I've got no experience grading, but I might as well get some practice in, considering Dak's contest will probably have some grading challenges. I'll say it' possibly VF, but I'd need a better look at Abe first.
Id say with the details this coin has I'd give it an VF40, I may even venture a very low AU if the planchet wasnt flawed.
I never heard of VF-40. Do you mean EF-40 or VF-35. Either way, I think you are way under grading it. It has either no or very little wear on it. The coloring is due to poor allow mixing and is common for Lincolns through at least the mid 20's. It may detract some from the value, but not much.
early lincolns can be very difficult to grade beacuase of poor planchets that's why I said... what do I know? lol
I'll say XF details, but has been noticeably cleaned. The copper has that washed out look to it, even with the woodgrain color.
Sadly, the cleaning really messed it up or down as the case may be to about a VF-20, but the technical aspects of the coin point to it once being in AU condition, just prior to the cleaning.
I agree with Speedy! The coin not only has a severe (improper mixed composition) flawed planchet but has suffered from corrosion which has been cleaned and the coin also looks like it has been whizzed. Frank
How are you people arriving at a grade of VF? I don't really see any wear on the details of this coin. Not even on the highest points. Yes, it appears to have been cleaned and that has hurt the overall eye appeal of this speciman, but where are you seeing the circulation wear?
This is a good discussion, as the grades being posted have some significant variation. A coin like this can be very difficult to grade, as the cleaning has removed luster breaks and the variations in color normally associated with wear spots. Because of the cleaning, the coin has a consistent color (ignoring the woodgraining effect) that gives it the look of an uncirculated piece at first glance. (Early coppers that have been retoned often have this same consistency.) To me, the coin shows some flatness on the cheek, as well as some wear on the wheat stalks on the reverse. The cleaning has worked to hide the luster breaks and wear spots, making it somewhat difficult to grade.
I will not argue that the coin has been cleaned, but my guess is that it has not. That is one of the reasons I posted it here. However, I cannot see where some of you are seeing significant wear (VF-40?) unless someone has figured how to wear only some of the wheat grains, not others, and none of the wheat lines; wear the cheek, but not the eyebrow or the bow tie. The coin is not a strong strike. I am not saying that it is uncirculated, just that at most, it has very little wear.
Is the photos showing the true color of the coin or did you lighten the photo? If you did then that is why we are grading it like this....I think the reason we are grading it like we are is because of eye appeal, cleaning, etc....if this coin is a dark brown then maybe the grades would go up a bit. Speedy
They are taken directly from eBay. I did nothing to them. How much the lister has done, I do not know. However, his description; "Details on the front are SHARP. Details on the back are VERY SHARP!! (Better than the pictures show.) This coin has uneven toning. The front of the coin has some pleasing streak toning. The toning on the back is dark and not pleasing at all."
