Toned 1931 S Wheatie - opinions on toning, grade etc.

Greetings everyone,

I just purchased a nice 1931 S Wheat cent and wanted some opinions from the pro's here... I am a fan of low mintage coins and have been thinking of getting a nice 31 s for a while as they can be found in high grade at a relatively inexpensive price. Well I saw this coin and really fell in love with it - now I just hope it is everything I hope for and more! I am a noobie with high grade copper so all opinions are welcome!

Don't have the coin in hand yet but I bought it from these pictures... My biggest concern is the toning (which is probably my favorite part!), I have seen some pretty wildly toned wheats similar to this but do you think the toning is natural?

Secondly the coin is raw so it may be a while before we can get an official answer but what do you think the grade is and who would you have it graded by PCGS or NGC?

Last but not least - WHAT'S IT WORTH?!?!

 

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Holy crap I'm not a big fan of Lincoln's but I absolutely love this one, if you don't mind me asking how much did it set you back? I really really really like this coin.

 

That should go 64/65, but it is not red so I think 64 more likely - IF............ However, I sincerely doubt either PCGS or NGC would grade it.

Worth? Uncertified, I would guess $200-$250. Certified, God only knows.

 

That is one smokin cent! Congrats!

 

Thanks y'all. I do really hope it is gradeable by a TPG but the color makes me wonder. My guess is a 64 due to it not being red, but secretly I am hoping for a 66 or 67 Now back to reality!...The seller I bought the coin from sells some really nice coins and has 35,000+ positive feedback so i am hoping that everything checks out.

Ended up paying $182.49 which was lower then expected - I just hope it looks as good in person as it does in the pics!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290485619387&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

Now that I know where you got it, I retract my opinion. Look up GSC on this site and see if you can find one good thing said about them.

 

Well I can't say that makes me feel better Although deep down I figured the pics were juiced, I just hope that the coin is not to marked up. Either way they do have a 10 day return policy that I could take advantage of if necessary.

I'll snap some pics when I get the coin in a few days - keeping fingers crossed.
Thanks
J

 

Good luck. Nothing against you.

 

I'd grade it AU58 questionable color if those pics are true to life. Then again, I'm a hard grader on cents.

 

I would not so much worry about the photo being juiced as I would determining why the coin got listed by great southern coins. I learnt the hard way and so have many others on this site. The great news is that GSC honors all of there returns and I had zero issues receiving a refund. My advice is to scour that coin. Assume there is something wrong and find it. If there isn't than you scored big time. As far as a grader accepting the coin based on color alone, I have always been taught that TPG's are skeptics when it comes to copper.

 

Can you please inform us why you feel the TPG wouldn't grade it? If it is based on toning should we steer clear of any toning on copper or just the toning that is simliar to the coin in the OP. thanks.

 

I don't have a great deal of experience, but the little I have and what I have seen here, both TPG's have become super stringent of anything colored on coppers and particularly anything colored blue.

 

ok thanks for that response. My local dealer created the same appearance on a 1909 VDB by using some type of cleaner that I have never seen before. It wasn't intentional and he let me know thats how the colors appeared. Maybe thats why TPG's are strict with it.Copper seems to be ultra reactive.

 

Copper is a pain! He probably used Blue Ribbon or Coin Care. I dont know why people do that as it changes the color so much and hurts the coins...

 

Thanks for the responses everyone - It was a spur of the moment thing and probably will return it unless it is everything they advertised and more... Thanks for the knowledge with the coin dip - had no idea it would cause that toning.

It just looks so pretty though! Oh well if it is AT then it's definitely goin back.
THANKS!
J

 

Personally, I would never buy a coin from GSC, for multiple reasons.

Doug is correct, most often the blue color comes from using that crappy MS70 cleaner. I've never used it, but I've heard many times that it can irreversibly turn copper blue. For that reason, I really stay far away from solid blue toned Lincolns.....as shown in the reverse picture. I've seen a few at coin shows that were over-priced and solid blue....no thanks.

I'm with RLM, no TPG would grade this coin. They are OVERLY sensitive about color, more often than not, they will reject colorful coins. I've had plenty that were rejected even though the toning was very natural....IMO....it all stems from their AT paranoia. If they are not 100% sure it's NT, they will reject it.....even the slightest doubt will body bag it.

 

Wow thats nice!!!!!!! I envy you!

 

Don't let these guys pile on and bust your purchase. Blue copper isn't always tricked up and even if it was that coin is market acceptable. Gold, silver, and copper all get dipped so accept it. Blue ribbon supposedly makes mint luster pop and can make copper blue depending on how much was used. I personally get coins graded all the time that have blue color. I recently bought a raw 1916 Lincoln from cohodk on ebay that was blue as *ell and it came back MS 65 BN and I sold with a premium no problem. Laugh all you want, but when I get a coin B Bagged I get it in another order and it usually grades at some point. I say get it graded because that is a killer coin and one with more character than a strictly red one.