1885 O Morgan Dollar for Grading #3

Definite AU. I say AU-58. Probably one of the nicest-toned you will see at this grade level. The pics do not give the luster justice.

 

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I do see a little wear in the hair and cap, but still looks to have some nice detail. Unless I've gotten rusty with these, I don't see why this wouldn't get a low MS grade.

 

58

 

AU 55 at most. Wear on the obverse in the high spots. Look at the hair.

 

Bill Fivaz said MS-63.

 

Maybe what I interpreted as light rub on obverse was due to toning. I certainly would trust an in hand assessment over anything here (especially when the in hand opinion is from an expert).

 

I just don't see MS based on the hair. There are wear spots on the high points, and they aren't strike issues, but wear. Beg to disagree with him.

 

I do disagree. The luster looks like that of an AU coin, not an MS coin. But what do I know? And my pictures may be misrepresenting this coin.

 

The key to AU versus MS on an 1885o is the hair, and cap. The reverse isn't clear cut, as that date can have many weak strikes, and weak eagle feathers, and eagle's Breast denuded. The hair and cap area shows some very slight wear to my eye-- enough to make it a mid grade AU. Just my call.

 

I see what you're seeing but I think it's bag rub not circulation rub. I'm at 63+/64 on this one

 

Another 63...A lot of O mints are struck with less pressure so they look circulated.

 

easy 60, 63 tops

 

I have to trust what Bill Fivaz says about this trio. We are looking at static photos which can and do miss-represent coins and more so toned coins. Nice picks TC!

 

Thanks all for your opinions!

 

Bill Fivas is no Morgan expert. Sorry, but he is high on the grade for all 3.

 

Not around the cap and hair. The telltale spot for wear is the cap and hair. The telltale spot for strike is the eagle's Breast and Wing feathers, both of which are normal in terms of weak strike. The cap and hair has a rub. Could it be bag rub? Yes, but it looks more like wear to me. Definite AU. I said 55, and could be as high as 58, obviously.

 

63

 

Grading coins can be very subjective. Today we,ve attempted to accurately grade three 1885-O Morgans, by some very qualified collectors, and we come up with opinions ranging from AU55 thru MS65 and everything in between. I,m not at all surprised with these results. When you hire professional grading services, you end up with similar, but professional results. Most of us grade coins the way we expect them to be, or in a manor which we feel is accurate, based upon our personal experience in buying and selling coins. When submitting raw coins for grading, we all experience surprises when the results are in. I plan on taking a couple of grading seminars in the near future to help with the knowledge, or lack of, in my coin grading. In today,s sophisticated coin market, the slightest mistake in the wrong place can be extremely volatile.

 

Your composite grade for this coin is 61, when all opinions are considered.

 

Nice color and probably 62