I did a search and didn't find anything specific on this so maybe my question won't waste everyone's time: I am looking at several early half dollars and dollars at a well-known web auction with decent, but not great photographs and I am having trouble discerning what is a scratch on the holder and what is a scratch or a hairline on the coin. In the hand, I can tell the difference but it is really disconcerting trying to make a decision to bid on a coin worth several thousand dollars when I cannot really tell from the photograph what is what. This is one among several reasons I generally prefer to buy at the large coin shows and auctions but sometimes I have an itch that needs scratching. This is probably a perennial problem and old hat to you old hands. But I hope you'll have pity on a relative newbie. Thanks for all the information y'all share on a regular basis - it really helps me out and is often very entertaining.
I don’t know how you could distinguish a scratched lens from a scratched coin based on a photo. And yes, if I were bidding on four figure coins I would want to know. It’s easy enough to polish out a scratch with headlight polish. I do it all the time and would think if I were auctioning a four figure coin that I would take the time to polish the lens so the buyer could clearly see what he was bidding on. I think it would be fair to ask the owner of the coin whether the scratch lies in the lens or the coin. I sure don’t know how you could distinguish based on a photo.
