I'd say it's an MS-66*. The fields are very clean on both the obverse and the reverse. For a New Orleans coin, the strike is very good. It does not have the typical mushy strikes of an "O" Morgan. I feel there are too many small nicks for it to grade any higher. I give it a "*" because the toning adds nice eye appeal and because it does have such a good strike.
Well if you went by the ANA's standards it would not even grade MS65 because of obverse prime focal area contact marks, but I'm sure it got a MS66. Personally I think it is a very PQ 64. The reverse has only a couple faint visible markings. Overall I think this would be a nice coin to own, as I am sure the market would favor it more than me. Maybe it is the lighting, but is seems strange to me that the coin has a kind of even sheen across the fields and the devices. Also I am a fan of nicely toned coins, but the contrast of this toning is too sudden for me, and it kind of detracts from the beauty.
Its a MS64/5 coin. But I personally am distracted by the unpleasant album toning on the coin. Although I usually like toned coins, that one is not one of my favs.
By today's standards, I bet it's in an MS66 slab. There are few if any outright gouges. All the flaws look like minor luster grazes to me, and they usually look worse in photos than in hand. A large coin has to get some latitude with really minor grazes like those. Beautiful coin. Great lustre.
The toning looks much more subtle in the new photo.... I would still have to say MS64 due to the hits on Ms. Liberty's face. I would not be overly surprised if it was graded MS65, but I would tend to think they were forgiving of one negative aspect because of the quality of another aspect(luster/ strike). If this coin was graded MS66 I would have to say it is over-graded.
That is too funny. Since you used to own the coin, what do you think of ANACS grade of MS65? Agree, disagree, overgraded, undergraded? You have seen it in hand, what is your opinion?
Well,I didn't own it but I know who did . I did have the opportunity to see it & give my opinion before.I thought that it was solid for the grade but did think that if it were in a pcgs slab it would have been graded a 64.It is a beautiful coin & the pictures don't do it justice.Although you do a darn fine job with your pictures.
My opinion is that it is accurately grade and is a solid MS65 even though I paid MS66 money for the coin because of the toning. The luster and eye appeal are outstanding and this coin's surfaces are cleaner than any MS64 that I own.