Would you grade this coin

Hello,

This is my first post (apologies if it's in the wrong place). I have read many messages on this site in the past few days - thanks to everyone for contributing to such a great resource.

Here's the deal: A few years ago, I inherited a modest collection of pennies and nickels which has sparked in me an interest in collecting. Over the past year I have been buying a raw (ungraded) coin from eBay about once a month. I am trying to complete a collection of Indian Head cents and have been focusing mainly on those. I just bought a lot of 11 Indian Head cents because it seemed like a really good deal. Of the 11, four coins are duplicates of what I already have in my collection. One coin, in particular, appears to my very untrained eyes to be really nice. I'd like to sell the duplicates. Should I get this one graded first?

I ask because it 'seems' to be in good condition but I don't know if it has been cleaned or not and while I'm fine spending sub $100 on something that may have been messed - I feel queasy offering something for sell that I really am unqualified to judge adequately. Should I get this graded (my personal guess is it is in the XF territory) or is that overkill and should I just list it as is. (NOTE: I am fine if it has been cleaned - I just want everyone to know that upfront in a transaction - so grading would give everyone the same information.)

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

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I believe it's AU condition wise.

 

The photo is a bit hard to interpret. From what I see, the surfaces look somewhat unnatural-could be cleaned or altered in another way, but maybe that is just the photo.

As far as condition, it looks nicer than XF. I'd agree with @Joshua Lemons that it's more of an AU.

Looking at eBay sales, I see a range of $55-$150 for sales of AU 58 (highest possible AU grade). Let's say $100 is the average. Grading would cost $25-$30 if you sent several coins in (more if just one since there are some flat costs regardless of how many you send, like shipping and invoice fees). So I don't think it makes sense to spend the money. Just list the coin as-is and mention the potential cleaning if the surfaces look unnatural in hand.

 

Welcome to CoinTalk!

 

Welcome to CT.

 

Thanks for the welcome @Collecting Nut and @Abramthegreat. Thanks too for the input @ddddd and @Joshua Lemons. What can I do to improve the photo quality? How do I judge if the surfaces are unnatural?

 

Welcome to CT !!

It takes years of experience and dedication to become a proficient grader in general....to be competent in 1 specific coin type like Indian Head cents is even harder. It's not judging eye appeal or how it looks...anybody with good eyes can see those variables....it's looking for the hidden DEFECTS that is important.

Can you tell if a coin has been altered ? Cleaned ? Has or doesn't have luster ?

It takes time to learn those, and if you are buying raw coins you need to know those (and other) negatives. A really nice-looking coin if it is a DETALS coin or has other imperfections can easily be 1/2 or 1/4th or 1/5th the price you pay if it is raw.

Even if a coin hasn't been altered...if you just overgrade a raw coin on your own....you can easily pay double or triple FMV.

If the raw coin purchases you make aren't material to your income or net worth, it might be moot. But make sure you know what you are doing when buying raw coins, especially from sources you do not know.

 

Most smartphones on max resolution take good enough pictures. Use a micro or mini-tripod....or brace your hands against something so you don't shake (make sure the anti-shake feature is ON).

Angle the coin at a 30-degree angle to yourself and the camera with a light in front/in back so it doesn't show glare or a shadow.

As for the surface unnatural question....this is what I was talking about in my earlier post. It's DIFFICULT to tell even when a coin is in hand, from photos can be even more difficult. Protect yourself even if large sums of $$$ aren't at stake by dealing with reputable sellers with a decent return policy.

 

A little late here.
Welcome to CoinTalk!
I have a Motorola G phone and use the easiest method which works darn good.
Try this way. You can use a jar or can instead of books.

 

You have to make some assumptions to begin with…do you think it will straight grade and AU versus MS.

IMO this Civil War year IHC needs to be in a slab, not just protected by encapsulation. NumisMedia/FMV lists a MS60 at $126 with no distinction on color.

I think it is better than MS60, and would spend the money to authenticate and protect. I do not capriciously send coins to TPGs, but in this case I would.
…Spark. @croesus_amok

 

Welcome to CT. You might try some different stye photos. Som e with a little less flash. Nearly all the details are there. The headress is highly detailed. The shield has all the lines and the cheek looks clean. Look for light abrasions on the high points, in the luster. Parallel lines indicate that the coin is not MS.

 

It’s either high au (58) or low unc but i cannot tell if surfaces are natural or cleaned from the pictures. And copper extremely hard to tell about surface without seeing in hand

 

Based on photos, cleaned, PMD and verdigris.

VF Details. Lack of clarity of 2 of the diamonds is questionable, but if there, XF Details.
My opinion.

 

Rim dings, it is starting to tone, appears to have been cleaned. VF in my opinion, could be higher, good luck. Welcome to CT, Merry Christmas.

 

Bethany, the next step up from AU58 is MS63/64, it goes right by MS60/61/62.

 

Thank you all for your replies. @Spark1951 - I think you are right. I will send this in for slabbing - even if it will not straight grade. It will be helpful to have the experience.

Could you all help me understand how to take a better photo? I used a Plugable digital microscope and no flash. I used the light on the microscope and had another light in front. Do I need to tilt the coin to get the light to bounce off the surface more?

 

For the photos it’s deceptively simple… I use a mason jar to hold my phone. I place a piece of black velvet below that (best if you can find some with out Elvis painted on it… lol) and place the coin on that. Move my camera to get the coin centered in frame, zoom to where I want it, and use the 3 second timer on my camera app.

as for lighting, I currently am using a cheap small ring light from Amazon, but to incandescents or leds at about 10 and 2 o’clock next to the coin will work. I would skip the fluorescents if you have them, they actually have an extremely rapid flicker that can mess with the pictures.

 

May I suggest that you consider ICG for grading as they have a reduction in cost for
members here as one of their graders @Insider is a member here so we get a better deal. Shipping is a little cheaper than the other graders, and believe me, he
sometimes is irritating but he sure knows his stuff. You can ask him @Insider if the same prices are in effect, but first check the other grading company and see their prices to see what I mean. Jim

 

I don't collect cents. Copper is hard to judge for me. Silver is another matter. The amount of cleaned silver coins on Ebay is disgusting! Even I can tell that! I mean c'mon man!! Restoration and removing gunk is a whole different ball game than the orbital sander!

 

@croesus_amok If you send it to ICG, CT members still get the $10 Special; but you'll need to put "CT Member Special" and croesus on the submission form you must download from our website. I'll call you if I think we can remove the corrosion on the reverse at no extra charge. The normal service will take less than two weeks.