How can this grade F-15 , not market graded , but by ANA , or Photograde standards . http://www.steveestes.com/cgi-bin/newsite/C31661.html Thanks . rzage:hatch::hammer:
It looks to me like the top part of the obverse was struck through something. The detail doesn't match the rest of the coin, especially the part of the reverse exactly opposite. Therefore, if you grade by the detail that exists, the grade pretty much fits.
The reverse appears to be Fine. It's the obverse that has problems. The strike is certainly soft at the top. My guess is bad die alignment. The surfaces seem to be grainy (environmental damage?) And a "9" for Eye Appeal!!!??? Not to my eyes. As ryanbrooks said, it's a key coin. That often gets a coin pushed to a higher grade.
yeah, because it's status as king of indians, it is going to be market graded as an acceptable grade, but only the truly naive would purchase at a f-15 price.
Got a F15, certainly not in Fine.... Just got bumped due to key date status... Kinda like what you see sometimes on toned coins, they will be 61's and 62's and they will get 64's, just because their toning adds more appeal.
I agree the coin looks overgraded. However, and FWIW, PCGS commonly overgrades this key date and it seems about right for what they call F-15 (which is not to be confused with ANA/photograde). Also, knowing how Steve's photos are, I wouldn't presume the coin is as it appears in his photo.
That makes perfect sense since it is their grading standards. I think sometimes people forget this. Doug reminded me of this fact in a post last week. We all have to understand that sometimes when we don't agree with the grade it's because our standards differ from theirs, not that the coin is incorrectly graded. We've been through this a million times in other threads, but one needs to learn to grade for him/herself and not have to rely on what a slab says or look for a green sticker or a gold sticker or whatever you have. Learn to grade for yourself if you are going to buy coins. use the TPGs for what they do best: authentication. If the slab helps you sell the coin, then it's a good thing, but if you need the slab to tell you what the coin grades, (and forgive me for the way that this sounds) then you need to learn more about coins. Because you're going to eventually get burned.
Wow - $1750 - I barely paid more than that for my coin(including shipping) - PCGS VF30. The way I look at this key date is if graded G-4's are 900 then you are getting an AG-3 coin - therefore the price for AG-3's is 900 for graded coins. So on and so fourth...
I do think PCGS and NGC both tend to over grade keys at times. We sent on in some time ago and it came back as XF40. To us VF20 would have been pushing it (NGC by the way). Now fairly it does look like there were some striking problems on the obverse as the reverse is quite strong. As Leadfoot pointed out the picture is probably a very good representation. Steve Estes (actually his wife Debbi) takes great pictures. Not a coin I would buy. I'd rather have a full rimmed, no problem G4 at a lot less money.
I've got an AG-3 1877 IHC and this looks just like it. I may be generous and (IMO) give it a G-4. F-15 Please,...Someone is asking way too much for this low grade coin. Anyone, just looking at it can see it's not in good shape. I'll sell my ANACS graded AG-3 for F-15 money. Any takers? :rolling: Bruce
The rim has serious weakness but the coin does appear to have a partial LIBERTY. I'd probably balance out the weak (AG) rim with partial (VG) LIBERTY and call the coin a G-6. But this coin will sell to someone who knows nothing about grading and just buys the label. After all it's in a PCGS holder how could it be wrong? (Do we have an emoticon for sarcasm?)
Mike , it's just my opinion , but I think even with market grading and grading by PCGS standards this coin has too many problems to grade VG let alone F-15 . rzage
