The Official Coin Talk Grading Experiment 2

How good is CoinTalk compared to the TPGs? Let's find out! Over the next several months, I'll be posting a Guess the Grade thread each week. I will be using photos from the Heritage auction archives (please do not cheat!).

All you have to do is guess the grade! I will be attaching a poll to each thread. Please select the grade that you think best represents the coin (to avoid bias, please select your grade before viewing the rest of the thread).

Also feel free to post your opinions about the coin, and it would be most educational if you could explain why you chose the grade you did.

In order to give everyone time to respond, I'll reveal the grade Monday evening

Around Christmas, I will tally up the results and see how we did. This thread is an offshoot of a recent thread where I compared CT grading to the TPG, seen here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/how-good-is-cointalk-at-grading.343417/

On to the coin! Up this week, a 1912D Barber Half.

 

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I hate going first! 65

 

I went with 64. The marks in the right field of the obverse and not being able to understand the luster from the images, hold it back from a gem grade.

 

I also gave it a 64.

 

65

 

63

 

Looks AU 58. Just a slight trace of wear.

 

Not seeing the coin in hand is difficult here. I don't doubt it graded MS.
I am at AU-58 unless I can view it in person with a light and loupe.

 

The color change on the cheek made me immediately think AU-58 as it looks like worn-away luster. Then I looked at the wingtips on the reverse and did not see any wear (this is wear first appears). I’m guessing this one graded MS. Contact marks are consistent with MS-64, but the eye appeal is meh at best. But PCGS only bumps up for eye appeal, almost never down, so I will guess MS-64.

My grade is MS-63.

 

63

 

64. NO chance that coin has any wear. Looks like a solid 64, and knocking on the door of 65. Beautiful coin!

 

I went with MS 63. I don't have my photo grading book handy and I haven't attempted to grade anything in a good 5 years. But the bag marks on the obverse in the field and neck tell me it's not Gem. The toning seems to detract from the coin as well.
The Reverse was spotty but overall looking very nice.
Thought about whether it is MS64 or MS63 for about a minute before deciding on MS63.

If it is MS63 then I'd say it could earn CAC. But that's just a guess, I know nothing about that aside that the Green Bean is earned by coins that are top tier for the grade assigned from PCGS or NGC. (not sure if they do ANACS or anything else)

 

Thanks for the input. I was just thinking about the strike quality of the coin after I made my post. I don't know anything about Barber Halves so I was unsure if this coin has a good strike.

 

58. Did that before looking at anyone else's. Seems to be wear on a talon, upper wing feathers and lower tail feathers. A beautiful coin, nevertheless. I doubt very much it was graded this low by the TPG.

Steve

 

I went 63... too many marks to go higher. Still a nice looking piece.
I might dare to say it had a strong dip in the past, but aged nicely after.

 

I think it will be a 63 also , there are a few marks on the coin which will lower the grade. Very nice coin otherwise.

 

I agree! The coin definitely looks washed out in the photos.

 

I was at AU 58 before reading any other posts. This is based on what appears from the photo to be a very light rub in the hair near the LIBERTY band, below the US in TRUST. This could result from a weak strike or middle/late die state affecting this area. However, the reverse appears to be uncirculated. Wish this coin could be viewed in hand with a loupe. I am sure it appears nicer in hand than the photo depicts it. My guess is the TPG graded this very nice coin at MS 62 or MS 63. Final guess MS 62.

 

I went MS 66. I guess I saw a very clean check and other prime focal areas and although a different series thought if it were a Morgan it would be in that realm....