This week's purchase - 1837 Half Dime

tmot99

Just bought this yesterday. Not a nick or any wear that I can see. I will be sending this in for grading. Anyone want to guess?

byergo

Looks so perfect I'd wonder if it were fake.

tmot99

God, I hope not. I really doubt it. it would have to be a really good fake. This baby is full of luster and from what I hear, fakes are usually circulated and lack luster. It is a beautiful coin in person; the pictures do not do it justice.

JrGMan2004

Hey 2-year type! As long as your a Gold or Platinum member

pursuitofliberty

fake? I had the same first impression, but after looking further maybe not ... HOWEVER ...
look real close at the knee and the field to the right of it ... could be whizzed? ... hard to tell

tmot99

George:

I wish. I already sent in a 1866 shield nickel. I would rather have this graded.

Todd:

That is a "texture" in the field that are not from whizzing. It looks more like flow lines in the metal.

I bought this from a pretty reputable dealer in Minneapolis. I would be very surprised if it's a fake. Can anyone tell me if fakes have lots of luster?

tmot99

ttt- for the daytime crowd. Any opinions? Whizzing was mentioned. Is it possible to have lots of luster after whizzing? The coins I have seen whizzed didn't have any luster left. They look more proof-like.

Stuart

The luster on Miss Liberty looks a bit strange around her right arm and breast area, as if the coin may have some wear in those specific areas??

It's very difficult to tell from this photo... Other opinions??

tjkillian

To me, it looks very nice, easily a MS-64 or MS-65. It looks original and the luster looks fantastic.

Tom

Coppernicus

To my eye, a whizzed silver coin usually is too shiny and brightly uniform. This can be seen from arms length and can be confirmed through closer inspection. The coin here looks a bit suspect on the obverse but the reverse looks more natural. It may just be the pic but the obverse looks a bit too shiny to me, especially the shield and lower part of the dress. As always, I could be wrong!

Mike

UncleJoe

It doesn't look right but maybe it is the scan.

But look at this!

Joe.

fivecents

I will take a stab......MS67--MS68

tmot99

The devices are lusterous, but not as shiny as the picture shows. I had to adjust the brightness/contrast on the photo in order to get the fields looking as close to actual as possible. This may have accentuated the shininess in the devices.

I would love to see a MS67 or 8, but I'd be happy with a 65 or 66. At this point, I'm going to wait through the blackout and submit in a week or so. I'll do 7-day on this so we won't wait too long.

Coppernicus

Uncle Joe - Dipped or what? Surely, that's natural color!

Mike

boyhowdy

Spark erosion?

Steve

earlwbollinger

That looks like a proof to me.

coinguy89

I think the coin is very real, someone would get the opinion that its not by the beautiful perfect look of it. This coin will grade well, I can tell you'll be happy with it. (sounds like I was trying to sell it to you)

prooflike

weigh it, won;t guarantee it is genuine, but if the weight is not right, it's counterfeit.

Shamika

I admit, my first thought was that the coin was fake or had been tooled. But I don't know squat about this series so you can ignore my opinion.

Keep us informed.

LanLord

That looks way cool.

What's up below the 8 in the date, looks like some die breakage or something?

Very awsome

darktone

It does look odd- from the pictures I suspect it's a fake also. Edit your title and put half dime in it so all the people into these coins will take a look. mike

coinlieutenant

Tough to say from pics...

Obv might have been whizzed...

tmot99

According to Breen's, the first die has a triple 8 with doubling on the other digits. You can see it below the 7.

It is surprising a lot of people are suspecting fake. I did not get this from my local dealer. I bought it at a dealer in MN. My local dealer thinks there is something wrong with the surface leading him to think fake too. I just find it hard to believe that someone would take the time to make this good of a fake on a 1)half dime 2) with 1.4 million minted.

XpipedreamR

I hope you got it at the "I think it's probably a fake" price

coinlieutenant

I dont think that it is fake... I think it is whizzed..

mrdq

i'm going to guess if you send it to PCGS it's either going to be bb Altered surfaces or ms63

here's mine it's NGC 63 i think..
1837 obverse
reverse