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Message:: [QUOTE="cpm9ball, post: 1682106, member: 24633"]Grades Revealed! Since no one else has chimed in, I guess I will tell you...........eventually! Like I said, my photographic skills leave a lot to be desired, and if photos like these had accompanied a listing on eBay, the reactions from those of you who posted would probably be expected. No, not probably, WOULD be expected. I felt the title of this thread was appropriate because it is, indeed, a tale of two Morgans, different in so many ways. 1885-O The toning on this coin is actually very pretty. The entire obverse perimeter is a swath of "sunset orange" with only the slightest trace of deep blue and red beneath the date and the first two right-hand stars. Liberty, herself, is bathed in pale teal. The reverse is a golden hue that gradually pales as it rises to the top with only the faintest of blue emanating from the denticles beneath ONE DOLLAR. The full cartwheel luster has no trouble revealing itself on both obverse and reverse. There are two contact marks in the prime focal areas that are barely visible except under magnification (at least for me). One is squarely in the middle of Liberty's cheek and the other is just inside the 5th left-hand star (Below the "scuff marks", Doug. LOL!) The reverse has three contact marks that are barely perceptible. One is right over one of the eagle's breast feathers making it practically unnoticeable and the other two are in the fields. Overall, I believe the strike on this coin is well above average. There is just the slightest loss of detail on a small patch of hair above Liberty's ear, and the detail of the eagle's breast feathers is outstanding. We often hear people say (even me!) that Morgans from the New Orleans Mint are well-known for being weakly struck, but that isn't always the case as evidenced by this coin. 1898-O The photos of this coin are one of my (stupid) failed attempts to brighten a coin using software simply because the lighting was insufficient in the first place. Yes, it makes it appear washed out as if it was dipped a bit too much, but it is blast white and the luster is booming from every angle. On the obverse, there are two very small contact marks on Liberty's face, one at the tip of her nose and one just below the corner of her mouth. A grader looking at this coin without the benefit of magnification would probably not see them. The reverse is practically mark-free save for one contact mark in the breast feathers and two inconsequential contact marks in the fields, and of course, the black streak of whatever it is in the right-hand field. I believe that the strike on this coin is also above average with the loss of only a small patch of hair detail above the ear. The eagle's breast feathers are complete though hidden by the scuff mark in the middle of the slab. When I look at this coin, I can almost envision someone buying one of the $1,000 bags in the Treasury release of the 60's, opening it and finding this one sitting on top of all the other '98-O's that were once thought to be scarce in MS grades. I just can't figure out how the black streak got on it. Grades Revealed The 1885-O is graded by NGC MS67. The 1898-O is graded by PCGS MS66. I'm almost tempted to submit the '98-O for conservation to remove the black streak and regrade (or crossover). Who knows? Maybe it would get a bump to MS67. Well, that is my tale, and I thank you all for listening. If you have any comments, I would enjoy hearing from you. Chris[/QUOTE]

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