My first real coin purchase - a type coin 1/2 dime

Zulan

(what the heck is a type coin anyway... all coins are my type)

Tell me what you think!!! I think it is a really pretty coin. It is brighter in the hand. Any grade information?

Zulan

relayer

It looks like the colors of PVC to me

I'd say NET 25

Cladiator

I'd say high VF range but that color looks really odd to me.

Baley

Agree: nice VF+ details, medium funky color.

Zulan

Huh, I see what you mean, but the green really stands out more in the pictures that it does to the eye, and the surface looks undamaged (as far as I can tell).

God!! I hope this is not PVC damage. I just did a search and was unable to find ANY examples of PVC damage. A lot of descriptions, but no examples.

I can say that this does not look line any (and I quote) "Plasticizers mixed with the PCV can damage coins over time, causing "PVC damage," which looks like green goo". This is iridescent and pretty on the coin, not "goo like"

I could be wrong, I have just never seen it before. Anyone have any examples out there or any other input? I am really bummed now!

Zulan

Zulan

Here is the best example I could find of what it looks like in hand rather than the angled close ups. It is in now way related to these coins and I do not own these coins (I wish). The colors just LOOKS like the colors on these coins.







Or I am engaged in denial. Sigh. But the green really does look good. not goopy.

JadeRareCoin

Zulan,

The colors look okay on your half dime, imho. It's difficult to grade from a scan, but I would venture to guess that your coin is EF and the toning is okay. I really like it!

mrpaseo

Not a bad looking coin, I wouldn't mind owning it.

I can't help you with the grade by the photo (Not that I'm good with grading at all anyway) as for the colors. They don't look so strange to me, however, again the scans don't help much. If you say that the colors are more vibrant in hand then you have a good chance of it being not AT. The way the color flows into the deep points of the coin and not up over the devices (The actual pictures on the coin) tells me that it's natural. But there are some pretty good Coin Doctors out there

Do you plan on sending this coin in for authentication? I would probably send it in if it were mine just to be sure, but that is me. If you like the coin for what it's worth, keep it as is and enjoy it.

At a second look, maybe the color does look a lile funny I'm no expert, thats why I leave it up to the graders/authenticators to tell me

Good luck, either way, it's a nice coin.

Ray

ms70

My opinion: VF35, Natural toning, really nice!

dorkkarl

vf-30, color is mkt-acceptable.

congrats!

K S

rhedden

VF-35, color suggests that the coin was in a paper envelope for many years. I don't see any PVC damage. Also, you picked a good series to collect- these are truly scarce and desirable. I'd say it's a definite keeper. Now you just have to attribute it by die variety, and soon you'll be hooked on collecting these.

Zulan

Thanks for the input. I bought it thinking this would be one of my "learning" pieces. I grade it as XF-40 in my hand. I did not realize that half-dimes were so frigging small. I think I see why dollars are so popular. At least you can see the details easily with the naked eye.

Should I slab this? Or turn it around raw to see what type of loss I take? This is a learning piece after all, and I need to sell some coins sometime. I will note that the prices are all over the board for these coins (depending on where you look).

Zulan


*** waitaminute.... die variety?? Crud!! I have more to learn!!! ****

dorkkarl

please don't waste your hard-earned $$$ on plastic for these coins. USE that money you would otherwise waste on buying another COIN. you will be so much better off for it. besides, a slab simply adds nothing to that coin, & detracts from your ability to appreciate it literally IN-HAND.

K S

mirabela

I'd hang onto it at least for a while. After all, didn't you just get it? Also, with the market doing the things it's doing, now's one of the fairly few times in my lifetime when you might in not too many months or years actually be able to turn it around at a substantial profit if you wait. Can we ask where it came from, and how much cash it took to pry it loose from its former owner? Did the seller state a grade? Did you pay XF money, high VF money, less? I think it's a good looking coin.

Shamika

This is not PVC.

And might I say you have a very nice 1/2 dime.

JrGMan2004

Nice coin... LM-8, R-2, Small Date, Lrage 5c, can't tell which remarriage of the marriage it is. Unless it has some luster left, I have to say VF35 on this one, and the how the hell did I miss this one on EBay?!

Betta285

Beautiful coin! Colors look fine and I'd agree with JRG in saying VF35

jim

coinguy89

GREAT looking piece, wish I could of found that at a show.

Zulan

One of my (many) character flaws is that I hate admitting to making mistakes. But you guys are alright.

OK, I paid 90 bucks for the half-dime. I fear that is too much.I t was presented as VF to XF. I had never seen a half dime before, and I only want to collect better coins (I am done with "good" and "you can make it out if you hold it to the light right" coins). I only want to see better coins in my collection. Having said that, I cannot afford to go MS on most of these coins. The prices are crazy high on some of these bad boys.

So, my goal at this time is to pick up "samples" of coins and see where I really want to collect. I am pretty well off and I can spend a hundred bucks here and there to see what I really like. My problem being I like everything. I REALLY need to try and focus on one thing. So I will be buying coins hither and yon to see what I want to focus on and complete. That will help limit my spending as well.

I do like learning about the whole process, and these forums are great for that learning. I want to thank all of you for spending your time answering questions from scads of undereducated coin collectors like me. I am trying to change that undereducated part though.

**oh, and the coin does have some luster. It is not as dull as the picture makes it look **

Zulan

mgoodm3

Nice coin. nice colors. $90 doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

prooflike

I like it, it has interesting colors & I'd say VF35.

If you want more protection for it, you cold always go with airtites.

Zulan

Do they sell airtites that small? How small is a half-dime anyway?

That is a good idea. I think I will buy one as long as I can figure out the dimensions so I can go pick up the right size.

JrGMan2004

You could just get a CoinWorld Slab... me personally, I just keep mine in 2-1/2x2-1/2 SafT Flips... let's me take the coin out easilly and study it... I figured out that the 2-1/2x2-1/2 flips fit in NGC Slab Boxes Well, at least, the smokey plastic ones, I don't have one of the Silver-Grey ones...

coinguy89

<< <i>You could just get a CoinWorld Slab... me personally, I just keep mine in 2-1/2x2-1/2 SafT Flips... let's me take the coin out easilly and study it... I figured out that the 2-1/2x2-1/2 flips fit in NGC Slab Boxes Well, at least, the smokey plastic ones, I don't have one of the Silver-Grey ones... >>



Im about to get those flips, you keep talking about.

mirabela

Admitting to making mistakes? From what I see, I think you got a pretty coin, probably original, for a fair price. Everybody's standards are different, but if it were me, that would be a coin I'd enjoy looking at for a long time.