As the Kids Say - OMG

In a recent GreatCollections auction a 1946-S 67RD Lincoln went for $1,206. PCGS price guide for this coin is a whopping $185. Not a CAC, not even an OGH. A 1946-S 67+RD however goes for $3,000 (12 at that grade, none finer). Obviously hopes are high the coin upgrades to a plus designation. Perhaps it is an error coin?

Here is the coin.

Honestly I don’t love the coin. The beard and front jacket details are a little weak. The reverse has a distracting light stripe. I have to assume the coin upgraded though as the PCGS certificate number is no longer valid. If it failed to upgrade it would likely be in the same holder.

UPDATE: Coin sold as an MS67+ CAC at a GreatCollections auction on 9.15.19. However, coin only went for $1,025 at hammer while in a recent HA auction another CAC went for $2,640. So, as I say all CAC’s are not created equal.

No CAC Sticker for this Beauty?

Before I bid on this I contacted GreatCollections. To their credit they confirmed it was a failed CAC. I purchased this MS67+RD anyway and resubmitted the coin to CAC. Failed again. Even the guy I submit my coins to for CAC consideration was surprised at the result. Let us know your thoughts.

UPDATE: I posted the same query on the PCGS coin forum. Some were shocked it was graded above MS66RD, much less deserving of a CAC sticker. Some thought the tiny nick in the "E" on the reverse kept the coin from the sticker. I've always heard the obverse is the preponderance of the grade so don't know about that. One thought the coin was struck with rusted dies. Perhaps, there is some roughness in the fields. Some were upset I would care about a CAC sticker (a surprising number of collectors are against slabs and CAC - it makes you wonder why they hang out in the PCGS forums). One guy hoped the coin turned brown so I could see the folly in collecting Lincolns with the "RD" designation. Hmm, it's been over a hundred years and it still looks pretty shiny to me. Two out of three comments on forums are informative and intelligent, the rest are pure snark and venom (a lot of unhappy people in the world I guess). Shamelessly I only visit that forum (some good stuff there but also a lot of hating going on) so I can put a link to this site in my posts.

Great color, clean surfaces and an exceptionally strong strike for an early Lincoln. I love the coin regardless and won't worry about the CAC sticker.

UPDATE: Here is a 1916 67+RD CAC at a January 2020 auction. Is it a better coin than the Christopher Collection one shown above? At least the CC coin doesn’t have a nick on Lincoln’s cheek.