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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Insider, post: 3096549, member: 24314&quot;]GDJMSP, posted: &quot;But that doesn&#039;t that depend on how old that scratch is ? Granted, if it&#039;s fairly new it&#039;s gonna be shiny. But it it&#039;s been there a while the underlying metal exposed by the scratch is going to have had time to tone and not be shiny any longer.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #660066">True, since the coin is not toned I left that out.&nbsp; Old scratch or not, you will </span><b><span style="color: #ff0000">NEVER</span><span style="color: #660066">, </span></b><span style="color: #660066">Ever</span> <span style="color: #660066">see a scratch tone down to original &quot;frosty white&quot; as on this coin.</span></p><p><span style="color: #660066"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #660066">Note that I removed this part of my original post:&nbsp; When the inside of a mark is the same color as the surrounding surface the coin has either toned or the surface has been altered to help hide the mark. </span></p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ve said many times that a scratch on a coin creates not only am incuse line, but also a raised line beside the incuse line. This is true because the metal displaced by the scratch has to go someplace - it doesn&#039;t just disappear.&nbsp; And because of the nature of the metal - the metal being displaced sticks to itself on one side or the other, and remains attached to the coin. And the place where it goes is right beside the incuse line, and sometimes if the angle was right when the scratch was created, it goes to both sides of the incuse line.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #660066">While this is basically true, it depends a lot on the severity of the scratch.&nbsp; For most of the scratches I see on coins, rarely is there any evidence of a raised border unless I crank the scope up to some ridiculous power.&nbsp; </span></p><p><br /></p><p>However, with a coin like this, one that we know was stored in bags for a long period of time, that raised metal that was created by the scratch can be easily rubbed off from coin to coin contact within the bag, while it was in that bag. Thus leaving only the incuse line of the coin with no raised metal beside it. And if that scratch occurred some years ago which it certainly had to do given that coin is in a GSA holder, then it logical to assume that the metal exposed by a scratch would have had more than adequate time to tone and thus not be shiny. In point of fact, given those circumstances, expecting it to be shiny would be a large stretch of the imagination. Would it not ?</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #660066">No, A scratch on that coin should be practically as shiny as the scuffs on the cheek for all the reasons you have given.&nbsp; Additionally, the sides of the mark are rounded (and stained) indicating a planchet flaw.</span></p><p><br /></p><p>Now this in no way proves that it is NOT a planchet mark, but it most definitely does not prove that it is one either. Nor do the edges of the line not being sharp as one would expect with a scratch, because being in a bag for a long period of time, would allow ample opportunity for those sharp edges to have been worn down.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #660066">We&#039;ll disagree on this, especially your contention that the sides of a scratch on this &quot;fresh&quot; coin have worn down.&nbsp; There are scratches and SCRATCHES.&nbsp; Only SCRATCHES have any significantly raised edges.&nbsp; </span></p><p><br /></p><p>My point in all this is - yeah, it&#039;s possible it is a planchet mark. But it is equally possible it could be a scratch. And when you&#039;re grading a coin can you really assume one way or the other ? I&#039;d have to say you cannot. But even more than than, if it is a planchet mark, or a scratch - either one - can the coin be graded 64 given the rest of the condition of the coin ? And to that I&#039;d have to say no.</p><p><br /></p><p>I<span style="color: #660066"> don&#039;t think it will grade MS-64 either but it is a nice looking piece.&nbsp; If the surfaces are borderline PL, they may kick it up and omit the PL.&nbsp; I&#039;d save my money and price it high so the next guy can try to get that grade.</span></p><p><span style="color: #660066"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #660066">PS Big Money is in Guatemala and I don&#039;t know what to do with myself...LOL. </span></p><p><span style="color: #660066"></span>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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