handling of high grade Lincoln Cents

[silver1985]

Would it be damaging to slide a 1968 Lincon Cent that is in MS68 condition across a piece of cleaned window glass?
Or, rather, does the rim of the coin protect the highest elements on the coin from a "sliding" movement?

[DCW]

I wouldn't "slide" a cent across anything if it had value. That's where AU58 coins come from, and they're disaffectionately known as "sliders" for that reason. Glass wouldn't create wear, per se. But, it may create a break in the luster.
By the way, this is a very strange question. What made you think of asking this?!

[jallengomez]

Do you have photos of this MS68 1968 Lincoln? If you could get that into a PCGS holder, you'd be sitting on a valuable coin.

[jcuve]

I would be more worried about what it was that was placing pressure upon the surface of the coin as it was sliding. Was it a gloved hand, a hand or did it just slide down a piece of glass that was at a slight pitch. I doubt a case where a coin innocently slid across a glass surface would amount to much. Of course anyone that is good enough at grading to know an upper MS coin should also know upon visual inspection of said coin if it was impaired after it's journey across the glass.

[GrumpyEd]

I've always felt that the only way to truly be sure a cent is MS67-68-69-70 is for it to be graded. Some people are great at grading but even the big TPGs differ among eachother and even if you sent the same coin more than once they might get different grades.
With that in mind, unless a 1968 cent was in a PCGS or NGC slab I wouldn't be sure it was MS68 and if it was in a slab then it's safe from sliding on anything.

If I thought a cent was a top grade I'd get it in a grading flip and leave it alone until it was send for grading.

As for sliding on glass hurting it, I don't think it would. It's similar to placing it in the hard plastic flip for sending it to be graded and I think it would only contact the rim on glass or on a hard flip as it's placed in a hard flip or being shipped in one.

[silver1985]

I placed a bank roll of "double tail" Lincoln cents in my grandfathers vault 46 years ago (in 1969) and forgot about doing so.

Now that I have been re-aquainted with the bank roll, I'm very causously considering a strategy to search it and I'm hoping for a MS67, or better, that I don't end up damaging by mishandling any of the contents.
I recently (very carefully) opened one end with a toothpick to see what was in it, and found it was a roll of 1968-S, and set the roll aside.
This is the origin of strange questions.
Any firther advise would be a appreciated.

[grizz]

...Interesting to be sure. :tinysmile_hmm_t2:

[jfines69]

Now for the decision... Open it and search or put back in the vault for 10 more years... I would get some cotton gloves, a dust mask and a nice soft cloth to spread them on then search way... Maybe even a self contained bio-hazard suit and a clean room :LOL_Hair:

[GrumpyEd]

Something to consider is that lots of 68-S rolls were saved, maybe because it was the first year since 55 that they had S mintmarks and people knew S mints of the past were often lower mintage and thought they were special so they saved rolls.

The 1968 cents used the worn out old master with the deeper relief and bold looking mushy bust, the hair/beard isn't detailed and the motto is running into the rim. That's why they made the more detailed lower relief master for 1969.

Some might say being "as minted" is what gets a high grade but I think in the higher grades the details and planchet quality might hold them back. That old master might be one reason that the highest grades almost aren't found for that year.

Anyway, my thought is that even in the best handled roll it's still unlikely to find a super gem from that year.

Added:
If you find some nice ones that you think are spectacular send the best coin or 2 in first to see how they grade before spending a lot on fees, you can always send more if the results warranted it.

[silver1985]

I was wondering about the quality of strike that I was going to find since the 1968 was the lowest production of all years of Lincoln cents, but I was at the same time thinking that it would be my luck that the dies used in 68 would be as dull as the ones used in 1966. I'm getting ready to set up my Haines cotton back-drop for a photo-shoot using 400 ASA film and magnification by 68 mm of extension tubes, maximum resources. I'll be posting some of the pics here, and hopefully the grading experts at LCF will assist me in determining which coins would be a good investment to send to PCGS or NCG.

I thank everyone for their input on this project.

[jfines69]

Cool... It will be neat to see the pics!!!