What grade would you give this Buffalo. @dedrikski thread the other day brought up the thought that we haven't had many threads lately about how to grade Buffalo's. Used to have them all the time. Just wanted to know what everyone thought about this one. Picked it up for a market XF price. The grey sheet is AU58 $60 I took a few photos before soaking it for 12 hrs in distilled water and rolling a clean Qt over the surface. (no rubbing) Then a pat dry with a cloth. The first photo I took thru a magnifying glass to show the surfaces. It darkened the surfaces there is a small lamination crack going over the B. Here is one with out the glass. before I soaked the coin. And one after the soak. What do you think @Paddy54
I think it was a beautifully struck coin with great details. I do see what appears to be some very slight wear on both the obverse and reverse, so would guess a TPG would grade it AU, but it may go MS. Even with lots of environmental toning, it is a beautiful coin.
I just see a lot of corrosive marks, features, and things, in the fields and lettering, rim. Could just be the photo and lighting.
There is some copper streaking on the surface's, a few copper spots, carbon spots, and still some dirt. If some folks are calling the toning environmental damage, then I can see your point, Honestly, this coin isn't corroded nor, would it get a details grade.
It appears to have a somewhat porous surface with pitting and on the pre pictures showing corrosion in the lettering and hid in some of the devices. This looks to have been helped with the cleaning but IMO will likely return with very little provocation.
So, a split tail and full horn Buffalo can now grade XF? Not to mention the texture on a Buffalo is what makes them Iconic.
My 1913 P Type 1 was in a self slab marked MS63. I think it is all of that and perhaps more... First I ever heard the term split tail, but I can see right away what that is.
I change my mind, it’s high grade, I can’t decide if it’s corroded or not just based on photos. If I had it in hand I’m sure it would be easy to say either way
Not sure about the corrosion and details comments. It looks to me like a very nice BUF. Without coin in hand AU. Thanks for the full horn and split tail tells, its nice to learn something new. Nice job with the conservation too!
I would go as far as AU-58. There is very little rub on the high points. The features on the bison's head and back are well defined other than slight rub at the high points. There's no way this would be an XF coin.