Guess the grade #191

This one and http://www.cointalk.com/t168718/ will be ending tomorrow night.

 

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63.

 

For all the coins I have posted with obvious wear and still got graded MS, I do not understand why so many called this one AU. I suspect that I can see what you are talking about on the pictures, but in hand it isn't. It is pretty well mark free, has a fairly uniform color, and even fair luster at least for a brown coin.I would say it has a good shot at a 64 or at least a solid 63. However, my caution had to do with the obverse 9:00. Sorry the slab scratches kind of obscured it a bit, but those are 2 rim nicks. Since no one commented, I will have to assume no one saw them. That being the case, I will have to say their 62 was at least very close.

 

DANG....I missed the rim nicks completely! I didn't look hard and it seems like those were just part of the slab. I agree with 62.....kudos to PCGS on this coin.

RLM - People miss the 09-S and 09-SVDB all the time. They all seem to have a more flattened cheek and can have soft portraits....especially compared to the Philly issues. It's VERY common even amongst dealers. I've cherrypicked a few raw 1909-S's from dealers who pegged them at AU. I think I'm 3 for 3 in submitting their "AU's" to NGC for an MS grade now. When I posted those coins on the various forums, rarely did anyone see them as MS. :devil:

 

So many think because a detail is not there, the coin has to be AU or worse. That would keep it from being a 67, or lower, but it is still MS unless it is worn away.

 

It's too bad the slabs obscure some of the rims because you can often grade mint-state soft coins like copper/gold from just looking at the rims. They are an invaluable aid in grading coins that is often lost when you stare at slabs all day, and I think a lot of people neglect to factor them in when evaluating coins (you can often see a bit of them even in the slab/photo).

 

Maybe you should send it to me so I can see it in hand. From the big pictures I thought I saw(probably just the lighting) slight breaks in the luster. But like I said I thought MS, but went with my gut which said AU - that must have been one of my stressful work days. Nice for a 62 - I actually expected 63 if MS.

 

Amen to that brother! You are DEAD on. It's amazing how much people ignore the rims, they are the highest point and show wear/circulation too. Pristine rims tell a lot about the state of the coin and should always be closely examined....especially on a "tweener" coin.

 

+1, they should be the 1st place you look at on any coin imo.