New purchase 1854-C $5 Half Eagle -- Grade opinion welcome!
zski123
Posts: 258 ✭✭✭
Just picked this one up in auction. I'll be submitting it soon but I'd love to hear your thoughts on where you believe it will grade out. 
7
Comments
AU 55? I've been trying to get one of those myself. Congrats
Nice. I love southern gold. When it gets back let's play gtg. I guess now 40-45.
AU details, scratched
I'm hoping it's a 55 or 58. I think the coin comps well against the examples seen in Heritage. We'll see though. Today is a different environment.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/liberty-half-eagles/half-eagles/1854-c-5-au58-ngc-variety-1/a/1204-6399.s?ic4=ListView-Thumbnail-071515
AU 55-58, I like it a lot.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
I would have to see this one in person to really grade it. The obverse looks weak, which would make me say EF, but I also realize that the strike is probably something less than ideal. It also appears to have some pretty heavy abrading, perhaps from some sort of a brush. There also appears to be some mint luster, but I see cleaning too. If the coin gets a grade, which may not get because of surface disturbances, I’d say it would be in the EF-40 to 45 range.
EF45/AU50 strong C which makes it much more scarce than people realize.
Latin American Collection
Here is a textbook EF45 with a slightly weak strike at center in the same way as the OP's coin.
Latin American Collection
This is just a guess as a member wrote today (in another thread) that I don't know Charlotte Mint gold. I'm working at it.
Too much luster for today's XF. The "arrow shaped" scratch is the worse thing, I'd get rid of most of the dirt in the shield, wings and reeding (NOT CHEMICALLY) and leave it on the bust before having it graded. My Guess is AU-50 so it will come back as a 55!
Au53 and nice
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Looks like a 45-50 !!!
AU50
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Lucky day 45
Not so lucky details
45 or details if that's a scratch in front of the face
nice patina
The image is not helping the cause. However even with the image, It looks better than AU50. 53 seems reasonable and so does 55. Given how difficult early no motto gold is to get in the most appropriate holder, it will likely end up in a 50 holder. Then someone will look at it and think it can grade higher - perhaps a 55- if it is enhanced. So it is enhanced grades 55 and looks stripped of its natural look when in fact is was worthy of the 55 from day one.
Sad but that is the environment we collect in and there is little chance of change.
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45-50, hope you don't get a details. Hard to tell from pics but possible improperly cleaned. Good luck and congrats.
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It looks well struck to me with a nice reverse die crack at 10:00. It might net down a tad to AU50 for the little scratch. I'd like to see it with less light on it.
50-53
AU 50.I like it.
There looks to be an awful lot of luster. I'm going with a 55......
It is a very attractive better date lustrous piece. I wager it would grade Ch AU or above.
Many buyers picking up better date Gold in this market. Others bulking up on slabbed USGTC close to melt. At a recent show I purchased NGC 65 Peace Dollars at $75 each and NGC MS65 Morgan Dollars at $105 to add to retail stock (I mark these up 50 pct) from a major dealer along with gold bullion material and USGTC below bid or close to melt.
It is a great time to pick up some real bargains. It often surprises me how inefficient the coin market can be.
45
AU Details
I would guess 53.. if it straight grades.... being Charlotte gold, it may well get a grade. Cheers, RickO
+1
I'm thinking mid AU. 53-55. Unfortunately I think I am seeing marks that might be cleaning hairlines.
Looks 50ish to me. Hope the surfaces haven't been messed with.
55, like!
Verdict is in on the 1854-C Half Eagle... AU55
It honestly looked better in the photos from the auctioneer. When I received the coin, I knew it was 55 and not a 58 for sure.
She came back AU55 in a PCGS holder? Woo Hoo! Congrats are in order.
Congrats, I figured AU-something, 55 is nice!
AU55, good job!
Thanks. Took a chance on this one. I thought it might come back details. I knew it wasn't an XF. The grade is always going to be relative to mint and year. If this were a 1883 half eagle, I would agree with the XF guesstimates.
I am not a pro but it looks to maybe AU 53
I’m assuming PCGS graded this coin?
Good job, but do yourself and your wallet a favor, don’t buy raw coins unless you’re an expert or you like to gamble.
@Boosibri in my opinion your coin is what an old gold coin should look like. Nice one.
Congrats on scoring an a AU55.
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Thanks! I appreciate anyone who appreciates what old gold should look like
Latin American Collection
Cleaned, etc.; worst problem gets described on details holder.
Oops, missed the update, congratulations, market acceptable in hand, must have nice luster and these branch mint coins were usually poorly struck and get graded on a curve.
Congrats!