This is a 2009 SAE that I paid $ 37.54 for, because it was graded as MS70. However I have since learned that NAC ( Numismatic Authentication Company)who graded this coin and ANACS do not have the same standards. The fine writing on the reverse states; "Graded to NAC company standards". I know that grading is subjective anyway no matter who does it, however I also know that the more popular grading services are guided by ANA standards. But when you look through a magnifying glass on a newly minted coin and can find no flaws, does it really matter what company grades it ? I know you can't tell by these scanned pictures, but I did not want to remove it from the container.
Your pictures are way to fuzzy to tell if it is even unc let alone MS-70. From what I have seen of NAC, I can almost assure you that it is no where near MS-70.
MS70 or not ? No way to tell from that picture. IMO, at the 70 level, a coin must be examined in hand. I suppose that's always true, but especially if awarding a 70. NAC certification has no weight or meaning. I would just enjoy the coin. 97% of 'em are 69 or 70 anyway, so I'm sure it's a marvelous piece. Also... I have never seen "ANA Standards" for 70 that mean anything. The ANA Standards book is very useful for circulated coins, but much less useful for mint state coins.
Granted the picture is fuzzy. My point is, is that if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and looks like a duck, it probable is a duck. Same with a brand new coin. Not saying it is an MS70 just because it is graded so, but it would have to be in a class of MS68-69 or 70 don't you think ?
In answer to your question, yes. The 2009 are all very nice, at least the examples that I've come across. I think they are the best the us mint has ever minted and I think a higher percentage are making the MS70 grade. :thumb: The TPG or lack of a slab or the high end slab, wouldn't matter to me in the case of ASE's, not for 2009 anyways. :kewl:
My "duck" is NAC. If they overgrade everything I have seen, why isn't this one overgraded? Also. not every ASE I have seen is a 70. In fact, all I have seen in hand have been 69's.
PLEASE!!!-for your own good, buy the book before the coin. Do research. Buy the coin, not the slab. You shouldn't have to come here asking for help; you should have the confidence to KNOW you made a good purchase. Otherwise, you will have invested $1000 in a collection worth $250. The trade dollar was an example of this. Do your research, don't depend on the knowledge of others to help you through.
Its an ounce of silver. What does it matter what grade it is? But to answer your question - no, I'm almost certain it would not grade 70, or probably even 69, at a reputable grading company. Third world holders are essentially treated as raw coins - with some even trading at a discount to raw coins. One more point to make - you said in your first post that To clarify - you meant to reference here the ANA standards, not ANACS. The two are separate, although their histories are intertwined. The ANA is one of the governing bodies of the hobby, and publishes grading standards. ANACS is a grading service, formerly a top tier service, now it is considered a second tier service. Their standards don't really mean much to the rest of the hobby.
You may try to get the coin under a microscope or a 5-10X loupe and scan it under incandescent light. If you tilt the coin the ticks, scratches, pits, and defects in general will scatter light right into your field of view at the right angle. Different grading companies have different standards. I would imagine that 1-2 very tiny defects in the fields and none on the devices would qualify it as a 70. Perhaps the experts in the forum would have a better opinion. However I do have coins from both PCGS and NGC which are graded 70 but have a significant number of defects on devices and fields, not to mention ASEs which have milk spots in 70 plastic. This may have to do with coins like the Presidential Proof dollars for example which are poor strikes on poor planchets to begin with and if they didn't give the odd 70 there would be none...?
Each grading service grades to THEIR OWN STANDARDS not ANA standards. They may be "guided" by the ANA standards but that is all. If the coin was cracked out and submitted to PCGS the chances are it would NOT come back a 70. On the other hand if you crack out a PCGS 70 and resubmit it, the chances are IT would not come back as a 70 again either. Having said that, it really doesn't matter if it is really a 70 or not because no one is going to be willing to pay 70 money for it unless it is in an NGC or PCGS holder no matter how nice it is. (and they WILL pay 70 money for one even if it doesn't make the grade if it is in the NGC or PCGS slabs.) Unfortunately at that level it is more about marketing than the actual quality of the coin and the only thing that matters is the plastic.
Wow... HSN (Coin Collector) is hawking 2010 ASE's MS-70 for $99.95. Guess I was wrong... thirty-seven bucks is a bargain. Now where did I put my check book...
Strange, first you say $37 is pricey for an ounce of silver. Then you see one going for $99+ and you ask for your check book?????
Of course I was joking... just pointing out how ridiculous it is to pay that much over spot for ASE's that are slabbed. You are paying for plastic, not silver. Personally, I would never pay more that $25 for any ASE.