I am considering having these two Morgan dollars graded. They are both 1889. Coin A Coin B I have read that there is a large increase in value on this date if a coin grades well. Can I have some opinions please on the grades and if they are worth grading? I'm outside of my comfort zone grading having had some details cleaned grades back from NGC I photographed these in their Light House slabs but if these images aren't good enough I can photograph them out of the slabs. Any help would be appreciated. I bought them several years ago as raw coins in an album.
I'd go 62-63ish on A 63-64ish on B 89s in higher grades can be hard to come by and one of the hardest PLs to come by (right up there with the 93, 95 and 03 but all 4 can be had for enough moola lol)
Found some info for you, but keep in mind that grading from pictures is woefully inadequate. Both are from the Philadelphia Mint and both are relatively common and easily procured, as in: not scarce or rare. Coin A looks about AU58/58+, Coin B has much nicer surfaces and may earn a “Proof-like” attribute by a TPG (NGC, PCGS, ANACS). PCGS has a AU58+ listed for about $80.00, and would not be worth the grading/authentication/encapsulation costs, nor would you get those costs back if you sold the coin, imo. Coin B, however, could earn a MS63PL designation because the surfaces are superior relative to Coin A. PCGS lists this as about $225.00, which is at the low end of the value range used to determine the worth of costs to grade, authenticate and encapsulate. Additional costs are shipping and insurance for the 2-way process. I hope this helps. This research I’m offering is how I would apply it to my own collection of over 150 Morgans and Peace dollars, so I hope you take it as a honest evaluation and aids you toward any decisions you make. Cheers!…Spark
Coin B is the better coin but I feel neither coin would be worth grading fees. Coin A has slight wear and has a look of minor circulation. Coin B may appears to have minor PL surfaces but it contains numerous tiny or small contact marks on both sides. Coin B has what looks like the start of a very small lamination by Mrs. Liberty’s eye. Also looks like a minor strike through by her chin. There is a deep nick by her chin and on her cheek but the worse spot is hidden in the shadow on the coin. It’s a deep, long cut by the 18 in the date. I feel you’d never recover your grading costs on what are considered common date coins.
Thank you @Collecting Nut ,@mrweaseluv and @Spark1951 that is very helpful and insightful. I will take your advice.
