Does this Morgan make MS?

Amanda, most of the mint luster is still present hence the AU grade. With an XF grade at least half of the luster is still preasent. A good guide for grading is the ANA Grading Standards for United States Coins (6th Edition).

 

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Hello

I'm sorry. I thought the red book was the ANA grading standard. I'm sorry for intervening when I obviously need more expertise to correctly grade such a coin.

Amanda

 

Don't be so hard on yourself. You're here to learn, just as we all are....

 

Red Book is not the ANA grading standard. It is; however, the most reliable on coin information, and the definitions at the beginning of the book on grades, is taken from the ANA Grading Standards for U.S. Coins.

Never apologize for learning.

 

I still havent learned lol! I ask ten or more questions a day! Just ask Chris doug or ken

 

That's how one learns. There is a lot of confusing information out there about coins (for example, how many people post their 1968 dimes here thinking they have found a 1968 'No S' dime?). You just need someone to point you in the right direction and then you can educate yourself.

Like Green said, I would recommend the 6th edition of The Official American Numismatic Association Grading Standards for United States Coins. But that is only a start. ANA offers a correspondence course on Basic Grading that would be immensely helpful or, better yet, you could attend Summer Seminar and take the grading course. After you learn WHAT to look for you will need to look at LOTS and LOTS of coins so you can apply that newfound knowledge. One of the best ways is to go to a coin show or a coin dealer and look at one series (e.g., Morgan Dollars, Lincoln Cents, Mercury Dimes, etc.) of slabbed coins (preferably PCGS or NGC) so you can start to get a general idea of how they assign grades. Once you get a few hundred coins under your belt you should cover up the grade when you pick up a slab and see how close you can come to the grade on the insert.

 

I'm in the AU 55 camp.

 

Bruce , if you're talking ANACS 6th Edition grades I'd agree , but tpgs would grade this 58 all day long .JMHO

 

Like Ken said , we were all in the same place at one time . You gave an educated guess and that;s all we're doing , the op asked for opinions on the grade and that's what you gave . The more coins you look at the better you'll get . The best way is to look at as many coins as you can . I bet you're a step better at grading than you would be if you didn't take the time to give your opinion . So keep on guessing and learning . BTW a good place to look at all the coins you want with good pictures is Heritage , ha.com .
learning .

 

Its an AU for sure...55 is about right.

 

I think you're right Rusty. The 'guide' is much stricter in it's assessment of grade.

 

58-60 imo

 

So which is it? Circulated (58) or uncirculated (60)? (I'm not picking on you. I'm trying to make a point about grading.)

58 and 60 are not as close as they may seem. AU-58 is a very, very lightly circulated coin with GREAT eye appeal. MS-60 is an uncirculated coin with TERRIBLE eye appeal (diminished luster, tons of bag marks, etc.).

 

Heck, most times I'd take a nice '58 over a '60-'61......

 

Well seems most of you fellas were in the AU55 or AU58 camp

I know MS was a long shot but I was hoping my eyes deceived me and the tiny bit of wear above the ear was just weakness lol


Personally since I have it in hand Ive been considering it a AU58 or AU58+

About to make my new thread if anyones into lusterfilled mostly untoned AU-BU morgans. I just took pics of about 15. Theres a full DMPL in it too DMPL on both sides . So come check it out if you in to Morgans fellas. All are common dates besides a couple semi keys in AU, but real pretty coins.

 

Me, too!! I would much rather have a coin that has very slight circulation wear and GREAT eye appeal than a mint state coin that has TERRIBLE eye appeal. Many times you can buy that AU-58 for less than the MS-60.

 

nah

Its better than an MS 60 and much worse than an AU58. This is an AU 50 tops, and I'm assuming that the luster break looks a lot worse on the photograph than in the hand.

Ruben

 

Ruben, you and I are on the same page regarding this coin. And I love how you put it - "better than an MS-60 and much worse than an AU-58". I couldn't have (and didn't) say it better myself.

 

+1