Hi All, Below is my 1799 Heraldic Eagle. It has 7&6 stars and the 9 looks a little "funky" to me and I can't tell if it's a 9 over an 8 or not. As I look in the Red Book for this coin, they have pictures of one that has tarnish around the edges. I am unsure if mine is tarnished, corroded, damaged, cleaned or not. As I try to grade it based on the wear only, I would put it at about "Good." Any thoughts as to what the grade would be as well as the tarnish/corrosion/damage? Thanks!!!
All silver will tarnish. It begins the moment the coin is struck. Depending upon the coins environment, that tarnish can be attractive or downright ugly. And yes, for a 225 year old coin this one presents as though it has been cleaned in the past, however I believe it would be acceptable... Though I cannot tell if there is some rim damage on the reverse or if the toning makes it appear damaged in your photo.
Your pictures are too blurry to see any hairlines or harsh cleaning. However, the center of the coin is far too pale to be original. The spotty, orange character of the toning on the obverse is a classic sign of having been dipped and then not rinsed properly. The thick, dull, flat, dark toning on the left of the obverse almost makes me wonder if it was Artificial Toning that turned bad.
I don't think that it is the 9 over 8 overdate. The piece is well worn although the obverse is pretty sharp. Yes, cleaned at some point, but in this grade, it's no a huge problem. It's the ideal piece for collector on a budget who wants to have an early piece of silver. There are worse pieces. They have a hole.
Here is a 1799 dollar. Believe it or not, the collector who sold this piece to me many years ago, told me he paid $15 for it. That was a pretty low price, even in the 1940s just after the Second World War. Believe it or not, the silver dollar was the only 1799 dated silver coin the mint made. None of the other denominations were issued. To show you how grading standards have changed, the old ANACS called this coin an EF-45. NGC graded it AU-55.
Grades are not "cast in stone." I've have had a coin that got "body bags" (no grades) from one service and MS-64 from the other. I sent the coin in the second time because I knew the first guys were wrong. But, with the grading companies, "You can't fight city hall." They think they know everything. They don't.
Same. My biggest coin gamble was an SP coin graded UNC Details Cleaned by PCGS. Submitted to ANACS with conservation, they removed lacquer and it graded straight SP62. At least with coins there's more than one "city hall" to go to.
You belong to us. Don’t ever leave. Would create a small black hole cuz you matter. I enjoy you. Wonder if @charley got that
