Grade Opinion: 1938-S Quarter

I think the Washington Quarter is my favorite of the modern coins. I have studied them for some time but I still find them really challenging to grade.

Some time ago, this 1938-S was given to me. I have done my best to photograph it (I can try again if needed). I would be interested to hear what you guys think it grades/

 

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First thought MS 64...then I looked at it a bit more and think it's closer to MS 65.
The coin looks like it has nice luster but the splotchy color might hold the grade back (hopefully not though).

 

I'm at 64 based on the photos. Looks like there's some chatter on brow and cheek. Nice coin and date!

 

I don't see it. The ear/hair curl?

 

Wow that's tough to grade from the image. It looks dipped to me.
That may be because of the way it was stored. I'll go with 65.

 

I don’t think it was dipped at least not in many years. It was found among a bunch of change that my wife’s grandma had accumulated over the decades. She was somewhat of a hoarder and her kids moved her into an assisted living place. My mother in law asked me to look through the coins for anything of value. I found a ton of junk silver they ended up selling and this coin. When I found it she gave it to me because she knew I would enjoy it.

 

Something seems off with the luster and the fields. Could be cleaned or over dipped, but what do I know? If it grades straight, I'd say 64-65.

 

With that being said. I would say not matter what it's priceless!

 

It could be my photo too. The coin has nice luster in hand but has some toning that is muting it. The surfaces look problem free in hand to me. I don’t see any rubs on the high spots but I’m bad at grading these. In my opinion his is either an AU58 or an MS64/65. I’m just not confident enough in my grading to decide.

 

That's a coin I would self slab with a label " From Grandma to US"

 

I also find Washington's difficult to some degree, but this one is screaming MS65 to me.

 

dwhiz, loving the avatar and couldn't agree more w/ your comments.
Camaro, you should take a couple more shots in different light and post!

 

Here's my TPG date/mm example which graded a 64 for reference...

 

I'll go with 64.

 

@CamaroDMD I am having trouble with the lighting, It is hard to tell if the lustre is sharp and cartwheels or not, might just be the setting on your camera. If Ms I am at 65.

 

I'm in the 65 camp as well.

 

I will make an effort to photograph it again this week. Once I have them I will post them.

 

I say 65 also. I have been collecting Washingtons for many years and finally decided to concentrate on completing the set. Washington quarters are one of the hardest coins to grade because for some reason the mint tries to get as many identifiable coins as they can out of a set of quarter dies, as long as it looks like a quarter from 10 feet away, it's out the door. Week strikes are another problem, especially in the early dates and around '64 and the early '80s when there were coin shortages. if it makes anyone feel better, the TPGs aren't good at grading them either.