What is "eye appeal" ?

TopographicOceans

According to PCGS - full article

Eye Appeal is one component of grade. For coins grading above MS/PR 60, eye appeal is one of the four components of grade.

For Mint State and Proof coins, the three factors comprising a coin's "technical grade" are:
1.Number and severity of marks and abrasions
2.Luster, or Reflectivity for Proofs
3.Strike, which is rarely a problem for proofs and strike is expected to be sharp, a weak strike being a deduction in the case of proofs.

For Circulated coins, there are:
1.The amount of wear. This is by far the most important factor in the grading of circulated coins.
2.Marks and abrasions. Depending on the grade, a certain amount of marks and abrasions are expected with circulated coins. Severe or unusually serious marks "for the grade" can be a negative. The higher the circulated grade, the less severe marks can be before they would effect grade.
3.Luster. AU (Almost Uncirculated) coins should have some original luster. For lower grades color and originality have the same effect on grading as luster does for higher grades.

The "technical" grade of the coin is the grade of the coin based on the factors above without taking eye appeal into consideration. Eye appeal either adds or subtracts from the "technical" grade, or is neutral as a factor in determining the final grade. For toning, PCGS uses seven levels of eye appeal, from "Amazing" to "Ugly". For luster on mint state coins and depth of reflectivity on proofs, PCGS uses six levels of eye appeal, from "Amazing" to "Negative".

The following are the minimum standards for eye appeal on high grades: MS/PR68 – Must have positive eye appeal MS/PR67 – Must have above average eye appeal MS/PR66 – Cannot have below average eye appeal MS/PR65 – Cannot have negative eye appeal. AMS/PR65 coin can have below average luster or color (toning) if it is outstanding in every other way.

Plus Grades
High end coins for the grade, i.e. "plus" grades, cannot have negative or below average eye appeal for the grade.

Spots
Spots on gold coins, spots on copper coins, and "milk spots" on silver coins are not really part of eye appeal, but they are part of the grade and grade deductions are made similar to those made for marks or hairlines. In all three instances above we have minimum/maximum grade guidelines for spots. Note that in some instances, spots can appear subsequent to grading. In the case of copper coins, the spots would result in a grading deduction, and, since there are often environmental factors beyond our control, PCGS does not guarantee against downgrades for spotting on copper coins. For modern silver issues, spotting is a Mint acknowledged problem that is also beyond the control of PCGS. For modern silver coins, it is possible for two coins to have the same technical grade and one be spotted and one be spot-free. In these instances, the spotted coins will command a lesser price in the marketplace.

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Michael4692

You know it when you see it.

SeattleSlammer

This baby is in the "amazing" eye appeal category. Objectively speaking of course.

keyman64

SeattleSlammer, I agree!

Michael4692, I agree!

Here is a recent NEWP that I believe qualifies even though it has a couple of spots. Amazing in hand and quite unique.
Top Pop 2/0 PCGS PF67BN.

DollarAfterDollar

I play with Morgans mostly but to me eye appeal is that intangible that makes the coin likable. The example above frames the subject matter on both obverse and reverse with color. That to me draws the eye to the subject. Booming luster is almost a sure thing as well.

I see coins in Dealers cases and can pick out what I like through the glass. Eye appeal drives those choices.

keets

What is "eye appeal" ?

it is a coin's attribute that makes me say "WOW" when I look at it.

Coinosaurus

As Potter Stewart said of obscenity, "I know it when I see it."

Eye appeal is an opinion just like grading is an opinion. Not everyone will see eye to eye, so to speak.

brg5658

If you want to see eye appeal, then just look at basically any coin in the inventory of Coin Rarities Online. And, no, John is not paying me to say that.

As others have said, you know it when you see it. There is also a certain amount of subjectivity. Some people can handle speckled toning, but it doesn't do anything for me. I also don't care for some of the garish Morgan dollars that people drool over and are willing to pay 50-100 times market value for. To each his/her own.

BG

Once you know your series you will understand which years normally come toned and which don't.

Finding the toned coins in the years not known for toning is one of the keys.


I feel this early Lincoln Cent has nice "Eye Appeal,"





Well struck both obverse and reverse. Nice beard detail obverse and very little weakness on the "O" of ONE on the reverse.

ctf_error_coins

The vast majority of my error coins have extremely good "eye appeal"

I guess I use or the term is used differently when it comes to major mint error coins.

It is all about the error and since I come from an art background, I look for "art" in the error.

coinbuf

For years it ment blast white, today it means toning of some kind, who knows what it will mean tomorrow.

BryceM

It is subjective, and therefore does not possess a precise definition.

It's a little different for everyone, but for me it boils down to "Oooooh!, I want it."

On Peace dollars, it's a clean cheek, clean fields, and flashy luster.

yosclimber

I've always thought the term "eye appeal" was a bit strange and redundant.
It really means "beauty".

"Eye" is redundant.
After all, there is no need to distinguish it from "nose appeal", "ear appeal", "tongue appeal" or "tactile appeal".

Similarly, the terms "sight unseen" and its constructed companion "sight seen" are long and redundant.
"unviewed" or "viewed" would work.

Maybe people just like using 2 words instead of one?
I suppose using 2 words might make it easier to pick up the combination as code words for a definition created for numismatics.

Treashunt

easy:

the opposite of ugly

LindeDad

Like porn you know it when you see it.

georgiacop50

An answer on Jeopardy?

BG

<< <i>On Peace dollars, it's a clean cheek, clean fields, and flashy luster. >>



For me, the same standard for Morgans also.

TwoSides2aCoin

The words muttered when the grade didn't fit.
"I appeal " then crack & re submit.

ricko

That is where subjectivity enters grading and technical quality ends. Cheers, RickO

keets

After all, there is no need to distinguish it from "nose appeal", "ear appeal", "tongue appeal" or "tactile appeal".

--- consider same date/mm coins with the same PCGS grade on the insert and many times one has more "eye appeal" than the other.
--- consider two or more same date/mm coins with different PCGS grades and, hence, different prices and different ranks in a Registry Set or personal collection. sometimes the highest graded, higher graded or lower graded coin can have more "wallet appeal" or "ego appeal" than the others.