Old PCGS Grading Is Terrible

I watched recently a lot of the couple year old PCGS grading videos on YouTube, and from what i see, this coin does NOT rank a MS65 by todays standards. I am looking for one, but not one with a pizza face! What say you?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I find the older PCGS to actually grade more strictly. In order to really answer your question, i need to see the reverse. Based on the obverse, it looks to have great luster and eye appeal, etc. Outside of the cheek area, it looks VERY nice. I will assume the reverse is likely an MS 66 or higher which would pull it up. 65's will have contact marks on the cheek and in front of the face.

 

I don't play GTG or even try to grade from pictures but................
expanded out and comparing yours to my 82 CC PCGS MS-66 I do not see a lot of difference. I agree with Silvergmen and would bet the reverse is a 66. I have two strict rules that I collect by. That's just me. 1. PCGS for silver and 2. NGC for gold. Now remember, that is only my opinion.
PS: I like your coin.

 

As previously stated, the coin looks to have great luster and eye appeal. The surfaces aren't MS65 but CC Morgans traditionally get a grade bump, so to see an MS64 CC Morgan with outstanding luster in an MS65 slab isn't that unusual no matter when it was graded.

 

Ditto x 3!

 

According to the ANA (PCGS may not agree) an MS-65 Morgan can have light and scattered with no MAJOR distracting marks in PFA. "Major" is a subjective term that will be different for all of us. BU Carson City $ are flashy coins in any grade of MS and I believe they get a little more wiggle room when graded. Also remember that the MS-65 range goes from 65.1 to 65.9.

PS When someone comments on the grade of a coin, in this case "terrible," it is important to evaluate the qualifications of the poster. On one hand, you are an unknown. On the other, in this case Lehigh96, the member knows what he is posting about.

 

I am here to learn and I do that by asking questions based on what i have seen elsewhere. Here is the back



Here is a MS 65 on PCGS website; I don't think my comments are unreasonable at all.

 

Agreed and that was my first reaction too: CC bump.
I would pass on that coin (not toned and too baggy for me as a 65) but there are plenty of examples just like it that are market acceptable 65s (I'm not a fan of it but it happens). For those looking for a nicer 65, it can be found with some patience.

 

I don't think this holder qualifies as "old", maybe someone can give the approximate grading date.
The coin appears to have quite a few light grazes on the cheek, 65 looks generous but I agree with the above comments.

 

It is relatively recent.
I believe the holder matches this gen 4.6 (Jan 2013 - Jan 2014)
https://www.pcgs.com/holders/Gen4.6

 

For as long as there have been grading companies, there have been “A”, “B” and “C” rated coins within the number grades. I agree with you that the OP coin has a bit too many marks to be an MS-65. It’s been my experience that CC dollars get more grading breaks than other Morgan Dollars. That’s not true for all of them, but it happens enough to come to that conclusion.

As for modern PCGS grading, I think that on average they were more strict years ago than now. This is where the “Old Green Label” (OGL) idea comes in. I view the green label period as the golden age of PCGS. On average the grading was more conservative, but they issued some clunkers then too.

Bottom line. There is no substitute for learning how to grade. You can’t depend on brand names, label colors or stickers to keep you away from traps.

 

Leave that example for the poor fool that buys the label not the coin. I agree that it's a bottom end 65 at best but there are a few top end 65's out there with much more appeal.

 

I know if I wanted to learn and ask a question I wouldn't do so by making definitive statements trashing something.....

Last 5-10 years off the top of my head.

 

I don't know what your problem is, though you don't have to be a jerk about it.

 

I'll second that last 5-10 years old.

 

The coin you posted would normally grade 64 all day long. Since it is a CC mint coin, as has been said, it got the CC bump, which is well known. So, PCGS is actually being quite consistent. Blanket statements trashing TPGs are not productive. Try to understand what their standards are. Go look on Photograde.

 

Thanks for posting the REVERSE. Unfortunately, the reverse does not carry much weight and will very rarely raise a coin's grade. MS-63/66 or 67 Morgan dollars are common.

 

Three knowledgeable members have made a STRONG suggestion that you tone down your criticism (terrible) when you are a beginner going up against the opinion of professionals working at PCGS. Trust me, we are not the ones coming of as "jerks."

There are some very good replies in this thread. Your coin brought them out.

 

Hits on CC Morgans are to be expected except in the highest grades.

 

They shouldn’t be. The CC Morgan Dollars are often made as well or better than their Carson City counterparts. Why should they get a grading break? You pay higher prices because they are scarcer. Why should you take a double shot be they are scarcer?m