Trying to learn "wear" vs. "weak strike" --- Photos attached --- thank you

I bought this coin early in my collecting career as an MS-62 (dealer graded)
Please advise...

 

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I took your pictures and marked in red the high points of the design. These are the very first spots where a Morgan will recieve wear. The spots in green are where you tend to see bag marks and luster breaks that can also help you determine strike from wear. Hope this helps.

e

 

The first place I look for evidence of a weak strike on a Morgan Dollar is Liberty's hair directly above the ear on the obverse. If there is little to no hair detail there but the area has mint luster it is a weak strike. If there is little to no hair detail there but the luster is broken it is wear.

 

If the coin is in hand, its fairly easy to see by looking at the high points for breaks in luster. If the luster is broken, then that is from wear.

Alternatively, come collect ancients. We don't differentiate WHY detail is missing, just that it is.

 

Nice illustrations of the wear points Matt!

 

That is one of the toughest things in gradings and i can only reliably do it with Morgans. Unfortunately, the areas that have early wear are also the same areas that are weak strike. I generally look for luster lines and review the non-device areas for preliminary rub.

Ruben

 

After looking HARD at this coin, I don't think it's an MS coin at all... I bought a lot of Morgans when I started collecting and I'm afraid many of them are not what I was led to believe they were.... ;(
I know many people have 'loose' standards for what an MS coin is, but man-o-man it sure looks like the high points have wear.... Speaking of wear, where is my gun?

 

If that is the worst mistake you make buying coins you will be fine. We have all made similar mistakes. Think of the amount you overpaid for the coins as a down payment on your numismatic education.

Speaking of education, the most important tool in your coin collecting tool bag is your numismatic education. Knowledge is power. If you can distinguish between a circulated coin and an uncirculated coin or if you know how to grade a coin you will no longer be at the mercy of dealers who assign grades to their raw coins. (As you discovered, when they are selling coins many dealers grade their coins unrealistically high.) The money you spend on your numismatic education can be recouped on one purchase and will continue to pay dividends for a lifetime.

 

Here's a comparison for wear. Please note not to include the bag marks as a 64 will have more marks than a 65 or 66 and fewer than a 63, 62 or 60. Sorry third pic didn't load it's too big the is a NGC MS64 78 rev. of 78 so you know you are comparing the same coin and variety.

 

These are mint state? They look MS63/2 to me.

 

the coin looks MS to me from the pics but you need to have in hand to really tell from one that's close to the line. you need to tilt it under good light at an angle to be sure and see luster breaks, if any.

 

The ones in 9? Lets asked Rebbi

 

It is the red marks I've made where I see "rub" or "wear" the most... does this make sense?? (I've looked a dozen of my Morgans)

 

I would think maybe 55 at best. It looks like broken luster on the obverse left field and slight wear in the hair.

 

I'll confirm that as well. The TOP image has wear everywhere. Look at the ear, cheek, the cap... etc

 

For a weak strike, I like to look for chatter on the coin that was present on the planchet before it was struck. A weak stike doen't seem to have the "power" for lack of a better word to squish the metal into it's new shape completely leaving the chatter marks on the high points of the coin, which are the deepest part of the die. The shoulder on a Lincoln cent or the face on a Booker Washington are famous for showing this effect.

Matt

 

Luster can also be a factor, worn coins tend to quickly lose their original mint bloom.