NO, I do not own this coin---I wish I did. To me it is one of the most amazing looking Morgans I have ever seen. The toning is just right. Surfaces are beautiful. It has a great strike, and is solidly reflective. The asking price is rather high, but I can actually understand why.
Yes I have seen it. Much nicer than the pictures. Saw it at a show. I was offered the coin to buy it, but the asking price for that common a date was too high for me.
"Common date", yeah -- but in 68PL? Heh. Do you suppose it would still maintain DMPL by today's standards? I got a bit of a lesson when I tried to sell an old-holder PL common date -- I hadn't realized that the standards for PL and DMPL were actually less strict on the old holders. If it does meet today's standards for DMPL, and if the seller can make the case that "older slabs are often undergraded relative to current slabs", I can see why the seller would ask high. On the other hand, that cheek scuff really grabs the attention in this photo. And I notice there's no green bean.
The coin is probably worth a decent premium. After all, there are only 5 68DPLs graded *for the entire series* (although 3 of them are 1880S) Out of curiosity - any idea if this is the one that is coming up in the Heritage FUN auction? They don't have pictures of it up yet, but I'm eager to see it at lot viewing.
David Lawrence has it up for sale. I would say it doesn't have a green bean, as it was probably not submitted. Trust me, having seen the coin it is gorgeous--a greenie would have been automatic. The "cheek scuff" is primarily on the slab, not the coin, as it is an older holder. The coin is an extremely solid 68 in hand, and the toning is more Rose colored than it appears in the washed-out photos. It is definitely PL, as a straight on shot often doesn't show how deep the reflectivity is on a coin like this.
This is one of the bigger issues for me with graded coins... changing grading standards. Especially when the changes seem to mostly benefit TPG dealer/partners. As for the coin in the first post, It's nice but I don't like how the toning comes down farther from the edge at the top of the obverse. If I were to buy a coin with toning, I prefer it was more even all around (as with the reverse).
Ah. You know, if I were selling a coin at this level, I think I'd want to say something about that in the description -- maybe even post a couple of macro shots at different angles to demonstrate that it's not on the coin's surface. Then again, I don't play at this level, as either a buyer or a seller. And, hey, it's 5% off now!
Glad you mentioned that. I agree with Jeff B as well. They should mention that in the description as it's in a prime focal area.
It is really a gorgeous coin. I have had it in hand twice. If one sees it, it is obvious that there are no distracting marks on the coin. I bet this one will be sold face to face.
I imagine it was a white coin when graded and has since taken on those lovely blue and violet hues since.
Interesting. What makes you say that? Do you think it would've gotten a different grade had it already been toned?
I'd sure love to own that one. Haven't seen the price, though. If I did own it I'd send it back to NGC and have it reslabbed. They don't regrade them, just transfer it over so you wouldn't have to worry about it losing its grade or DPL designation. Then it would go to CAC for the bean.