Owner Comments:
This coin is a PCGS OGH MS 65 gem. I paid retail for it but I don't really mind, as I love the strike, clean surfaces and amazing luster that just drips off of this piece, as many, MANY of these coins are dipped out.
On the obverse, it has a relatively full thumb and completely full skirt-lines. The sun on the obverse is ultra-clean without one mark on it. On the reverse it has a full eagle's breast and great trailing leg. The luster is uncompromising, which sold me on the piece along with the strike and lack of surface abrasions.
Poorer quality MS 65 gems sell for about 30% less but many MS 66s are much softer and duller than this piece and they will cost you over 30% MORE than the retail cost of a MS 65.
Coins of the 1930s are extremely tough to find nice. I struggled all weekend to fight off the urge to purchase this coin but I finally succumbed, as I felt that another opportunity may not present itself, at least not for a LONG time and at WHAT PRICE THEN?? Quite Frankly, the crack-out artists scare me and I LIKE the OGH slabs, so I won't resist the opportunity to acquire one and preserve it, when I can, as long as the coin is of this quality.
Prices for these coins are still LOW, even at retail, as they were selling for 2 to 3 times more back in 2004 & 2005. 'Get it while you can', as they say.
Although this coin has a higher mintage than some of the other middle date Philly coins, it is TOUGH to find in MS and only the 1934 and 1938 P coins are harder to locate. Surfaces range from clean to moderately abraded. This issue used to be generally very frosty and lustrous but these are becoming more dipped out as time wears on.
Important varieties:
V 101 Doubled die obverse
V 102 Distorted hub doubling
V 103 Dot die break below S in TRUST.
Total MS survivors: 3500-4000 examples. About 1400 in MS 65.
Investment potential is well above average for MS 65 and better pieces.
It is 12th of 19 in MS 65 or finer rarity in the middle set and 36th of 65 in the overall full set.
Mintage is at 9,162,000