MS-69 Coins Before 1950: How Many ?

That's just it though, the "wear is wear" - regardless of what causes it - IS the thing ! And the reason it is the thing is because there is absolutely no way to determine with any degree of certainty where, when and how the wear occurred. The one and only thing that does matter is that the wear is present on the coin. And if the wear is present then the coin cannot be MS.

Another reason it is the thing is because once coins are released from the mint and distributed to banks, even though if the coins remain in bags - those coins are in actual circulation. And you can go beyond that, wear can be imparted to a coin before the coin ever leaves the mint building. Wear occurs, and wear is defined as a break in the luster, by the coin rubbing against and touching anything !

Well there's more marks on the coin that just those on the rim. There are by actual count 6 contact marks in the fields beside the head and above the arm holding the branch. And 2 more contact marks on the rev fields below S O and above D O. Then there's there's those on the rim. And by definition that's way too many contact marks for a coin to be graded 69 - even as defined by PCGS's grading standards in their own grading book !

And again, it doesn't matter when, where, and how the contact marks occurred, it only matters that they are present on the coin. For all we know the marks could have easily occurred when the coins were ejected from the press and into the coin hopper. That cause is equally as likely and no less likely than any other possible cause.

PCGS, and other TPG or individual saying the wear and or contact marks could, stress could, have this way or that way and at this time or at that time is nothing more than an excuse, and an invalid and completely unjustified excuse at that, for them to grade coin as they want it graded, instead of what it actually deserves to be graded !

And when one considers that you can pull coins directly from a change drawer in any place of business - (coins that simply cannot be described by any definition as being anything but in actual circulation) - that have no wear on them at all and can be and often are graded as MS, even by PCGS and all other TPGs, it is beyond ludicrous to claim that only wear imparted while coins are in actual circulation can be defined as MS. And that is because those coins are in actual circulation, as defined by PCGS, and yet they have no wear on them whatsoever ! That, all by itself, completely obviates their claims, excuses for both contact marks and wear.

In any event, your question to me was - "would be interested in how you would grade it? " And I have told you, and why.

 

Did you miss the part where I said the coin is not MS and cannot be graded as MS because it has wear on it ? That means I cannot grade the coin higher than AU58.

And also remember, I do not nor have I ever graded coins based on TPG grading standards, I grade coins based on ANA grading standards, and only ANA grading standards. And using those grading standards no coin that has wear on it can ever be graded as MS anything.

 

Hmmm - then who publishes that book above, and its subsequent 7th edition, (and all the previous editions), and owns the copyright/s if not the ANA ? That says to me, and I believe any other reasonable person, that there are indeed ANA grading standards. That they are real, that they exist. And that they have existed since 1977.

And yeah, I agree there is a similarly worded comment in the book. And as that comment itself says - current grading standards - who exactly is it that is currently using them ? And if the ANA is not making them, then who exactly is it that IS making them ? Some mystery person or mysterious group ?

No, the answer to that question is also found within the book, on the Credits page. Where it lists the names of the most illustrious names in numismatics. Those are the people who established, made if you will, and use, the ANA grading standards. Perhaps you should read that page and see who those people are.

As for me, I take great pride in using the same grading standards as all those illustrious gentlemen who created them and use them ! I consider myself in good company.

I would also point out that like me, none of those who created and use the grading standards listed in the book, they obviously don't agree with or use the grading standards used by the TPGs ! And apparently you.

 

I'll make it easy for you. With every coin in the book, and the book includes all US coins, where it lists all the individual MS grades it says this, verbatim -

Mint State - absolutely no trace wear