Need expert advice on Gold coin grading options..

[RaptorSE]

Hi all. I recently aquired a nice 1913 Indian Head $5.00 half eagle.

Heres my question - If a coin is MS-65+, I mean completely perfect,
but has one single coin dent/ding on the reverse.. how much will the
grade be affected in the event I would send it in to be graded.

I already know this coin is completely Uncirculated, with NO wear. and it
is really pretty with full mint luster. Ill get a scan or photo up really soon,
just havent gotten that far yet.

I would have never thought of grading it, but it is like "super" uncirculated.. I
was amazed when I got it.

Also, how hard is the process to send coins in to a good service. Ive done it with
football cards before, but what a hassle that was having to join memberships etc etc.
(PSA).

Any advice greatly appreciated

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[oldplacesnofinds]

If you send to one of the top companies, you do have to join. I don't think it is as much hassle as you would think. Gold coins are very hard to judge grades. I sent in one that I thought was a sure thing and it came back EF-45. I can not begin to guess the grading technique of gold coins. All other coins, no problem. If there is a ding on the coin, expect it to drop the coin(if it was MS65) to MS63. MS65 is gem quality and will not have any blemishes. Sometimes if they figure the ding happened during minting, they may give you a slight break but not on gold. I think PCGS and NGC would be very careful grading a gold coin MS65 because it throws off the curve of top quality coins and it makes the coin you are talking about go up from around $4000 in MS64 to around $28,000 in MS65. I would be amazed if they gave you even a MS grading. Never know though...

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

I sent a 1915 2 1/2 Indian to NGC. I was expecting MS 63, came back body bagged "Improperly cleaned"
Gold is very hard to grade in MS levels.
VPR

 

[oldplacesnofinds]

I sent a 1915 2 1/2 Indian to NGC. I was expecting MS 63, came back body bagged "Improperly cleaned"
Gold is very hard to grade in MS levels.
VPR

I had the same problem. I ended up sending it to PCI and at least got it graded but it came back cleaned AU-50. I could not see anywhere it had been cleaned. A coin dealer buddy of mine said many gold coins have been cleaned in the 70's and it is very hard to pick it up. The experts can though.

 

[RaptorSE]

Wow, thanks for the fast comments. Exactly the stuff I wanted to know though, as
Ive never had coins done before. Take a look and see what ya think.
Photos are with camera with flash, while coin still in flip holder. (some dust particles)

As for the high wear spots.. I dont think theres much if any wear. (cheekbone, eagle feather end). Couple little marks on the cheekbone though. Plus the nice mark on
the reverse stinks. (not sure how it was even gouged like that.., looks like part of the eagle outline just continues up out ) Without the marks, I would assume MS from my limited knowledge. The original owner said it was stored in a collection since its creation.

Like I said, complete rookie here. Dont be afraid to crush me... I want to learn I will say I doubt highly, that it was ever cleaned... no surface abrasion under magnification.. and it does that light sheen dance when tilted, like from the mint new.

OK, Im all ears Thanks !

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

I will go out on a limb and try to grade from a pic....... EF/AU
This series, being the way it was minted "incuse VS raised design" is the hardest to grade. the entire surface of the coin has to wear to even reach the details in the obverse and reverse designs. Nice coin though !!

VPR

 

[djui5]

I'll agree, maybe EF-AU. About the ding, they'll just mark it "damage". You'll take a price hit when selling it.

About the cleaning, it's almost impossible to tell if a coin has been cleaned by looking at pictures. Sometimes you can tell, but not always.

 

[oldplacesnofinds]

Wow, thanks for the fast comments. Exactly the stuff I wanted to know though, as
Ive never had coins done before. Take a look and see what ya think.
Photos are with camera with flash, while coin still in flip holder. (some dust particles)

As for the high wear spots.. I dont think theres much if any wear. (cheekbone, eagle feather end). Couple little marks on the cheekbone though. Plus the nice mark on
the reverse stinks. (not sure how it was even gouged like that.., looks like part of the eagle outline just continues up out ) Without the marks, I would assume MS from my limited knowledge. The original owner said it was stored in a collection since its creation.

Like I said, complete rookie here. Dont be afraid to crush me... I want to learn I will say I doubt highly, that it was ever cleaned... no surface abrasion under magnification.. and it does that light sheen dance when tilted, like from the mint new.

OK, Im all ears Thanks !

It is really hard to tell from a photo. I think that ding in the back is pretty nasty. They will definetly gig you for it. How much did you pay for it? It is still a very nice coin.

 

[Texas Coin Hunter]

hi Raptor
to grade a coin which was shipped losely in a U.S. Mint bag is really hard too do since you have too take into account that the coins were not in a roll & tightly sealed up, if by chance you can get an offical ANA gradeing book on this subject would at least help you to under stand the grading process, since all coins graded by PCGS, NGC, ICG and ANACS are subject to being graded by 3 Graders....Example: Grader #1 thinks you coin grades AU-55, Grader #2 thinks you coin grades MS-60, And Grader #3 thinks your coin grades out at XF-45.....Which grade do they place on your coin, it's not the MS-60, its not the AU-55.......ITS the XF-45 in your tittle heading on that coin

sincerely
Dave

 

[RaptorSE]

Thanks a ton for all the info everyone. I probably wont even have it graded,
I was just a little excited , it being my first gold coin.

Probably gonna be hooked for a while, and pick up a variety.. Gold is sweet

btw, I wasnt gonna post it , but Im kinda proud to have sniffed out this one at
an estate sale. I didnt really know the going rate, and only asked what they wanted
for it. The reply was "we were hoping to get $35 for it." That sounded good so I bought it .

I also purchased a decent chunk of Silver (walkers, rosies, "64 halves etc), and a nice little
collection of Buffalo nickels as well. For the extra stuff, I made sure I paid them above what any coin dealer or shop would, as a token of gratitude. Just about right at spot.

So thats my little gold coin story. I look at it at least 4 times a day so far LOL.