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Hypothetical: Strong-strike AU58 coin vs Weak-strike MS61 coin?

DD Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Which would you rather have? If you had the hammered AU coin would you try cracking it out and resubmitting it and hoping for the bump in grade or just keep it to yourself as the best struck example that you've seen? What about resale? I realize some people think there's such a thing as "AU61" looking coins too image.

-D
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Comments

  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,404 ✭✭✭✭✭
    MS61 is usually a pretty ugly grade. I'd often take an AU58 over MS60-62. Making the AU58 more enticing by saying it has a great strike only furthers that opinion.
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  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,893 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>MS61 is usually a pretty ugly grade. I'd often take an AU58 over MS60-62. Making the AU58 more enticing by saying it has a great strike only furthers that opinion. >>

    Yup. Gimme the sweet 58.
    Lance.
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  • OnlyGoldIsMoneyOnlyGoldIsMoney Posts: 3,432 ✭✭✭✭✭
    AU58 is my choice.

    I have sold all but one of my MS61 coins but add AU58/CAC coins every chance I can.
    NO END IN SIGHT LIB $2.50'S CAC ONLY
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  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,328 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, a strongly struck 58 probably has more detail than a pancake 61. Typically, the difference between a 63 and a 61 is more than just the strike, so in addition to having fewer details, the 61 probably also has crappy luster and/or nasty hits. The difference between a 63 and a 58, however, is typically only slight rub. 9 times out of 10, the 58 is more appealing at first glance, so I'd most likely take it. The 61 with slight rub would be a 53 or 55.
    John
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  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,863 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ..... and there are a handful of 58's out there that give 66 and 67 coins a run for their money when it comes to visual appeal. The slight amount of wear can be almost invisible.
  • Lehigh96Lehigh96 Posts: 685 ✭✭✭
    I think the concept of AU63/64 is well known and understood by experienced collectors at this point. I would choose an AU58 (AU64) over an MS60-62 any day of the week. The only way I would crack and resubmit the coin is if I thought there was a good chance that the friction could be classified as roll friction and not wear. If the wear is obvious or in the fields I would not touch it. This SLQ might be worthy of a crack out.

    image

    One should also consider that there are a significant number of collectors who are building "slider" collections and will pay handsomely for AU58 graded coins.

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  • JustlookingJustlooking Posts: 2,895 ✭
    58 all the way.
    Let's try not to get upset.
  • mkman123mkman123 Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭✭
    Many au50-58 coins look better than a ms61 coin!
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  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,890 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well struck 58, especially if I could get it for 58 money.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
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  • PQueuePQueue Posts: 901 ✭✭✭
    the accurately graded MS61...
  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 14,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Most likely AU58.

    The actual example that came to my mind when reading the OP was 1893-CC Morgans. Many coins of that date come horrible struck... even worse struck than most O-mint coins. Even as Uncs. they have no ear at all. But there's at least one die pair that was very well struck. I've passed up buying coins from AU50 to MS62 before because it's clear they're from the pancake club. IMO those aren't worth owning at 25% back of Bid.
    When in doubt, don't.
  • SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>MS61 is usually a pretty ugly grade. I'd often take an AU58 over MS60-62. Making the AU58 more enticing by saying it has a great strike only furthers that opinion. >>


    image
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  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623 ✭


    << <i>

    << <i>MS61 is usually a pretty ugly grade. I'd often take an AU58 over MS60-62. Making the AU58 more enticing by saying it has a great strike only furthers that opinion. >>


    image >>



    There are plenty more AU61 coins then there are AU63/64 out there. Also MS61 can be an amazing grade for classic coins esp for price consensus collectors.
  • PeacemonkeyPeacemonkey Posts: 384 ✭
    Why the comparison to 61 and not 62 ?
  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,843 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you are talking the same coin a strong strike with a brush of wear trumps a weakly struck, low end Mint State coin every time in my opinion.
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • PrethenPrethen Posts: 3,461 ✭✭✭
    No-brainer: 58.
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>No-brainer: 58. >>



    image
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  • LindeDadLindeDad Posts: 18,766 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Well struck 58, especially if I could get it for 58 money. >>



    So in todays market your willing to pay the extra 30% or so the 58 will cost like the rest of us? In my two everyman sets I have not been able to get a nice 58 at guide price for a long time.
    image
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  • GoldClauseGoldClause Posts: 838 ✭
    58
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  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭
    The problem I have with this choice is that coins I see that are graded MS61 often don't look MS. These coins may not show wear, but they're often so dipped out and/or damaged that I'm surprised they even graded.

    If we go strictly by the definition of MS61, I'll go with the MS coin. However, based on coins I've seen encapsulated, I'd choose AU58.

    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • IHC08IHC08 Posts: 100
    AU 58 is my favorite grade. IMO the eye appeal often beats a 62, and comes at a fraction of the price.

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  • DoubleEagle59DoubleEagle59 Posts: 8,379 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Personally, I'd choose weak strike ms61.

    But for the marketplace, if I was going to resell, I'd definitely choose strong strike au58.

    Reason being, a lot of collectors look at the weak strike ms61 as 'wear'. So this leaves me with a mediocre au50/55 coin instead of an ms61.
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