This coin has been on sale forever, at what I consider an unrealistic price. I realize these don't come up for sale often, and I 'need' this coin, but I can't get over the poor quality strike. It has the most indistinct strike at the center of the reverse of any Ike I can remember in this grade. You can't even read "Pass and Stow" on the liberty bell. Am I missing something? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-D-Type...37?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item19d30bad4d
That is pricey. I find it tough sometimes to distinguish between a 65 and a 66. I am starting to think it may be better to buy a 65 with nice eye appeal, strike, etc., crack out and resubmit. TC
What one has to realize guys is 1. you are paying for the grade. 2. The type I coins were horrible strikes which is why there is a type II. Here are the reverses of the Type I and II Ikes. See the difference. Both are D mintmarks. Both are in PCGS holders graded MS66. The coin for sale on ebay is being sold by James Sego. He has had the Top PCGS Registry IKE collection at one point and sold it off. I got to meet him for the first time at the ANA convention and got to see many of those top IKEs for sale. Made my mouth drool. Remember, buy the coin, not the holder. If you don't like the coin, don't buy it.
I definitely agree with you there! CuNi coins always get this dull toning going on and I hate it. IKEs and SBAs get it. I don't like the obverse to the OP's coin, but the reverse is nice. It just needs a good acetone bath and that should take care of things. If the obverse didn't look so beat up, I would recommend buying it and cracking it out, give it a bath and send it back in, but with that obverse, the grade could go either way. Here are my obverses.
This is where i disagree with you, i think the reverse is weakly struck and seems to have some scratches at 12:00 and on the moon. Im not at all saying this is not a good coin im just saying you could do better for the grade IMHO.
Weakly struck....absolutely - Typical of a Type I IKE. Scratches/hits on the moon....absolutely. If that horrible toning were removed, I think the reverse would be ok. Take a look at that obverse compaired to mine. Definitely don't like that obverse. Could do better for the grade.....absolutely. But these are tough coins to come by as you don't see them that often in 66. I got into a bidding war at a local coin show with a guy for a BU roll of 76 IKEs Type II rev. They were gorgeous. I lost of course, but I gave him a heck of fight. Definitely some 66's in that pile.
Joe's real good at giving ho-hums a bath. He bought a York County classic commem of mine (that I felt was less than worthy) and turned it into a gem.......
Just because you dont see them often is not a reason to buy one that is not good for the grade. Im going to stick with this coin as being one i wouldn't buy but to each there own.
I have to agree with matthew all the way. Yes, the 76 T-1's are notorious for being weekly struck, but this is NOT a typical example, it is an exceptionally weak strike. Scratches and hits are ALSO NOT typical. Planchet flaws are typical. To each his own, but I wouldn't buy this coin as representative MS-66 either. You can dip, clean, brush it, acid bath it all you want, none of that is going to change what I deem as flaws. By the way, the toning doesn't bother me at all and actually hides some of what I see as wrong. Lastly, this is my #1 problem with TPG's; clear fields and luster don't always make a coin. With missing devices and detail, luster doesn't make this a MS66 in my eyes.
