Grade Revealed: 1881-O Cameo Morgan Dollar -- NGC MS-64

Stuart

Here is a pretty 1881-O Cameo Morgan Dollar that I recently won at auction, and wanted to share with my fellow forum members.

Please vote in the poll on what grade you assign to this coin, and please also post your grading criteria & observations in the thread to keep it interesting and active.

1881-O Cameo Morgan Dollar

TorinoCobra71

Mint State Sixty Five!

TorinoCobra71

CoinResource

Nice coin

Twincam

Nice dollar. It looks like a 65 to me. Nice clean cheek, but I think a little too much chatter in the fields for a 66.

JRocco

Hey Stuart, I see a nice 64 there, but I don't see the cameo-especially on the obverse. Does the TPG label indicate cameo or is that your designation based on these pics?

123cents

Real nice clean looking Morgan, Stuart. The photos provided don't show alot of cameo but in hand it might be. From your photos it looks like a MS-65.

Louis

<< <i>Hey Stuart, I see a nice 64 there, but I don't see the cameo-especially on the obverse. Does the TPG label indicate cameo or is that your designation based on these pics? >>




I concur.

Stuart

<< Hey Stuart, I see a nice 64 there, but I don't see the cameo-especially on the obverse. Does the TPG label indicate cameo or is that your designation based on these pics? >>

John and Louis: Thanks for your posts. In reply to John's question quoted above, the cameo descriptor is my personal interpretation of what I see in the original auction photos.

Although I would classify it more precisely as a light Cameo contrast between what appear to be frosty devices and slightly more reflective satiny fields.

segoja

65 non-PL

sweetwilliet

Coin looks nice, I'd guess 64, doesn't quite look like it makes pl. If it were an 80-s, it might be a 65. The date is tough above 64 and noone gives out many grades about that. Overall, good eye appeal, and as you said, light cameo.

pbfloyd

Cameo?....I don't see the contrast in those pictures. 65 topps

razorface1027

I'll say 64ish. A thumb on 65. Nice score, Stuart.


Tom

Steve27

Stuart, you would have been better off waiting until you had the coin in hand (the seller's pics don't show the fields properly). I can see a great strike, but there can be a lot of scratches that aren't shown in the pic. That said, I guessed MS65 (non-PL), but it could be higher.

dwssws

will go with 64 as with the others don't see the prooflike in it

stev32k

I'm gonna stick my neck out and go with MS66. The photo is not that clear and somewhat overexposed so it's hard to tell for sure.

Stuart

<< Stuart, you would have been better off waiting until you had the coin in hand (the seller's pics don't show the fields properly) >>

Steve27: In reply to your above quote, what would I have been better of waiting for until I had the coin in hand?? Are you referring to my interpretation of the cameo designation??

As I have previously posted on this thread (in my opinion) there appears to be some light cameo contrast between frosty devices and satiny luster fields.

Steve27

"Are you referring to my interpretation of the cameo designation?? "

No, as I stated before, the sellers pics don't show the fields properly, they may be hiding scratches.

bestclser1

PQ64

RickMilauskas

Nice coin.

I'll go with MS 65.

The strike looks good but I'm not sure about the quality of the fields.

There seems to be some chatter bu the amount of it depends on how much is chatter and how much is frost break.

As usual...best to see it in hand.

HighRelief

I would say MS64 semi-prooflike with nice luster. Nice pick Stuart

Stuart

Thanks to everyone for your votes and for your posts. So far the voting looks very interesting, and agrees with my assessment of the coin based upon the auction photos.

Stuart

One last chance for the Sat evening crowd to vote their grade in the poll, and to post their opinion in the thread.

I'll post the grade later tonight when the thread settles back down onto page 2 or 3...

roadrunner

I'd say MS65 because of light chatter and grazing.

However this is a tough date in MS65 and is not given out except for all there coins. Using what I know of Stuart's propensities to pick PQ+ 64 coins at a fraction of the 65 price would lead me in the MS64 direction.

roadrunner

coinguy1

<< <i><< Stuart, you would have been better off waiting until you had the coin in hand (the seller's pics don't show the fields properly) >>

Steve27: In reply to your above quote, what would I have been better of waiting for until I had the coin in hand?? Are you referring to my interpretation of the cameo designation??
>>

Stuart, because then you could/would be in a position to tell us how the coin differs from and compares to the images. I see no cameo contrast either, by the way.

Stuart

This 1881-O Morgan Dollar is graded NGC MS-64. Thanks to all who participated by voting in the poll, and by posting your comments and grading observations in the thread.

Here is how the voting broke down:

7% Above MS-66 or Higher
74% MS-64 to MS-65 PL
19% MS-63 PL or Lower

Total Votes: 43

MS-66 PL or Higher :-) 1 (vote) 2.33 (%)
MS-66 2 (votes) 4.65 (%)
MS-65 PL 5 (votes) 11.63 (%)
MS-65 15 (votes) 34.88 (%)
MS-64 PL 2 (votes) 4.65 (%)
MS-64 10 (votes) 23.26 (%)
MS-63 PL 2 (votes) 4.65 (%)
MS-63 3 (votes) 6.98 (%)
MS-62 PL 1 (vote) 2.33 (%)
MS-62 or Lower (And I Need Glasses!!) 2 (votes) 4.65 (%)

sTONER

hey S, its a beauty at any grade,,

Stuart

Thanks Steve!!