Should I resubmit this for a better grade? 1854

I recently purchased this 1854 $3 in a PCGS slab. I believe that it might be undergraded, but I'd like to get a few opinions about what the grade should be before I share the professional's opinion.

What grade would you assign this?

 

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I don't know too much about gold but I would guess 63
The reverse is especially clean!

 

I'd guess 53-55.

 

Not an expert, but imo a generous grade would be Au-50, the fine details on the wreath on the reverse are worn pretty heavily, so is the hair lines near Libertie's temple on the obverse. The former may be a result of lighting, but I see plenty of wear on the fine details on the wreath.

 

Hmm. On the obverse, I only see luster around the letters; it's completely gone from the fields and cheek. On the reverse, I see it around some of the devices, but not in the fields, and I see plenty of small marks in the fields.

There might be too much luster for an XF grade, but I think there's too much wear for anything much higher than 50. And given the discoloration around 3 on the reverse, it wouldn't surprise me if someone said it was cleaned.

I'm really, really not an expert on grading, though, especially gold. Just trying to compare notes as part of learning...

 

I don't think that the grade can be any higher than AU-55, and the surfaces are not original. From the photo it appears that that the surfaces have been lightly cleaned to make the coin brighter.

I think that a better strategy would be to state the grade on the slab and ask us if we think that coin might get an up grade.

Here is an MS-63 graded example.

 

I do not know anything at all about gold grading. For the record so I can learn something I would say XF45, maybe AU50

 

Looks cleaned to me

 

Looks AU 50 to me.

 

It isn’t a mint state coin. The hair above her brow is worn. I would call it AU55 or thereabouts.

 

I’m thinking AU-50 but wouldn’t be surprised if it grades XF-45.

 

It might have been net graded because of the light cleaning and lack of luster. My guess would be AU50, but not much higher. It’s not an MS coin.

 

If the coin is AU50-55, then probably not worth resubmitting.

 

AU-53 tops but it shows signs of a light cleaning so it might get a AU Details Cleaned grade.

 

The grade on the slab is "Genuine - Graffiti, AU details"

I do not see any graffiti on the coin, but there are some serious marks at 7:00, just south of the chin. I'd call these bag marks, primarily because they don't seem to form letters.

 

Okay -- with that prompt, I immediately picked out a tic-tac-toe board in the field under her chin. Does anyone else see another candidate?

 

Here's a closeup that I took trying to highlight the area around the chin.

 

After examining the coin in hand, I can assure you that I saw no other marks that might be called graffiti.

I guess my question boils down to two things: do you think these marks are disqualifying of a grade, and, if not, is it worth resubmitting this coin that I paid <$700 for? If it comes back as AU50, that would basically double it's value.

 

I'll leave those questions to the folks who have handled a lot more graded gold than I have. I know that close-ups overemphasize marks, but I can't imagine that one grading cleanly under any circumstances. The marks don't spell or picture anything, but they sure look deliberate.

 

It can’t hurt if you have a submission going the $35 or so to send it. Worst scenario is it comes back details again. Best case a straight xf 45 or au 50 grade. I’ve seen worse in holders. It is a 54 though. A common date. In straight au you’re going to make a couple hundred bucks. But is no way a $1400 coin