Test Your Grading Skills: Washington Quarter

I'll post it this afternoon around four when I get home.

 

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I voted 67 and after seeing the opinions and looking longer, I'm convinced it is an MS 68, or "other grade not listed".

 

Time for the reveal. I initially thought the coin would go MS65, considering the overall look of the thing. It was in a group of other coins that I had purchased at the same time that all went between 64-66. Imagine my surprise when:

Needless to say, this is one coin that NGC and I are going to agree to disagree on and it is already out of the slab.

 

That coin is typical of many I've seen come out of albums. I have no idea where NGC got that from.

 

Interesting. I would love to see that coin in hand. I'm surprised it got flagged as "cleaned" based on what I see in the photos. Either way...it's a beauty.

 

That really does not totally shock me. I am not familiar with you pictures, but that does not have the luster I would expect. Granted, pictures are rough to read the luster, but I do not see it here.

 

I'm also seeing some really faint hairlines on the base of Washington's neck and on the eagle. I wonder if the toning is hiding a harsh cleaning but it can be seen in a few areas.

 

I didn't vote in the poll because when I blew up the images the hollow portion of the cheek and the base of the neck both showed hairlines that should otherwise not be on this coin. However, considering how much the coin is magnified at that point, I did not know how they would look in-had. Also, the luster looked dead, but I assumed it was an artifact of the lighting. Overall, my gut feeling was that it was wiped, but I could not back it up with solid evidence.

 

I think it's impossible to tell from those pictures how well the luster holds up. Not that they're bad pics - it's just really hard to convey luster in photos. As for cleaning - I don't see that at all.

 

I will elaborate some more. I don't think the hairlines have anything to do with anything. I would guess it has been over-dipped or otherwise chemically cleaned. Again, without seeing it in hand, that is mostly a guess.

 

Now, that it's out of the slab, there is still hope for MS67.

What I don't get, is how a coin that Morgandude11 added gets a true grade, while the few faint lines on your Washington, make it UNC DETAILS.

http://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/index.aspx?CertNumber=3704143-007

More photos in topic...
http://www.cointalk.com/threads/post-a-toned-coin.191715/page-218

 

That was my initial thought with the lack of luster too...but I talked myself out of it because of the toning. The toning didn't look to me like toning that happens after a coin has been overdipped.

Maybe that's a question for LeHigh.

 

Since it is cleaned, can I have it?

 

He already commented. 65, but comment that it lacked great luster.

 

I was more wondering what he thought about the possibility of this being a re-toned coin after it had been dipped to death. I felt the toning looked original based on the color progression, but I'm now wondering different.

 

Here's the thing though, it went in with a 8 other coins that all were picked out of the same album and there were 2-66's 2-65's 4-64's and the Unc detailed. All had various levels and shades of toning, including a 56 that came back 66 with almost the same pattern. Obviously they saw something that I didn't on the coin, but....it is still one of my favorites.

 

The important thing to note, here is who correctly guessed the grade.

 

No risk, no reward!

 

This is the most important thing. If that coin is a cherished piece of your collection, that's all the matters.