Stewart, check this out ...
DMWJR
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Doug
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DMWJR
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<< <i>I'm dizzy!
you said a mouthful! What is the grade on that? 64RD?
TC
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
Just curious... where did you pick that up. I like your photo, and would be curious to compare it to an auction photo if possible.
I remember when I got mine in hand for the first time. It was a bit like those cartoons where your eyes spin into pinwheels. The fact that it looks nicer than most 65s doesn't hurt either.
-Matt
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
Mine came from the Tom Mershon collection auctioned in 2005. If I resize my photos, they really look like twin coins!
If I had to guess about the "why no 65?" I'd have to say that it's either too dark or has too many nicks.
It'll probably never go 65 with the way PCGS has been lately, but I've seen a few 65s and I'll tell you that about the only thing they've got going for them is brighter luster. Sometimes the specks and discolorations that squeak by for 65 actually make them look worse than an average 64.
Then again, there are a lot of ugly 64s out there.
Mine was the "New York Eye Appeal" coin from the FUN show last January. I thought my heart would jump out of my chest while I sat there with my mouse finger over the big red "BID NOW" button. Turned out I got it for my pre-bid amount, but I would have bid more. It's obviously a PQ gem of a 64!
That said, and realizing that yours is a bona-fide 65, I'm honestly thinking about re-submitting mine.
-Matt
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
Of course, it could just be the lighting in the pics.
The 55 DDO's did not strike up completely, and virtually every one is going to show planchet roughness and nicks on the shoulder and around the top of the ear due to the fact that the strike did not cause the planchet to flow into the deepest recesses of the die. Typically you see this as weakness in the "O" of One Cent on the reverse, but on the 55 DDO's the "O" is not as weak as one would expect. Why? I haven't run across a sufficient answer yet. The most common reasons for the coin not being completely "struck up" are that the dies were spaced too far apart, or the planchets were not properly annealed and were too hard. However, neither of those explains what happened with the 55 DDO to my satisfaction.
In any event if you look at enough 64's ans 65's, you will see very similar marks on the shoulder and the upper half of the ear area. They are not identical marks, but the appearance is very similar.
You will even see the same planchet "roughness" in the same places on Stewart's coin. I made this post to pick at him just a little. He doesn't think my coin is a 65. That is fine with me, as we all have our own opinions. I think mine is just as much a 65 as any of the ones graded 65 out there, and you are right that there are several that are in 65 holders that don't look nearly as nice as yours. Just glance through the Heritage archives. I have photos of 8 different 65's out of a possible 18 in PCGS holders, and they all share these characteristics.
<< <i>The 55 DDO's did not strike up completely, and virtually every one is going to show planchet roughness and nicks on the shoulder and around the top of the ear due to the fact that the strike did not cause the planchet to flow into the deepest recesses of the die. Typically you see this as weakness in the "O" of One Cent on the reverse, but on the 55 DDO's the "O" is not as weak as one would expect. Why? I haven't run across a sufficient answer yet. >>
I'll float a hare-brained theory. Maybe the obverse did not strike up as well as the reverse because there were twice as many letters and numbers in the motto compared to a normal obverse? Both mottoes and dates are fully struck, which leaves that much less metal to fill in the deepest recesses of the portrait.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
I am jealous.
Hey renomedphys, you got a 65 all day with that beauty also.
WOW...
GREAT SHOW
(This is a cheap gimmick into trying to get Stewart to post a pic of another one of his gorgeous lincolns!)
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
Some very fine double dies.
<< <i>The 55 DDO's did not strike up completely, and virtually every one is going to show planchet roughness and nicks on the shoulder and around the top of the ear due to the..... >>
Same here with mine. I was told at the time I submitted this to NGC that that is what was going on with the shoulder. While my photo is not as good as the rest of the photos in the thread, it should give you a good idea.
BTW, this coin now resides in a PCGS MS63 Red holder
Lincoln set Colorless Set
GORGEOUS! Looks 64-65 to me.