Posting Board Member Elcontador's New Purchases From The Recent ANR Auction

stman

We tried to do this together but it didn't seem to work. Anyway, I'll let him come in and describe them.

Enjoy!!!



Hope I got the right ones.

Elcontador

Stman, I owe you for this; thank yew!!!!!!!

I got these from the recent A.N.R. auction, and I'm stilll surprised, because I thought both coins would go over my max bid (especially the Half). I don't have the coins yet, but the descriptions re the stuff you can't see are the info I got per a phone call with my favorite numismatist at A.N.R. before I made any bids.

The 1883 Shield Nickel is a reminder that you can find nice coins in NGC holders. It's an NGC MS 66. It has outstanding luster (if you want good luster, your best bets are the two easiest MS coins to find in the series, the 1882 & 1883). Mint state Shield Nickels often come with heavy die cracks, not this coin (that's one reason I bid on it) . It has two small dings, one in each of the viewer's left-most pillars of the shield.

I asked about those faint lines across the reverse, because from the image, they looked like hairlines (which are often on high grade MS coins of this series). I was told that those lines are raised -- they are die polish lines -- much like those you see on high grade late dated Mercury dimes.

Hopefully, it's as nice as it sounds in person; I have a long time relationship with the A.N.R. people, so I tend to think it should be fine. I was frustrated because it seems to be even harder to find an attractive Shield Nickel than an attractive Liberty Nickel, and as you know, nice Liberty Nickels are scarce. Plus, the mint had many problems with the hardness of the metal, so there were more problems with die cracks in the Shield Nickel series. You don't see this as much with the Liberty Nickel series.

I was also frustrated because it seemed whenever a nice one came up at an auction, I was always the underbidder or at the level below the underbidder. However, I got this one for less than my max bid.

I was very surprised that I got the Half. As you know, late date Seated coinage did not circulate. When you get to MS 65 and above, the pops are scarce and these are popular coins. It's in a PC MS 66 holder.

The only negatives on the coin are that the head is 80% full, the stars on each side of the head are a bit softly struck, and there is a contact mark above the eagle's rt. wing.

The coin is brilliant, but not PL. The toning enhances the luster. That line going through the eagle's shield at a 45 degree angle is a toning streak, not a contact mark. I already have an 83 in PC MS 65 which is PL, but this coin caught my eye.

Both coins are a little lighter, and have a bit less violet color than is shown on these images.

This should do it for the year. Five new coins; I guess this is why I am writing as much as I am now.

1858 LL Flyer in PC MS 65
1883 N/C Nickel in PC MS 66
1855 1/2 Cent in NGC MS 65 RB
1883 Shield Nickel in NGC 66
1888 Half in PC MS 66.

That's all folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Numismanic

Beautiful coins, congrats!

shylock

Have any images of the 1858 FE ?

ibzman350

That is a beautiful coin !!

This is the first time I really ever looked at a seated Liberty, you mean to tell be they can look even better than that?

and thanx for a wonderful description, I've learn a lot today.


Herb

coinguy1

Nice looking coins.

stman

<< <i>Stman, I owe you for this; thank yew!!!!!!! >>



Elcontador, you owe me nothing. Glad to help out a fellow collector.
Besides... with some of those one liners you write to describe an ugly coin
I feel I owe YOU for the laughter!!!! Enjoy your new purchases.