So I get e-mailed TeleTrade's large cents, all of them. It's usually worth a good laugh when I follow the links, but this one caught my eye. It's not an easy date in this condition, but once I looked at the coin the grade on the slab was a bit of a head scratcher.... http://www.teletrade.com/coins/lot.asp?auction=2956&lot=1001&imagetype=j2 Does that look like a 50 to you? It sure doesn't to me. Looks near mint state to my eye (55/58). What's wrong with this picture? Explain this grade.
Looks like most of the wear is on the reverse on the leaves and the bow, but I'm with you it's definitely a nice AU50
Well I'd say that big hit on the reverse by the "O" in One would drop it from a 58. Then there's those rim bumps on the obv also. And the stars are quite flat plus the staining on the obv and rev. It's still nice but a 50 to 55 would be good I'd say. Plus if you think it's nicer then pay the 50 money for it
I think the cut on the reverse really lowers the grade. Same with the cuts on the reverse on the rim. From this angle they look very deep and I'm surprised it didn't get bagged for them.
That spot between star 9 and 10 concerns me. In my own opinion 1822 is not a tough date to get in AU - seems like most large sales at heritage include an AU or MS 1822. Still all of them are tough dates in the 1820's, but seems like to me 1822 is the most common. To me all the hits and that spot would not it down to a 50, but I would still say a nice 50.
If you look closely, there is wear on the hair closest to the forehead and the curl by the ear as well as on the stars on the obverse. Of course the hit on the back doesn't help it but all in all, I think it has a justifiable grade. Beautiful looking coin indeed.
Mike if you truly think that is near mint state it becomes much easier for me to understand how you, in my opinion, over-grade so often. That coin easily has enough wear, and not only on the devices but in the fields as well, to warrant AU50. Add in the other issues it has and I'd probably call it a 45. Especially if I were not grading the coin but instead pricing it, as you say the TPGs do.
i know its hard to find large cents that warrant a grade but with a hit like that im not sure id even want it. ive got some scratched ones but a coin with that much detail the hit would drive me insane.
Overgrade? lol Of course, we're all grading from pictures (TT pictures, more specifically, that tend to be flat), and it's difficult if not impossible to be really sure in that case... IMO that coin, sans the rim hits on the reverse, TPG (PCGS specifically) grades 55 AT LEAST (and likely 58) which is what I was referring to in my original post, and the rim dings were what I was trying to call attention to in this thread. This coin, IMO, is a good example of a silent net grade for the rim dings. As one of my mentors taught me long ago, when you look at a coin and the coin has a lower grade than you can justify (i.e. a head scratcher), there's probably something you're missing.
p.s. Don't believe me? Think I overgrade coins? Compare other AU 50 1822's to this coin and tell us all what you observe: http://coins.ha.com/common/search_r...822+au50&Ntk=SI_Titles&N=51+790+231+307&Nty=1 And all AU 1822s: http://coins.ha.com/common/search_r...y=1&Ntt=1822+au&x=0&y=0&Ntk=SI_Titles&&&&&&&&
Imagine that. I'm about 2 grades lower than TPGs. Perhaps I need to adjust my thinking on these too (like I always do with MS).
I don't know - some I look at and say this coin nicer, more details and some I look at I and think this coin is nicer. Would certainly be interesting to look at some of them side by side.
