Thread: Another Morgan to Grade - On the Fence, plz assist!

All opinions accepted whether you think it is the nicest philly you've seen or a silver paperweight
I'm thinking of sending it in, but only worth it for MS65.

Nice coin, it's hard to tell from the lighting but with those pictures it seems like a 65+. With different lighting / bigger picture it could be a 63-64... That thing is WHITE!

The pics are kinda too small to tell.

Photobucket lets you post much more detailed larger pics.

Not much chatter and for an O-mint it has a great strike. I think it has a good chance for 65.

The black background makes it harder to see--distracting, but looking at the picture there--click on them and magnify the pix. I'd say a 65. Almost no contact marks and good luster. Good strike for New Orleans--MS 65 from those pictures. Philly? It has an"O" mintmark, so I'd say it is from the House of the Risin' Sun.

I don't think that the strike is good enough for a 65, but it may be worth a shot. I would call it a 64.

Originally Posted by Kirkuleez

I don't think that the strike is good enough for a 65, but it may be worth a shot. I would call it a 64.

KIrk I see what you are saying. However, that is really a pretty decent strike for New Orleans. For San Francisco, or Philly, It would be inadequate. Look at feathers on the eagle and Lady L's hair--decent. Very little background noise also. 65 isn't out of the realm.

I agree, that is why I said that is worth a shot.

Take the 1921 Peace dollar for example. For years they graded MS strikes the same as Proof strikes. All of the detail was supposed to be there. We all know that the 21 Peace dollar had a notoriously weak strike, but it was nearly impossible to get a 65 or better even on coins without any noticeable contact marks.

Given the lax standards of TPGs these days, I wouldn't be surprised at all if your coin came back as a 65. I just wish that they would go back to the old strict standards. These days, I have to crack out coins and resubmit them if I want to get the full value of a coin. Nobody will pay 67 money on a very nice 65.

Originally Posted by Kirkuleez

I agree, that is why I said that is worth a shot.

Take the 1921 Peace dollar for example. For years they graded MS strikes the same as Proof strikes. All of the detail was supposed to be there. We all know that the 21 Peace dollar had a notoriously weak strike, but it was nearly impossible to get a 65 or better even on coins without any noticeable contact marks.

Given the lax standards of TPGs these days, I wouldn't be surprised at all if your coin came back as a 65. I just wish that they would go back to the old strict standards. These days, I have to crack out coins and resubmit them if I want to get the full value of a coin. Nobody will pay 67 money on a very nice 65.

Oh, I completely agree with you. It should be sent out to a TPG and see what they call it. Would not surprise me at a 65.

64 or 65

Appreciate all your thoughts! I'm pretty impressed with the strike for an Orleans (don't know what I was smoking when I called it a Philly) so I may go for them gem grade next time I send stuff down to NGC. On the other hand NGC is now a leper (according to nearly all dealers at a recent PNNA show) and I don't do business with PCGS so might sell it raw.

i think it would grade a 64 for great eye appeal. very nice coin for a O mint.

Appears to be a black spot on the ear and on the crease of the hat, put a big rim dent at 9:00.

Not sure if it's just the over-exposure that's trickin' my eyes, but it sure looks like the "Oval 'O'" (assigned various VAM numbers, starting with "VAM-2") and if it were, in that grade.... Ohhhhhhhhh boy. $$$

See for yourself, OP - http://www.vamworld.com/1888-O+VAM-2 - The best way to attribute this variety is by the narrowness of the inside of the 'O'. The hole will be the same in width all the way across - from inside-left to inside-right. If it weren't, the inside of the 'O' would be much more circular.

Any way you could get a decent-quality close-up photo of the mintmark, OP?

-Brian

Originally Posted by iGradeMS70

Not sure if it's just the over-exposure that's trickin' my eyes, but it sure looks like the "Oval 'O'" (assigned various VAM numbers, starting with "VAM-2") and if it were, in that grade.... Ohhhhhhhhh boy. $$$

See for yourself, OP - http://www.vamworld.com/1888-O+VAM-2

Any way you could get a decent-quality close-up photo of the mintmark, OP?

-Brian

I'd love another top 100 VAM but unfortunately this is an 1883 O not 1888 O. Hard to tell with my photo.