GTG: 1887 Morgan Dollar

MS66

 

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MS-66 for me as well

 

Really attractive coin. I am going to go 66, for the toning bump. Nice clean surfaces, but strike is slightly weak. A really beautiful coin!

 

I would love to have finally made a new VAM listing. This was an interesting piece from the moment I held it in my hand. It will have a short story behind it at reveal.

 

A beauty. I'd say VAM 12A. really nice find, MS66?

 

Well this was an interesting one. I saw it among a whole bunch of others in a case. When I took a closer look at it, I was floored. I had to really study it and look for some hidden hairlines that showed up at a certain angle. I couldn't for the life of me find anything that would cause PCGS to grade this the way they did. While the luster is not booming like an early '80's S Mint it was pretty good. The die is getting a little long in the tooth with several die cracks. But the strike was still pretty decent, most of the hair is defined on Liberty and the eagle's breast feathers are all there. So it wasn't strike related.

The coin is graded MS-64 and in a relatively newer PCGS holder. The dealer was asking 65 money for it, which I thought was not terrible for the color and the coin inside. I did ask the dealer if he was flexible on the price and he replied no. So I paid him what he was asking. Just a minute or two later, I heard a familiar voice. I look over and it's Jerry Bobbe. I figured, hey if there is anyone in this room who can tell me what PCGS was thinking grading this coin the way they did, he would be the best to ask. I've ran into Jerry several times at these local shows and I asked him if he wouldn't mind taking a look at this Morgan Dollar. He said no problem and I handed it over to him. He did a double take. He's like "wait a second, why is this a 64?" He looks over at me and smiles, let me take a better look at this if you don't mind. I said go right ahead. He got his higher power loupe out and really started to look it over. He told me, I'm looking for something that will make me hate this coin to grade it a 64. He looked and looked. After a few minutes he said, "the only thing I can see and maybe this is why they graded it this way, is the luster on the cheek right near the ear looks just a tad disturbed. Not like circulation, but more like somebody did something to it. It's just barely noticeable." He said the texture looks just a tad off. I said I thought it looked like a worn die that had been pitted very lightly with rust. I could see the tell tale very small raised dots that a rusted die would produce and that was it. In the end, he said nice coin. I thought so too.

I wonder what he would have graded it had I given it to him blindly without the grade visible?

Anyway, here she is. The nicest looking MS-64 I've ever bought.

 

We gave it a 66 average so find a sharpie and change it to CT 66.

 

So whomever submitted missed the Vam12a and PCGS did not attribute it, likely because they weren't paid to.

 

If you resubmitted it I’m sure it would get a MS-66 grade, which is what I said it should be. Lol and a beautiful coin.

 

Correct, unless the variety is a listed variety in the Redbook, PCGS will not attribute it without you paying for it. If you look at the PCGS price guide, any varieties listed without having to click on the + button should be attributed without charge. They do sometimes miss them.

 

This lady will be taking a trip to New Jersey to see what John at CAC thinks of it.

 

12a is listed in the greysheet though, which may be well worth resubmitting with a variety attribute.

 

That is surprising! I was being conservative at 65, so a 64 was not expected at all! Nice find and hopefully CAC agrees that this one deserves the gold.

 

I did pay 65 money for her. So buy the coin and not the holder.

 

That's not funny.
I happened to go into an antique store last weekend and the dealer put a sticker covering some really good grades, 1 to 2 grades above.
I wouldn't have hesitated,

 

I thought 66 myself. Barely a mark on her. The luster in pics made me wonder a little if they went a little tough at 65. But I’ve never seen a cleaner 64. I think pcgs blew this one

 

I only missed it by 3 points.
I would have bought the coin in a 64 holder.

 

Looks very clean and attractive for a 64. Perhaps different lighting would make the grade more apparent.

 

You will probably be seeing this one in hand sometime soon. I need to send it to you for the possible 12b designation. But I need to send to to CAC tomorrow to make it before they cut off the regular submissions.