Well I think I did ok, I know it's not a key date or anything, but I paid less than 2x Numismedia and I believe it's a decent looking rainbow toned Morgan. It's an 1881S PCGS 64, I didn't think I'd get it because I only bid the next highest amount. These are seller pics but I think Teletrade does a good job, well, at least much better than I could do. Do you like the toning? Is it rainbow? Does it appear to be an MS64?
I do like the toning. The excellent strike is standard for 1881-S morgans, but it still looks great! I can't really tell if it is a 64 with those pics, but I see nothing to make me think it is not.
Nice Morgan. I love the toning on the reverse...I'm sure the photo doesn't do it justice. The pictures are too small for me to accurately judge the grade, but it looks like a typically well struck 1881-S and it looks pretty clean. Nice coin!
I think you should keep that coin and then go out an buy another 1881-S NGC MS64* for $250. Once you have both, put them side by side and you will understand why people pay premiums of 5X-10X-20X wholesale for rainbow toned coins. It is not that I don't like that coin. Your coin is nice, but the luster on the reverse appears muted by the toning. In order to achieve the eye appeal that drives huge premiums, the coin must have a combination of blazing luster and toning that makes the colors so vibrant they almost dance on the coin. You were able to obtain that coin for double wholesale because the color is there but the luster is not. Add blazing luster to your coin and you triple the price for sure.
I went and looked at some pics online of 1881-S NGC64*, on some I could see the luster shining thru, but others I couldn't. I think it was easier to tell on coins where the entire side was not toned. I went back and looked at few of your coins and could definately see a difference. On the coin above it appears that the green/blue areas have some luster while the red/orange areas do not.
