The Official CT Grading Experiment Phase 2, 1

At the conclusion of Phase 1 around Christmas, I began to think that the photos I was using (from Heritage) might be biasing the grading guesses. So, I want to host Phase 2. I will again be using standardized photos, but this time I'll be using PCGS TrueViews. Again, we will stick to problem free US coins.

So, let's grade some more coins!

All you have to do is guess the grade! I will be attaching a poll to each thread. Please select the grade that you think best represents the coin (to avoid bias, please select your grade before viewing the rest of the thread).

Also please post your opinions about the coin, and it would be most educational if you could explain why you chose the grade you did.

We're going to cover a wide range of material, and some of it may be out of your wheelhouse. However, if you are a confident grader, you should be able to accurately grade almost any coin.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Obverse fields are very nice, as is cheek, but I wonder if the coin was penalized for the marks on the reverse, especially the gash on right side of the eagle? Should not grade gem, but I have a feeling that because the obverse is quite clean it did. I'll say MS 65.

 

I voted 66. A very clean coin. Morgans aren't my thing at all but I've seen many much more marked-up coins at 65 and even 66.

 

I'm in but I missed the results of phase 1. I'll dig it out.
I went with 65 on this one. A few too many marks to go higher for me.

 

I never posted the results from phase 1.

 

I went 66 too. I feel that there are several small contact marks, the neck and in front of the ear, and don't see any hairlines.

 

Cool. It's been a busy month. Lost track of a lot of stuff.

 

Let's get some more guesses before I post the reveal!

 

First impression was 66. Definitely GEM, a few light scratches on the reverse keep it from 67.

 

I'll guess 66. The dark mark under the eye bothered me at first but I think it is just superficial discoloration and not an actual contact mark.

 

Ms66

 

MS 66
...TruViews can be iffy as I’ve seen some that do a good job of minimizing the contact marks....I’m assuming this one is accurate and this went with 66 as the obverse is clean enough to warrant it

 

My initial impression of this coin was MS64/65. It seems to be rather weakly struck for a Morgan, I have no idea what is going on with IGWT, and the very large mark/scrape below the eye is very disturbing. Still, the overall cleanliness of the cheek drives it to low MS65 IMO.

I'm usually on the high end of the guessing spectrum, feels good to be on the low end for once.

 

@physics-fan3.14

If I can make a suggestion to help ensure participation in these threads. Once you do the reveal, it might be a good idea at that point to also give a link to the next thread. Even though we all know another thread is coming, if we aren't online when you post that thread, it can get buried by other new posts and we can miss the new thread. By linking the new thread to the reveal of one of our watched threads, I think you will see less people getting lost.

 

I voted MS64. Although the coin is very nice indeed, the black eye and the hit on the right side of the eagles wings are distractions to me. Maybe I'm just being too picky?

 

Good idea. I'll do that.

Next one is up, here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-official-grading-experiment-phase-2-2.354827/

 

Slightly low participation on this one with only 21 guesses. However, CT's average grade of 65.5 was right on the PCGS grade of 65. Interestingly, over half of you guessed a point high, at 66.

Honestly, I think GenX nailed it with his evaluation, which almost identical to mine:

 

Missed participating in this one. Was thinking 66 though.

 

I think there is something to be said with the use of TruViews. Quite a few that I have looked at appear to make the coin look higher than the grade on the holder.

I would guess that over the long term, the majority of us will end up being a bit higher than the grade on the holder for TruViews and lower than the grade on the holder with Heritage photos.

 

Enough marks to keep it to a clean 65