My 1st old US coin

Vetter

I just received this 1807 half in the mail. It’s graded NGC VG details cleaned. Am I wrong in my thinking that most coins over 200 years have been cleaned at one point if not more? The cleaning doesn’t bother me as the look and the history of it far outweigh the problem. Thomas Jefferson was President (3rd one) and the Civil War was still 54 years away.

BillJones

The cleaning issue with these coins gets down to the matter of how much. This one has been scrubbed pretty hard,. It's not terrible by any means. Polishing is the worst.

Jimnight

Wow 1807.

jmlanzaf

@Vetter said:
I just received this 1807 half in the mail. It’s graded NGC VG details cleaned. Am I wrong in my thinking that most coins over 200 years have been cleaned at one point if not more? The cleaning doesn’t bother me as the look and the history of it far outweigh the problem. Thomas Jefferson was President (3rd one) and the Civil War was still 54 years away.

I think it is important to make the distinction between "cleaned " and "details cleaned".

Most early 19th century coins have been dipped as it was common in the 19th century. But most of those coins are considered "market acceptable" and will straight grade. A details grade means the cleaning was beyond what the market will accept.

That is not to say that your coin isn't collectible, but just to be clear about the difference between "market acceptable" and"details"

Hydrant

I like it. Yea, all 200 year old coins most likely seen some cleaning. But like BillJones said, "Polishing is the worst."

Crypto

Old coins are old coins and while cleaning takes some of the history away, not even close to all. Think of all the early Americans that coin made the rounds with. Amazing stuff

My first old coin like that was a worse off 1806/5 half. Remember grading is about recognizing attributes and ranking the example in your hand against all the examples out there. You need to hold the good, bad and the ugly to know what the sweet spot is. Most old timers forget how many duds have crossed their paths and act like they were always pulling gems off of instinct. Next time you go to a show take that with you and look & compare it to all the other bust halves while remembering that most of the bad ones were left at the shop.

Makes me feel sort of bad for the young bucks who will never go to an old timer who pulls out massive double rows boxes of 2x2 where you can see dozens of examples that run the gamut of preservation, filliping though for the one. Lot of education in that

BryceM

The vast, vast, vast majority of coins from this era have been melted or lost. Many have serious issues like holes, being bent, graffiti, or even worse. A few have unmolested surfaces, and a very small number have escaped all circulation and are still mint-state. If this one was graded "cleaned" than means the coin isn't comparable to other problem-free coins with that amount of circulation wear. Regular wear is one thing. Abrasive cleaning is another. Most have been dipped, and some many times. Dipping alone doesn't constitute "improper cleaning".

braddick

Personally, I like it.

kaz

It looks a bit bright from the cleanup but there are far worse ones out there; and as you point out you have history right in your hands.

asheland

Nice pick up. My half is also an 1807

jayPem

Best thing about a coin like that is you can crack it out and hold it in your hand.

jesbroken

I would like it. I think it is a nice piece of numismatic history. I, like some others, think that a little slack is due coins over 200 years old, especially large coins.
Thanks for sharing.
Jim

johnny9434

My first old coin like that is a 1807 as well. Congrats on an excellent coin

PerryHall

Question for the forum---if you owned this coin and wanted to keep it, how many of you would crack it out and let it tone naturally? How would you encourage natural toning? Paper envelope or Taco Bell napkin or some other strategy?

Crypto

@PerryHall

The old cleaned skin like that might be stable.

I would give it a bath in acetone and then diluted dip (rinse) to make it reactive again and cut up an 80s comic interior pages and put a few of those in Manila envelope with the coin and leave it in a sunny window behind a plant of something. That said an VG bust will never look right with recent skin. The purples and browns will make it look like a funny VG album toned walker

I have long learned there is little value to “fixing” and it becomes worse 85% of the time. Pros might have better odds or select better subjects than I

lkenefic

@PerryHall said:
Question for the forum---if you owned this coin and wanted to keep it, how many of you would crack it out and let it tone naturally? How would you encourage natural toning? Paper envelope or Taco Bell napkin or some other strategy?

Personally, I'd leave her in the plastic. I think the old girl has been through enough already...

TwoSides2aCoin

At some juncture, the worst thing about it is the plastic and opinions surrounding it. I call it a perfect album filler. I would crack it out for an album, but not to " tone it", ""fix-it", or mess with it in any other way.

Nope. Strictly to fill a hole.

YoloBagels

Not sure how intense the cleaning is IRL but I would definitely crack it out and let it tone over some more. I have bought cleaned bust coinage before only for it to turn darker into a nice patina. And as others have said it would look great in an album (if you can find an album that holds draped busts lol).

ricko

That is a nice old coin, and one I would keep....Probably leave it in the slab, though I would be tempted to crack it, just to hold the 'history' in my hand. Cheers, RickO