1896 Barber half: a grading poll, plus your opinions on its originality, and eye appeal?
lordmarcovan
Posts: 43,871 ✭✭✭✭✭
Bought this from a forum member a while back. It is raw. I paid $70. Current Numismedia trends in F12 is $82, while 2008 Redbook says $85.
What say ye? VG10 or F12? (Or otherwise?) Nice eye appeal? I personally think so, for this grade level.
The VG10/F12 cusp is an important divide with Barber halves, too, I reckon. I sort of think this is a "market" F12; it's not a strong 12 contender in my book, but I think it just makes it. If it were to be considered VG10, though, I personally would put it in the top rank for that grade.
There's a very faint rim bump at 5:00 and a little peckmark on the eagle's tailfeathers, but I wouldn't call either of these severe enough to make this a "problem" coin.
(PS: for the record, I voted "results only" so as not to skew the poll.)
What say ye? VG10 or F12? (Or otherwise?) Nice eye appeal? I personally think so, for this grade level.
The VG10/F12 cusp is an important divide with Barber halves, too, I reckon. I sort of think this is a "market" F12; it's not a strong 12 contender in my book, but I think it just makes it. If it were to be considered VG10, though, I personally would put it in the top rank for that grade.
There's a very faint rim bump at 5:00 and a little peckmark on the eagle's tailfeathers, but I wouldn't call either of these severe enough to make this a "problem" coin.
(PS: for the record, I voted "results only" so as not to skew the poll.)
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Comments
- Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC
Hmmm.... I would have to go solid VG10 on this bugger.
Dave
We started the poll with a F15 and it was looking good for me for a while there, but the VG10s are piling up now.
Well, that's OK. I don't have a problem with owning a VG10 Barber half- in fact, I think the grade packs a lot of bang for the buck.
The problem, in this particular case, is that I paid pretty much F12 money for it.
I don't doubt I could sell it as a "market" F12 here locally, though. It's close enough.
Then again, the last thing I need is another project.
(Edit... and has now pulled into the lead. This is interesting.)
Eye Appeal is pretty good.....
I don't think you can get that for VG money anyplace in my experience.....
Exactly as I'd thought.
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Stuart
Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal
"Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
Its clearly an F 12 - and a decent one at that.
...ah, I see the Barber bug has bitten you
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But as I've hinted, I've kicked around the idea of doing a VG10-F12 set in a Dansco. This would would be a perfect starter for such a set.
I have too many other projects going right now or I would be strongly tempted to try that. If the coin does not sell, I might yet attempt it.
We shall see.
I have shown some symptoms so far, but the lab tests have not yet come back to confirm whether or not I'm truly bitten by the Barber bug.
It was 12 something A.M. when I voted so I had to go F12.
Ray
- Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC
Edit to add: in the wee hours last night when I posted this, it looked like the VGs were gonna have it, too, until the day shift came on.
Night owls must be stricter graders.
This is my last post before goin' diggin' today, so if I find a Barber coin while detecting today (ANY Barber coin), I will purchase an album for halves and begin collecting them in VG-F. And the coin above will be the first in my set, unless the person I offered it to previously decides he wants it.
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
Original color, with only the wingtip mark as slightly problematic. The 1896-P is a nice find in F-XF. Along with the 1894 it is the hardest P mint of the 1890's in the Half series.
I'm not at home with my ANA grading guide handy but as i recall...
All letters in Liberty visible though may some be weak...
Top row of leaves boldly outlined while bottom row may be worn flat in places...
All letters in reverse scroll visible with half the details in the wings remain.
Also add that this appears to be a very original coin...the rim bump is minimal and probably is not as noticeable in hand...
These days original Barber 25c & 50c in F-AU are often blowing right past any coin value guides...on certain dates they are going for double trends...
This coin should go for strong F12 $...I would say more except for the rim bump...IMHO
(edited for spelling
As for originality, the lighter devices look odd, but overall I'd say for a coin like this, it was be called original.
I agree exactly.
The rim bump bothers me, but the coin is very original. If you showed a close-up of the word LIBERTY on the headband, I bet all the people saying VG-10 would bump it up to F-12.