hone your grading skills -- seated half dollar

AU/MS, or 59/60. Really nice coin.

 

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AU-55 is my grade on the coin just based on the apparent wear on the breast, and over the eagle's eye and top of wing.

 

at least AU-58, maybe even MS-62 or 63

 

I closed my eyes until I got down to 'post reply'. My grading guess is MS-65.

 

Really nice pictures of a very attractive coin. AU55?

 

NGC graded the coin AU 50. FWIW, it is in an old NGC holder, used from 1992-1997, and based on the serial number, I'd wager it was early in this period.

The only way I can rationalize that grade is that they (like me) thought the coin was cleaned at some point, and the toning is secondary to that cleaning. However, I'd likely grade it 55 or 53 because of it.

This is a coin I've needed for my Dansco type set for some time, and I've looked at lots of examples over the years, and this was the first that appealed to me in the XF / AU grades. I found the coin on the PCGS BST forum here, where it was offered by a fellow collector:

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=7&threadid=671162&highlight_key=y

It is worth noting that Dave Wnuck described the coin as follows:

Coin Rarities On-Line Comments: <<<AU50. Quite choice, claims to a higher grade.>>>

So it seems most folks think the coin may be undergraded, so I won't feel so bad when I crack it out of the holder.

Anyway, thanks to all for their grades and comments, and I hope you all enjoyed the thread...Mike

 

Crack it out of that lying slab. I can't believe it was graded so low but maybe there was a reason for it back then? Send it in today and I bet it will be a tad bit higher.

Thank for sharing "that one" with us! :thumb:

Ribbit

 

Like an MS 70?

Ruben

 

Mike - do you take your own pictures? I'm still learning and have been to Mark Goodman's site. I've got to jump in and get what he suggests to improve my lighting, stablization, and camera settings. Right now, I just set my camera on super macro and hold steady.

 

Yes, I do take my own pictures. Actually, I was into digital photography before I got (back) into coins a few years ago....Mike

 

p.s. adding a tripod or copy stand will instantly improve the sharpness of your photos.