Just how does one assign a grade to something that has been intentionally flattened? http://www.teletrade.com/coins/lot.asp?auction=3215&lot=2866 Hard to tell, but I don't think it was a 63 even before it was pressed. Yes? No? Rick L.
Ahhh... the first elongated coin (well, according to some sources). I agree though, seems strange to assign a MS grade to this.
Well, first of all you have to realize that you are not grading what it used to be, you are grading what it has become. It is a token, nothing more. And tokens are graded. Consider - would you have any problem with grading a freshly minted Lincoln cent ? Doing that is no different than grading this token. How - why ? It's pretty simple. Before that Lincoln cent existed it was a planchet. That planchet was flattened when it was struck. No, it wasn't flattened to the point that it was no longer round, but it was definitely flattened. And that's all that happened with this token. The IHC was the planchet in this case. And it was the planchet that was flattened. The token on the other hand is no more flattened than the Lincoln cent would be. So the token, just like the Lincoln cent can be graded. You don't grade the planchet, you grade the coin or the token.
Thank you. Very understandable. Not being taken by tokens, I don't get into that world very often. It was an intriguing piece, but I lay down awhile and the urge to bid passed. I had thought about it as a birthday present for my IHC smitten brother, but alas it exceeded my $20 limit. Rick L.