1867 Shield Nickel with Rays for grading

I bought this for my type set because it beat the FR-02 details one that was in there. I paid $48 for it on eBay. I think she is AU-53/55 because there is still a TON of cartwheel luster on it. The obverse strike leaves a lot to be desired, but there is some cool MD going on, and it is representative of the difficulty the mint had with striking these.

 

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Vf details cleaned and damaged

 

I very strongly disagree for the reasons mentioned above. Please explain your assessment.

This coin has NEVER been cleaned. There are no hairlines whatsoever. Just a little wear and lots of luster.

And what damage?

 

Did I Strike a nerve? The coin has been cleaned you can tell by what is around the devices . The obv shows signs of damage to the left of the date is a scratch and the date has been scratched through the 1 8 & 6. Looks as it went through a counting machine as to the damage .
Next there's excessive wear on the top of the shield the part called the chief. All of the leaves show wear. Both left and right curl arms show wear. The center Gules show excessive wear.
And since this is a series I do collect and have over 100 specimens,and varieties I can post better coins then this that have been cleaned also. And just because a coin doesn't has hair lines it doesn't mean it hasn't been cleaned.

 

If you are talking about the dark areas on the obverse, that is a thin layer of verdigris. I have been meaning to get some VerdiCare to help some of my coins.

Okay, there is a light scratch. The flatness of the 186 is normal for this type and year. Look at the Cherrypicker's guide. You see it ALL of the time.

STRIKE not wear. Look at how much detail is visible on the reverse. That is not indicative of a VF-level coin, but an AU-level coin. There is also tons of cartwheel luster. Bill Fivaz confirmed this in-hand. He also said it was completely problem-free and original. He also said that the negative eye appeal due to the poor strike would bring this coin down to an EF-45 market grade.

 

You purchased a cleaned damaged coin end of story. The flatness of the date is not due to strike it's pmd.
I will post several specimens later and since you're the expert, and it seems that your are as to other post I have read of yours ,we will see just how good you are.
The coin shows wear let's see what other members think...
And Later we'll put the expert to the test to see just how good your eye is...

 

This is one of the rare times I'll disagree with you. All my opinion of course.

Paddy54 said: The coin has been cleaned if true and I don't see it from the photo - still a straight grade. you can tell by what is around the devices .The stuff around the relief looks like dirt. obv shows signs of damage (?) to the left of the date is a scratch nothing to speak of and the date has been scratched through the 1 8 & 6. Looks as it went through a counting machine as to the damage .Nope, that's strike characteristic.
Next there's excessive wear on the top of the shield the part called the chief. Absolutely not, strike again All of the leaves show wear. Not much wear. Most of what you don't see is strike problem.Both left and right curl arms show wear. The center Gules show excessive wear. Nope, nope, and nope.
And since this is a series I do collect and have over 100 specimens,and varieties I can post better coins then this that have been cleaned also. And just because a coin doesn't has hair lines it doesn't mean it hasn't been cleaned. Now this is true; however, the color of this coin appears natural.

 

@Paddy54 Please quit while you are ahead.

PS I cannot wait to see the coins you are going to post for us.

 

Well after dinner I will post and we will see who's correct .
I've been doing this for 53 years now! I'm not about not learning something new every day as in life as well as coins. But IMHO this coin has pmd and has been cleaned . And again we will let other members post their opinions .
Stay tuned....

 

I'm up for the challenge.

 

New Pics. The greenish tint is due to the loghting and is not the actual color of the coin.

Notice hoe weak the top leaves are and then look at how sharp the lower leaves are. How is that a normal wear pattern?

 

I love you man! Nevertheless, if what the OP said is true, I'll take Mr. Fivaz's opinion based on his in hand examination of the coin over anything you or anyone else (except its owner) thinks (including me) who are judging the coin from a photo.

PS Bill and I have you beat by thirty-five years at the least.*



* My inner couldn't help posting this - enjoy!

 

Long ago, I believed that any time a coin had those "bright" diagonal hairlines as seen on the reverse, it indicated the coin was cleaned. I have learned better in my old age.

 

I have learned from SuperDave that they are caused by wear friction.

 

I'm going with cleaned. The two red areas are gunky areas that aren't cleaned and the blue area shows where I think it was cleaned that is uncharacteristically clean. Also, it looks very much like PMD on the date, sorry, that's a ton of rub...

 

Ok here they are what are the grades and what ones have been cleaned?

 

1. EF-40. I don't think this one has been cleaned.
2. EF-40. This one looks cleaned.
3. AU-53/55. Original.
4. AU-50. Cleaned.
5. EF-40. Original

 

VF details

 

So that must put you ,and Bill up way over 100?

 

@Paddy54 And???