You would need much larger pics with more light to even attempt to grade it. I can't see any of the details or possible contact marks.
It's too hard to tell from the pics, but it looks AU-MS. The maximum pic size on CT is 250 kb, I bet your pics are larger then 250 kb so CT is auto shrinking them. If you want to post pics larger then 250 kb try uploading them on a photo hosting site like photobucket, and link the pics from there.
<a href="http://s588.photobucket.com/albums/ss327/mattnichols/?action=view¤t=ct001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss327/mattnichols/ct001.jpg" border="0" alt="1889"></a> <a href="http://s588.photobucket.com/albums/ss327/mattnichols/?action=view¤t=ct002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss327/mattnichols/ct002.jpg" border="0" alt="1889 b"></a>
Some clean fields (judging from pics) for an AU55-58 Not really seeing a whole lot of wear though...Maybe a bit over the ear, where are you seeing it?
Check the tip of the eagle's wing on your right hand side, and there seems to be a little rub on Liberty's cheek.
I think it's a good example of an AU64,(Lehigh was just talking about in one of the other threads). In general the luster of the coin looks subdued, especially look at the area between ONE and DOLLARS on the reverse.
I'm betting the luster is probably nicer than what is showing up in the pic. I don't notice much for wear. Would be nice to see it under more light. I know a lot of people tend to grade on the low side to play it safe, but I was going to say I've seen MS63s that didn't look as good as this. There's no glaring bad spots (that show up in these pics anyway). I don't see any real heavy bag marks or scuff marks that can be prevalent on these. I'll say MS-63. At least low MS. There is a small contact mark by the lips but still, overall it's a nice coin. Compare it to closeups of MS63s at ha.com. I bet you'll be surprised. Is it any worse than this one? http://coins.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Inventory_No=800031779
You don't think the wing tip could be just weakly struck? I'm just throwing it out there. I would think for the wing tip to be that worn that other areas would have more wear and it would have more scratches. The breast feathers look pretty sharp to me. Although it's a dark pic. Here's an AU-58 with better wing tip detail than this one. But look at how scratched up the fields are compared to this one. http://cgi.ebay.com/1889-S-MORGAN-S...mQQptZCoins_US_Individual?hash=item45edea2261 I'm betting the one posted here just has a weak strike at the wing tip.
Imo I don't think it's from a weak strike. I don't think I've ever seen just the tip weakly struck like that, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. But the wing tip, plus the other luster breaks, I would have to say AU.
Itty bitty wear in hair above the ear, also breast feathers, not so sure about right wing tip. Would also say that I tend to be a "hard grader" and as I've said in some of my other posts, grading a coin from photos is "iffy" compared to grading "in hand". It's been also mentioned on other threads, and I believe it as well, that certain AU coins have better eye appeal than some MS coins because although there may be a little wear, there is better luster and fewer bag marks. This coin could very well be in that category.
If I owned it and it was graded at AU 55-58 I still wouldn't take less than MS money for it. IMHO it's a beautiful coin.
thanks thanks all of you for your input Iam still learning how to grade coins. Do you think that the ding at the top of the coin would hurt the grade.
I think it is on the AU side also, Probably AU-58. Typical Morgan sold by most Coin world type of advertiser as BU or MS-63 when it is really a slider ( trying to slide into the Uncirculated label). Jim