Why is the 1963-D penny so difficult in high grade?
Dennis88
Posts: 5,797 ✭✭✭
Went through 300 coins from unopened rolls from a bank in San Francisco this weekend. Most were spotted. Those which were not often had numerous small scratches in the fields are a terribly strike. Found one which might be a 65 on a lucky day...although at first glance they didn't look that bad.
Why is this particular issue so tough?
Dennis
Why is this particular issue so tough?
Dennis
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I made a small "hoard" of MS66RD coins from a single roll nearly a decade ago but the well has run dry since then. Tough coin in nice quality 66RD and nearly impossible in solid MS67RD grade!
Wondercoin
I once read that the quality of the strips from which planchets were punched, as well as the manner of their storage, can affect a coin's propensity to spot or discolor, but I don't know if that's true. As for scratches and other marks, I don't know what else the answer could be except that in later years, the machinery used to process a coin from strike to shipment was abusive, especially at the Philly mint. I'd love to hear an authoritative answer to the OP's question.
Whit
I wasn't trying to waste my time in either case.
BTW, I sent 100 of these bulk rejects to NGC and they slabbed 58 coins in MS66RD.
I haven't "made" this coin in MS66RD in the past five years. Without a doubt, the 63-D is by far the toughest Lincoln Memorial Cent in MS66RD and better.
Jaime Hernandez even comments on this issue on Coin Facts. He went through three bags w/o finding a single gem. He, too, made several 66Rd's from a single roll.
(Though nowhere as rare, another Linc Memorial cent I like in MS66 and better is the 1974-S.)
Dennis
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Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Common in all grades, although coins with good eye appeal are in the minority. Sharpness of strike
varies: perhaps most of the inferior strikes came from poorly prepared planchets (per David W. Lange).
It is to be remembered that the obverse hub dies, slowly but surely over the decades, lost detail,
with the result that a cent of 1963, or any other year of this era, will not hold a candle in detail to a
cent of 1916 (when details were sharpened). A "good" strike in the modern era is one that, the hub
considered, is good within the context of the era.
(excerpted with permission)
<< <i>Do you have to call QDB and get permission or can you just give it to yourself, being the publisher? >>
I can grant it at my own discretion as Whitman's publisher.
I am starting this thread back up again because I think I have found a promising 1963 D Lincoln cent that I think should grade at MS67 + I have looked high and low for this coin exclusively for the last couple of years . I stopped for a few months and gave others a chance to buy rolls I would have then looked and saw 3 sold and 7 available and bought them for 20 bucks a roll. I have bought from this seller several times and the coins were always clean and unsearched so I knew it could possibly be in one of them. Last roll last 1o or so coins I found it. I had 10 or so set aside as maybe's but I knew they wouldn't make the grade . This coin has it all I think. Cartwheel Luster , Great clean Eye appeal, Great Strike on both sides and only a few minor nicks . I have read that Luster can add to a coins grade well that should push mine to where it belongs MS67+. I have only had the coin a couple of days so I am still in shock , but I will take it to my local coin shop and have them submit it to PCGS for grading soon
No, I don't think so.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
this was a MS67 that sold in November of last year! eye appeal? luster? Strike? look at the hair.. no! twice as many nicks
66, on a good day from your photos, it is nicer than most. I might have a different opinion in hand. If you do submit please update with your results.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
my original pics are way too big . show way
too much detail
must auto zoom on pictures...
I had 10 rolls that were cherry picked out of at least one bag. They were all nice gemmy coins but very few solid MS-65. There was nothing to do except haul the rest to the bank.
From your photos, appears MS64'ish.
peacockcoins
yeah I bought a sewn bag and wished I didn't but I had to get it or I would have thought I was missing out. Nope! so many marks!
ok now I see. right click on the images and open in another tab then they will look more reasonable.
the one that went to auction? yeah I agree.
I have a MS66 that is 1/2 as nice but thanks for your input
I have been sitting with an unopened sewn 1963-D cents for many years. I wonder what they are now selling for. I also have 50 tubes of 1963-D cents that my 97 year old 2nd cousin gifted to me. He got tired of storing them since 1963!
