This came into the shop I work in. I don't know a lot about a Large Cents and when utilizing the resources I have available, I graded the coin a FINE and am fairly satisfied that I got it right. Can anyone here with more experience help me out? This coin was made on a screw press and so I don't know how much that affects the grade. I graded it as I would any other 19th century coin. HELP!!! Please!
Sorry, Larry. I got about 10 minutes away from that post when I realized that I hadn't posted any images.
This should be a lesson to all. There are so many people here that can help with just about anything provided that you post clear pictures.
These are far from my collecting area, but I really like it. I find it interesting to hear the opinions on grade. I would only be guessing at it, with just and educated guess on what is wear and what is weakness in strike. The reverse shows obvious signs of strong strike to the south and weak strike to the north. Yet when I look at the obverse, that pattern is turned about 90 degrees so the strong strike is east and weak is west. Is the reverse about 90 degrees out of alignment? Or is something else going on? Sorry I can't contribute much to the grade, I'd be doing nothing more than throwing darts at a board on it. Edit: off topic, but I was super excited to see your newest show pop up yesterday.
I grade the coin VG. Did anyone happen to notice the raised "X's" on the reverse and the raised "bars" on stars 4 & 5? At first, it looked like you might have a cent that was struck on another coin but the raised bars on the stars indicate PMD.
I thought you were just having fun with us. So many threads like that. Twenty questions from a member with nothing that we can see and help with. I'm at VG something with this coin. Insider brought up some good points that we should all notice when trying to understand a coin.
Page 107 of the 2017 Red Book says a 13 star variety in f-12 goes for $40. All kinds were minted totaling 3,948,400 minted.
I think that the marks Insider mentions may be planchet adjustment marks, or at least that's what I was thinking.
It seems a little worn for F-12. I am VG-10. I like it. I did notice the 13 stars. I might have a 15 star one (awful condition). I'll have to look.
Adjustment marks (made by a file into the planchet) appear as scratches (unless they are struck out) on the struck coin's surface. The marks on your coin are not adjustment marks. Something (made of something harder than copper) with a pattern on it has damaged the coin.
I agree that they aren't adjustment marks (Question for the EAC guys - Did the early mint even make weight adjustments to copper??). I think they look like marks from a vise or other type of clamping devise. The "X"'s aren't raised; the areas between the "X"'s are pressed in. At least that's what I see in the pic. Still, not too distracting on your coin.