Please critique this newp San Marino 1869 5 Centisimi

mercurydimeguy · October 22, 2015 3:32AM

Boy, this coin is tough to find in higher grades. Found this one raw in an Italian dealer's inventory. Pictures looked like the coin could be UNC, so I took a shot at 155 Euro (plus shipping, 170 Euro all in).

I was on a business trip, arrived home on a redeye this morning and had a couple coins waiting for me, this was one of them. Could people more knowledgeable in this issue critique it for me? I was told that this coin has been put away for some time, came from a collection a person developed in 1902...It looks original as evidenced by the fingerprints (in a weird way, it makes sense that the coin would have them), and then it toned over. It definitely looks UNC from where I sit, but I am not an expert. San Marino is such a tiny place that I was hoping someone here might know their coinage.

Thank you in advance!

brg5658 · October 22, 2015 4:28AM

Looks like an original and crusty copper coin to me. I'd grade it MS62BN, limited by luster, fingerprint, and a "look" that graders seem to not like to grade much higher.

As an avid copper collector, I like the coin -- assuming none of the "color" is actually growing -- sometimes the blue/green toning and light verdi gris are difficult to differentiate in photos. That comment is particularly pointed at the area around "LICA" on the obverse.

mercurydimeguy · October 22, 2015 4:36AM

Originally posted by: brg5658
Looks like an original and crusty copper coin to me. I'd grade it MS62BN, limited by luster, fingerprint, and a "look" that graders seem to not like to grade much higher.

As an avid copper collector, I like the coin -- assuming none of the "color" is actually growing -- sometimes the blue/green toning and light verdi gris are difficult to differentiate in photos. That comment is particularly pointed at the area around "LICA" on the obverse.

It's all color...and it looks deep (e.g. been there a while and it ain't changing).

Thanks for the feedback.

brg5658 · October 22, 2015 4:38AM

Originally posted by: mercurydimeguy

Originally posted by: brg5658

Looks like an original and crusty copper coin to me. I'd grade it MS62BN, limited by luster, fingerprint, and a "look" that graders seem to not like to grade much higher.

As an avid copper collector, I like the coin -- assuming none of the "color" is actually growing -- sometimes the blue/green toning and light verdi gris are difficult to differentiate in photos. That comment is particularly pointed at the area around "LICA" on the obverse.

It's all color...and it looks deep (e.g. been there a while and it ain't changing).

Thanks for the feedback.

In that case, I think you're good to go. Nice coin, original looks, and I'd be in the MS62BN camp.

Congrats.

amwldcoin · October 22, 2015 9:19PM

Looks like a nice Unc to me. Hard to tell what it would grade from the photos.

Christos · October 22, 2015 11:59PM

Beautiful coin looks to be original surfaces and I would go MS62-64 depending on actual eye appeal in hand as we all know we can optimize the look of a coin that a single grading light can not do.