Please Grade These Two Half Eagles - 1853 and 1909

Eddi

Thanks in advance for your grade opinions on these two coins.
I am trying to determine if they are worth more than bullion.

The pictures are not optimal, sorry about that.

MsMorrisine

i've been way wrong lately

58,58

jacrispies

Both look somewhat cleany. But if they straight graded, 58; 50.

jfriedm56

AU55
AU Details, cleaned.

PerryHall

58
45

Shurke

From these pics, the 1909-D looks AU 55-58.

The 1853 looks AU Cleaned.

relicsncoins

62
AU details cleaned.

marcmoish

if straight graded 58 & 45 seems correct.

lkenefic

I think straight-grade for the 1909 Indian... AU55

I think the 1853 might have been cleaned and is retoning around the periphery... AU Details

Smudge

Both mid AU. 53 may have been cleaned but has a nice look other than the dings.

johnny9434

58/50

Cougar1978

55,50

pursuitofliberty

Put me in as 53 on the Indian, and questionable straight grade on the Liberty (probably a 45 or 50 if she grades)

The_Dinosaur_Man

Put me in the album quality category

zer0man

liberty head toning looks off to me. I love toned gold, but that one is giving me vibes of a piece perhaps previously mounted in jewelry which was heated, causing the color.

BillJones

Maybe it's the photos, but they both appear to have been cleaned to me. The colors look "flat" not "swirly."

The light from the surfaces should look more like these two in person, even in AU condition.

PeakRarities

Neither are worth grading imo , both appear to have signs of cleaning and I wouldn’t count on a straight grade for either of them. If they did, I’m thinking 58ish on the Indian and 50ish on the lib.

lkenefic

@PeakRarities said:
Neither are worth grading imo , both appear to have signs of cleaning and I wouldn’t count on a straight grade for either of them. If they did, I’m thinking 58ish on the Indian and 50ish on the lib.

Perhaps this is "high-end dealer" thinking versus "mid-range collector" thinking... but IMHO, they're both "worth" getting certified if just for authenticity... if they both straight-grade in the mid AU range, they're ~ $1200 to $1300 coins. If they don't straight-grade they're still worth bullion value if authenticated. ...at least that's how I do my bidding (I typically won't bid on raw gold... unless I personally know the dealer and there's a return policy if the piece comes up counterfeit)

coinkat

Submitting these will not produce a positive outcome. I do not like the surfaces of either coin and a straight grade may not be in the cards.

Davidk7

@lkenefic said:

@PeakRarities said:
Neither are worth grading imo , both appear to have signs of cleaning and I wouldn’t count on a straight grade for either of them. If they did, I’m thinking 58ish on the Indian and 50ish on the lib.

Perhaps this is "high-end dealer" thinking versus "mid-range collector" thinking... but IMHO, they're both "worth" getting certified if just for authenticity... if they both straight-grade in the mid AU range, they're ~ $1200 to $1300 coins. If they don't straight-grade they're still worth bullion value if authenticated. ...at least that's how I do my bidding (I typically won't bid on raw gold... unless I personally know the dealer and there's a return policy if the piece comes up counterfeit)

Not sure what being a "high-end dealer" has to do with his opinion, since Dan handles coins in the high three figure range as well as low four figure range. These are both borderline details coins and in this current market you can buy UNC examples of both of these $5s for melt, or even under melt due to the price of gold. Instead of spending time, shipping fees, and the grading fees you can show it to a trusted dealer, confirm authenticity, and proudly keep them raw. There is almost no upside here, OP can slab them if he really wants to but it's not necessary.