1843 Liberty Seated Half. Straight, Net, Can be Helped, or, Toast!
PocketArt
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I purchased this 1843 Liberty Seated Half last Saturday through auction. I bought this coin knowing it had been cleaned at some point. I was attracted to the coin because of the sharpness of the devices, and also because of the remaining originality. The color is closer to original luster; than a typical over dipped, bleached out cleaning.
The pictures I posted show more of what coin looks in hand, and the video was taken on my back porch in natural light. Sun was setting in the west at the time, and the direction I was facing. Coin looks much brighter in video because of this circumstance.
In hand, coin is semi-pl, to almost pl. Brightness is subdued. Hairlines are evident in the field- perhaps more so because of the PL qualities; yet, it appears to have had a cleaning. The obverse has pleasing peripheral toning, appears to be album toning. Reverse is white with exception of rim.
I believe coin to be AU.
Please tell me what you think- all opinions welcomed.
Thank you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoZnPSdyyJo&feature=youtu.be
Comments
The coin is AU. I see evidence of semi-PL. Unfortunately, I cannot tell if it will straight grade. Why spend the money to have it slabbed? Find a nice coin (already graded) and trade out of this one. The original AU will increase in value faster. This is the kind of coin some dealers will bury a collector in by claiming it is an MS-60.
Haven't decided what I will do with the coin- I have $220 in it, my max was $250 so not buried. I'm just here for opinions on what others may believe as condition, and any insight. Honestly; I couldn't tell either if it could straight grade when I viewed the coin. I thought maybe a net grade. It didn't matter at the time- I had to have it.
It's beautiful, even with problems. Sort of like a bad relationship with perks I guess...If that makes sense- still a keeper in my book!
The coin could be helped but it would take more time and effort than it is worth.
With that said, it is the perfect piece to experiment with and enjoy.
Carry it around in your pocket, leave it on top of the bathroom cabinet. Learn from it. You aren't going to hurt it.
I don't think it would or should straight grade.
From the pure wear aspect, I’d say the coin is an AU-53. The obverse shows a lot of wear on Ms. Liberty, but the reverse is better, which is not unusual.
The thing that concerns me about the straight grade is the obverse. The fields might have a hairline pattern to them, and if that is so, the coin might not grade. The piece may have been gone over with baking soda years ago. Now a bit of toning has returned around the edges, perhaps from an album.
Back in the early 1980s I bought an 1853 With Arrows half dollar that was something like this. From certain angles, it looked okay, but from others, cleaning lines shows. The coin had a gray tone to it, which made me think that it was okay at the time, but it wasn’t. The coin didn’t grade when I submitted it despite the fact that the toning make it look pretty decent. That is my fear with this piece, which has less “new toning” than that piece had.
On the plus side, I think that many of these Seated half dollars from the 1840s and early '50s are a bit underrated. The California gold strike changed the pricing for gold and silver which resulted in the Coinage Act of 1853, which lowered the silver content of half dimes, dimes, quarter and half dollars. A fair number of the earlier pieces were melted or exported, making those dates a bit harder to find that you might think.
A cleaned AU. It will not get a straight grade. There are far too many cleaned AU Seated Halves on the market. Don't put it in your album, just sell it now and chalk it up to learning expenses. If you keep it it will just continue to annoy you every time you look at it.
I think this one will grade... I did not see a pattern to the hairlines, so could be from handling etc.. Send it in.... It is obvious you like it, so take a shot. Cheers, RickO
T T T
Thanks for previous comments all.
Can't touch this as it's just too easy!
I'm torn between problems-net grade and problems-toast....but I voted for net grade.
I don't think there is any conservation that can be done, but more toning will help the eye appeal, at least to me.
Speaking from experience? Its all fun and games until you car gets keyed by a girl named Tiffany.
Latin American Collection
Good luck and thanks for sharing !!!
Perfect piece for a Type Set album.