Okay, This should be a fun one as well. This coin has been in my collection for about 28 years, and it hasn't changed at all while in my care. I was building a full set of 1857 coins, buying the highest grade I could find and afford. Actually finding this coin took about 8 years and was one of the last coins I purchased to complete the set. My coin collecting budget took a big hit with this one. Now to help those who may not know the Seated dollars: This year is known for having a very weak strike on the head and any engraved lines in the hair is a good thing. Have fun with this 165 year old coin minted before the Civil War. I will post the reveal on Monday.
MS 62 ...based on the explanation, I'm guessing there is no wear and just strike issues giving the appearance of a circulated coin (when it is not)
Great question! Many of the 1857's have somewhat mirrored fields similar to proofs, which as you know show marks very easily, not that I want to influence you....
Hey Guys/Gals!! What are the scratches on both sides of the coin. That has to bring down the grade. No? I'm guessing AU Details. Final Answer. Okay, don't hit me too hard! Explain away!!
I'm thinking the same thing. But I would give it UNC Details cleaned. If it straight graded, I don't see it higher than MS-62. Really nice looking coin though.
Difficult to grade, soft strike, hardly any wear into the denticles of the coin on either obverse or reverse is a big plus. Stars on the obverse softly struck, top of Liberty's head missing any detail in the hair, Liberty's foot, eagle's right leg on reverse and right wing at the top, eagle's neck, are softly struck? Too much conflict between wear and being softly struck overall raises too much doubt for me from the photos provided to arrive at a grade. And the coin shows evidence of having been lightly cleaned. If the coin indeed has been weakly struck, it's unfortunate that there are so many conflicting positive and negative characteristics exhibited by the same overall nice coin from the pre civil war era.
These are always tuff to grade using pictures. But I'm thinking AU 55 / 58. Could be mint state but can't tell for sure without seeing in hand. As far as being cleaned. Could be but definitely has been dipped sometime in the past. 80 to 90 percent of seated dollars have been messed with that's why you'll find so many that have been cleaned or dipped in straight graded slabs. They're given a pass if not too bad.