GTG - 1788 Massachusetts Cent - You vs Walter Breen (no, really!)

This just arrived today.

Aside from it being my first Colonial, it is also graded by Walter Breen. It's a 1788 Massachusetts Copper, Period after Massachusetts. I probably over-paid a bit (but not too much I think) simply because I liked the idea of Walter Breen having actually laid his eyes and hands on it.

So what's your grade? Additional pics available if you'd like. Reveal in 48 hours or so.

 

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Oh, and to add; there is no number grade assigned, so I guess you can choose from PO, FR, G. VG. F. VF/XF, AU, etc.

 

Not a fan of Walter Breen, but I will say Fair.

 

Breen would be a negative to me too. Net VG for me

 

Um.... really bad choice of words.

I'll say VG, net G.

 

Um, yeah, now that you mention it, but I wasn't thinking that way...

 

I know. It's probably more an unfortunate choice than a bad one.

 

Yea, i dont usually squander away a chance for a good punchline, but, i wont touch that one

 

I'll guess VG with a bad strike.

 

I am at a possible Xf, the tones must be throwing me off!
a strong Vf candidate,

 

Personal life aside, Breen did quite a bit for the hobby.

Breen grade G
PCGS estimate VG-8

Good idea for a GTG, I have a similar that I'll post after you reveal the answer.

 

I would like to get it graded (NGC/PCGS), but I'd like to have it slabbed with the grading card & photo (which will be in the reveal) from Breen. Anyone know if they'll do something like that? I'd like to keep the 'set' all together.

 

Not that I'm aware, maybe they could use one of the old multi coin slabs to put it together. I have a felling they would charge a pretty penny (pun intended) for such a service if they would do it at all.

 

You sound like some of his contemporaries that looked the other way knowing full well what a monster he actually was.

 

He was also known to make things up, say basically anything for money, and tell flat out lies. Personally I think he did more harm than good, you have to check anything that came from him with a second source and to many people believe everything he wrote.

Not with a card like that. If they did it would be a first as far as I know

 

I wouldn't buy the guy a beer, but his books are full of some pretty useful information.

 

And I've heard his certifications could be bought for the right price.

 

I've heard that as well

 

While Breen wasn't a candidate for sainthood by any means, he still is a very recognized name in numismatics. My reason for wanting/buying this was for having some pseudo-provenance with a recognized name (even though he didn't own the coin), which I'm gambling will help down the road if/when I sell it. Everything else aside, I do think it's neat to own a coin that was graded by the guy that "wrote the encyclopedia" on coins.

 

I'm thinking VG. Other than the small pecks on the obv the surfaces look pretty good for a nearly 250 year old copper.