@wxcoin hosted a thread this past week on the color designations of copper coins. So, here's one we can sink our teeth into on a Guess The Grade and I would ask you to provide your opinions on the poll on the numerical grade plus the color designation on the slab. I would be very interested if you commented on what the percent of red. I bought this coin last week and it's in an NGC slab. If I've done this correctly, I have set up the poll so that you can make two selections; one for the grade and one for the color. Reveal about this time tomorrow.
Voted 64 RB...might be 65 and not surprised if Bn...entire face/neck and bonnet plus field left of face is brown (but to me/my eye should be RB).
First, I went with MS 66 as I really couldn't find any marks on it other than possibly in the field in front of the chin. Other than that it could even go 67. As far as designation, I'll go with RB since it seems to have 20-30% red. However, I have a NGC 1902 IHC in hand that was designated BN. I can see original red on it and can adjust the lighting so that it looks like it has more than 5% red.
A couple tiny cuts so inconspicuous they don't even factor in. Superb eye-movement through this beauty. Give her MS66RB.
The reveal. This coin was graded MS-66 RB at NGC which I think is appropriate. As @eddiespin noted there are only one or two very small nicks on this coin. As for percentage of red still showing, I call it about 40%. This coin is not a sharp strike so it is not a PQ coin and would probably not bean at CAC. Now, I personally have to discipline myself when I grade RB cents because the toning throws me off which may have affected some of you also. As it is, this is a Top Pop, or close to it, coin at both PCGS and NGC. Neither has graded a 1891 higher than a 66 in any color. Here's the stats: PCGS: MS-66 BN-1; MS-66 RB-0; MS-66 RD-22 NGC: MS-66 BN-4; MS-66 RB-6; MS-66 R-4 Just for fun, I have shown the raw coin this one replaced in my IHC collection. Thanks for playing.
