hone your grading skills -- chain cent

im going with g-4

 

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ag-3

 

I'm no expert on this issue, but I think the chain is a key element, so it may be better than a low Good, maybe even a low VG, even though it looks AG.

I can't grade these, its just not an indian cent or something.

 

Leadfoot,
That is a nice example of a Chain cent. Nice smooth surfaces (much nicer than mine), and not seen often on a chain cent.
I would say A.G 3
Is than an S-3 "America" Type?
I am just sorry for you that you had to let your 1793 Liberty Cap go! (Please post pics of that coin if you can).
Enjoy your new copper! Obtaining a Chain cent is a real milestone for a large cent collector.
Eduard

 

I'm with Jack on this one...FR-02 and a very attractive coin. :thumb:

 

I know it's a 1793 chain.. I would go for one that atleast you could see the date even faintly...Still a genuine nice coin..I won't try to grade it. I'm sure the price was right.

 

I would grade it ag-3. Congrats on a very nice pickup! Your coin as I'm sure you know is much much nicer than a lot of the chain cents that find there way into holders these day.

 

I'm torn between a 2 and a 3 so I'm going to say ag-03. Cons: the coins worn, pros: its a chain cent. nice pick up, and thanks for sharing.

 

Ag-3

 

I've only seen one of these in person that I can recall, and it was really low grade, and $$$. I'm not that good with the grades on these things so all I'll says is NICE COIN!!!

Speedy

 

PCGS graded the coin FR-02.

My subjective opinion on the coin: I can't say I disagree with the grade, but if there's such a thing as a choice FR2, this coin is it. For those of you who have tried to find a nice example in these grades, you'll have a good feeling for how difficult it is. As some have pointed out, most are very dark and porous and generally unappealing. This coin is anything but -- at least to me.

While I would like an example with a readable date and reverse legend, my budget simply wouldn't allow me to afford a coin like that. As it is, this is the most expensive coin in my collection, and it was a tough decision to trade the liberty cap for it. However, I just thought that finding a replacement liberty cap would be far easier than finding a more attractive low-grade chain cent.

The coin was purchased from Shawn Yancey, and he described it as follows:

"Talk about a perfect, smooth, choice FR2! Really smooth and attractive with half of LIBERTY, full bust, and maybe an imagination of the top of the date, full bold chain and fraction, about about half of the reverse legends, the S3 attribution is easy thanks to the part of LIBERTY that is visible and the clearly incused chain at the throat, an exceptional coin for a FR2 chain cent, most would call this one an easy AG3"

Here's the coin I traded away, which some of you might recall I purchased from Doug Bird at Fun 2007:



Thanks for all the guesses and comments. Congrats to Jack for being the first one to guess correctly. Take care...Mike

 

I would call it a 3/3 coin and would buy it as a FR-2 any day of the week. Nice pick up.

I have to say though, you traded away a nice piece too.

 

I've never seen Mr. Yancey's site before. It looks like he has some great coins at reasonable prices.

 

Well it was a good trade and I personally still think ag-3.

 

Well I would call it a nice Chain Cent with good color and surfaces, That I would LOVE to own. Congratulations Mike!

 

It must have been very difficult parting with the Liberty Cap cent. I don't know how you made that decision.

 

Wow, shot from the past. I let the liberty cap go because I liked the chain more, and didn't have the money for it. That, and the edge bumps on the Liberty Cap -- while they didn't bother me at the time (and didn't bother PCGS which subsequently graded the coin VF 35, IIRC) -- started to bother me.

 

Yep, it was a great LCC.

But it's also true that the vast majority of low-grade Chains aren't pleasant to look at. Finding an FR2 that good is very, very uncommon. I can see why you jumped on it, Mike.

 

You lucky pup

Nice Chain cent. I was too late to guess at the grade. I really like the chain reverse & it might be cool to have the reverse facing forward in the slab.
Very best regards,
collect89