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The Collectors' Auction 2007
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Please Note: A 15% Buyers' Premium is added to the hammer price of all lots in this sale.

(About The Images)

Lot Title:	1884-S AU-58++.
Description:	Anyone who collects Morgan dollars in Mint State knows full well that the 1884-S is one of the very most difficult issues to locate without evidence of circulation. Such evidence may take the form of rub on the cheek, interruption of luster flow lines in the fields, diminishment of the original mint luster, or evidence of contact with non-coin items, which would indicate use outside the boundaries of the minting area. In addition, of the very few Mint State examples known, the majority would technically grade only MS-60, but some have been cleaned in the misguided hope of enhancing their grade. Grade is such an important factor with regard to this coin that it is a worthy exercise to discuss each grading point in detail. The present example is unquestionably free of any cleaning or other processing, which removes one significant barrier to a possible Mint State assessment. Though facing up as mostly untoned, the thin veneer of hazel toning across the lower two-thirds of the obverse confirms the presence of original surfaces, and absolutely no hairlines or patches of friction are visible in the fields or on the devices. Liberty’s cheek is not as clean as would be expected of a high Mint State coin. Under a loupe, myriad tiny abrasions are seen, yielding a slightly rough appearance, and there is a moderate mark on her chin. However, we must consider the fact that these coins were intended for commerce, and were not stored gently at the mint while awaiting their introduction into circulation. The coins were stored in bags and boxes that were shoved and jostled around such that they were frequently colliding with one another. There are no particular indications that the observed marks are due to anything other than incidental coin-to-coin contact. Granted, there is a shallow scrape near the bottom of Liberty’s neck, but it too can be easily explained as a bagmark. The luster on this coin is bright, fresh, and original, not processed or augmented by any artificial means. A scattering of superficial abrasions in the left field are typical of these large coin, but the luster is not subdued in their vicinity, so they do not appear to be due to circulation. As if on jury duty, given the above evidence, it then falls upon the conscientious numismatist to decide whether an Uncirculated grade is a qualified judgment, or whether there is any shadow of a doubt with regard to a stint in circulation so brief that the coin just barely misses a Mint State assessment. In keeping with our conservative disposition, the Scotsman Auction Company has decided to bestow a grade of AU-58, granted the fact that this coin fits the uppermost exemplification of the grade. We will not be surprised in the slightest if it bids up to the MS-60 level. This lot may contain an item not certified by ANACS, PCGS, or NGC. While Scotsman Auction Co. is typically conservative in our descriptions of items not certified by one of these companies, we cannot guarantee our grading estimation will match their grade. We highly recommend that collectors seeking items certified by a third-party grading service only bid on items that have already been certified. No lot can be returned because of a variance in judgment with regards to grade.
Low Estimate:	$1,500.00
High Estimate:	$1,800.00
Lot Status:	Bidding has been closed for this lot.
Hammered Price:	$1,450.00
Price Realized:	$1,667.50

Price history for items of the same classification:

Lot #

Auction

Current Bid or Hammer Price

Description

865

The Collectors' Auction - 2014 on 10/17/2014

$250.00

1884-S AU.

Being a bit less abraded than the usual 1884-S means this example looks prettier as well, as flashy white luster roams the fields and illuminates very well impressed details. The consignor states...

866

The Collectors' Auction - 2014 on 10/17/2014

$775.00

1884-S NGC AU-55, 1880-S PCGS MS-66, 1890-S PCGS MS-64, plus a 1922-S...

Bradford Pear Collection. Certified silver dollars comprise this quartet, and each features white, or perhaps off-white surfaces. They may be listed as follows: 1880-S (PCGS MS-66, very nearly...

867

The Collectors' Auction - 2014 on 10/17/2014

$2,400.00

1884-S PCGS AU-58.

Checkered Collection. Famous as one of the most outrageous grade-rarities in the series, 1884-S is almost impossible to find at even just MS-60, and a true AU-58 should be the target of every astute...

804