GTG 1950 Franklin Half Dollar PCGS

The eye appeal yes, but the marks are that of an MS-65 coin, and I expect this luster at the MS-65 level. I weight technical merits much higher than eye appeal merits. PCGS weights eye appeal merits more than technical merits in this grade level. Hence my original statement in this thread

 

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The pitting on the cheek doesn’t bother me at all on this one. I’d be at 67 if not for those marks below the bell and the bonk on the date. I vote 66 CAC or 66+ in lieu of that

Beautiful coin

 

This was what I thought too.

The coin has eye appeal and I like it, but I wouldn't want to spend 66fbl/67fbl money plus a color premium on top of that on it (although I'm sure plenty would).

 

I see too many marks for a high grade. I went 65 and actually thought 64. Not fbl but just barely. There’s a little bit too much of a break

 

I think this coin illustrates that some collectors view surface marks as grade limiters, and are unwilling to market grade such coins even when presented with superlative luster and eye appeal. If this coin were blast white with standard gem luster, the surfaces would be MS65/66, meaning either an MS65+ grade or MS66 grade. When you account for the eye appeal and luster which are both "no brainer" MS67 level, I think PCGS graded the coin correctly at MS66+ FBL. That said, when comparing side by side to other MS66+ and MS67 Franklins, I would have no problem with this coin residing in an MS67 holder.

I think that it is worth noting that this isn't my coin. My brother is assembling a PCGS Registry set of Franklin Halves and this is one of 3 coins that he purchased last month. And if he ever gets around to creating a Cointalk account, maybe he will chime in and confirm that I have no problem telling him when he has purchased a dog. But this coin isn't a dog, it is a spectacular coin and IMO, the cornerstone of his fledgling collection.

 

Btw, here is the TruView.

 

Just another example of an over graded coin...sorry..... yes luster ,eye appeal at arms lenght...a flashy 64. And one personally I would pay any more than 64 money.
My reasoning this is the type of coin sitting in most probably in a 66 /67 holder.
A new collector see it sad "Wow" ! That's pretty buys it at 67 money ,grows tierd tries to sell it....oh but wait....no buyers @67 money!
Now the YN feels cheated, taken....deciedes coin collecting really isn't my thing,and leaves the hobby..... I have seen this happen several times.
Especially on series like Franklins...I like them personally...only need 3 proofs to complete the collection. .....
I've sat at shows greeted people at the door signed them in....they wish to sell a complete set nice unc. Coins in a capital holder....and 30 some dealers just pass.....why their offer would be at melt only!
That said they rather decline to buy then make an offer the makes the seller mad.
The other side of the coin pun intended...they don't want to tie up their cash flow on a series that they are over stocked on already.

 

The coin isn't overgraded, and your attempt to call this coin an MS64 is nothing more than an indictment of your own grading skills.

 

Nailed it.

 

The marks on the cheek are planchet marks, correct? The luster must hide them well in hand. It is an interesting coin. I hate trying to grade coins like this from pictures alone.

 

So how many legitimate 66+ FBLs do you have to sell for 64 money?

 

I believe that they are remnant planchet roughness, and they are extremely minor. Although the appear prominent in my photo, they are virtually invisible in hand without a loupe, and their appearance on the TruView is actually a much better representation of the in hand appearance. Never thought I would say that. This coin is stunning in hand, and absolutely nobody would mistake it for an MS65 or below.

 

I personally agree that MS64 is too low.

Actually I would call it an indictment of PCGS's grading of the Franklin series over the last decade. At one point in time, 20 - 30 years ago, PCGS graded Franklins correctly. IMO they have consistently overgraded Franklins by roughly 1 point over the last 10 - 15 years or so. Oftentimes they have overgraded them by 2 points if the toning is nice. FROM THE IMAGES PROVIDED I stick by my original grade on the coin of a MS65. I thought PCGS would give it an MS66FBL, so I'm well within statistical bounds of their MS66+FBL grade.

As an owner of earlier correctly graded PCGS (and NGC too for that matter) Franklins it PISSES ME OFF that when it eventually comes time to sell the coins, that I'll have to crack them and resubmit them to maximize my return. Needless to say, I think this is a deliberate (if unspoken) subplot of the whole gradeflation arc that the TPG's have gone on over the last decade or two.

 

It's not. It's nothing more than a result of the fact that grading evolves over long periods of time. Your coins graded in 1990 or whatever would have been graded differently in 1930 or 1950 and 1990 is a little different than today where eye appeal and luster has a little more weight.

 

Son I was grading coins correctly.... long before you were pooping yellow!

 

Key word in that sentence is "was". The coin in question isn't an MS64, not now, not 50 years ago, not ever.

 

PCGS grade MS-66, real grade MS-65. There are lots of little marks when you really look at it.

 

The luster is a much better quality than it appears in the original pics

 

That’s because I don’t juice my photos or make extreme contrast adjustments.