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1837 RE half dollar! Busted out of PCGS holder!

BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
As you may know, I've been working on my type set and have been a long time looking for a better reeded edge half dollar, as my current one is the "weakest link" among the early halves:

image

The coin is not altogether unattractive as an EF example, it has traces of luster. an average strike, nice looking rim toning, but on the downside, not all the details are fully struck up, it has some wear, might have been "warshed off" at some point in the past, and there is that "skitch" between stars 9 and 10.

image

image

So, being the weakest of the 6 coins on the lower half of this page in my dansco, it was an upgrade target, and I have been looking for a coin with a full strike, nice luster, and positive overall eye appeal that would compliment the other MS and Proof coins in the set. Talk about a challenge! The 1837 is a bear to find with frosty luster, they are often weakly and/or unevenly struck, and when they are nice, boy are they expensive.

Well, finally found this one, and it arrived today:

image

image

Had to stretch for it but I think it's a keeper! Tough to photograph through the PCGS plastic, but will take care of that in a little while image Anyone want to guess the grade printed on the tag of it's soon-to-be-former holder?

Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

Comments

  • BustmanBustman Posts: 1,911
    nice coin. i'll go with 58
  • jdimmickjdimmick Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Baley,
    Nice upgrade. I like the looks of that 1837?

    Good choice.

  • jdimmickjdimmick Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I forgot, Looks High end AU

    55 min more like 58 as Bustman said.
  • BarryBarry Posts: 10,100 ✭✭✭
    58
  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 21,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    58... and it's sweet!!! Awesome die break!
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  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    <<Awesome die break! >>

    and a bit of a die clash, too., you can see Liberty's drapery framing the eagle's head.

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • relayerrelayer Posts: 10,570

    I'll go with the crowd and say AU-58. Nice image
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  • mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    I like the golden color. not much wear if any.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • stmanstman Posts: 11,352 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congrats Baley. I'm gonna go against the grain just a bit (as usualimage) and say au55. Mainly because I think I see a little more evidence of circulation in the fields.
    Please... Save The Stories, Just Answer My Questions, And Tell Me How Much!!!!!
  • BigMooseBigMoose Posts: 1,466 ✭✭✭
    Baley, Nice coin!! I thing PCGS graded it 62. It has some hairlines on the obverse and an interesting struck-through fragment on the reverse( at least I think it is, under the eagle's beak ). It also looks like it has very nice luster and color.
    TomT-1794

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  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,719 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very tough call... the scan is not much help in connection with a coin like this and I don't mean to be critical. I think one really needs to see the coin. I am not seeing much, if anything, in the way of hairlining. While the coin, from my perspective is mostlikely not original, it is still attractive. I would grade it MS61 from the scan but 58 is a very realistic as well. It is a nice upgrade.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    well, fooling around and trying to get some better pictures, tough to do because the plastic, parallel with the surface, wants to reflect light the same way the coin does and I keep getting a lot of glare. anyway here are a couple more tries, some incandescent and then sunset light:

    image

    image


    image

    image

    Any tips for photographing coins through the plastic? I have no problem imaging raw coins.
    (which this will be soon)

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • I'll go with 58. I understand about the fields though.
    The strangest things seem suddenly routine.
  • TassaTassa Posts: 2,373 ✭✭
    I'm thinking 61 possibly 62.
  • Nice half. As for the plastic just crack it out and get it over with and then take some more pictures. image
    Bill

    image

    09/07/2006
  • going with my feeling the graders liked this coin........ don't laugh........... MS 63
    give me liberty or give me death
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  • MacCoinMacCoin Posts: 2,545 ✭✭
    to me a cap bust half in any grade is beautiful. your is super nice great pictures.thats got to be a mint state 60 or better.
    image


    I hate it when you see my post before I can edit the spelling.