The hit in the field in the upper right of the obverse blows your chance at 67RD, even without that the hit on the reverse pillar and step weakness would preclude the +. Taking pictures of these is tough but I can imagine it looks really bright and alive. It has a great EDS strike with minimal planchet flaws that you would see in the shoulder but it is noisy with what appears to be numerous small hits across the entire coin. I don't know but I would think you may be lucky to get a 66RD with all that noise. Here is a legit P mint 60's 67RD that I made years ago.
I'm considering that the luster will add to the grade and put it where it needs to be.
how I am thinking this might be a 67 + ? I graded this one 6 moths ago and PCGS gave it a MS66 and only 300 or so exist only 20 or so are MS66+ and 9 MS67. NO 67+
if anyone wants I can post a pic of the slab. I didn't do anything with but used it to compare it with what I have now
This coin is virtually unimprovable! Judging from a picture is tough but there's only the light chatter under the memorial.
Thanks for posting . I bet you aren't happy about all the other coins that aren't as good got the same or higher grade. I look through the 67 and 67+ from pcgs during the 60sand have no idea of how over half of them got that grade but it's not their fault. Grading is not a perfect thing. almost everyone looks at the damage but that's only 1 category. Luster, eye appeal and strike are factors too and only luster can raise the grade if you have great luster but thats up to the grader
realistically your strike isn't great. the hair doesn't show the curves and whirls . field below the memorial has a few lines. you asked ...
I posted my 66 and look how bad it is compared to what I have now
The easiest way to tell is by who owns it. If I own it, it's a 67+. If you own it, it's an AU58.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
finally get to use that picture someone used on you. good deal!
'68 hubs were badly worn so no '68 cents have good detail, but this one looks about as good as you can get to my eye and it looks like an almost new reverse die. Since they change them together usually the obverse die is probably new but it's not visible in this picture.
It's not relevant to this coin but almost every single coin in the few surviving mint sets of this date and mint are both tarnished and spotted. Spotted coins can not be restored and tarnished coins can only about two times out of three. These coins should have been cut out of the plastic and placed in stable media in 1968, instead they were put into cash registers ever since.
other pictures were zoomed in X 3. These are with no zoom.
That looks nicer.
thanks, I don't think I will find one nicer. I am not looking anymore.
I'm still a "no".
Just send it in. Use the express service.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
I am gonna take it my local coin shop and have them send it whenever they send in theirs. they send to both NGC and PCGS but I want PCGS.
I think it has everything it needs . Even tone and pleasing to the eye. Cartwheel luster both sides from edge to edge . Good strike both sides .I know it has a few nicks but they are small and not deep. if it's on the fence the luster being so good could bump it up . that's what I am hoping for.
One of the “world-class” classic graders / upgraders out there (as good as it gets) submitted MS Memorial Cents for the first time to PCGS, looking for MS67RD and better grading results. He got back a pile of 64RD and 65RD slabbed coins. That pretty much sums up the confidence level one should have going into a Memorial cent submission project! Remembering that situation has saved me plenty of money myself over the years; when I think I have 10 winning MS Memorial cents to submit, I submit the best 2 or 3!
Wondercoin.
Clad, you would love this coin and my entire 1968 set. The obverse shows some weakness up at 12 O'clock. Its one of those strike things where the planchet is too thick on one side. You see them in rolls when they have various thickness. Also this coin was graded back in 2003 time frame when PCGS was super tough, I am sure it would plus now. I probably should send in my entire set for regrade but I am nostalgic about the old holders.
Who were you talking to with that comment?
yeah I am new and don't know how to reply to a comment. how do i reply to a specific comment?
Hit "quote"
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Ah ok thanks
Does anyone else think this table looks familiar?
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
I see why you think it might. Send it in and get truview - would love to see it. I wish you the best.
it was for clackamas1 > @Clackamas1 said:
thanks, finally some positivity.
yeah but I found that out the last time I sent them off but I am going with 1 coin for all the marbles.