Believe me, TPG's will find the issues. I think it deserves MS-65 in my opinion. It's a keeper. Good luck
Wow. I was thinking MS64 at best. My worry is in the photo I almost think I see a tiny rub in the cap. But I don’t see it really in hand. So I wasn’t sure if it might grade out at AU58. It’s a lovely coin in hand.
IMO, the cotton blossoms and hair “bear claw” are the most sensitive areas for the very first indications of tiny wear (even though some others say look at the hair above her forehead). And those look pristine. And you know you have a really nice, solid strike when you can see the neck line crease just under her jaw and all the hair details above her ear.
Graded Morgans are great, I prefer raw coins for now. So is your goal to just collect a set of graded Morgans? or have you decided to focus on a specific grade and higher? You've got a real nice coin there and I'd guess 64 or maybe higher and at grey sheet thats a nice value versus the cost to grade. But there a quite a few Morgans at ms60 that are really fairly attainable too.
I'd say 65...possibly 65+ depending on TPG and graders. To a comment on the cheek marks barring a 65 grade...don't think that bad for a 65 given other positive factors, plus have seen MUCH worse with 65 grades...again, graders, day, time, moods, etc...so terribly/wrongly subjective.
The range has been well discussed by others, but with the caveat that grading a coin by pictures alone is fraught above ms61, I think this compares well with other ms65's for the same date.
I do feel that the photos are very accurate to the coin in hand. I really spent some time getting good photos.
Do you own any graded coins? And have you ever submitted or had submitted on your behalf any coin for grading?
I think the TPG would give it this... MS65+ at NGC MS66 at PCGS MS64+ at Anacs MS66 at ICG Me I think it's a strait 65 with no added PL designation given.
I stopped buying raw coins after I bought an 1883-S. It was my first fairly pricey purchase and I decided to have it graded (cuz the seller seemed "shady" to me) and it came back as a "Unc details - cleaned". The seller is on both Etsy, USA Coin Book & probably Ebay. Luckily this was early on, and since then I've always bought a graded coin (and then removed it) from a TPG (PCGS,NGC,ANACS,ICG). As I neared the end (with the priciest examples) I started keeping them in the slabs as I then decided I wanted a graded set. I've sent 40 coins to ICG (not looking to start TPG wars lol) basically because of price and I have no intention of parting with the collection (I'll probably physically depart with it in the end lol). I re-bought some of my first purchases with higher grade coins rather than send them in; like an 1889, 1890, etc...they are cheap enough. Anywho...I did bring the "cleaned" coin to a local dealer and everyone is shop disagreed with the grade. Good luck with your collecting/grading. At some point I'll start looking for an 1893-S...I really need to research this one; it scares me to death with so many fakes out there!