Gold Stickers
Desert Moon
Posts: 6,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
HI Folks,
Today I was looking through my bust quarters. I brought out my only Gold Stickered CAC CBQ:
It is in an OGH, what you see on the high points is mostly weak strike on the obverse, typical for the B1 die variety, especially in the later die states after clashing and die cracking. Under the light, the luster bands rotate through these areas. If anything there is just a hint of real rub - there is the light rub in the feathers around the shield, so it is a true AU coin. The luster does not burst our enough to be MS either. So what numeric grade should it have in these modern days?
Let's compare it to some of the other better CBQs in my set:
This lovely OGHed 1831 P58 (ex - five cents), has a touch stronger luster than the 34 P53, but in hand wear seems about the same.
This one above has more wear at P55, but also a hint more luster.
This 1833 is an interesting coin, it is in a P58 holder, showing no serious wear, but subdued luster. It did not make CAC. When I bought it, the story went that it came from an old collection in Europe where is sat in an envelope for many decades, so it has a uniform and rich grey patina over the whole coin masking some of of the luster. It is the least lusterous of all of these shown. Apparently CAC did not like that look, this 'originality' did not fit the CAC model of originality. Comparing it to the 34 P53 with the gold sticker, well....
Finally, this 34 P58 different die marriage than than P53 Gold Sticker. Under the light side by side, more luster than the 33 underlying the rich patina, less luster than than the 34 P53 Gold Sticker. Again, knowing the B1 die marriage weak strike on the high points of the obverse and on the upper rim of the reverse wings, the rub on these 2 are about the same and virtually absent. So what grade should be assigned to the P53 gold sticker? It was graded in the past a 53 for the weak strike? 55, 58? In JA parlance, this has to be at least 1 strong, full grade above 53 to earn a gold sticker, but would it get a 58 in today's world?
Best, SH
Comments
Not enough knowledge to intelligently guess at your question. But I’m smart enough to know your coins are gorgeous! All those CAC’s confirm you have a great eye! Way to go!
Stay safe!
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Great looking coins
A lot of the distinction will come down to luster and needs to be evaluated in hand. With that said, the rub on the eagle's feathers makes me lean towards AU55 shot AU55+. If the luster is stronger in hand, a 58 grade would not surprise me.
Don't know much but great set.
I'd call it P55-58 these days, but not a lock 58 unless the luster is excellent. It seems like the fields will tell the story because of the weak strike as you mentioned. As for the '33, I don't think CAC likes die rust
Great look to all those coins!
I'll venture to state that we will never know what PCGS might grade the coin as long as you own it!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
By the way...freaking lovely coins!
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Nice lookers
Yup, I won't be cracking it out that is for sure, it stays in the 53 OGH while in my hands. Great coin tho' and as noted, to me a good exercise in what is important in AU grades. Thanks folks for the comments.
Best, SH
Really nice!
Beautiful coins! I love the ones with toning.
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If you meant this as a general discussion of AU Capped Bust Quarters, it is helpful to note that to John AU53 is treated the same as AU50 so be mindful of that when looking for green bean AU53s.
When I looked at this my thought process was to think about how the 53 would grade compared to the others I had above today, no slab, just raw, sitting in the grading room, taking into account things that would matter in the AU range, nothing more than that.
My understanding is that the gold sticker means it is at least a full grade higher than the grade designated on the slab - so if this is a 53 B (minimum for the green bean), in CAC world this means it is at least a 55 B. I would grade this at least a 55 A, and possibly 55+ in PCGS grading with a green bean. My point also is, it seems to me this 53 is just as nice as some of my 58s with green beans, assuming weak strike is not part of the grade. And that takes some knowledge on the die history for this variety to understand why it may have had a weak strike that could be instead taken for wear. JMHO
Best, SH
To show this die evolution, we can look at the 3 in my collection. The early die state with no clashes no die break is a P45, but you can see weak definition on the folds of the dress of Miss Liberty (with some wear as well), and feathers on the upper part of the left wing the same as on the later states in higher grades - the P53 (Mid die state) and the P62 (LDS) with far less wear. So this die produced a weak strike throughout the minting from early to late use. So I am thinking that this was just missed in the grading room back in the day and was taken for wear, or strike was part of the grade in AU(?), hence the 53 grade. JA liked it at a higher grade irrespective of what is a weak strike for that die marriage.
Best, SH
I would be OK with all of those in 55 holders. So much variation in die states and grading that I can only reach the conclusion that 55 seems good enough for all of them.