    Always looking for nice type coins

    my local dealer
  • darktonedarktone Posts: 8,437 ✭✭✭
    I know nothing about grading these but from the luster I will have to say MS63- boy it's a nice coin!. I see some pretty heavy die clashing on the reverse. mike image
  • tsacchtsacch Posts: 2,929 ✭✭✭
    wow, nice reeded..........

    63 doesnt seem like a stretch to me either, but i am not good at grading those....
    Family, kids, coins, sports (playing not watching), jet skiing, wakeboarding, Big Air....no one ever got hurt in the air....its the sudden stop that hurts. I hate Hurricane Sandy. I hate FEMA and i hate the blasted insurance companies.
  • EvilMCTEvilMCT Posts: 799 ✭✭✭
    What a beautiful set. Thanks for sharing these pics. I have no idea of how to grade these, but I like yours.

    Ken
    my knuckles, they bleed, on your front door
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,759 ✭✭✭✭
    I think this is one of those AU-63's. The coin has the look of an UNC, but there appears to be a little friction on the top edge of the wings. Could be some strike weakness, but all in all you've got a beauty!
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • jcpingjcping Posts: 2,649 ✭✭✭
    MS63. If you got a bad day, then it is an MS62.
    an SLQ and Ike dollars lover
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
    While technically AU58, these often go as high as MS63. my guess is MS62. Nice looking coin.

    roadrunner
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This is one of those rare threads where everyone is right!

    image

    As you can see, it's in an older PCGS AU58 slab, tough to photograph but in hand the coin has MS63 strike, luster, and eye appeal, with just the barest trace of rub on the cheek and beak and wing edges, almost certainly "cabinet friction" as I'm pretty sure this coin never circulated, at least not for more than a transaction or two. And I certainly must think of it as an "AU61" at least, because that's what she cost!

    Thanks everyone for responding to the thread, it's so much fun to be able to share stuff with people who like coins!

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • BearBear Posts: 18,954 ✭✭
    I would rather own a coin like yours in Au-58 then a coin in MS-63 that looke like Hell.

    A well chosen specimen, well done. Worth the price.
    There once was a place called
    Camelotimage
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What the bear said.

    (And that's my guess on the grade, too: AU58).

    Edit to add- I just now noticed that you'd posted the grade- good thing my guess was correct! (It was, I swear!) image

    Also noticed the die crack on the reverse, which is pretty neato.

    Lovely coin, and tied with the nicest I've had (also an AU58, as it happens, but ANACS net-graded it for an old cleaning I didn't spot).

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    thanks guys!
    I'll post one more set of pics when I free it from the holder and put it in the book image

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ... and here she is, freed from her plastic case, although still has the rubber inner ring around her:

    image

    image

    As a side note, this was a difficult slab to crack, probably because I was being extra careful.

    Now, a quick dip, and off to NGC!






    Just kidding, the next pics you see of this coin will be in a Dansco type set album imageimage

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    aaahhhh... now everytime I look at it, I don't have to see a grading opinion, just a coin. image

    image



    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • I've got my eye on a VF 35...my lettered edge is a former ANACS VF 30...

    For my Dansco, I feel just a bit too uncomfortable putting anything too "pricey" in it.

    Sure does look sweet in the album though...
  • You got a real nice barber there too...
  • BustmanBustman Posts: 1,911
    The coin looks really terrific. Don't forget to send that tag in!
  • EVillageProwlerEVillageProwler Posts: 5,859 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Baley,

    Your set and the latest acquisition look really sweet!

    image

    EVP

    How does one get a hater to stop hating?

    I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com

  • tradedollarnuttradedollarnut Posts: 20,146 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I love reeded edge halves, and you've got a keeper. Great coin that's easily worth MS62/63 money.

