1881-S Morgan... on a scale of 3 to 70

What do you make of this coin? As with others, I'm working on pegging down the VAM. But, I'd like to start out by saying this is a fairly pretty piece and asking where you'd put the grade:

 

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There are some interesting oddities here. Doubled denticles above the N in uNum. Tripled denticles (or some other kind of clash) in the denticles above oNE DOllar. And what appears to be die polishing lines from the eagle's beak up through IN GOD.

 

Also, did I mention die chips on both "hips" of the first 8 in the date (1881)?

 

I am not a VAM guy. I have the book, as I do for many things, but I don’t collect them.

As for the coin, my grade would be MS-63 or 64. The 1881-S dollars were very well made, and high grade pieces are common. These coins have to be spectacular to get an MS-65 grade or higher.

 

Try taking it out of the flip and take clear pictures.

 

64?

 

Attributing 81-S can be a pain in the neck. Lots of machine doubling on the obverse makes a mess of the date, where there might be repunching. You can see this on your coin. If you're lucky, you see VAM 1B or 54A, maybe a clear repunched mint mark. You do have an S/S set slightly high, which should make it much easier to attribute. Look at the page grouped by reverse, and this one will probably be there.

 

Not into Vams at all. Based on my Morgan experience, I would think it is a 63.

 

I don't collect VAM's. This date is common in higher grades. Given the smudges and MD that I see, I'd say a 63, possibility a 64 on a good day.

 

Not easy to tell from those pictures, especially the obverse. I will say 62 perhaps 63.

 

I'm a Morgan man and any Morgan is a collector coin in my opinion. Using the Red Book as a guide I would put it at around 62. Personally, It's a keeper. Thanks for posting it. Good luck

 

Anyone care to weigh in on the polishing lines in my last picture? I'd say these are raised and indicate that the die was polished - does that match other's impression?

I'll take a look at the S/S varieties. Surely someone has keyed into the tripled denticles before if this is a known VAM.

 

Like others, I'm not a VAM guy, but what troubled me instantly was the smudge that makes it look like it was incorrectly rinsed after a dip.

 

I have no idea what is the coin and what is the plastic of the 2x2 to give opinion on a VAM for it. the plastic will hold fingerprints and shmutz just like a coin does, and the plastic will distort the picture. it's better without the plastic.
I think definitely MS.....
not sure of the surface conditions maybe it's cleaned. I don't like the white shadows around the devices in the thumbnail images of the obverse.
Could be polishing and remnants of polish and these die polishing lines are actually coin polishing lines.

You removed the 1881 thumbnail.... you can still see it below the date and the stars in the main picture though. something funky there, like dried liquid silver polish it appeared like in the close up.

Anywho.

 

I would be in at 62-63. The photos are nice but would need a cropped full obv and rev photo/s to give an opinion on VAM's. I do collect VAM's so may be able to help.
All in all, a nice coin. Hopefully the finger prints are just on the 2X2 flip. The polishing marks, if raised, wouldn't bother me, unless I planned to slab it. The white (milky) spots J Burgess mentions are a bit concerning but may disappear when you take it out of the flip. JMO.

 

40. What do I know

 

I think the coin looks much nicer out of the 2x2...64 or better. Can we see it in the raw?

 

They are concerning, i didn't weigh in on them originally because its in a 2x2 and i dont want to say something thats wrong to you based on a plastic cover issues, etc. But yes, that does not look normal to me and could be an issue. if you can take it out and shoot a few more pics im sure we could give you a more detailed response.

 

Once I put a coin into a mylar flip, I rarely take it out again. The chaos I live in (with a 3-year old who loves all things shiny and now a kitten who likes to climb up wherever she's not allowed) is not kind to unprotected coins. And, I'm enough of a klutz that I don't want to add any new blemishes to a coin by dropping it on the floor or scratching a loupe against it while angling for a closer view of a feature.

But, I'll unpack it and reshoot a few key areas. I'm fairly confident that the details I keyed into under magnification aren't from mylar reflections or any patterns on the inside of the flip itself.