Hi all, I just purchased this Braided Hair cent raw. It appears to be ms 64-65 with super nice orig8nal luster on both sides. I'm concerned with a rim ding seen at 4o'clock on the reverse. Will this receive a grade or details? Should I keep or return. Paid $426.00. 4 images attached I value your opinions. Thanks
Honestly it would probably grade UA detais or UNC details. There is another scratch on the rim into the field. Not worth a 62+ price.
I have not sent anything to be graded for 3 or 4 years but I had a Liberty seated dollar and a Barber half dollar that graded with much worse dings than that. I was even surprised. It was a top service to, maybe they have tightened up since then. With that said I hate rim dings.
The rim bump doesn't bother me as much as the scratch on the obv rim at around 5:00. The two of them together might keep it out of a graded holder. (generally, if I am buying an older MS coin, I stick to already graded ones as I don't totally trust my own grading skills or ability to spot all defects or manipulations. Plus the holder gives it built in liquidity, to a degree).
At that price send it back. The ding and scratch might keep it from a higher grade in my opinion. It is a nice-looking coin. Good luck with your decision. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely ms. No friction or break in luster at all obv and rev. Except the darn ding and rim scrape. Thanks to all that replied. I am heeding your advice and returning this coin. Cointalk community I am grateful.
For the money you will have in it after grading you should be able to find one already in a holder at 64 for about the same or a bit more. I think it is a gamble to send it in hoping for a 64. I think you were wise to return it.
For that price I would be unhappy with the rim ding but add the obverse scratch and I’d really be unhappy.
The cited problems don’t amount to much as long as the grade is in the MS-62-3 range. If gets in a holder with a high grade, they are a deal breaker. The rim issue might have been on the planchet before the coin was struck.
Large cents can be tricky to grade by pictures alone. The coin could be high AU or mint state. The copper alloy isn't the same as later flying eagle or indian cents. It much softer so it markr easily. Rim dings or small scratches are common on them. They are also very prone to corrosion, although they are no ware near as bad as the current Lincoln cents. Below is a picture of a 1857 cent from my collection. MS 65
The large cents I just posted are both certified as mint state brown. The 47/47 is one of the finest known there is only one finer of this variety. There is zero wear on either of these coins but because of the alloy they were made with it's hard to judge the luster when looking at a picture of either one. This is typical with large cents. They do have plenty of luster in the right light. The large cent posted Jim Robinson could very well be mint state. The rim ding or mark on the edge would likely get a pass from the grading companies. However, a 1854 brown large cent if it grades MS 62 is a common coin. It's value is about $250.00 if a true mint state coin. I would send the coin back to the seller just because of the price. There are nicer ones out there for that price. !850 to 1855 are some of the most common dates to find in mint state, these were pulled from cerculation when the small cent were made.
