So ive been studying trade dollars. Learning that they were made to ease trade with china. Likewise, the Chinese merchants would scar the coins to determine their validity. So here's where my question cones in. I usually stay away from detailed coins because it's kind of a designation that says the coins has been ruined. However, these marks on the trade dollars are part of the history unlike a cleaned detail coin. So when you see a detailed trade dollar by PCGS is it detailed cause its cleaned or cause its marked. Could you have a genuine designation trade dollar that is perfect and uncleaned but gets the designation cause of the chop mark?
That's an excellent question. I believe they 'details grade' the coin because the chop marks are considered damage to the coin.
That's what I have always thought as well but I have been seeing some in no problem slabs. I don't understand it.
it is just possible they are now treating the chop marks like a chinese history mint mark or similar to a repunch. this is just my speculation
Trade dollars are designated as "Chop Mark" or something similar, but are put in problem-free slabs by PCGS and NGC. They are graded as per the wear on the coin and, in my experience, sell for a slight bit less than a coin without a chop mark.
Thanks guys. I was just trying to figure out if "detailed" was tied to a cleaned coin, chopping designation, or both at the same time. I'd much prefer an uncleaned original coin but if it has the chopped genuine designation that's ok because it's part of the history. I just don't want a "the owner took a wire brush to it" those make me cringe lol. The humanity....
When you say put in problem free slabs, are you saying they don't have the "genuine detailed" grade or would they have that grade and just specific "chopped" For example....PCGS genuine-surface tool, xf detail. Would this be a problem free/uncleaned and just gets the detail designation cause it's chopped?
They go into a PCGS slab that says something like F15 or MS61 just like any other coin. Beneath the grade it says "Chop Mark" or something like that as the variety. PCGS does not do that for details graded coins. These coins are also eligible for a CAC sticker and they receive those stickers, too. CAC will not offer this for any details graded coin and only offers this for problem-free slabs. Below is one in a PCGS F15 holder with a CAC sticker. I paid generic F15 money for this coin, not only because of the approximately 31 obverse chops and at least one reverse chop, but also because the surfaces are otherwise essentially perfect.
Be aware that different generation PCGS slabs have slightly different information on them so they will not all look like what Conder101 has posted.
I'm aware of that Tom. I actually found one randomly by googling today, I was shocked. I contacted the dealer for more information, I'll see how it turns out.
Here is the coin I shared earlier. I went to the bank yesterday and withdrew it from one of my safe deposit boxes so that I could get the full obverse slab shot that was requested. You will notice that in this generation slab, which was used for a period of time in 2005, if I am correct, that the coin was given a Series number that ended in CM for chop mark.
I love Trade dollars , but usually don't like chop marks , but I like yours as they are so distinct . Beautiful example of a chop marked coin .
