Ugh - unflattering close-ups on dimes

So, through a bit of luck that'll probably earn its own thread, I came across this 1901-P Barber dime. It's got some scratches, mostly on the devices, but I don't know whether they make it ungradeable -- I've been looking at photos of MS61 and even MS62 dimes, and on the ones that haven't received the "glamour treatment", I see marks almost like this.

Viewed at this size, it looks pretty terrible IMHO. In hand, you can see that there are scratches or hairlines, but you can also appreciate the luster and the lack of high-point wear.

So, opinions? I'm into it for an embarrassingly small sum, so don't spare my feelings...

 

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This is a toughie. I wish I could see it in hand.

I'm going to say no, I don't think it would straight grade. It looks like it was abrasively cleaned at some point and is retoning a little bit.

The reason I say this is I'm seeing flow lines in protected areas on the coin, but in the fields only patches of abrasions.

Is there metal flow visible in the fields in hand and I'm missing it?

 

Hm. In hand, it's dazzling white. You may be seeing some reflections.

I think so. In hand, I don't see rub in the fields, nor nearly as many abrasions as on the face.

Here's a shot I took lit from another angle, and a close-up on the right field. I should be able to do better, but I'll have to set things up again, and probably use mirror lockup and a remote; I can get scary close with my macro lens and extension tubes, but it's hard to control vibration, and hard to nail the focus.

 

AU53/55 IMO

 

I retract my first post with the closeup of the metal flow- which makes me think it wasn't whizzed or improperly cleaned. (Dipped, yes)

I'll say it would straight grade and market acceptable MS60/61ish.

 

Seems like a tad weaker strike

 

I'll go with AU details. Interesting coin. With all the hits and marks there should be more wear.

 

I don't see anything in any of those pictures that could be interpreted as wear.

What I do see is a classic MS-60/61 coin. The strike is weak, the luster is weak, it is covered in marks, and some of them are severe. But there is no wear. The most severe mark is on her cheek in front of her, and that is the one that I would be worried about. However, it looks old, not fresh and shiny.

In order to have enough wear to disrupt the luster in the fields that significantly, I would absolutely expect flattening on the high points. I don't see any trace of that.

 

IMO it's AU and I'm leaning towards it NOT having been cleaned.

 

Agree with AU Details. Hits are covering the light ware on high points. AU 53 Details is my guess.

 

I don't personally see why it wouldn't be a high AU. The high points seem clean and sharp. However it does look like some flattening in the fields and a certain lack of "freshness" where it looks like it has been handled.

I will support your concerns with a second example. After I got this coin, there was a lengthy "What did I do?" period of buyer's remorse. I saw a myriad of lines in the fields and thought certainly I had bought a harshly cleaned ungradable example. I've overcome that now, and think the softness of the surface, combined with the smallness of the coin, make for photos that exaggerate any small marks.

The blast-whiteness of this one also has to be held down or else these dimes can hardly be photographed at all.

 

I see much of the fields free of luster and in the second photos, some pretty nasty hairlines on the bust. AU details. Whether or not a TPG will straight grade it is anyone's guess. I have no idea how they come up with many of the grades they assign.

 

Don’t forget how much the magnification we see in the preceding photos exaggerates every tiniest irregularity. I’ll bet the coin looks just fine in hand. Or am I just compensating for my aging eyes?

 

AU-58 Details.

 

Sorry, I thought I'd be able to get some more photos today, but it didn't happen. (I spent the time in a misguided effort to photograph the current comet -- with a hand-held camera. I knew the odds were long, but it was still kind of a dumb thing to try. It was a pretty heroic lens and sensor, though, so I had some luck.)

 

not an unc, but not that bad

 

Not feeling your MS60ish. @Paddy54. I'm not to good at this. But not even sure its AU. I really got alot to learn.

 

Not feeling your MS60ish. @Paddy54. I'm not to good at this. But not even sure its AU. I really got alot to learn.

 

Ok good point