Someone explain to me how this dime could be graded a MS66. I thought a full band is needed in order to get a 65-70 rating. Plus it has horrible blotchy toning. Not to mention the obverse is littered with bright silvery patches. What exactly causes that particular blemish? I'm still learning grading so tell me why I'm wrong. http://coins.heritageauctions.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=66051&Lot_No=23173
I'm thinking somebody graded that one on a friday afternoon after drinking their lunch. I agree with Danr on this one for sure.
No way it's a 66 - in fact it should have been bodybagged for damage. And you do not need full split bands to achieve 65 - 69. I do think the toning is natural however.
Your right you only need the full bands to get a FB designation , but I agree that coin is damaged and should not have been graded. This kind of thing really enforces the idea that every collector , especially beginners , need to evaluate coins before making a purchase. Or at least adjust the approx value downwards for sight-unseen coins. I know after seeing that coin I probably will never buy a coin without first looking at it. The toning does look natural although blotchy enough that the eye appeal should be extremely low IMO. But back to one of my original questions. What caused the blemishes on the obverse? It isn't wear that much I know. It almost looks like bubbles. Is this the cause of a bad metal mixture or foreign debris in the planchet before being striked ? Or did something else eat away at some of the toning causing the silver speckled dots.
I agree it doesn't look as nice as I'd expect a 66 to look, but what is the damage? I must be missing it. Thanks
Blow the pic up to see it. It is more apparent on the reverse than on the obverse, looks like it may have gone through a rolling machine. Look at the tops of the legends on the reverse closest to the rim - see all those flattened areas ?
hmmm, I saw that and mentally attributed it to a weak strike out there, especially since the weakness/damage on the word ONE is opposite the weakness/damage on the I and B of LIBERTY. I learned something new today!
If it was due to a weak strike - the flattened areas would not be wider than the rest of letter, they would just be fainter and not as well defined.
I've noticed many comments lately about slabbed coins not meeting the grades posted on the slab. This makes me wonder dose anyone know how difficult it would be to open a slab and reseal it so not noticable? I have broken out many coins from slabs but never thought of keeping the halves. They were to cut up to be resealed but maybe someone knows how to open them and remove the coin that was in there and replace it with something else. To many times lately there have been statements on forums of such slabbed coins being noticably not up to the rating listed. How about a TCCGS. That is Third Country Coin Grading Service. Anone try to reuse a slab for coins?
I am a relative newcomer to coin collecting and trying to learn, so take these comments in that light. Concerning the flattened areas just inside the rim of the coin, I have seen this many times in pocket change (I spend a lot of time looking at them). I have always attributed it to a slight misalignment while stored. The rim of a neighboring coin slipping inside the rim of this coin and causing the flattening of the legend. If this is the case, does it not count as a "bag mark"?
You're right about one thing, it's not all that uncommon. But it does not occur as a result of one coin rubbing against another. It happens in a counting/rolling machine.
