Another toned buffalo nickel to grade!

Tonedbuff

Since buffs are so popular these days... I got this one in the mail today (I traded another coin for it). Trying to nail the grade (not submitting this one, just want to put in in my toned buff album). Appreciate any input, including thoughts as to why you see it as a certain grade. Picture is a really good representation of the coin in hand.

Leiana

Hmm. It has a very near full strike. Not quite, but very close.

That said, I do beleive technically it is an AU 58. Look on the bison's hip and the tip of his tail- slight lustre breaks but lustre breaks nonetheless.

I do like the toning very much, though.

-Amanda

Tonedbuff

You must be seeing something I am not. Both in hand, and in the photo, I have not found any breaks in luster. It has a few of the 'muzzy' areas on the obverse that go with a slightly soft strike (actually a good strike for a D mint from this year) but nothing I'd call a break in luster from rub. The hip bone is really nicely pronounced and the luster matches the surroundings well. Perhaps lighting? But, let's see what everone else has to say too!
Thanks for the input!

Leiana

Annotated at the wear points.

-Amanda

Tonedbuff

Yep, I see what you are looking at. Went and pulled the coin from the flip and looked at under 5x. What I see is a mottled pattern of toning across the flank of the buffalo, with some lighter and darker 'splotches'. The areas you point out have nice color under light, but the luster matches the rest of the buff. You could be right, though I think it is from the angle of the photography that was used to capture the color best. The coin was tilted a small amount to the light and the entire rear leg of the buff is shadowed a small amount. In hand tilted back and forth the leg has colors that almost exactly match the color and brilliance of the field just to the right of it.
Tough call. BU, BU with slide marks from album, BU with no wear... that is why the D mint Buffs are so much fun! The textures from the soft strikes wreak havoc with grading.
I'll give my opinion on grade - MS64 PQ, could go 65 due to eye appeal and luster, as well as the strong strike for the date.
Dealer graded MS65, but of course, may have been slightly overselling.

Shamika

<< <i>I'll give my opinion on grade - MS64 PQ, could go 65 due to eye appeal and luster, as well as the strong strike for the date. >>


I have to agree. Amanda may be right regarding the touch of wear, but I would equate this more to cabinet rub or roll friction as opposed to circulation. I think the coin is easily a 64.

gyocomgd

MS64. That is one terrific coin!

Tonedbuff

There is a lot of talk about the value of PQ coins and the variance of price within a grade for coins. To me, this is a great example. Let's call this an MS64 for the sake of this conversation:
This, to me is a true PQ coin for the grade. Submit a handful of times, and you may just get a 65...
But, if I were buying this raw, I'd gladly pay halfway between 64 and 65 money for this (there is a big gap in that range on the 28D's). The toning and the eye appeal make it up for me. It would be a nice looking 65, but it is a really fine specimen for a 64, and worthy of the grade, and worth far more than a generic 64 to me.
The great part for me is that this coin felt free... I traded a coin I had and did not want. A coin long paid for, and since I collect not deal, it was a sunk cost... just something I had. Trading for something I can really enjoy was a great deal. I really appreciated the dealer for doing this.
Did the dealer overgrade at MS65? No, not really. I think one could call it a 65 without having too many issues with conscience... but even having traded under the guise of a 65, it was the coin I wanted, not that grade.
I do so love this hobby... and of course, all the toned buffs I have.
This will look really nice in my album, replacing a non toned AU 28D I now have in the book.
Eventually, there will be nothing but AU and higher toners in that book... but I have some work to do on the teens and early 20's!

Tonedbuff

<< <i>MS64. That is one terrific coin! >>



Thanks gyocomgd, you certainly have a number of buffs I've drooled over...

jmj3esq

MS64

cape

soft strike ,nice coin maybe 64 probably a 63 at pcgs

buffnut

64.9

p8nt

I am pretty sure the coin would go MS65 assuming that the graders were fair to you and did not downgrade it because the planchet imperfections weren't struck out.

mnmcoin

Pretty sure the coin would go 64. The hair looks too soft above the braid for a 65. Sure is a pretty coin nonetheless.

morris <><

DMWJR

65!

MacCrimmon

Probably MS65, providing it has exceptional lustre. On any given day, they could knock it to 64 due to the weakness in the braid.

Oh yeah, you really can't grade images.

JJM

sweet coin...........That darn YN knows her Buffalos

ad4400

At least from the photo there don't seem to be any marks. As for the strike, I think it typical to better than average for the 28-D (at least in what I've seen the last couple of months trying to find one for my own collection). Everything I've seen has been soft on the details in the center of both obverse and reverse. The coin has great eye appeal. If it was in a 65 holder I wouldn't neccisarily second guess it. And now for my continuing education, for all of those of you that gave it a 64, is it the fact that the toning impedes on the luster what does it in?

Stunning coin regardless. I'd be proud to have that in my collection.