How My 1873 Indian Head Cent GTG Exceeded Expectations: 6-Month Journey, Real Results, and Lessons Learned

I’ve been chasing that perfect coin for months. Here’s the raw truth about my 1873 Indian Head Cent — the highs, the lows, and the moment it *finally* clicked.

Why I Bet $325 on a “Maybe” Coin

Three years ago, I walked into my local coin shop and saw it: an 1873 Indian Head Cent. Raw. No slab. Just a flip with a scribbled note — “Open 3 variety.” The price? $325. My price guide said similar coins in MS63BN were going for $280. I should’ve walked away.

But I didn’t.

Why? The strike was crisp. The luster? Like honey rolling over bronze. And the eye appeal was undeniable. Even if it wasn’t the best deal, it felt like *my* coin — the kind that makes you do a double-take.

At the time, I’d been collecting for about 18 months. I’d read the Red Book, studied auction results, even took a numismatics course. But grading copper? That was still a mystery. Color, luster, surface — they all mattered, but how much? I didn’t know. And that’s why I didn’t send it straight to PCGS. I did something smarter: I went for a Get The Grade (GTG) first.

The First Big Mistake: Trusting My Camera

I thought my Canon EOS R5 with a 100mm macro lens would be enough. Spoiler: it wasn’t. My first photos? Flat. Lifeless. Looked like someone dumped ketchup on a penny. The ring light I used washed out all texture, making the coin look suspiciously “toned” — which isn’t a good thing with copper.

After trial, error, and a $30 lighting investment, I found what worked:


Light 1: 4500K, 9 o'clock, 45-degree angle (side lighting for depth)
Light 2: 4500K, 3 o'clock, 45-degree angle (balancing the flow)
Light 3: 5000K, 12 o'clock, 30-degree angle (soft fill, not glare)
Camera: f/16, ISO 100, 1/125 sec, locked on tripod
White balance: Set live using a gray card
Lightroom: +10 clarity, +5 vibrance — *only*. No tricks.


The trick? Angled, diffused light — no hotspots, no flatness. It showed the luster *moving* across the coin, like a slow ripple in water. But even then, the photos leaned warm, making the red in the coin pop more than it did in hand. Lesson learned: **photos lie. Your eyes don’t.**

How I Got 50 Experts to Grade My Coin (For Free)

I posted the coin in a private collector group — 50+ members, all with PCGS or NGC experience. No sales talk. Just: *“What do you see?”* I asked for three things:

• Grade range (e.g., MS63-65)
• Color — BN, RB, or RD?
• Anything you’d cite in a note (strike, surface, etc.)

Over two weeks, 17 people responded. The spread was wild — but the patterns were clear:

• 64% said MS64BN — “solid, clean, no major issues”
• 18% saw MS65RB — “strong luster, but more red than brown”
• 12% flagged the neck — “minor disturbance, likely a 63-64 boundary”
• 6% thought the ribbon had wear — something I *still* can’t see

The Insight That Changed Everything

One comment stopped me cold: “Your photos make it look like a 65RB, but TrueViews will likely show more brown. Copper changes. Grade it by luster flow and surface, not color.”

That hit me. I’d been obsessing over *color* — RB vs. BN — like it was the finish line. But the real race? It’s about luster continuity, original surface, and strike quality. I started re-examining the coin with a 10x loupe. I tested it under sunlight, LED, incandescent. I even asked a seasoned local dealer to look — and he missed the open 3 entirely. (Experts are human too.)

PCGS Submission: The 10-Day Wait That Felt Like a Year

After six months of research, I hit “submit” on PCGS’s Regular Tier (10-day turnaround). I uploaded:

• High-res scans of both sides

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• A summary of the GTG feedback (no grades — just observations)

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• A note about the open 3 variety

I picked MS64BN as my target. Realistically? I expected 63 or 64RB. Maybe a note about the neck.

Then the slab arrived.

I opened the box. Looked down. And froze.

“MS66BN.”

“That’s the difference between a $400 coin and a $1,800 coin.”

PCGS wrote: *“Full cartwheel luster, no distracting marks, original chocolate-brown patina.”* The neck? “Minor contact, not a hairline.” The ribbon? “No wear.” They saw *more* than I did — and they were right.

The Grade That Rewrote the Story

Here’s what that jump actually meant — in dollars:

But the real win? It was the highest-graded 1873 Open 3 IHC in the PCGS Population Report at the time. That “pop one” status? It’s like a collector’s trophy. Adds value. Gets attention. Even if I never sell, it’s a point of pride.

What I Learned the Hard Way

This wasn’t just about one coin. It was a six-month crash course in real-world coin collecting. Here are the **five truths** I wish I’d known day one:

1. Photos Are Suggestions — Your Loupe Is Gospel

My camera made the coin look redder, brighter, *juicier* than it was. The TrueViews? They were close — but still not *my* hand feel. Copper is tricky. Light shifts its tone. So: **trust your loupe. Doubt your photos.**

2. GTGs Are for Learning, Not Predicting

GTGs won’t tell you the exact grade. But they’ll tell you how *you* grade. I was consistently 1-2 points below PCGS. Now I know: look for deeper luster, sharper flow, and micro-surface details. Calibrate your eyes.

3. Color Is a Side Note — Luster Is the Star

For copper, luster and surface matter more than BN vs. RB. A 64BN with full cartwheel and no hairlines beats a 65RB with dull spots every time. Originality > color designation.

4. TPGs Disagree — And That’s Normal

NGC graded it 64RB. PCGS gave it 66BN. Both are valid. The market decides. If you’re building a registry set, consider submitting to both. Diversify your evidence.

5. Pop One Coins Are Different

When your coin is at the top of the pop report, it’s not just worth more — it’s *visible*. Collectors notice. Auctions highlight it. That status has real value, even if you’re a long-term holder.

Why This Coin Still Matters (Even After the Grade)

The $1,475 gain? Sure, it’s nice. But the real profit was knowledge:

• How to light coins so they *look* right — not just “good enough”
• How GTGs sharpen your grading instinct
• Why copper collectors obsess over luster flow and surface
• How to read TPGs without taking their word as law

To new collectors: **Start small. But think like a pro.** That raw coin in the flip? It might be your MS66. Don’t rush it. Research it. Photograph it. Talk about it. Learn from it.

To seasoned collectors: **I was wrong about a lot.** Even after three years, I missed the open 3. I overestimated red. I worried about marks that weren’t there. Never stop questioning your eyes.

Next time you find a coin that “feels” right? Don’t just buy it. *Study* it. You might be holding a pop one.

Related Resources

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