Maybe FR02 because the obverse is more worn? Either way that is an incredibly worn 1884-CC. Rare to see them like that. Nearly all of them are UNC. A numismatist in 1925 had searched Morgans in circulation for six years and failed to find an 1884-CC. They were thought of as rare before the bank bag releases beginning in the 1950s.
I'd really like to say AG-03 BUT with single grading the obverse carries more weight than the reverse. But I'm still pulling for an AG-03.
I take it that collectors in this realm pay more for a Poor-1 than a Good-6. I am “old school.” I think that higher grades are better. To me a Morgan Dollar in Poor is ready for where the government intended it to go, the recycling, melting pot. These “slicks”, as dealers used to call them years ago, probably did not have “interesting lives” as coins that circulated for many years. They were, more than likely, someone’s long term pocket pieces.
I wasn't really into coin collecting about 20 years ago, but a friend of mine had a set of 1882CC, 1883CC, & 1884CC Morgans labeled a "Western" Set. I've looked at the Red Book every once in a while and look at the television Programs selling Morgans. I was told that the set could possible be worth more as a set than individually. I doubt that I will ever sell it, but it would be nice to find out how much it would be. Any idea how to get a "fair" price as a set or individually?
FR is Fair-2 and it's the grade below AG-3. Poor-1 is the grade below FR02. Lowball collectors try to get coins and build sets in straight graded Poor-1. In Early American Copper circles a grade of 1 is also referred to as "basal state" after the original Sheldon grading scale.
@Jim Dale do you have possession of this "Western Set" or are you asking for advice on how to buy a "set", or as individual coins? If buying, my suggestion would be for you to determine what you're willing to pay for an individual coin and then see what the fair market price is for the "83 and "84 as they will set the price for a specific grade. For example, you're willing to pay for the AU58 grade for each year; then you could either look for an ANACS or ICG slabbed coin (as they will be lower than PCGS and NGC), OR, you could look for a slabbed MS Details or AU Details "Cleaned" coin that may still look great (or a lower grade, say EF45, that will still show good detail), OR, you could take your chances on eBay or another auction venue and try to pick up a nice looking coin that you think will grade what it appears as in the Listing Photos. If you're selling, depending upon whether they're graded or raw, you can set your FIXED selling price say at 80% of the current market price for each grade; as a "set" I would bump up the asking price by another 5%, IMO that would be a "fair" starting point as a seller. NOTE: my experience is that unless whatever coin(s) you're selling are scarce, rare, high end for the grade, super toned, or an in-demand variety, the chances of you getting the market grade (Say the PCGS Price Guide) is nil, however, a "set" will garner more interest, especially the Carson City issues.
