Here's my problem... the 55 is nice and clean and the 58 is a bit crusty... I've been offered either for the same price but I really like them both for their own reasons... So since I can't decide between the 2 I'll put it to you guys.... Which would you buy clean 55 crusty 58
Crusty 58 it's more unique and has better luster&appearance !!The 55 I really don't like that brown gunk and all the hairlines.
Addressing the stated Grade only, $20 wholesale between the 2, it is a Clint Eastwood question..do you feel lucky? A personal opinion is I am moving on to another opportunity.
Definitely the 55! Listen to your inner self and say " I feel lucky punk!" The 58 is too distracting for me (toning undesirable).
I voted for the clean 55, though I don't think you'd do bad with either one. Which one is more pleasing to YOUR eye?
Neither one suits my taste but since you like them, let's go with that. When faced with an impossible choice, do the opposite of King Solomon who offered to split the baby - buy both! That way you avoid a difficult choice and wind up happy in the end. Fun over, the 55 actually looks cleaned to me but it is obviously not in a details holder. The 58, for the same price as the 55, has a higher grade. There's a $19 difference on Greysheet, $66 vs. $85. CDN CPG retail lists $88 for the 55 and $115 for the 58. Neither coin is a particularly good strike so it's pretty much a wash there. If I was forced to choose and I could get the 58 for a 55 price, then I'd pick the 58. But I would not pick the 55 for a 58 price. IMO, neither coin is worth retail. On another criteria, which one more closely matches your other coins in the set? That might be the primary reason to pick one over the other. But if neither matches, then maybe pass and look for something different?
I'll just add this is for my 19th century everyman type set.. I have a beautiful 1914d in AU53 in my full type set and even with the higher grade on the new coin the 14d will remain in the full type set. That set is mostly bright white shiny coins while the everyman tends more towards toned and crusty.
I agree that the 55 looks cleaned (not very successfully) in these images, although I wouldn't second-guess the TPG. To me, the 58 looks like it was dipped and then re-toned after a bad rinse. But neither my eye nor my taste are especially well-practiced.
The best choice for me would be: neither. Pass on both and keep looking. The top one has been dipped, and has that weird orange look of a coin that's trying to retone but hasn't been given the chance to properly regain a skin. The second one really does not appeal to me with that speckled dark brown toning. It has good luster and appears more original than the first, but I'm not a fan. Keep looking, try to find one with original skin and great eye appeal. But, that's just my opinion, and you know what they say about those
The 55 is better looking. The 58, to my eye, is an ugly coin. Neither one rings my bell—frankly, I would probably pass on both.
The 55 looks cleaned because it is very flat looking without luster. And you can see the stuff that wasn't cleaned in between the lettering and that brown residue as well as (cleaning scratches on the reverse?) Unless it's the holder. And while the 58 has luster, I assume that scratch is on the holder (running down vertically from the T in STATES). Is this a case where acetone could reveal something you don't want to see? I vote neither.
I chose the 55 in your poll, but truth be told, neither coin is a show stopper. The eye appeal on the 58 IMO is non existent. The eye appeal of the 55 is better but still weak. I'd likely pass on both. If I committed to the seller to take one, just to preserve any potential relationship, I'd choose the 55.
I think a few of you have it right... it is a good offer, but I think I'm gonna hold off a bit longer. (these were offered by the dealer that sold the other 99 out from under me) and neither of these even with the higher grade measure up to the other one for eye appeal..