hone your grading skills -- indian quarter eagle

Here's a coin that has been in my collection for some time, but I don't believe I've posted it here....

Please guess the grade that PCGS assigned to this coin, and also the grade YOU would assign to it if that differs.






As always, your thoughts/comments/likes/dislikes are most appreciated.

Have fun & happy holidays everyone...Mike

p.s. the photos are old and overexposed, BTW.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

58/58

I'm not a gold guy, but lack of luster in fields and hairlines dictate my guess's. Please do not be offended, I am only guessing.

 

The coin looks genuine but it is hard to say for sure without seeing the actual coin.

I give it an MS-61.

 

Have no fear, I'm never offended by anyone's opinion of any coin I post, particularly when your opinion is requested. :hug:

 

p.s. Welcome Hobo!

 

61

 

having no experience with gold, its difficult to get a sense of whats happening in the fields; Assuming that a lot of what I see in the fields is just how gold photographs, and also seeing that the devices are nearly unblemished I would happily give it a 63

 

Think I see some minute wear. If that's the case then AU-58. If not then 64.

Take Care
Ben

 

Appears to be LOTS of little marks in the fields.
I think AU-55.

 

This one is a toughy. For one thing, I can never tell from a photo if the all-important cheekbones have a luster graze / rub. It appears not, so I'll say it's MS. Same for the eagle's shoulder.

There's some really appealing aspects - it's got good detail on the headdress feathers and the shoulder. Prime focal points.

But there are many distracting nicks and hits. That gouge behind the eagle's head is costly. And the color / luster is mediocre minus. Surfaces are original, but less than average preservation.

Overall, I would call it MS61. PCGS ? Who knows.

 

62 would be my grade, and what I suspect PCGS graded it.

 

I'd say a strong AU, only because the fields all look like they've seen better days.
Guy~

 

PCGS = MS-62 (recent) MS-60 (old holder)
Me= MS-62

I'm not real good with these, but I try to look at the ANA book.

 

The coin graded AU 58 by PCGS.

My subjective opinion on the coin & grade:

Although I can spot MS 64/65 examples, in lower mint state and AU examples, frankly, I have no idea how to grade these coins. When I saw the coin, AU 58 sounded good, the coin looked nice to my eye particularly next to most of the 61s and 62s I had seen, and was fairly priced.

I do know that the coin has quite a bit of mint luster left, and that's something I always look for in an AU coin. Interestingly enough, it is this very same luster that is often not present on low MS examples, many of which I passed on before choosing this AU coin. It also has some "skin" that I like to see on gold coins indicating that they have not been recently dipped (who knows for sure, though, and gold is anything but my thing). There are a quite a few light circulation marks and the dig (or planchet void?) on the reverse that surely account to a large extent for the grade, but really none of them bother me much in an AU coin.

FWIW, this was one of my first gold purchases, and one that still brings me great joy -- and that's not something I can say for all of the early purchases. The coin is now raw and lives in a Dansco 7070.

Thanks to everyone who commented & guessed. I hope you all have the most Happy of Holidays and joyous New Year, but most of all, have fun...Mike

 

Au-58, if not that, then MS-62

 

PCGS AU-58? OK. If it is AU (meaning it has circulated) then it would seem to me that all the scratches in the fields should bring it down to a lower grade AU.

These Indians are notoriously difficult to grade. They are usually the opposite of what I think they are - what I call an AU is MS and vice versa. I took the wear on the Indian's bonnet (cotton bowls) to be a weak strike. That's why I don't buy much raw gold.

 

Hobo,

Thank you for your response.

These coins confuse me too!!! I think part of it may be that we have to grade the "fields" not the "devices" -- these coins are incuse. Now if those marks are too bad for an AU 58, I really have no idea. :goofer:

Respectfully...Mike

p.s. Mr. Feld, would you care to comment?

 

In a Basic Grading course I took at an ANA Summer Seminar we learned some of the basics on how to grade these Indians. You DO grade the devices. Even though they are incuse they will wear. The coin below is currently on eBay as an XF.

 

happy holidays to you too. i reember my first gold purchase too dear santa i want a lot of coins as prizes