What do you think this will grade? 1870 Indian Cent

This was in an album I recently bought. Kind struck me as an odd coin. No hits. MS66 in that regard. Great color, but in hand the luster falls kind of flat. I feel like a coin this clean is worthy of a big grade, but it doesn't jump out of my hand. Is 1870 known for that sort of look? If not, I feel like they'll downgrade it to a 64 RB. It's at PCGS now. Be a few weeks before I hear, probably.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I don't see any wear immediately evident (the brown color comes from long contact with the album). In hand, rotating under the light, there might be some traces of wear in the fields.

However, assuming there is no wear, there are a couple of things that knock the grade down on this coin. The first is the strike - I'm not an Indian expert, but it looks to have a somewhat weak strike to me. The lack of luster is also going to hurt it quite a bit. It has great eye appeal, but I think your initial guess of 64 RB is where I would put it as well. It just doesn't have the luster (very important) or strike (not as important) for a higher grade, in my interpretation of your pictures.

 

I don't know...... I would have say MS-64 because there is no wear on most high parts of the coin but there is slight surface wear on the feathers and shield..... IT is hard to say what it will come back as but hopefully it grades well. Good Luck !

 

I think it's a 64. It does lack luster but it's clean and shows no signs of wear. It also looks like a weak strike. Is that a small round die chip just to the left of the LIBERTY headband?

 

The reverse strike is weak. Obverse is pretty well struck.

 

Do you think there is wear or not? If you think there is wear, the highest this could grade is AU-58+. The MS grades are only awarded to coins with no wear.

 

Not sure. I didn't take pics before mailing it off.

 

I think the high point browns are being interpreted as wear, but it isn't worn a bit.

 

Did you try acetone? In my experience it doesn’t help the diminished luster, album coin thing but just curious.

 

I didn't acetone it. Acetone usually dries them out and certainly doesn't bring out the luster. Such a gemmy coin though, in terms of the lack of hits and bag marks.

 

The luster on the coin really looks off to me. I'm gonna say MS63+ RB even though the surfaces are clean enough for a gem grade.

 

I'll guess it gets a 65RB but the dark area to the right of the ear makes me worry.

 

It looks like there's a little weakness in the diamonds

 

That’s what I’ve found as well, can dry them out big time even from very short soaks.

It’s just a shame when you have such mark-free, nice coins and the only thing that’s off is subdued luster from sitting in an album. 64RB sounds about right to me.

 

Yeah, that's pretty typical on a lot of these early dates.

 

The flat luster makes me suspect UNC details improperly cleaned and/or questionable color

 

I hope not.

 

Acetone would remove any organic contaminants, but the toning is not going to be affected.

I also think the diminished luster was present before the album.... the toning here isn't nearly thick enough to significantly affect the luster. At least, not to the extent I see in these pictures.

Can you explain why you suspect this? Not arguing, just wondering what makes you suspect that?

 

Do the photos match your in hand opinion?

That is one clean Indian. If the photos in hand match. It should get an MS grade. The guy selling it may have been the culprit and gave the coin a soak.

It may get an altered surfaces.

Market wise it should sell for an MS grade

 

It sat in that album for at least 12 years, if memory serves. The fellow I bought it from was a collector and he told me he bought the entire album in tact as is.

Edit to add: this album contained several proofs as well, stuck in there like business strikes. For example: