It's often hard to tell from single photos, but I see clear wear on the high points on both obverse and reverse, and it looks like the luster is missing from large areas of the fields on both faces. I'd guess low AU, but wouldn't be terribly surprised at high XF or mid-AU.
Hopefully you have better photos, Look at the curl of hair below B and the hair over the ear. I would have been closer to melt for the coin. Melt is about $775.
Next month I'll take the coin to our club and have members grade it and compare notes. Thanks for the help. I really thought I had purchased a un-circulated coin but am still learning and making mistakes. Overall I still like the coin though. I wished the luster would show in the picture.
If this was knowingly marked as MS when it’s clearly an AU coin than I wouldn’t trust who you are buying from. Secondly I wouldn’t be buying $500+ coins without first knowing how to grade coins properly or at least knowing how to judge an MS coin vs AU. If you don’t mind divulging how much you paid for this. It appears that MS prices are double melt and if possible I would return the coin. Also gold coins especially semi key dates are often counterfeited so I would read up on how to identify counterfeits in addition to grading.
Not necessarily a mistake, a decent AU55/58 is usually much nicer than a low MS graded coin. You like it, that’s what really matters... PS: I agree with Steve though, I’d only buy NGC/PCGS certified gold coins.
I'll let everyone know the results I receive at our coin club per grading of this coin and the four other gold coins I purchased. They came from a 60 YO collection so I did not consider counterfeits. They include a 1899 S $ 20 dollar Liberty Double Eagle, 1901 S Half Eagle, 1913 Half Eagle, 1901 5 dollar Gold Liberty with the 10 Gold Indian ($727) I paid a total of $2909.00 for all five gold coins so a bit below spot on that day.
) I paid a total of $2909.00 for all five gold coins so a bit below spot on that day.[/QUOTE] That's a bargain for sure. The 1914 S is a tough date in MS, but your coin seems to be low AU. Good luck though.
That's a bargain for sure. The 1914 S is a tough date in MS, but your coin seems to be low AU. Good luck though.[/QUOTE] Thanks
Being as they are common circulated coins I won't have them professionally graded and will trust our coin club members and then put them in Everclear holders for protection. Thanks for the suggestion though