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Grade my 1853 gold dollar? GRADE IS IN!!
Weiss
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An estate's heir, accompanied by the attorney, came into the local B&M last night with the contents of a safe deposit box which hadn't been accessed in over 20 years.
Cigar box after cigar box of obsolete 90%, three high AU saints, and this.
I've compared her to a dozen others on eBay and even the high MS ones don't come close to strike. Small mark next to the "1" on the reverse is the only flaw I see on her. She's a little dirty and that skin looks amazing in person.
Shot at MS and worth slabbing?




Cigar box after cigar box of obsolete 90%, three high AU saints, and this.
I've compared her to a dozen others on eBay and even the high MS ones don't come close to strike. Small mark next to the "1" on the reverse is the only flaw I see on her. She's a little dirty and that skin looks amazing in person.
Shot at MS and worth slabbing?




We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
--Severian the Lame
--Severian the Lame
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Getting these coins graded is not a bad idea, if you don't have to spend a fortune on it. Many view gold dollars, especially 1853 gold dollars, with suspicion. At lot of counterfeits were made of this date back in the 1960s. The coin will be easier to sell certified, and you will get more for it.
The 1853-P gold dollar is by far the most common date in the Type I series.
At least if you get a 58 you can always resubmit it for the 62.
So now the question is: Do I acetone her first or send her like she is?
There's some dirt in her devices that I like but that her future owner may not.
I didn't touch my Charlotte dollar and now I'm glad I didn't. But the 53-P is a different ballgame.
Thoughts?
--Severian the Lame
I'd leave it alone. Just send as is.
Nice coin!
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Luster looks a bit subdued to support higher grade. I'd skip the chemical bath.
are a surprising amount of those already in holders. Hard to believe it was worth the drama to bring a atty. along - I doubt this coin would pay the fees to bring one along ?
HAPPY COLLECTING
--Severian the Lame
ATS? MS61
The court jester does not play, but gently pulls the strings…
NGC MS62
Tom
Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner.
TDN been drinkin?
I'm guessing MS 62
Au 61?
TDN been drinkin?
Nope. TDN doesn't adhere to the stupid notion that AU stops at 59
I was expecting a straight AU grade and hoping MS.
In the end I bought her to sell, and recent eBay sales seem to indicate there isn't much of a difference between Unc details and straight AU58.
But I can't help but wonder: if I'd checked the little NCS box, would she have straight graded MS, straight graded AU, or still have come back Unc details?
--Severian the Lame
Unless you got it for an exceptional price, its value probably doesn't justify too many more tries. I don't see anything that conservation would have helped. They probably saw a patch of parallel hairlines, which dipping or conserving would only make worse. Nice that it's genuine, at least.
crack it out, place it in a flip and offer it at a show(s) as an MS63, then let the dealers offer at a price which makes you whole plus a small profit.
Sounds good to me. Where's Julian?
But I can't help but wonder: if I'd checked the little NCS box, would she have straight graded MS, straight graded AU, or still have come back Unc details?
NCS can't unclean a coin so it wouldn't have helped. Rotate at the coin under a bright light and you'll probably see many fine hairline scratches that indicate an old cleaning.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I figured they would be more marketable eventually if genuine and graded rather just in flips.
This 1851 gold dollar was one of them:
And the grade?
--Severian the Lame