This Grant is in a PCGS slab (MS-65), but I wonder if it is cleaned or original surfaces. Thanks for your input. This is my first time posting my pics, so I apologize if the picture quality is lousy (I'm still trying to learn how to take and post coin pictures). Thanks! http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/rel_1973/NewImage.jpg http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/rel_1973/IMG_1779.jpg
Nothing wrong with those pics Strumgrenadier. :smile Cleaned? Could be. Most of the examples of these coins I've seen have been heavily toned. Doesn't mean yours has been cleaned (although I suspect it has). Not a bad thing and the folks at PCGS didn't think anything was amiss..... Quite frankly I like it. Wish I had one......:smile
It looks fine to me. It may have been dipped in the past (as most blast white coins from this era have been) but it looks like it has good luster and PCGS slabbed it...so it's certainly market acceptable.
Original? Hard to tell from those pics. I would tend to vote that the coin had a quick dip sometime in it's past. Market acceptable is the term often used for dipped coins in holders.
if you look closely at the pics there are a few places where very dark material is still present. On the obv - near the tip of the collar, the bottom edge of the hair line, and a couple places in the legends. On the rev - near the edges and rims and at the break in the fence. These traces of dark material would indicate to me that the coin has indeed been dipped in the past and has since re-toned. Dipping is not thought of as harsh or improper cleaning. But a dipped coin is not thought of as having original surfaces either.
Thanks for the opinions, folks. It's great to finally be able to post and share pictures of my coins Cointalk.com is truly an amazing resource: by concentrating and making accessible so much knowledge held by so many collectors/dealers it provides a unique and invaluable service to those looking to learn about coins. By the way, Doug, I do see the tell tale signs that you point out. Thank you for the great mini-lesson. Richard