Do you image your coins?? It would be interesting to see another image of this coin after you receive it, so that we can compare.

Best,
Sunnywood

Stuart

<< Do you image your coins?? It would be interesting to see another image of this coin after you receive it, so that we can compare. >>

Sunnywood: In reply to your above posted quote: Yes I do digitally image my coins, and yes I will be happy to take a few digital photographs of this coin when it arrives to display it and to also describe how it looks in person, for you and other interested forum members.

Stuart

As requested, here's some new photos that I took of this 1881-S (Purple Toned) PCGS MS-63 Morgan Dollar that I just received yesterday.

The obverse is beautifully toned a combination of violet & purple, with very strong underlying semi-PL luster blasting through with vivid cartwheel luster brightening up the colors and a very clean cheek. The reverse is blast white with sililar very strongly reflective semi-PL cartwheel luster.

Please see the new vs original auction photo comparison below.

1881-S (Purple Toned Obv) PCGS MS-63 Morgan Dollar -- New Photos


1881-S (Purple Toned Obv) PCGS MS-63 Morgan Dollar -- Original Auction Obv Photo