Tone Lovers-Gem 1856-O Liberty Seated Half Dollar.

Gemini

I thought that you would enjoy seeing this coin.
I recently removed some coins from my safety deposit box so that my son could photograph some of them with his new digital camera.
All of my 43 years of collected coins are currently uncapsulated and not graded.
Many were purchased before the advent of these services.
This Seated 1856-O no motto half dollar business strike is one of my favorite coins.
I mentioned this piece in several threads about toned coins and now you finally get to see it.
When I purchased it 23 years ago it was described as a Superb Irridescent Gem MS-65 which was as high as the Sheldon grading scale went at that time.
The finite grades of MS66-MS70 were added sometime later.
I plan to start submitting my coins for grading as I am being put out to pasture starting this Spring and its time to get my barn in order.
Any guesstimates on todays grade or comments from you would be appreciated.
If anyone could provide some population figures on this coin that would be appreciated also.
At this time I would like to thank the Mint- Wayte Raymond- Mother Nature- and the past caretakers for making this beautiful coin possible for all collectors to eternally enjoy...
Happy collecting! Don

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Jamericon

Beautiful coin! If not mistaken, I believe that date is a better date for that series. Definitely looks like a good gem to me- somwhere around a 64-65.

Not to be sour, but you are sure the coin has never been cleaned correct?

MadMonk

Beautiful coin. I see the obverse as 64, reverse 65. Looks like a lot of hairlines in the fields of obverse. But hey, that's my opinion on an image.

tjkillian

Very nice coin. The colors are fantastic. Based on what I see in the picture, I would go MS-64. A little too much chatter and a ding in the arm might limit it.

PCGS Pop figures for 1856-O Half Dollar
MS-66 1
MS-65 4
MS-64 18
MS-63 15
MS-62 15
MS-61 5
MS-60 2
AU-58 13

Tom

MrKelso

That is a wonderful piece and should bring a nice price at auction. Looks like it has a wonderful luster to it. I would love to handle that coin and see it up close. In MS65 2003 North American List's it at 12,500. Now i won't sleep waiting for you to get it graded so we can see the results.

Good Luck. Lets see more..

Gemini

The surfaces are original and this piece was never dipped the luster on this piece would blow you away if you saw it up close.
The dealer from which I bought it from offered me triple what I paid for it a year later.

There is a small mark on the arm but no chatter left of liberty although whitish looking marks appear in the photo.

Of course photos always don't tell the story and how often have you heard you really have to see this coin in person...

Just also bear in mind that these coins were shipped in the days of the horse and buggy over the worst possible road surfaces. On and off loaded by hand many times until they reached their final destination.

These were not mailed out by the Mint in some cutesy little plastic packages...

To find a complete mark free specimen of an early date coin this large is indeed a great rarity...

vega1

Thanks for sharing.

That coin is GEORGIOUS.

MrKelso

To find a complete mark free specimen of an early date coin this large is indeed a great rarity... >>



Not to mention a costly challenge.

BigD5

The coin looks absolutely wonderful. Amazing really. I'd say ms/64 because of the assortment of minor marks, but it's kind of tough grading by the scans. I'm not sure how much the grade really matters with that one. I love it.

barberlover

Natural, different color toning on both sides of the coin. While i agree that the obverse is only a technical 64, i think p.c.g.s. might "5" it because of the combination of rich natural color and incredibly full unbroken luster. I will buy this coin from you right now for 30 percent above greysheet 64 money unslabed and i'm not kidding. p.m. me if interested. I don't currently own a seated half in my collection, because i've ownly seen 2 mint state pieces i've ever liked in 30 plus years including yours. barberlover

BigD5

I don't think 30% over 4 in the sheet would even open the bidding on that coin.

KlectorKid

Its not a 64 coin it looks 65 and even then it has great toning and with seated coins going for as much as they are u might be paying greysheet 66 or very close to it. That is of course if this is 65.

coinkat

There are some coins that have to be graded live and in person and this is one of them.

Gemini

Thank you all for your comments.
Tom thank you for posting the pop stats I appreciate that.
Barberlover I appreciate your offer but this coin is going in for grading and I'll go from there. I'm sure this coin will go higher than 64.
This coin really has to be seen first hand to be fully appreciated.
Thanks-Don

Hadleydog

Gemini, Thank you for sharing that incredible gem with us!

michael

wow superb!!!!!!!! looks gem to me and the coin has the eye appeal much higher!!

the lustre looks incredible

monster lustre

sincerely michael

DHeath

Don,

Thak you for the picture. She's lovely. I'm not a fan of the series, but a coin like yours would surely convert me. The luster booms, and the color is truly fantastic. It would be the centerpiece of most collections.

Casey

Wow. Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for posting.

Trime

Really pretty coin.
The pic certainly looks like there are hairlines in rt obv and a few scattered marks but the luster is great and nice strike.
Eye appeal is great. If the above is correct when in hand I would have thought it would be a technical 64 but grade 65 because of the eye appeal. Whatever it gets on the slab. I like the coin alot.

barberlover

Gemini, let us know when this coin comes back from grading. If p.c.g.s. went strictly on eye appeal, this coin blows away anything i've ever seen in a 67 holder for seated halves. it is truely rare to find a seated half with the combination of beautiful original color and jump off the coin and bite you full luster. When it comes back from grading I'll be happy to make you a throw the sheet away for the grade offer on it, let me know, but more importantley thanks for sharing the pic. of this fabulous coin. barberlover

DesertLizard

Grading is a difficult art, not science and grading from a fuzzy off angle pix is almost pointless. But i would guess 64 bringing 65 money and a 65 grade on a good day.

That said I have the following question, what is marking on the right side of the eagle sheild? Looks almost like a cud.

Nice toning, the chatter/dings dont bother me but I do suspect this piece has been cleaned. I see faint hairlines. It has just a wee bit too much going on for it not to have been cleaned up a bit and looking like that. Nonetheless it is a fine piece and would be one of the best 64/65s out there. 64s sell for about $1.5k and 65s $5k. Too bad for sellers Seated material is dead, I am a buyer can pick nice ones up all day long for about the price for a nice Morgan or Barber.

Gemini

Desert Lizard there are some scuff marks to the right of the coin. Very minor scuffs left. There is no cud near the rock maybe its just the angle and lighting but there is nothing going on there.
The reverse fields are flawless and free of any injury except for one tiny ding above the right side of the eagles wing.
There are no signs of hairlining or breaks in the luster anywhere on the reverse.
It has full cartwheel effect when rotated.
I can't explain why the obverse has some scuffs while the reverse has none.
I would think if someone cleaned this piece both sides would exhibit some similar abrasion.
This was our first coin photo shoot using an ordnary unshaded light bulb. We tried to capture as much mint frost and color as possible sometimes not that easy with a toned coins we found out.
It is much easier viewing a coin in your hand as it can be rotated to see that certain point of flash and color.
Maybe we will try to reshoot the coin using a different angle or light source.
I really want to get some good photos before it is sealed up.
Thanking you for your remarks and interest.
Don