I like it but that doesn't mean anything. I have read over the years too many threads on these being a coin to buy slabbed. What is your opinion on this one it is real convincing. Sorry my editing program, well my computer is at the end.
Now that I am at my computer I have been looking for tales that it could still be a contemporary counterfeit. I am having a hard time finding anything.
You are absolutely right to be cautious of these, of course. So many fakes! However, I do not see any obvious signs of any red flags - everything I normally check on these looks good. If that is a fake it is an *exceptional* fake. It has been dipped, of course. The rusty orange bits on the right side of the obverse are classic indicators of a dip. The splotchiness on the reverse has me a little concerned that the previous toning was too thick and damaged the luster when it was dipped. Whether that's enough to prevent straight-grading or not... who knows? In picture 2 of the obverse there are hairlines in the left field, but I don't think they are parallel enough to indicate cleaning - those look like normal scratches from circulation.
I see those Unfortunately, I cannot look at the coin till Monday. I rolled it around under a light for a while. It doesn't have the look of being mishandled. Yet I rarely see these coins in AU or better.
Here are the hairlines, thats a pocket, could be a little to generous swipe across some greazy wood counter or maybe leather. Anyways The field to the right of the second and 3rd stars.
