GTG 1899 O Morgan

The hairlines are completely consistent with an AU coin

 

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I figured there was something up. Im not seeing a details grade here to be honest. Too bad it isnt worth the crackout and a resubmit. Be interesting to see what it gets a second time through.

 

Any chance the cheek was worked on? Maybe thumbed?

 

The cheek and temple have clear parallel lines. Thanks @TypeCoin971793 for showing them. Those aren't from a bag marks or anything that should be acceptable to a clean grade. Also I see a slight amount of circulation, seen in the open fields. That's not just pull away toning. I'd a bought it for 29$

 

Upon a second look, that is what I'd guess as well.

 

There was a spot removed below Liberty’s chin. There are clear scrape marks under 10x magnification.

 

The surface is a little funny-looking. I guess it was worked on, that’s why. I see now I overlooked that.

 

The hairlines on the cheek are consistent with those from circulation (short, scattered, no clear and consistent pattern). There are absolutely no hairlines on the temple under 10x. There does, however, appear to potentially be another attepted spot removal above the brow.



Here are a couple AU 1964 Kennedy halves which display the exact same style of hairlines on the cheeks. The harsh horizontal lines around the chin of the first one is just die polish.

 

Hairlines aren't wear. They're hairlines. They don't transform a MS coin to AU. They may mean a details grade, however if they're taken as evidence the surface was worked over, as in this example.

 

Fingers are abrasive. Guess what abrasives do? Leave hairlines. Ever wonder why circulated gold is hairlined to death? It’s because the hairlines caused by circulation have not been toned over.

Look at any AU coin, and you will see hairlines on the high points and the middles of the fields. Take a BU coin, rub it with your finger, and see what happens.

 

And your point is? Honestly, I'm not following it. Hairlines are not evidence of wear, although they can coexist with wear.

 

My point is that hairlines are the first indicators of wear before enough material is removed to cause significant luster loss or device flattening because, as I said earlier, fingers are essentially abrasives, and sliding abrasive material across a coin’s surface will result in hairlines.

 

Hairline like these definitely take the coin out of a Mint State grade.
It is only as of late that coins like this get MS or details grades.
If only minor such as what is seen on this coin, they should get a straight grade but AU at best.

 

65

 

I can buy that and throw it in the bank for future reference I look alot at the rim for wear but maybe that is when the real wear happens