This late-date business strike quarter has continually eluded my grasp as I built my set over the past 13 years. I have been trying to assemble the 1879-1891 run in MS63-MS65, and although I have been selecting coins with little to no toning, I could not find an 1881 that fit the bill. This PCGS MS65 example (from Northern Nevada) is a nice coin, even though the toning is darker than the rest of coins in the run. The only P-mint in that date range that I find tougher is 1886, with the 1885 and 1881 being tied for second in my book.
When I first bought this 1855, I didn't like it so much due to the haze in the fields, and I almost sent it back. It has grown on me a lot since that time, as I have encountered many other 1855 quarters that I would not buy. The obverse strike one this one is strong, with full centers on most of the stars, which is not the standard for 1855 business strikes. It's free of heavy marks and black spots. Luster is solid for MS64. Maybe it's time to resist the current trend of grading coins based on surfaces alone? You know what I mean - a VG08 CAC is better than an MS65 non-CAC, right?
I had my guy reshoot that dollar because I wasn't happy with the initial pics... Note the mark off the eagles wing to his head is actually on the slab.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Wow, that's an amazing photo (and coin).
At 5500 x 5500 for each side, it's significantly larger than most PCGS CoinFacts photos (2200 x 2200 or 2875 x 2875).
Must have been shot with a Nikon D850 or similar for a sensor that size.
And it's all in focus and well lit.
@yosclimber said:
Wow, that's an amazing photo (and coin).
At 5500 x 5500 for each side, it's significantly larger than most PCGS CoinFacts photos (2200 x 2200 or 2875 x 2875).
Must have been shot with a Nikon D850 or similar for a sensor that size.
And it's all in focus and well lit.
He shoots with a Canon. 50 megapixels is the number I have heard him mention. He does fantastic work, and he's only a short drive from my house! I can drop coins off, play with his dog while I drink a beer he gives me, and he'll bring them back outside 10 minutes later and I'll get pics before I get home. Sometimes if he's really busy I will drop them off and pick them up the next day.
I am saving the best thing about this coin for later but I should give the folks in this thread a preview.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
New purchase from GFRC's recent auction (PCGS AU58). It took me a long time to find an example of this date that I liked, where the grade on the holder matched the coin. 1874-P is not a common type coin, and it is way tougher to locate in XF-AU than 1873 Arr. MS63-64 coins are out there, but they seldom appear to be nice for the grade.
Here is a lower grade (VF20) example of 1840-o With Drapery, also from GFRC. I paid "too much" for it because the surfaces are just so choice. I'd rather have an XF or better example, but finding a fully original specimen is not so easy. I have a second coin for this date, which is an original XF45, but it has a couple of small, distracting rim nicks that might be enough for a Details grade, so I've never sent it in for grading.
Here's my other latest purchase from GFRC. I opted to add this conservatively graded PCGS VF25 coin to my set even though it is of lower grade than most of my Seated 25c. There are numerous XF-Unc. specimens of 1841-o available with washed out surfaces, which came out of the ground in the New Orleans (Meridian Hotel) hoard discovery in 1982. My other example of this date is one of the hoard coins, with AU details and a toned over field scratch, and I've gotten tired of looking at it and thinking how badly it needs to be replaced.
Comments
Pix courtesy Barberkeys.....
PCGS AU58
PCGS XF40
Strong mintmark on the 71-S dime.
Bunch of nice coins, fellas! Here's a raw newp.
Quiet out there! Tough date with issues....
This late-date business strike quarter has continually eluded my grasp as I built my set over the past 13 years. I have been trying to assemble the 1879-1891 run in MS63-MS65, and although I have been selecting coins with little to no toning, I could not find an 1881 that fit the bill. This PCGS MS65 example (from Northern Nevada) is a nice coin, even though the toning is darker than the rest of coins in the run. The only P-mint in that date range that I find tougher is 1886, with the 1885 and 1881 being tied for second in my book.
Congrats, Rhedden!
Here's another raw piece to keep things going...
Here is his big brother, certified:
Fresh photos of this one - PCGS MS64 CAC. Nice coin, but common compared to the 1881 I posted above.
