Ah yes, my favourite series. The worst area of rub for these is the eagle's left shoulder, and your example looks better than most in this grade range (i.e. upper AU-lower MS). Your coin is nicely struck. I can also see some good luster peeking through on the obverse despite the photo; reverse checks out. Sometimes it can feel impossible to get a good, spot-free example (or at least that's how I feel every time I go to buy one, but that's never the case when looking through HA's completed listings). You've got a teensy little spot on the first feather nearest the 7 on the obverse, and I'm assuming the black looking marks on the cheek are the appearance of regular contact marks under the lighting. Some good chatter on both the obverse and reverse, but no deep gouges (again, a rather consistent finding with this series in the grade range this coin is likely in), though the mark on the cheekbone is the deepest. I'd give it a MS63. Nice piece.
NGC can be generous at times, but then again PCGS is getting generous too. It’s called “grade-flatiron.” Some of what I’ve seen from CAC approved material indicates that they are also moving with the “grade-flators.”
Here is another Indian Quarter eagle that received the MS-64 grade. A dealer agreed with the grade. I got MS-64 money for it when I let it go.
This is absolutely the case. A decade ago looking at NGC graded pre-1933 gold elicited laughter. Now, that is the case for both TPG services. Relatedly, I'm shocked by the amount of clearly cleaned examples (particularly in the late 18th century) that have not been BB'd/details graded. I've noticed the same is true for Morgans as well--who cares about face chatter, everything's a 65 now! I can only speak for myself, but this has certainly forced me to abide by "Thou shalt Buy thy Coin and Not thy Holder."
