Gtg Pcgs gave this barber half

Have you seen this coin in hand? If not, how can you be sure it was given a grade bump for color. Don't get me wrong, I like the toning and find it attractive, but in the realm of proof Barber Half Dollars, this toning is like vanilla ice cream. I have never owned one mind you, just drooled over them in Heritage catalogs for the last decade.

I get your point which is that despite the grade bump given by the TPG and the resultant increase in value, the seller is always going to ask for a premium for rainbow toning above and beyond the assigned grade. I find myself tormented by this subject. I have seen coins that I wish the TPG did not bump the grade. On the other hand, I have seen coins so beautiful that it would be a travesty if they were graded lower. In the end, for many rainbow toned coins, they will sell for many multiples of price guide regardless of the assigned grade so the price guide number really becomes irrelevant. When I was actively buying rainbow toned Morgan Dollars, I really didn't care about the assigned grade at all.

 

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I think the bump was pedigree

 

I don't know I never saw it. But the reverse seems really poorly struck for a 63. But I'm definitely no expert grader.

 

You may certainly ask. I am in the target market for tpgs. I like coins but I'm not able to grade to a degree that I can safely buy raw coins.

what I want is a system clearly defined. Either technical or market. While I would prefer technical I could still use market. Bottom line is I need the safety and insurance that tpgs offer.

What I don't want is a mixture of the two where someone offers me a coin market graded then wants a second premium on top of the first.

 

I can't defend bumping a grade of a coin for something totally unrelated to the attributes of said coin.

 

I'm not all that good of a grader but I don't see a 63 here

 

Why? What is holding it back?

 

Looks like a Pf 61 is say weak strike and tons of hairlines. Like the color but that's about it

 

Reverse looks really weak

 

Which is why I guessed PR62. The coin also appears to have significant hairlines but that is expected in the PR62-63 grade range. Would you agree that the coin deserves a PR62 grade and was bumped to PR63 for the provenance.

 

I don't know much about proof Barber Halves, is that weakness on the shield and wing typical of an 1894? I'm asking because:

 

It's not at all, this and most Barber proofs are very well struck. This is simply poor grading. I would prefer seeing this coin in hand before passing judgement on the reverse (because the images may be deceptive) but this coin almost looks circulated. If the obverse wasn't so sharp, I'd have called it AU-50. This is true of almost any proof struck within the last century and a half. The art of proof coinage has been well established for a few centuries now, but raw planchets have affected quality.

 

I'll agree my opinion in grading this coin is limited but the reverse just is so weak I would never buy this coin. I will also agree that everyone here thought the coin was under a 63.

 

I've got a Pf 61 that's a lot better coin well struck just a lot of hairlines. Every one of my Pf 62-3 coins have better strikes and better fields then this and no major scratches. This barber to me seems lightly circulated or mishandled why I thought58 from the beginning and no higher then a 61 at best. The reverse and the rims made me think it a pl business strike

 

This graded Pf 62. Not a barber but I don't own a proof barber. This coin a far better coin for appeal surfaces and strike just lacks toning in hand this ones more appealing photos show every flaw. That barber is no Pf 63 if this is a 62 is way over graded in my opinion

 

Upper right quadrant weakness in the shield is not unusual for Barber half dollars. I don't own a proof 1894, but the coin below is mine and is graded PR64CAM. It is an 1893. The only mark on it is the scratch along the jawline, which is magnified by the lighting in the image.

 

This one got a 64.

 

Holy smokes Tom, that is the most beautiful 64 I've ever seen. I'd agree to the toning premium on that one because I'd at least agree with the assigned grade.

 

Nice coins! I could see yours Tom as a 64 with a cac too. Larry are all the marks on yours on the coin or the holder some of those look more like scratches on the plastic? Still if there on the coin I'd still call it a high end 63 A good proof example of the barber coinages is something I want to add to my type set at some point