V Nickel back from grading, Grade Revealed

HKstrongside · November 24, 2009 4:12PM

I just got my Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection by PCGS today. I am so excited. So I thought it would be fun to post a coin I would like to grade. While it is posted for a day or so, I will study up on the coin and how to grade that particular version. Then at the end of the day, I will post my grade and see how I did against all you pros. For this to be a learning experience for me, please don't just put down the grade only. Please tell me what makes you feel it should get that grade. That would be tremendously helpful. thanks, lets have some fun!

Type2 · November 24, 2009 5:37PM

WoW you have a good one to start on

1st PVC

2nd Cleaned or Diped

3Rd If it would grade I will go VF-30 I think. But that is just me.

Marauderrt10 · November 24, 2009 6:21PM

au53

Dark and ugly which reduces eye appeal, and surface hits.

WTCG · November 24, 2009 6:35PM

It is impossible to grade a coin with certainty by looking at a picture, though it may be possible to narrow down the grade range that the coin would grade.

The nickel in the picture is definitely well circulated. If an uncirculated grade is the grade you're prospecting for, it definitely won't happen.

darktone · November 24, 2009 6:37PM

It has very little wear but there are some spots. Net grade XF45.

Numismanic · November 24, 2009 8:53PM

AU50 based on wear. Hard to see luster from an image.

InternetJunky · November 24, 2009 9:51PM

<< <i>
2nd Cleaned or Diped
>>

I'm with ya on that. The darkness inside of the reverse letters as in "A" is always a dead giveaway IMO.

Also, I do not see any luster, could just be the image though.

PrivateCoinCollector · November 24, 2009 10:07PM

Forget about this Nickel for a moment. if you really want to learn how to grade you HAVE to look at as many PCGS, ANACS and NGC graded coins as you can. If you want to improve your grading skills faster and have the ability to get to a previewing of a major auction then you are in luck. Go to the preview and ask to look at the boxes of coins. As you take each coin out of the box cover the grade with you thumb (or any appendage that works for you) and guess the grade. After a few thousand coins you will get the hang of it. Do not skip the Details or Genuine Coins in the process. Look at those coins and try and understand why they are in those holders. Do this for several auctions and you will no longer be guessing the grades of coins, you will know how to grade coins.

ponderit · November 24, 2009 10:22PM

I'd call it a 45, maybe 50 but it's hard to tell from a pic. There's definite wear but overall a decent enough coin.

I also think PrivateCollector gave you very good advise... Have fun

dsessom · November 24, 2009 10:51PM

HKstrongside,

I worked on a set of Liberty nickels last year and early this year. I really love the series. The 1883 comes in two varieties. The "No cents" variety, and "with cents". The "no cents" variety is the more common of the two. Your nickel is the "no cents" variety, and is about AU50 in grade. A good visual grading guide for Liberty nickels is Here
It's hard to tell from the photo if it's been cleaned or not. (Cleaning is BAD and greatly reduces a coins value)

Welcome to the hobby! Have fun. It's a constant learning experience.

CertifiedGoldCoins · November 24, 2009 10:56PM

<< <i>It is impossible to grade a coin with certainty by looking at a picture >>

PTVETTER · November 24, 2009 11:03PM

can't judge from photo

BillJones · November 24, 2009 11:11PM

EF sharpness, but I don't know about the color and surfaces.

I would advise you to buy a copy of The Official American Numismatic Association Grading Standards for United States Coins, (published by Whitman). That book has pictures of almost all U.S. type coins in grades ranging from Good to Mint State. It is much better than the Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection. That book covers Mint State grades reasonably well, but does a poor job IMO with the circulated grades. And yes I own a couple of editions of the PCGS guide.

crypto79 · November 24, 2009 11:16PM

Bunch of hard butts here.

The coin is an original looking coin with minimal hits and light rub. the hit although light "COMPOUNDED"(the key word) with the light rub knock it down the AU55 range. Then you move to the luster / pop phase.

Starting at our AU55 range it looks like a crusty/dirty 35-40% luster remaining coin. That kind of dirt knocks down the eye appeal a little unless the luster booms through which from the picture it doesn't(I could be wrong on that since it is a picture) Taken that it is bellow avg luster / pop for a light cir it knocks it down one more grade to the AU50-53 Range lets

When you have a tweener coin as our baseline (50-53) you then access the whole package look
factor strike, location of hits, color, and desirability(key date, fav series, popular mint mark, metal, ect)

I grade(not my series though)

Out of the way hit(+),Strike(- soft), color(even),desirability(overall-)(+ first year)(- unpopular set)(- mint mark)(-copper nickel)

So since it looks a little lifeless it should go AU50 but all it takes is luster to move it up to an AU55 top grade. Although the inverse is true too that if it looks really dull it could get net graded to EF45

kryptonitecomics · November 24, 2009 11:17PM

AU50-AU53....I think those that say this coin is well circulated are mistaken...the hair detail on the obverse is the dead giveaway that it is not but yes there is wear. The reverse isn't fully struck toward the bottom so the fact that some details are missing doesn't suggest it's all wear. I don't see any PVC but I do see some corrosion on the reverse and the drker color could be a good sign that the coin has been dipped...especially if you don't see any luster in hand.

