Hello, I posted something similar but really wasn't specific enough. I recently acquired a 1922-D MS coin. I feel I'm really good grading up to around MS 61 or so but fail miserably with anything higher. To my eye, the strike on this coin is superb for 1922 (though that doesn't help the grade silly though that may be). I see a dull spot over the date but other than that I'm not seeing any major detracting marks. My thoughts are that it's a decent MS++ grade but I wouldn't be posting this were I confident. If you folks could provide your opinions it would be really helpful. And just an FYI, the coin has a protectant on it (Verdicare) hence the slightly oily appearance.
The photos are ok, but they don't show much detail on the surfaces of the coin. I need to see the marks, both in number and severity. I believe that the coin is likely Mint State, but it's really hard to give you an MS grade based on these photos.
I see this as an AU-58. 7,160,000 were minted so it's on the short mintage side. This year was only minted in Denver and due to the pressure to produce, we now have a weak D and a no D. There is more value in them than a strong D as your exhibits. Average value is about $21.00.
If it is AU, it greysheets for $55.00. From those pictures, you may be right about AU, but my guess is MS. I would guess 63 but 64 is possible.
The marks below "AME" on the reverse will probably keep it from being MS. AU-58 would be great but more likely it's a step or two below that. AU-53 or -55
Folks who grade this AU-58 are correct; those that grade it MS are correct. That is what the "commercial" grading as practiced at TPGS's has done! I'm an old timer. Therefore, the rub (change of color) on the high points of the obverse knocks it out of MS. I'm AU-58. Nevertheless, I believe a TPGS would assign a grade of MS-62 or 63 to the coin. I personally would sell it as an MS-63 an sleep like a baby when I returned from the bank. Marks DO NOT and WILL NEVER drop a coin out of the Mint State range in a grading seminar or in a technical sense. However, some folks will drop the price of a MS coin closer to the price of an AU if the MS coin has detracting marks. IMO, the tiny hits on the rev. (not the important side) will have no effect on this coin's grade.
I was thinking the same about the marks as Insider, (God help me ) and wanted to add this. More marks on a coin is seldom ever going to lower the grade to AU-58. AU-58 coins have a slight rub with virtually NO marks. If a coin has marks, then the numerical grade is lowered to AU-55, but marks will not make an MS-63 coin and AU-58 coin.
We agree on this part, Yikes! BUT NOT THIS: "AU-58 coins have a slight rub with virtually NO marks. If a coin has marks, then the numerical grade is lowered to AU-55..." While this is the written definition for AU-58 and the accepted definition for most including me, it is no longer followed in many cases by the TPGS's. These days, coins with hardly any rub yet having marks that would have dropped them into the "old" AU-Typical (AU-50) grade can often be found in AU-58 slabs. Especially gold coins. Note: I have read/heard/agree that the ANA screwed up the grading system by TRYING to combine the amount of wear and the condition of the surface (marks) for grades below MS. Such a shame and stupid - yet it's true. IMO, the TPGS are slowly trying to get back to the obsolete "technical" grading system where ONLY the amount of wear (amount of design details still visible) was used to determine the grade of circulated coins.
truthfully, I think we actually DO agree, but we both note that the TPGs grade differently. When asked for a grade, I seldom say what I think a TPG would grade, unless asked.
Thanks for the opinions and apologies for the poor pictures. The coin is in a coin capsule. I'll try to remove it and get a better picture. I will say that in hand the coin has nice luster and a magnifying glass doesn't show rub marks though I do respect those opinions. And being a fan of Brown or Woodgrain coins with luster does tend to sway my appreciation of a coin and maybe unconsciously overlook flaws. According to many of you I grossly overpaid @Collecting Nut ($21) at 82 dollars. I'll still say I have no regrets as I have seen many MS-63 64 22-D's that don't come close in strike quality or color (really mushy strikes especially). I had a discussion with a dealer one time at a coin show and he remarked that everyone is hyper focused on the No D or weak D's that they forget just how bad the regular D strikes were that year. Not being defensive, be it worth $82, 55 or 21 (though I would strongly argue against that one); I got a purdy coin and like it! Will see if I can get a better pic out of the capsule though.
