GTG: 1921 Standing Liberty Quarter

Did they say why it was given a Details grade? Was it cleaning or something else?

 

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No, they didn't say. I was disappointed that it didn't come in straight at VF30 or better. Anyone who thinks ICG is overgrading has not had my experience with them - on three batches of submissions. They are brutal but fair I suppose. I paid $500 for that coin - the most expensive coin I've ever bought (my son and I collect SLQs) I may crack it out and send it to NGC or PCGS to see if I can do better at some point. I do love the coin though, she's a beauty whatever grade they put on her. We are lucky enough to have two other 1921s - one is an ANACS G4 I bought slabbed and the other an ICG G6 details that I submitted raw and again, I feel was undergraded (it's VG!!!), but I'm still learning.

 

I paid for ICG to take pictures this time (people still hassle me here about my 1916) here they are - you be the judge. I'm pretty certain this one was punished for the reverse, the obverse is extra fine in my opinion, but the feathers are weak on the reverse. Grrrrr!!!!

 

They said "damaged" on the holder (not "cleaned"), which was what I was concerned about when I saw your first set of pictures. There's something going on with the eagle's tail on the reverse, which I thought might be a pit, and that would explain the "damage". If it's not a pit, just a dark spot, then I don't see where the "damage" would be.

 

Whatever the damage is, it isn't obvious to me, but those guys at ICG are tough in my experience, I want to crack it out and find some big dealer who sends boatloads to NGC or PCGS and slip it in with a big lot to get it straight graded VF30 or EF40. I am joking a bit, I have been buying coins for decades, some slabbed, most not, but I started submitting to ICG last year around Thanksgiving because my son and me decided to do our SLQ top set as slabbed / graded, and it's been super interesting - they are inexpensive enough that I can submit cheaper coins - like a 1940s Belgian Congo Franc (it has an elephant!) just to see if I am accurate in my own grading (I'm still bad at spotting lightly cleaned coins - ICG is not).