Since you guys helped me out and kept me from buying a bad coin last time I thought I would run this one by you. It's listed by a dealer under the USA Coinbook site. They describe it as a Superb Gem Bu--high grade coin. But I have several questions. Like why are the fields on the obverse so grainy looking whereas the shoulder is smooth? And on the reverse same thing--grainy by the wheats but smooth on the top and bottom--is that just the strike or does it look altered? Thanks again, Roger
This USA Coinbook seller has a fair amount of Neutral and Negative feedback so I'd pass for just that reason. Secondly there are some scratches on the obverse field just opposite Lincoln's nose and as you mentioned the coin looks grainy. It's a pass for me.
Early Lincoln Wheat Cents often tend to show grainy surfaces. These are early die strikes as the dies were sand blasted which shows on the first bunch of coins struck by new dies. This also can cause confusion between matte proof strikes and high grade business strikes. Im not a fan of that color on the OP's coin so it may have been cleaned at some point as well.
