Newp 1873-S $10

ranshdow · April 7, 2016 12:03PM

I am pleased. Do you like?

Mark · April 7, 2016 12:19PM

I keep seeing more and more old gold being posted and the coins keep getting more and more interesting. I never thought I'd be interested in collecting them but coins such as your specimen are sure sweet. They evoke such an interesting time and history.

I don't know enough about the series to make an educated comment about the coin, but I definitely think you should be very happy with it.

VanHalen · April 7, 2016 12:59PM

Boy the 1870's were good for U.S. coins! Nice example of a date not often seen. XF45?

ranshdow · April 7, 2016 1:13PM

Thanks Mark. I'll say outright it's not CAC. If it was it could very well be 20-40% more expensive, if not higher. I think there's only eight approved in all grades for this issue.

This piece has good color, reasonably original (at least not stripped) surfaces, a lot of luster for the grade, and decent strike, at least compared to Reconstruction-era SF eagles. It's also got a lot of detail for the grade (XF45) and it is not hairlined. What it also has is a lot of surface chatter, and prominent hits to the neck, the field below the bun, and between stars 2 and 3. It also has a small but prominent rim bump at 11 o'clock.

Are these the reasons it didn't CAC? I don't know, I didn't submit it so I didn't get to ask JA's opinion. Does it matter? I'm not sure. This piece has an awful lot going for it IMO, and that's why I'm happy with it.