Please Grade my Grade - 1909 VDB Lincoln Cents x7

As mostly a silver type collector of "medium to large" sized coins, I wanted to venture into something quite a bit different by going back to my roots with US coins, namely with nickels and pennies. But, I've (re)noticed just how different self-grading pennies and "small" coins in general is, compared to grading the much larger silver dollars and halves. The overall grading concept is similar, but everything seems to shift towards more conservative grading for pennies than for silver dollars. It's probably because the same hit or amount of damage on say, a silver Morgan, appears much larger on the much smaller wheat penny.

So, I ignored what I was used to with the larger silver US coins, and took a swing at grading 7 of my 1909 VDB Lincoln cents. Can you tell me what you think about my grade assignments for these coins? My grade can be seen when you click on the "Spoiler" button above the respective pictures. The grades I give are probably off by +1 / -4 lol. In all, I think my grades are all too harsh or not to critical of some hit marks, not sure!

The answers you give will determine the fates of these coins in big ways and small.

Sorry for the poor pics and thanks in advance!


1.

Spoiler

MS-64 or MS-65 BN

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2.

Spoiler

MS-63 RB

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3.

Spoiler

MS-63 or MS-64 RB

Vertical line above the "1" numeral of the date is not a scratch but a toning mark. Finger print is not as vivid in-person.






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4.

Spoiler

MS-65 RB

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5.

Spoiler

MS-64 RB

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6.

Spoiler

MS-64 BN

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7.

Spoiler

MS-63 BN

 

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Am I gonna get paid for this?

Very nice. Out of the change or out of pocket?

 

Well, I know NOTHING about grading these coins so ignore my opinion. But I had them all at MS60 at best.

But my main reason for postage is to ask how you did that spoiler button.

 

Uh oh now you did it. You called them pennies. People have been know to be banished for such.

 

You have to use the following BB Code while ignoring the quotes, and enter the text you want to show once clicked on between the bracketed "spoiler": "["Spoiler"]" "["/Spoiler"]"



So for instance:

Spoiler

"["Spoiler]Enter Text Here to make it appear when you click on Spoiler button[/Spoiler"]" (Ignore the quotes)

 

Ok, I'll change the title and main post.

 

Paid out of pocket for them. I wish they were all from my loose change!

Would have save me a few bucks...

 

From what I can see, I would not give any of these cents an MS grade, they would fall into an AU grade. IMO.. Why am I the only member to give you an answer to you question? Grains of salt not included.

 

You weren't.

 

Mostly AU's.
I think #2 would be XF.
#3 might be MS but the fingerprint probably puts it in the DETAILS category.

 

@iPen...this is a red Penny...a very pretty red Penny


This is a cent...

 

I bet my photos are making the coins look way worse than they actually are. I'm using a very intense light source and it makes even known, graded MS coins show all of its flaws. They look much better in-person and all of them have cartwheel luster. The coins don't look as muted and matte as they appear in the photos.

 

I find it hard to grade so many at one time. I am in the same boat as above. There is very slight wear on the high points from what I can concentrate on. #2 does look like the most wear on the bow tie and suit collar.

 

I think I'm going to submit #1, #3, & #4 and see how they grade, as they appear to be the best of the 7. Maybe if someone(s) confirm that they are in the top 3 of the lot, I won't end up sending worse coins.

So maybe the better question is, which of the 7 are in the top 3 in terms of condition or overall grade?

 

I think everyone will be interested in hearing how they grade.

 

#4 from the picture looks like very slight wear on the cheek (high Point) The reverse is very nice. #3 from the picture (is that a finger print or just wood grain on the face)? in front of the face looks like a L inscribed?
#1 from the pictures ( I really need a good halogen light on the coin in hand to grade coins) is the nicest. Maybe someone that can grade from pictures is a better resource.
Do not take this wrong; they are all nice coins and most people would be very happy to add any or all to their collection.

 

For #3, it may be a fingerprint, but it looks more like tiny scattered carbon spotting in-person. The vertical part of the "L" is a toning streak, whereas the horizontal part is a hit.

I'm for sure going to submit #3 because I like the reverse toning, and #1 probably looks good. To show you how different my photos tend to be from how others take it, here's another person's photo of #3. The color, hue, clarity are very, very different. Granted, I gave the cent several weeks' or so long total of an acetone bath followed by a xylene bath followed by another acetone bath:

 

+1

 

Should I submit to PCGS or NGC?

I have other US coins I'll be submitting with these 1909 VDBs (listed below).

Do you think it matters which TPG I choose as far as quality of grading US coins and variety / attribution accuracy? I have NGC membership but not PCGS, but I'll get PCGS mid-level membership if it's better in those respects.

+ 3x 1909 VDB 1C, #1, #3, & #4 (?)
+ 1913 Type 2 Buffalo 5C
+ 1916 Buffalo 5C, Proof Die Reverse (will try to get it stated on label)
+ 1893 Columbian 50C, Proof Die Obverse (will try to get it stated on label)
+ 1893 Isabella 25C PL/DMPL/Proof
+ 1964 Quarter 25C Proof, Possible PR-70
+ Maybe some Morgan and/or Peace dollars

 

You are quite correct, Thank You. Sorry I missed that, as i got into reading about the spoiler set-up.