Prooflike & DMPL Morgan Dollars
Insider2
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I have just been told by an esteemed member of the Silver Dollar Roundtable and noted national authority on PL and DMPL dollars that: "Unless a person has bought and sold PL & DMPL dollars" there is no way their opinion on the attributes of one of these coins should mean anything!
Aside from being extremely frustrated and offended at his remark, I say that any intelligent person with decent eyesight can take classes, measure reflectivity, read books, and examine PL and DMPL coins in TPGS slabs and especially raw so that after a while at the least they will be able to give an informed opinion on the range of depth in a coin's mirror that will be commercially acceptable much of the time. What do you think?
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Comments
I think you are right.
I also think many people are way to optimistic about what coins are PL/DMPL. I wish more people (dealers included) were more realistic about what is PL/DMPL and what falls short and what is not even close.
You are absolutely right! I consider myself to be knowledgeable on many coins that I never bought and sold, just because I had the opportunity to handle them at ANACS or while working for major coin dealers. For example, I have never owned an 1804 dollar, but I have held five of the 15 in my hands.
If I am a "buyer," then my opinion on these coins counts the most.
rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
Pompous windbaggery can be encountered in many fields and hobbies.
There are many sellers who claim their coins are PL & DMPL when they are not. They are just juiced photos.
That opinion reflects conceit and insecurity. Such pronouncements immediately make me wary of any further statements from the individual. Cheers, RickO
I love PL/DMPL Morgans. It is my opinion that many coins designated as PL/DMPL are not accurately graded. It mainly has to do with the depth of the mirror finish.
You have a great coin in hand if it has deep mirrors in the fields and frosty devices with minimal marks. Such coins are rare.
So I went to a show, bought one for $100, and sold it right back for $100.
I have bought and sold.
I am now an expert, all must grovel at my feet.
THANKS ALL. This all started when I looked at two MS-64 Morgan dollars. One was graded PL while the other was DMPL. Both had the identical depth of mirror. This did not make sense to me. Later, I showed him a dollar graded PL that was only semi-PL on the rev. I am trying to learn from him. Yet, DMPL seems to be a moving target. I am nearsighted. I can measure the distance I can read type from the surface. I want uniformity. Five + inches is probably DMPL for most. If I remember, 4 inches may be the beginning of DMPL. Whatever. Anyway, I suspect the value of the one coin in DMPL kicked it down to PL while the common date with the same mirror didn't matter. The other thing I'm sure of - the "Expert's" eyes are probably not what they were at one time as he needs a magnifying glass to look at anything!
Unfortunately, this person is set in his opinions, has a very high opinion of his knowledge (I might add that it is probably warranted), all here would know him, and I'll say he his very deserving of praise for what he has done for numismatics; nevertheless, statements like this infuriate me coming from anyone.
If no one here has any objection, I plan to hand him a copy of this thread at the next major coin show.
"If no one here has any objection, I plan to hand him a copy of this thread at the next major coin show."
I don't see anything good coming out of showing him this thread.
Pretty much agreed by all that the statement was hot air and to me, it would not be worth trying to change his stripes on this particular subject.
I think you'd permanently lose any future relationship with him.
That is, if you care. If not......let 'er rip.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
I had a 84cc Morgan graded 64DMPL by PCGS, at th show today, that we were putting spots on the walls 50' away that's PL...
Using that SDR member's opinion as a template, then they must also agree that no one can render a grading opinion unless they've bought and sold coins. The fact that the TPG's can't always agree on PL/DMPL attributes should tell you something.
Fwiw, I would imagine the great majority of PL/DMPL collectors, have bought and sold such coins. Therefore they are qualified per that SDR member.
It's all in the hardness of the mirrors. Difficult to explain but easy to see.
I agree the attributes of PL/DMPL can be learned without buying or selling the coins. The buying of raw PL/DMPL will certainly test your skills if you are sending the coins in for grading. I can understand where the old guy is coming from as I collect PL/DMPL Morgans and I have paid my dues from my purchasing mistakes with both raw and slabed.
I'd have laughed in the guys face haha