Guess the Grade 1888 Morgan

I'll do the reveal tonight.

 

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Ok, drum roll. A lot of people are going to be surprised. Now you know why I jumped on with feet first into the wood chipper. More comments after the shock has worn off.

 

Looks like a potential CAC submission candidate. Of course, make sure you inspect it from all angles when you get it, sometimes a seemingly undergraded coin has an issue that's difficult to spot. I once saw an MS-61 Walking Liberty Half Dollar in a "rattler" that looked like a MS-64/65, but once the light hit the obverse just right, a large patch of hairlines would reveal in a prime focal area.

 

See I told you, I'm a better grader than they are, never doubt me, yeah right...

 

Ok, now what? I don't collect old plastic. (well, I do like old soap box ANACS holders but doesn't apply here). Do I risk insulting the highbrows and send it in for reconsideration? Do I send it to CAC and hope for a gold bean? Does that compensate for a minimum of 2 grades? Do I crack it out and send it to PCGS raw and hope someone sober grades it this time? It is a dilemma.

 

Honestly from the photos, I see only one small flaw. On the obverse there is the tiniest of tiny rim ding on the bottom edge of the coin between the 8s. That's it. I've got 3 Morgan coins in 66, 66, and 67 and this is just as flawless as those, maybe better? Grades are always an opinion, but I feel like my chances are better than good for an upgrade. I've seen MS64s that look like a minefield with moon craters compared to this one.

 

Wow that does seem low. I noticed a few dings, one on the neck truncation and a couple above the eagle's head. But it's hard to tell from just a couple photos, since you can't see the areas in the glare.

No matter what number is attached to it, though, it's one fantastic coin!

 

I would leave that for a CAC submission only, a gold CAC and that slab would send it to stupid prices without paying too much money for a new submission.
Also is the ear doubled? and is there a N clash under the chin?

 

I'm going to give it a hard look under my scope when I receive it. Good points you make here. When it's a rare VAM, it's always nice to have the designation on the obverse spelled out, but I've sent a lot of graded slabs to VSS, and they are probably the best of all of them at identifying the VAM.

I was going through my collection a couple of weeks ago and discovered ANACS misattributed a 1878 P. The reverse is all wrong for the VAM they assigned it.

 

This one has since gone to town with toning bit if you zoom in you can see the clash arks at the lips The main pick up is the doubling of the ear. The N xlash is hard to see in this photo but it is there. 

 

The decision is yours to make, good luck. I do believe the coin will score!