Help Grading Morgans

Discussion in 'What's it Worth' started by HarleyMechanix, Feb 16, 2017.

  1. HarleyMechanix

    HarleyMechanix New Member

    Be gentle with a noob. I did read the how to post thread so I hope I am doing this correctly. Picked these 2 Morgans up at the flea market last weekend. A 1921 and a 1904. I have been looking at PCGS photograde and youtube videos till my eyes bleed trying to get a feel for grade. The 1921 looks to me to have been cleaned (too shiny) The 1904 I just love the way it looks. Nice detail. I am guessing the 1921 at XF40 or XF45. The 1904 I have no idea. VF? Wondering how far I am off. Thanks in advance.

    Regards, Aaron
     

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  3. longshot

    longshot Enthusiast Supporter

    I'd grade the 1904 VF20...maybe 25.
    The 1921 looks AU but cleaned.
     
  4. HarleyMechanix

    HarleyMechanix New Member

    Thanks mate. I was not too far off then.
     
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  5. alurid

    alurid Well-Known Member

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  6. Ordinary Fool

    Ordinary Fool Active Member

    Am I overlooking technical details being for the photograde reference? This may be a subject where being blissfully ignorant might make it easier for me not to consider such potentially trivial matters although I am pretty sure I can photographically present a coin say, that has been cleaned, to appear both cleaned as well as uncleaned.

    All further compounded by the fact that most all of these images are heavily compressed upon being hosted on the net.

    Photographically rendered images of coins have so many variables it would really seem to make sense to me if the photograde at least specified magnification levels, resolution, ISO info, lighting and perhaps a few other baselines.

    This is without even considering that from the online observer's end, there are multitudes of variables ranging from displays, rendering etc.
     
  7. Ana Silverbell

    Ana Silverbell Well-Known Member

    We don't know what you paid for them but the 1904 is a nice coin with excellent eye appeal for the grade. The 1921 doesn't look "too shiny" to me but there may be cleaning hairlines; it is hard to tell from the pictures. I say it is hard to tell because in addition to bag marks, some Morgans show evidence of journeys through a counting machine or Vegas slot machine.
     
  8. HarleyMechanix

    HarleyMechanix New Member

    I paid $22 each for them. So I think I did alright. My first time buying Morgans. My 8 year old son is fascinated with them.
     
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  9. Mint Mark

    Mint Mark Junior Member

    I thought that I would piggyback off of this thread since the subject is the same. I've owned this 1878CC Morgan since 1973 (perhaps early-1974). My dad had purchased a GSA Morgan for the going price of $30 and I wanted a CC dollar of my own. On a paperboy budget of probably $40 a month, I couldn't afford a GSA dollar of my own. As I recall, our LCS had this one for $15 - sort of a "poor man's CC dollar". The holder has a Dymo label (you've got to be old to even know what that is) that says "AU".

    I've got a number of PCGS MS64 Morgans. This is, obviously, not a 64. But what is it? When it comes to Morgans, I have a tough time telling wear from weak strike. That is a small scratch to the right of the eagle's left wing. I never noticed it until today when I went to photograph it.
     

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    Last edited: Feb 17, 2017
  10. fish4uinmd

    fish4uinmd Well-Known Member

    You did well, and good for your son's interest.
    I love the older circulated CC's...can't get enough of them! Based on the hairline and the feathers, I would say it's an XF-45...
     
  11. Mint Mark

    Mint Mark Junior Member

    Thanks, Fish!
     
  12. Ana Silverbell

    Ana Silverbell Well-Known Member

    Based on the photos, the 1878 cc is AU-50 or AU53; a nice specimen. I agree with Fish that circulated cc Morgans can be fun to add to a collection.
     
  13. Mint Mark

    Mint Mark Junior Member

    Thanks, Ana! I guess I did OK for my fifteen bucks. Then again, like I said, it was at least a week's pay for me in 8th grade.
     
  14. Mint Mark

    Mint Mark Junior Member

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