Owner Comments:

$150

Mintage: 7.9 Million
Full Step Availability: 0.5%
Population MS66: 64/7
Date/mm Information: Nagengast writes "Most of this issue is of garbage quality. Expect dark colored, poorly struck, nicked, and marked coins"

Coin Description:
Talk about a flare for the dramatic. This coin is a crazy toned piece with extremely deep gunmetal blue & grape purple centers with rainbow bands of orange, pink, green, magenta, and cobalt blue about the peripheries. All of the toning must have mesmerized the graders who were extremely generous with a grade MS66. The coin has subdued luster, is dark as night, and should pull an MS65 upon resubmission, but it is certainly unique and will continue to overachieve in this set with its undeniable originality.

Comments:
This coin has grown on me since I purchased it from a David Lawrence auction in July of 2009 for 1.5X Numismedia wholesale. I love the strike for the date/mm and the steps are fine, the color is good even though it is dark, but the remnant planchet flaws really have a negative impact on the eye appeal of the coin. While I understand the reluctance of the TPG's to factor planchet problems into the grading process, the result is a coin that appears grossly overgraded upon initial inspection.