Here is a beauty that I had a opportunity to purchase from a fellow from this forum. It really is beautiful, and the pictures couldn't show the coin any better than they already do. The pictures that Lehigh takes truly are amazing and show precisely what the coin looks like in hand. 1885 - MS64*(Star)
Lehigh does take pretty good pictures! And yes for the most part they accurately show the coin. I must say that is a beautiful coin, and I looked at that one for a little while, but I no longer collect MS64's and really wouldn't have a use for it, in my MS65-66 collection that I am starting. A very very nice coin, and good luck with the rest of your set
Beautiful coin. I don't really understand why this one got a star, maybe I am missing something, but a beautiful coin nevertheless.
Stars are given for eye appeal. This coin has good eye appeal based on the pictures, and two graders at NGC thought so too, but they saw the coin in hand. From the pictures, it appears to have great luster for a MS64, and that shade of blue that you see is very appealing, and it is the first thing you see when you look at the coin. When I first saw the coin, I said "wow," but that is just me. I didn't buy the coin because it didn't have enough appeal, but simply based on the fact that it was a MS64. If it was a MS65, that coin would have been sold within seconds. I've some coins deserving of a star that didn't get them, and some that didn't deserve the star and they got them. I think this is one of the coins that is just right, but that is just my opinion.
I understand what the star means, I guess I just used to seeing more dramatic toning on star coins, like this http://www.teletrade.com/coins/lot.asp?auction=2792&lot=1793&imagetype=j2. I agree with you though, the star designation is a subjective opinion. I also see while browsing some more coins with stars that some have toning like this coin (http://www.teletrade.com/coins/lot.asp?auction=2792&lot=1768), so maybe I was just a little too conservative on my star opinions. Like I said before, great looking coin. I am very jealous.
I think seeing the coin in hand, would be a better determination if the coin deserved the star or not. For now we have Lehigh's photos, and that is a pretty close indicator of what the coin looks like
Had a registry set for my MS63-MS64's. Of course with all the coins gone, I no longer have one. Once I get some 65's, after buying my proof indian cent, I will start the registry collection again.
I sold them all. Sold every certified coin in my collection for the purpose of upgrading. I spent it, got a coin, and some other things I needed, non coin wise. I plan to pick back up on morgan collecting right after I get a proof indian cent, which is hard to find, as I have been trying to find a near spot free, toned example in PR64-65 RB. Now getting back on track.... Josh, once again a beautiful coin, and excellent eye appeal! :thumb:
I did the same thing, sold all said about 10 coins, of course in 66 they are a tad more expensive. I have 4 currently.. because I have resold a couple of my new ones I just didn't like or were low end. It's slow going in these grades lol
Now that I have had a day off of work, and recovered from the New Years Eve hangover I decided to give this coin a shot at photoing. I think that Paul can vouch for me in that trying to get the green tone on the very bottom of the reverse while still showing luster is almost an impossible task on this coin. The coin in hand has a better transition from yellow->orange->red->blue->green transition that I will continue to try and achieve. Mine Paul's I still have some work to do before I can really capture the true quality of the coin, perhaps one day mine will look likes Paul's Josh