Someone snagged a real bargain last night!!

keets

I was the under-bidder at $600 last night, winning bid at GC was $625. I didn't pursue the ending because I had something to do, figured it'd sell for about $1,200. Apparently nobody else noticed the coin and saw it for what it is.

Al H.

Zoins

Imagine if you didn’t bid

ricko

A dot head Kennedy.... That was another that Russ used to hunt for.... I never did look for them... Just the AH Kennedy halves. Cheers, RickO

yspsales

QDO?

jmlanzaf

@yspsales said:
QDO?

no

keets

QDO?

as RickO said, a "DotHead" Kennedy Half-Dollar, more specifically referred to as a BirthMark Variety which was struck with a supposed rusted or over-polished die. it's characterized by the rather conspicuous mark just inside the hairline of JFK between the temple and ear. Russ lobbied PCGS and I suppose NGC to have it recognized, but to no avail.

I would estimate that there are well under 100 known examples and it is sort of odd to see one show up like this with no mention of it. I have never seen one which wasn't graded UCAM/DCAM so the number may well be closer to 30.

WAYNEAS

@keets said:
QDO?

as RickO said, a "DotHead" Kennedy Half-Dollar, more specifically referred to as a BirthMark Variety which was struck with a supposed rusted or over-polished die. it's characterized by the rather conspicuous mark just inside the hairline of JFK between the temple and ear. Russ lobbied PCGS and I suppose NGC to have it recognized, but to no avail.

I would estimate that there are well under 100 known examples and it is sort of odd to see one show up like this with no mention of it. I have never seen one which wasn't graded UCAM/DCAM so the number may well be closer to 30.

Thanks to all for the history. Would love to cheery pick one someday!
Wayne

SanctionII

Nice coin.

After looking for 1967 SMS half dollars that have two sided frost on the devices and mirrored fields (aka Cameos or at least a Cameo appearance) and after having found and acquired many raw examples of this coin (including a few that may warrant a DCAM designation) I can state that I have never, ever found a "Dot Head" example of this coin.

Has anyone else who hunts for these coins in the wild ever found one?

Joe_360

So help me here, why $1200?

Coin World (March) Mag has this listed at $800 (not UC) and NCG has it listed at $975. To beat the winning bid of $625, you would have to bid at least $650, if you won you would have to pay a premium, the minimum that I have ever seen is 15% but most are 18% to 22%. Then you add on tax, shipping and at $650 I would believe insurance also, and you're over $850. Still a good price for a nice coin, but not a heavy bargain, unless I missed something..

But a nice coin and thanks for sharing, Joe

291fifth

I'd offer melt.

Cameonut

That coin would have been approved by Russ.
Here is a dot head I got from him in 2005. PCGS PR66dcam - price was $400.

Jimnight

Never seen it....

LanceNewmanOCC

@keets said:
I was the under-bidder at $600 last night, winning bid at GC was $625. I didn't pursue the ending because I had something to do, figured it'd sell for about $1,200. Apparently nobody else noticed the coin and saw it for what it is.

Al H.

if i go by auc results ms/sp 67 dcam/ucam sms, i think you got lucky not to get this even at $600. these look to come to auction often enough year-to-year that if you are patient, you'll get a nice one in either pc or ng well under that price.

if the dot head makes a difference then it negates my above statement.

keets

Lance, all comments and pricing estimates are based on the Variety.

ModCrewman

I've never found one.

jmlanzaf

@keets said:
QDO?

as RickO said, a "DotHead" Kennedy Half-Dollar, more specifically referred to as a BirthMark Variety which was struck with a supposed rusted or over-polished die. it's characterized by the rather conspicuous mark just inside the hairline of JFK between the temple and ear. Russ lobbied PCGS and I suppose NGC to have it recognized, but to no avail.

I would estimate that there are well under 100 known examples and it is sort of odd to see one show up like this with no mention of it. I have never seen one which wasn't graded UCAM/DCAM so the number may well be closer to 30.

QDO is quadrupled die obverse [If you were asking]

johnny9434

@jmlanzaf said:

@keets said:
QDO?

as RickO said, a "DotHead" Kennedy Half-Dollar, more specifically referred to as a BirthMark Variety which was struck with a supposed rusted or over-polished die. it's characterized by the rather conspicuous mark just inside the hairline of JFK between the temple and ear. Russ lobbied PCGS and I suppose NGC to have it recognized, but to no avail.

I would estimate that there are well under 100 known examples and it is sort of odd to see one show up like this with no mention of it. I have never seen one which wasn't graded UCAM/DCAM so the number may well be closer to 30.

QDO is quadrupled die obverse [If you were asking]

thank you

sellitstore

I really don't understand the premium for a slight defect in the finish of a die. Should a particular set of rust marks on a die command a greater premium because it's rarer than another rusted die variety or unrusted die examples? I guess some say "yes" but this market is probably small.

Mr_Spud

Sooner or later it’ll get the recognition that Russ was trying for. “Dothead” is the polite PC name, but it will catch on quicker with the non PC name which is “bullet hole head” which for Kennedy is obviously appropriate.

astrorat

Is the "birthmark" visible on non-cameo SMS coins?

keets

as far as I'm aware the Variety was limited to one obverse die. from what I have seen the die didn't get used for its normal life-span which would have resulted in brilliant coins with no frost/contrast. it would be visible on non-CAM/DCAM coins, but it almost certainly didn't last that long.

kiyote

I don’t have to try to hard to display my ignorance but what would you reckon something like this should have went for? It’s still seems kind of expensive to me!

keets

kiyote, did you even read any of the thread??