hone your grading skills -- Washington Quarter

Here's my latest NEWP. Please guess the grade that NGC assigned to it. If your own grade differs, also provide that grade.






The pictures are pretty accurate, however they were taken to show the color not the luster, so as a result the luster doesn't show well in these photos. Suffice it to say that the coin is mint state and has all the luster you'd expect in a mint state coin.

As always, comments on the coin, both good and bad, are most appreciated.

Have fun....Mike

 

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MS-65

Ben

 

it reminds me of a diff time and place and makes me very philosophical

 

I dont know much about grading coins at all, but I guessed MS-65 based (before I saw Bonedigger's grade) on his hair and some of the little nicks on his neck. Also the feathers on the eagle. As with the hair, you can see some outlines, but its not profound.

Overall its in great shape for its year. However I do not like the toning. For example, and this may just be me, but the toning makes it hard to see how raised the first R is in quarter, right around the top. And I can barely make out "Unum" for the same reason.

 

Based on the images (which is all we have to go on) I see no reason why that coin wouldn't grade MS66, at a minimum. There are very few marks (and the ones which are visible are magnified by the large images), and the luster, strike and color all look fine. In my opinion, even if it turns out that the assigned grade is lower than MS66, posters who have opined MS65 are being too tough on the coin.

 

I'd guess MS-65 not too many contact marks however toned coins can hide them. I don't think that is the case here. Nice washington!!!!

 

Gorgeous toning. Ill go MS-66 * for great eye appeal. Great addition to your collection.

 

I have no history of grading coins...But I would be skeptical to go too high, because if I didnt know that the motto was "E Pluribus Unum" then I wouldnt be able to make out the last word. HOWEVER, this is only because of the toning. If it can nearly hide a 4 letter word, it can hide scratches. HOWEVER...also, it may just be the picture. If you were to hold the coin in your hands and examine it from all different angles, you would get a better idea of scratches and wear.

 

Certainly flaws of various types MIGHT be hidden by the toning and/or otherwise not show up in the images. However, I would think that the potential benefit of such exercises would be related to discussions based upon what we CAN see.

 

I CAN see that I CANT see Unum. Is that putting it in a better way?

 

That is a lovely washie. Did you by chance purchase that from LeeG on the PCGS boards? I remember seeing him post it a few months ago as a new purchase. I think it's solid for the grade, btw. :thumb:

 

Looks like a nice 66 to me. I bet it has a lot of luster beneath the toning that shows up well in hand.

 

Man, stunning coin! I'll say NGC gave him a MS-66, and I'd say the same too. :thumb:

Phoenix

 

Thank you for the comments. I appreciate it....

Holding the coin in my hand, I can tell you that I don't see any scratches or wear.

While I believe the way the coin was photographed is complicating things, I also believe what you're seeing is an area of weak strike. This coin is anything but hammered, strike-wise, as should be pretty apparent from the photos (or at least is now after this post. ). FWIW, and from what I understand, being weakly struck is not atypical for D-mint quarters of this period.

Thanks again...Mike

 

I would say that it was probably graded MS-66

 

Mike:
Personally, I know that NGC is not a lover of toned coins.
That said, I would guess MS-65, but NGC said 64.


So-- What is it graded?

 

On coins that NGC deems as not being artificially toned , they sometimes hand out the "star" * , so I'll say MS65*.

 

Okay, ROTFLing I can't help laughing, but now HOW MANY checked and saw the grade before you posted it here? Come on now fess up. How come no MS-67s?

VBG Very Big Grin
Ben

 

check the grade, ben???

 

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