Mint Tics and Nicks VS Scratches on Coins

braddick

I've always sort of wondered as I look through a box of slabbed coins why it is OK for, say a Morgan dollar, to have tics and nicks- so many in fact to warrant the MS60 or MS61 grade, but if there is a scratch, the coin generally is placed in a Genuine holder only.

MS60 "damage" is acceptable but a MS60 scratch is not?
Why is that?

To a lesser extent, a well circulated Morgan can have many tics and circulation marks, so to speak, and grade but if there is a worn over, older scratch, it is not.

I've always been curious as to why one is acceptable while the other not.

rld14

Probably because nicks and ticks normally occur during use in commerce or during bagging. I had the luck to crack open, with a friend of mine, an original sealed bag of silver coins, the nice ones were at or near the top of the bag, the 60/61s were at the bottom.

Scratches are actual damage.

braddick

<< <i>Probably because nicks and ticks normally occur during use in commerce or during bagging. I had the luck to crack open, with a friend of mine, an original sealed bag of silver coins, the nice ones were at or near the top of the bag, the 60/61s were at the bottom.

Scratches are actual damage. >>



I understand your logic. But, a rim dent can also be caused by poor handling at the mint or bag handling yet it is also damage. I've seen scratches in sealed bags- especially Lincoln cents. I think it is damage as much as a heavily nicked up cent is.
One gets graded, the other one doesn't.

lkeigwin

Some scratches will slab. I've seen some pretty ugly ones in PCGS holders. I guess it's a judgment call. I agree that if the grader BB's the coin the scratch is considered damage, unlike circulation nicks.
Lance.

golfer72

I have been wondering about this same issue myself and nobody has given a satisfactory answer. I dont see why a "scratch" is so bad and the coin will not grade. Makes no sense to me at least. All coins are damged to a certain degree anyway except for a MS-70 coin right? Who cares if its a scratch or a dent or a gouge?

morgandollar1878

Just like Toning. Is the scratch market acceptable for the coin? It totally depends on the severity and what the coin would grade without the scratch. I have a 1881-s Morgan in a PCGS holder. There is a hairline scratch that is about an inch long on the cheek of liberty. It was not severe enough to be kept out of a holder, but it was downgraded because of it. If the scratch was not there it would be a 67, but PCGS gave it a 65.

19Lyds

Some mint nicks or ticks are actually annealing marks left over from a weak strike.

Here's a 1973-S IKE which was weakly struck leaving behind a patch of annealing marked.



while the marks are distracting, it does not lessen the mint sate condition of the coin. Typically, on cn clad IKE's there ar emany annealing marks on the cheek and in the field.

A scratch, on the other hand, is direct post mint damage.

Also, its important to differentiate between a scratch vs a strike through of which both can appear the same in hand which is what some photos present.

braddick

I like your post. Thanks for the information.
My question, is post mint damage, damage that occurs after the minting process- directly after the coin is struck, or is it after the coin leaves the mint? I know many tics and scuffs are caused during the bagging at the mint, or the rolling afterward and/or the transportation to the banks.

If post mint damage simply means after the coin is struck then scratches should be- to an acceptable level- as forgiving as scuffs and tics and nicks- as they're all happening at or around the same time in the same fashion.

Now, scratches caused by graffiti or poor handling well after the process above would warrant a Service from holdering the coin as gradable as well as deep gauges and heavy abrasions would- that is all a different animal and of the nature I'm not referring too in my original question.

WoodenJefferson

We all know coin to coin contact is acceptable with just about all business struck coinage, i.e. reed marks, dings, dents and other assorted nicks and tics, providing they are not distractive or cover a focal area.

Scratches on the other hand may have been caused my mis-handling and is considered damaged since the offending object or surface was not part of the normal course of exchange.

As with all unknowns, they create automatic rejection criteria.