    Some coins are worth more OUT of the holder!
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,719 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your last photo before cracking it out was outstanding...it made me feel better about grading it MS61

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your last photo before cracking it out was outstanding...it made me feel better about grading it MS61
    -coinkat

    Thanks kat, your grade of MS61 made me feel better about paying MS61 money image



    Some coins are worth more OUT of the holder!
    -tradedollarnut

    ... or at least as much out of the holder. Do you mean some coins aren't?!? image

    Your set and the latest acquisition look really sweet!
    -EVilliageProwler

    thanks EVP, it's coming along... some of the Unc. detail seated coins were dipped by previous owners, obtained at EF/AU prices, and are just going to hang out for a decade or 2 and see what mellows.

    Don't forget to send that tag in!
    -Bustman

    Well, maybe someday. Right now it's part of my growing collection of certification tags. Wanna see some beauties image

    You got a real nice barber there too...
    -paigowjohnny

    1905 Proof mintage 727! has a few hairlines you need to tilt it to see.

    That coin looks even nicer out of its plastic
    -Manofcoins

    Thanks, I agree! imageimage

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • ElcontadorElcontador Posts: 7,412 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Baley,

    I opted for a Reeded Edge rather than a Capped Bust Half because you can get a fully struck R.E. half more easily. I agree with your assessment of the coin; a slight luster break on the cheek, beak & wingtip.

    It looks better than most of the 63s I've seen. The luster is there and importantly, your coin doesn't have many contact marks on Miss Liberty's face, neck or in the obverse fields, which is common on these coins in the lower grades of Unc.

    Hopefully I'll find something equally as attractive before year end.
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  • dorkkarldorkkarl Posts: 12,692 ✭✭✭
    sensational, baley. congrats. i like it A LOT.

    looks like maybe a strike through on the rev, above the eagle's left wing (facing)?

    K S
  • IrishMikeIrishMike Posts: 7,738 ✭✭✭
    Terrific coin, I like it a lot too, especially the die clash on the reverse.image
  • fivecentsfivecents Posts: 11,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
    MS62- MS63 ??
  • Nice!

    Now what are you going to do about those 5 weakest links??? image
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Elcontador, thanks and good luck in your search, these can come ugly, hold out for a beaut!

    Dorkkarl, how did I know you'd like the coin and be all in favor of breaking it out? image
    As IrishMike and others have observed, what might appear to the novice to be field marks or to the intermediate collector as something struck-through, they are indeed what are called "clash marks" of Liberty's drapery around the eagle's head. image

    fivecents, yes, I think of this coin as approximately 62.5 in value, although PCGS had previously rated it 58 out of 70.

    Now what are you going to do about those 5 weakest links??? -supercoin

    well, there are other weaker links in the book than any of the half dollars, the current list is in my sig line.

    You can see here why I am in the market for a nice Double Dime:

    image

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • Much better now! image
    Bill

    image

    09/07/2006
  • BaleyBaley Posts: 22,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry

  • grayroadsgrayroads Posts: 211 ✭✭
    Cast my vote: AU 58. grayroads.
  • CaseyCasey Posts: 1,502 ✭✭
    That is a beauty Baley!
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Fantastic looking coin.

    I once did the same thing, but in reverse. Bought one raw and slabbed it. It was raw AU58 at a show in Raleigh that probably just about as nice as yours, technically, though yours has better toning. Mine turned out to have been dipped. ANACS gave it UNC details, as I recall (much to my surprise), but netted it to AU for cleaning. It was a nice coin and would have looked great in your set- too bad I didn't know you then. But you've found an even nicer one.

    The dealer I bought it from was a great guy and had said he would refund my money if it didn't slab to my liking (how many folks do that ?) I called or emailed him and he agreed to buy it back. I told him I would list it on eBay in the slab first, so maybe a return wouldn't be necessary. As it happened, it wasn't. I ended up actually making a tiny profit on the thing. I later spoke on the phone to the dealer I'd bought it from, and told him a refund would not be necessary, and that I had actually made a dollar or two on it. He laughed.

    Edit: hmm. Forgot I had already responded to this post. That's a terrific lookin' half, Baley.

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