Featured Should a significant mark in a prime focal area prevent a gem grade?

I agree, I think the 64 should have received a 64+FS grade at best.

 

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Rules are rules.

MINT STATE/PROOF-65 Minor marks/hairlines though none in focal areas, above average strike

 

I know it's pointless to rail against reality, and the only thing that's permanent is change.

Nonetheless, as a collector who started with a Whitman Lincoln cent folder I got as a Christmas present when I was five, I say this: Hair-splitting grading of the sort being discussed here ultimately benefits the people who split hairs for a living, and even they don't do it consistently.

I've been forced by fakers and frausters to collect "certified" coins, because their ability to cheat exceeds my ability to detect it, but I focus on coins graded at or around AU 58. Many of them are more appealing visually than MS 60whatever coins that sell for many times as much, and I don't have to engage in debates like this one.

 

Well of course because the grade depends on how much wear and damage it has on the coin. if a coin has a big dent or scratch it's still part of the coin.

 

Yes.

 

where can you get a scratch removed???

 

Photoshop or a similar editing software.

 

There is an element of subjectivity in grading. It's unavoidable. How many nicks and scratches? How severe? Where are they? a wart of the lady's NOSE is WAY worse than a wart hiding in the bird's tail feathers.

If you pulled a thousand 1880-S Morgans slabbed 64 (or 65 or whatever) by PCGS, and studied them carefully, you would be impressed with how consistent the graders really are. Will there be a few obvious over-grades? yes. obvious under-grades? yes. but we would be talking about 10 out of 1000.

 

I understand. For me, I look at Morgans like the US Supreme Court once looked at the definition of pornography.."I know it when I see it."

I missed a grand slam a few years ago with a beautiful 1891-CC Morgan. Bought it for $600. Cheek clean as a whistle, two tiny scratches in open field (maybe 2mm in length), wonderful patina. Had 65 and $4000+ written all over it. Came back 64+. I was tempted to crack it open and send to NGC. Before the coin arrived from PCGS, a dealer buddy made me a solid offer, and I bit. He sent it to CAC, hoping for the elusive gold hologram. Nope...he got a greenie.

So...if the mis-grade seems obvious, and makes a significant $$ difference, crack the slab.