Tips on eyeball-grading IHCs and FEs?

I'm still at the novice stage where I need to basically memorize the ANA guidelines for a new U.S. coin in which I'm interested.

Can any Indian Head or Flying Eagle experts give me a few easy-to-remember tips on grading either of these coins?

I would be looking at high AU/low MS on the Flying Eagle and high MS (64? 65?) on a common date for the Indian Head.

This link gives an (over-simplified ?) overview of the high points on IHCs. On FEs, I believe the eagle's breast (obv) and the same reverse high points as the IHC.

 

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No expert, but I always try to look out for clashed dies on the FE's.

This website is fantastic.

https://indianvarieties.com/search-flying-eagle-indian-head-pennies/

 

What to look for

IHCs:

1. Luster
2. Hair above ear and hair curl behind neck
3. Surface marks and corrosion

FECs

1. Luster
2. Belly feathers
3. Tail feathers
4. Surface marks and corrosion.

 

I look for natural surfaces and colors that look normal. If either look strange, be careful.

 

For your MS coins just look at the label on the slab (Hint!)

 

Very funny kanga ;-)

I'm trying "buy the slab, not the coin"... no wait... darn it, I keep getting that wrong...

 

When I bought my IHC type coin, I was looking at many 64s and 65s. I decided to only buy a 65 (higher score, better investment) but also to wait until I find the “right” coin. In the end, below points were most important to me:
-color
-eye-appeal
-luster
I just loved the coin I finally bought, so I guess I took a good decision.

 

@TypeCoin971793 provided some good areas to check for IHCs and FEs. Stay away from IHCs that have an unnatural orange or red color and wear on the high points. These coins have usually been cleaned and recolored to resemble MS coins.

 

It’s not so easy. Some IHCs are called MS6x-RD (label) while they absolutely look like RB coins. Especially IHCs in older slabs may have toned over the years. A buyer who’s not familiar with IHCs may buy an expensive “RD” coin which is actually a nice RB.

IHC from my type set:

 

All good advice. 2 things I also look at are the first 3 feathers and the shield on the reverse. And I like to see nice shield lines. Just 2 things I look at when looking an IHC's.

 

It’s refreshing to see folks I respect asking for advice, even after being on CT for several years. Wish I had been wise enough to look for sites like this before AND ask for advice before I got back into buying coins about four years ago.

The old saw is still true, at least for me: “The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know.”

Steve