I don't think that you'd get a clean grade with either NGC or PCGS, there are just too many reverse scratches to me. I'd call it AU details from what I can see.
Sorry about the poor pics due to the heavily scratched slab. Just reading on http://conecaonline.org/ and saw an 1862 like this. At least 5 or six parallel lines show between the I's in III on the reverse (on both sides of it, but not on the center 'I'). No drastic star out line. Graded MS-60 by Accugrade many moons ago. With a loupe, these lines are very drastic. Can anyone help me confirm this with these poor pics? How much would this increase the value if my observation is correct? Should I get this re-slabbed? Thanks in advance to everyone as always.
Accugrade...and after taking that last pic I went back and looked. I swear there is an 'S' around 2 o'clock where the star is in the third pic. The orientation is definitely wrong though. Or I may be seeing stuff again.
It is too late to have this thread deleted since others have posted to it. What you need to do is click on "Report" and ask the mods to combine the two threads. Chris
Yes it is a clashed die coin. The clash adds nothing to the value. Better images would help place a value on it. A new slab will make it look better but not effect the value. You can polish out some of the scratches on the slab it's in.
The coin as it sits in the current slab may bring more value then having it re graded in one of the top 3 TPG's. Depending on how many have survived in the current holder. I leave it as is ....as I would more likely look at it or purchase it if seen in a dealers case for the reasons stated above.
How would I go about polishing this slab in the safest way possible? Dremel with a buffer type tip? Adding pics of the slab. Didn't know that could be desirable. Will only add more pics of the clash if I get really good ones after polishing the slab. I was able to make out parts of the star also.
That's one of the early Accugrade slabs before they discovered the joys of market grading. Die clashes are incredibly common on 3cs. The planchets are so thin they almost clash just to strike up the coin. I've seen some of the most spectacular add interest but not value. The early ones (esp. 1852) also suffer from PIDT (Progressive Indirect Die Transfer) where design elements like the star and the c actually transfer through the planchet to the die. This happens because the dies were horribly over used. Since I collect both 3cs and Accugrade, it's something I would love to have grabbed first.
You can damage the slab with a Dremel. Many just hand polish using a plastic polish like Meguiar's PlasticX. You can get it at the auto store.
Toothpaste would work for the early stages of slab polishing, but the abrasive is coarser than that used in the plastic polish. So toothpaste for the heavy scratches and then final polishing with the plastic polish. As with any grinding/polishing the finer the abrasive the smoother the finish.
