On the cusp of conditional rarity

It isn't as flat as it looks in the picture. Strike is definitely below average, with extremely clean surfaces. I think it is a mid-high 64, and probably NOT a 65, as market conditions would prevent the jump, even though I have other 65s that are a lot less nice. In this case, it jumps from being a $100-150 coin to a $1500 coin in 65, so they were conservative. No issues with that. As far as a green bean, I dunno--it is well above average in grade (in hand for sure), but I don't know if it would get the green. I would have gone with a + grade and called it 64+ (not 65, due to the strike). However, it could have gone either way--it was close IMHO.

 

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Well, here's a better picture in terms of showing strike, and I would NOT call it exceptionally weak by any means. It is weak to average, and sure looks more 65ish in this lighting, which is more "coin in hand." The eagle's breast is not sensational for sure, but that is so typical of New Orleans strikes--sorry, but I have see thousands of "O" strikes that are exactly like that, and the common type of strike coming from Nawlins.

 

Looks like a solid MS64+ to me.

 

Here is the PCGS image of your coin. Clearly, your coin was market graded due to the weak strike.

 

I agree completely. I really have no problems with the 64. Had it been another date, it probably would have been 65, but the coin is really pretty.

 

Honestly I don't think it to be a 65 on any occasion. If you take a look at this thread, you will see why. 82-O is known to be a well struck date and a weakly struck coin from that dated should not get up there. I see a solid 64, no plus or jump. Its got the look of a 63 but the luster of a 65. They settled.

 

With PCGS showing as pop of 5034 in this grade not too much in to way of rare IMO. And as mentioned the flatness of the hair on any given day could of got this one a AU58 grade.

 

WHAT???? Are you smoking something????????? The coin isn't AU, and the conditional rarity starts at MS 65 and up. I really wish that folks would do their homework before posting, instead of just giving an uninformed opinion. We've established that the coin is a 64. Maybe it isn't the kind of 64 you like, but it is a 64. Look at the price guide before you speak-- in 65 the coin jumps up 10x in value, and even higher in 66. That date has well known conditional rarities. Please read David Bowers on New Orleans strikes before giving an opinion like that.

 

Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars By David Bowers - Great book and tells you about every coin and what the strike was like, tells = you the coins to cherry-pick for too. I strongly recommend picking up a copy if you don't already have one. And it says that there are exceptionally weak strikes on the 1882-O's, and I had the choice of about 15 different ones from one dealer all in MS64 and I picked out the one with the best strike because it is more rare to find them with a full and bold strike.

 

And i've heard from a dealer at a coin show that coins tend to grade higher if they have toning... I know that this might not be true for all coins, except for the most part is it?
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And he also said that (lets just say) you had a NGC 1885 $1 MS65PL in an old holder with nice toning around the edge and sent it back into NGC and wrote 'REGRADE MS66 PL' they would give it that grade???

 

EXACTLY. Moreover, David Bowers points out that virtually all of the New Orleans strikes are way weaker than their Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Carson City date-mates. He indicates that WELL-STRUCK "O" mint coins command significant premiums in higher grades, and are harder to find. If I put 50 Morgans on a table obverse only, the New Orleans coins could be picked out instantaneously due to strike.

I know and acknowledged that the strike is weakish on this coin, but got it as I LOVE the eye appeal and tone. It has extremely clean devices and fields, and lots of luster--that is the answer for the "AU" crowd here---no coin with that kind of luster or fields could be graded as an AU. That is ludicrous.

 

Toning doesn't always give it a higher grade, but it can help with eye appeal, if it is really attractive toning. A lot of the star grades go to really excellent examples of the date with nice toning.

 

Your fields are MS65. Your strike... ehhh... high end MS63. But like my previous post, the toning should add a bit of a + when they are grading the coin. I don't know HOW people see a AU out of this coin.

 

I'd agree with that. I probably would have graded it MS 64* as an NGC coin for eye appeal. Yeah, the strike isn't killer, but the the fields and devices are very clean.

 

Sorry Doug my bad , Pictures can be notoriously deceptive .

 

+1

 

Would a coin with a weak strike then be considered as wear and wound get a lower grade then if the coin was a regular strike? I am just wondering because MorganDudes 82-O has a exceptionally weak strike without a lot of wear.