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coin22lover
Posts: 3,542 ✭✭✭
I'd say you've been pretty lucky with these scarce die marriages. Even if it's called an O.111a it is still a tough coin!
My opinion, FWIW, is that without the die cracks in the left stars and with only the smallest hint of beard growth -- a mere lump not even attached to the chest yet, that it is a prime.
Getting PCGS to call it this is another matter. Shoot, I see in Coinfacts pix an example that is a hair later die state than yours, and PCGS (incorrectly) calls it an O.111b. Check it out...the first XF40 shown in the list of bearded goddesses.
If you want an expert's opinion try asking Sheridan Downey and sharing your images. You can find his contact info on his website.
Lance.
My opinion, FWIW, is that without the die cracks in the left stars and with only the smallest hint of beard growth -- a mere lump not even attached to the chest yet, that it is a prime.
Getting PCGS to call it this is another matter. Shoot, I see in Coinfacts pix an example that is a hair later die state than yours, and PCGS (incorrectly) calls it an O.111b. Check it out...the first XF40 shown in the list of bearded goddesses.
If you want an expert's opinion try asking Sheridan Downey and sharing your images. You can find his contact info on his website.
Lance.
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Comments
But, I would indeed be looking. That's the main purpose of a prime to me. To see what it doesn't have.
Edit to add, looking closer what I thought was a slight crack above the lump (and about where it would normally be) appears to only be a dark line of some sort. If it's just that and not a break my answer would be....... I just can't say for sure but I'm a hard case on these 07's no matter what variety.
It is all I collected and studied for years. Still, if I owned it I could not in good faith call it a O-111 prime, nor even think about paying the premium for it. Heck a O-111a model is a big premium.
Here is a picture of a Prime I sold a while back:
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
I wouldn't call it a Prime, with the part of the die crack showing. For me, a Prime should show absolutely no trace of the die crack.
Here is a picture of a Prime I sold a while back:
Holy smokes, and what appears to be a gem circ and my kinda coin. When I do buy a tough variety it needs to be a nice coin like this one. And if I go without, I'm OK with that. Please let me know if it ever comes back. And I'll see how my checkbook is doing.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
As for coin22lover's coin, I'll defer. I do note that the perceived emerging die crack does not follow the correct path. It should finish well under the chin not at the front. So it is a lot shorter than it seems. But the blob is there nonetheless.
Lance.
My concern in trying to call this coin the prime, is the tiny tab extending down under the chin. This tab appears to me to be where it should be if the crack was completed down from there. Since there is this tab, the start of the crack, I must call this O-111a, based on my rule to assign according to the more common of two die states. JMHO
I would be very surprised if PCGS called it the prime.