My Quest: 1880S-1882S Morgans

Most definitely. I had a 66 PL for that date fall into my lap through a trade. I have posted it a few times, and I love the coin. I also own 10 other examples of that date.

 

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Here’s one of mine:

 

@Morgandude11 do you think that my coin may upgrade? or is it properly graded?

 

From a lot of different people recently the grading room is tight right now and has been for awhile. I posted a GTG a few months back and got mostly 64's and PCGS thought 62. That's a small sample size but again a lot of people seem to be having the same experience, they've really tightened.

I think your coin is a 65 all day but even if you were guaranteed to upgrade to 65 don't think it's worth the cost to do so and you lose the older holder in the process. Notice the HA coin bman linked above, was a PCGS 65+ and sold for $100 + BP. That's the market for these right now. Can really get some beautiful coins for cheap.

 

Yes, but if it's a pretty sure upgrade, a trip to CAC may be in order. Gold bean!!!

 

Now THAT idea I like. Gold beans are tough but if the pictures aren't hiding much that one definitely has a shot IMO, one of the most PQ looking 64's I've seen.

 

I think it is properly graded. I think there are a few too many contact marks on the obverse. I could see it as a green bean, or possibly a 64+ but not quite a 65. It is a nice coin, but it is a date that has so many nice examples that TPGs are brutal on that date.

 

Agreed. I figured that it was correct, but with the old holder, ya never know.

Most importantly, I purchased the coin for the best reason of all, because I liked it.

My hope was that it may get a gold bean because it should be 64+ or PL, but I wouldn't crack it out, rather just enjoy a gold bean.

 

I hopefully have a surprise that is related to this thread. Stand by!

 

Send it to cac. I bet it goes green. It’s a high end 64 low end 65. It’s not. A 65+ or 66 which it would need to be for gold I’d rather have a bean on an old holder than a crackout attempt and lose the old green label

 

I won! 1879S MS65 for $104. That's total with buyers premium on HA. This one is a gem and I was willing to pay for it. I believe it would CAC. Let me know your thoughts:

Links went down. Will have to wait I guess.

 

Here's an 81S I bought for $104 also. Not as fired up but it's a lot better than the $135 one I bought a few weeks ago at an LCS. Hope I don't get hooked on buying coins online now:

Link down

 

You'll sour a bit on online coins once you see Heritage's shipping/handling charges

Grats on the pickups! Post some images when able

 

Yeah, just saw those. Gotta keep pounding the pavement on these coins, ie. shops, coin shows.

 

@mikenoodle for a 64, that's as nice as they come!
100% eye appeal! Love it!

 

Ok, looking at all these coins I started thinking about grading again. I am putting my criteria down in the order I think it should go:

1) Eye Appeal
2) Luster
3) Originality
4) Marks
5) Strike
6) Rim Check

 

Best way to deal with that is buy bulk. The more coins you buy they get spread out. Just a cost of doing business. No different than sending to pcgs or ngc

 

For sure. You can also set it up so they don't ship right away and hold for future potential wins. I did that once when I won a coin for $80ish and wasn't about to turn it into a $110 coin shipping only that coin.

 

As a toning enthusiast, I find your elevation of eye appeal to be commendable, but also wrong. Surface Preservation is the starting point to grading and any coin worthy of premium gem status, especially Morgan Dollars must have clean surfaces and near flawless focal areas. At 66 you might get away with some luster grazes, but there should be no marks on the cheek. Once you get to the MS67 & MS68 level, the cheek basically needs to be flawless. Having owned two MS68 1881-S Morgans, I can tell you that the cheek shows a demonstratively different look at this level. It is hard to explain in words, but the combination of a flawless cheeck and booming luster has an almost mesmerizing quality.

My advice with this short set is: DON'T SETTLE! There are thousands of MS67's for each of these dates. Demand an example that is superior in every element of grading. If there is something about the coin you don't like, don't buy it. I know you have stated a goal of assembling an MS66 set, but I think you would be much better off going slower and assembling an MS67 set.

 

I bought this one the other day. It hasn't arrived yet, so I can go only from the seller's photos...