i recently bought some coins off ebay, they were supposedly dates picked at random, and one of them was a 1888 indian head penny. i'd say its a good 4, liberty is completely worn off, even though the date is very clear. now...i think i see a faint 7 underneath the last 8. i'm not sure and i'm debating if i should send it off to be graded or not, well, not to be graded but if they can tell me if that is infact a 7 i see. (i'd show you pictures but my camera is not that magnifying) i cant tell if i'm just nervous about being rejected and its just a worn spot...haha i think i'm just afraid of a big let down. i dont know of any coin shops here where i live, other wise i'd ask for someone there what they think, since they'd probably have a better eye for it than i do.
Hey Cait! Tough one - the cost of certification services can make that a tough decision. I would tell you to see a local coin dealer, but if you don't know of any where you live, that's hard to do. Have you searched your location in the ANA, to see if anyone is registered as a coin dealer, or checked the yellow pages? I have found that a lot of coin dealers operate privately, and don't have a stone and morter shop - they mostly work out of their house, because the cost of business is much cheaper.
I'd post a pic anyway - just make it as clear and as close as you can while still keeping it in focus. You'd be amazed at what some folks can see. A lot of it has to do with knowing what you are looking at. I'd rather have a pic of the whole coin than a closeup anyday.