Raw 1891-O dime. Wish it was a quarter!
Pics for this PM, from my friend Dan's collection, PC25:
l
It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
1854-O V-5, MS-61 raw
plate coin for the upcoming 1854-O attribution guide
Obv. die cracks through S6 and S8
Rev. die crack E2, shallow U, ERI, mint mark
3260 x 3260 original photos
PCGS AU50 CAC. It's the extremely rare, 1873-CC, Arrows, No CC
Here's a nice little raw dime...
Another raw dime....
Sellers photographs.
Now, that is one awesome looking coin!
My OmniCoin Collection
My BankNoteBank Collection
Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
Still one of my favorites in my collection.
MS62 CAC
1858 V-3, with die cracks and die pit above right stem that is also on V-2.
the die pit above right stem
MS-64 raw
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Latest newp for the type set...
Time for some variety. 1844-O, reverse of 1843-O Large "O", with 180 degree rotated reverse.
When I first bought this 1855, I didn't like it so much due to the haze in the fields, and I almost sent it back. It has grown on me a lot since that time, as I have encountered many other 1855 quarters that I would not buy. The obverse strike one this one is strong, with full centers on most of the stars, which is not the standard for 1855 business strikes. It's free of heavy marks and black spots. Luster is solid for MS64. Maybe it's time to resist the current trend of grading coins based on surfaces alone? You know what I mean - a VG08 CAC is better than an MS65 non-CAC, right?
Here are a couple of 1860 business strikes with different reverses, which can be distinguished by the eagle's eye.
"Original skin"
PCGS VF20 CAC vs. AU details, filed rim. The VF cost me more due to current market trends.
I really like that 1855-S AU Details coin. Tough.
p30, photo GFRC
I had my guy reshoot that dollar because I wasn't happy with the initial pics... Note the mark off the eagles wing to his head is actually on the slab.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Wow, that's an amazing photo (and coin).
At 5500 x 5500 for each side, it's significantly larger than most PCGS CoinFacts photos (2200 x 2200 or 2875 x 2875).
Must have been shot with a Nikon D850 or similar for a sensor that size.
And it's all in focus and well lit.
He shoots with a Canon. 50 megapixels is the number I have heard him mention. He does fantastic work, and he's only a short drive from my house! I can drop coins off, play with his dog while I drink a beer he gives me, and he'll bring them back outside 10 minutes later and I'll get pics before I get home. Sometimes if he's really busy I will drop them off and pick them up the next day.
I am saving the best thing about this coin for later but I should give the folks in this thread a preview.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
New purchase from GFRC's recent auction (PCGS AU58). It took me a long time to find an example of this date that I liked, where the grade on the holder matched the coin. 1874-P is not a common type coin, and it is way tougher to locate in XF-AU than 1873 Arr. MS63-64 coins are out there, but they seldom appear to be nice for the grade.
.
Here is a lower grade (VF20) example of 1840-o With Drapery, also from GFRC. I paid "too much" for it because the surfaces are just so choice. I'd rather have an XF or better example, but finding a fully original specimen is not so easy. I have a second coin for this date, which is an original XF45, but it has a couple of small, distracting rim nicks that might be enough for a Details grade, so I've never sent it in for grading.
Here's my other latest purchase from GFRC. I opted to add this conservatively graded PCGS VF25 coin to my set even though it is of lower grade than most of my Seated 25c. There are numerous XF-Unc. specimens of 1841-o available with washed out surfaces, which came out of the ground in the New Orleans (Meridian Hotel) hoard discovery in 1982. My other example of this date is one of the hoard coins, with AU details and a toned over field scratch, and I've gotten tired of looking at it and thinking how badly it needs to be replaced.
My first seated quarter - ANACS old white slab:
Tougher 1853 Seated Dollar with nice color. Note there is some scratching near the eagle's beak on the reverse.
A Barber Quartet is made up of Nickels, Dimes, Quarters, and Halves.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
I have a voucher that expires in March so I’ll probably put this one in for grading. I’m assuming it’s a VG.
apologies if I may have posted this before. It's one of my favorites!
Two PCGS VF30 "O" mints
PCGS AU-55 CAC
PCGS F15