Hi, I recently picked up a morgan dollar, an 1885 O specifically. It is in pretty high grade, (ms 60+), and I was just wondering about the terms PL and DMPL. On the obverse, there is a mirror surface, and reflective length from mirror is about 3-4 inches. On the reverse, there is frosting on the raised points, and the mirror surface is about 5-6 inches. I was just wondering if I was to submit this to a TGS, if one side was DMPL, and one side was PL, what would they designate it as? Thanks, Peter Z
PL. The weaker side determines the designation with all grading services. Because of the way dies are used, there are also coins that are DMPL on one side with no reflectivity on the other. These would carry no designation, although NGC might give it a star.
That should be a PL coin...but don't hold your breath...I have seen more real PL coins in non-PL holders than PL holders
I don't know if I'd go quite that far - but I believe the actual requirement is readability at a distance of 6-8 inches, both sides, for DMPL. And 2-4 inches for PL.
MS 60 isn't a high grade. That is the lowest possible grade for an uncirculated coin. PL and DMPL designations are determined by the TPGs. Just because a coin is shiny and reflective does not mean that it is either PL or DMPL. Given current very tough standards, figure that PL requires both the obverse and reverse have 4" of reflectivity, and 8" for a DMPL. There is some subjectivity as well, as TPGs are looking for cameo as well as that mandatory degree of reflectivity. Moral of the story: Very few shiny Morgans are either PL or DMPL. Don't believe a seller's designation of either PL or DMPL on a raw coin-- that is just an opinion, and marketing hype.