Some may have net graded the coin lower due to the problems mentioned which is normal.....I am just providing a details grade.

MacCrimmon · November 24, 2009 11:30PM

If you really want to learn to properly grade coins then consider attending the Summer Seminar through the ANA.

Registration for 2010 is now open; specifically, Introduction to Grading U.S. Coins.

If you are a Young Numismatist you may be able to qualify for their scholarship program.

The auction previewing is also a very good idea if not to just "see" thousands of coins at one time. However, keep in mind that grading, even among the pros, is subjective.

Have fun on your journey.

astrorat · November 24, 2009 11:33PM

HK-

The PCGS book is good, but my experience has been that, if used as a sole resource, it is a bit too advanced for somebody just learning to grade. I strongly recommend getting a copy of "Making the Grade" by the Coin World Editors or the ANA Grading Standards. "Making the Grade" is more in line with the current marketplace than the ANA Grading Standards, but the front text in the ANA book is a pretty good read. If you are an ANA member, you can check these out for 6 weeks from the library for the cost of postage and insurance...heckuva deal.

Think about spending some one-on-one time with an experienced collector/dealer to begin the learning process. For example, offer to bring your local dealer some lunch if he/she will spend some time to give you a personalized grading lesson (dealers like food

). Using this Board is not the most efficient or effective way to learn to grade. Also, think about attending an ANA grading seminar either at a show or during their Summer Seminar. Alternatively, get enough folks in your local club to sponsor an ANA grading class for the club. It's well worth the investment. I have yet to have a student tell me they wasted their money.

Welcome to the hobby...there's lots to learn, but it's lots-o-fun!

Lane

Gemineye · November 25, 2009 12:16AM

EF45...Libert is still visable..some wear in the stars but mostly good.....reverse worn details

MorganChicken · November 25, 2009 1:07AM

EF 40. A trace of luster with near full details. Nice coin!

shorecoll · November 25, 2009 1:41AM

I think it's EF, but wouldn't be surprised to see it graded AU50. Strike's a little mushy, but many, many Libs are.

Best regards.

OchoReales · November 25, 2009 1:46AM

You guys are a touch group! AU55 based on wear.

HKstrongside · November 26, 2009 12:59PM

<< <i>HKstrongside,

I worked on a set of Liberty nickels last year and early this year. I really love the series. The 1883 comes in two varieties. The "No cents" variety, and "with cents". The "no cents" variety is the more common of the two. Your nickel is the "no cents" variety, and is about AU50 in grade. A good visual grading guide for Liberty nickels is Here
It's hard to tell from the photo if it's been cleaned or not. (Cleaning is BAD and greatly reduces a coins value)

Welcome to the hobby! Have fun. It's a constant learning experience. >>

@ dsessom , Awesome webpage. I will study this page hard. I really love looking at liberty nickels. Thank you for the link!

HKstrongside · November 26, 2009 1:11PM

You guys are awesome. Great comments. A few of mentioned PVC, what is that? Also, some have said dipped or cleaned basted on the dark areas inside the letters. If it were dipped, which I understand to be chemical? wouldn't it also clean those spots too? Or would the dark areas be there because it was rubbed clean with a cloth or something?

As far as luster, I think the coin is fairly dull in hand. If what I understand luster to be, I would say slim to none.

HKstrongside · November 26, 2009 1:23PM

I take back my comment about luster. I think that it does have luster... I just got it out and compared it with a 1906 Liberty Head that is a low VG and looks very matte in its finish. compared to it, it does have a glean look and does reflect light and kind of shines. Is this luster then?

Raybo · November 26, 2009 1:29PM

<< <i>EF45...Libert is still visable..some wear in the stars but mostly good.....reverse worn details >>

Stars worn?
I don't think so, here is an MS64 example.......

I think the coin you posted looks 100% natural to me (i'm unsure about the dark spot at 3 o'clock on the reverse but it looks Kosher to me) and AU+ in my eyes.

IMHO you need to find another coin to test your grading skills on, the coin you posted looks like to nice of an example.

Raybo · November 26, 2009 1:43PM

Here is the reverse in case anyone was interested.

ChrisRx · November 26, 2009 1:52PM

xf40

Raybo · November 26, 2009 2:22PM

"One design element that often is weakly struck is the corn ear at the lower left of the wreath on the coin's reverse. It is directly opposite Liberty's fore curls, the highest point of relief on the obverse, and this resulted in poor metal displacement for both features."
and
"Mint state examples of the Liberty Head nickel typically are well struck overall, though those coined from worn dies will exhibit some softening around the stars and peripheral legends."

Ray

HKstrongside · January 28, 2010 1:18PM

I had to send this in to be graded since it was IMO my first find on my own. Any last guesses before I spill the beans?

tightbudget · January 28, 2010 1:21PM

45

DIMEMAN · January 28, 2010 1:35PM

I'll say 55.

MarkInDavis · January 28, 2010 2:33PM

53

HKstrongside · January 28, 2010 5:23PM

It came back AU50. I was happy about. However the slab is in poor condition for some reason. I will post a separate thread about that.

V Nickel back from grading, Grade Revealed

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