1803 Bust half dollar - large pic - updated with grade

stephunter

How about some feedback on what it might grade.

BlindedByEgo

I know nothing about grading Bust half dollars, but I'll guess VF30

IMO thy're all cool.

numobri

I would go low VF. If not for the many hits on it,I would have said low XF.

I see some cool die clash at the top of the obverse and bottom of the reverse.

JMO.


Brian

stephunter

ttt for the daytime group.

LanLord

Easily vf30. I wouldn't be suprised at a xf40. The hits on it are probably no where near as bad as appear on the image. The image is 10 times regular size, it magnifies everything out of proportion.

Thats a nice half. Would look good in nearly everyones type set.

nankraut

Nice coin....VF30+, even tho it's been rather harshly cleaned, etc.

Steve27

Might get a BB for altered surfaces. The paste-white areas are an indication that heavy black toning was subjected to dipping (assuming your pics accurately reflect the coin).

DNADave

<< <i>Nice coin....VF30+, even tho it's been rather harshly cleaned, etc. >>




Harshly?

morgannut2

I don't see it as any more harshly cleaned than others in PCGS holders. Some of the missing detail is due to the strike instead of wear. But there's enough missing on the motto and cheek/etc that I would put it around VF-25 (but no arguement up to VF35). Lot of history there in that coin!! Nice one==

Baley

Very nice coin and great pictures!

I disagree that the "white" areas are cleaned. Nor do i think the coin is "burnished"

Here's what I think happened:

The coin spent years in one of those infamous "bank storage bags" of half dollars during the 18-teens and 20's.
It was a nice EF or maybe even AU when it went in.
It was in this bag storage that it acquired the deep patina, as well as numerous little bag marks.

Then, some time later, the bag was opened and the contents released to circulation.

At the time, Draped bust would still be circulating (although, by then, most of the type were Fine, VG, or lower)

So it circulated, and the toning was worn off the high points, and additional wear occurred all over.

THEN, it was removed from circulation, saved, and became first a keepsake, then a collector coin.

Congrats on a teriffic coin

I'd buy it all day long as a VF, and twice on Sunday. Probably closer to EF but not quite, I'd guess PCGS VF30, shot 35
They could give it a 25 and practically guarantee another submission fee

BillJones

The obverse is very close to EF. The reverse because of strike problems looks like a VF. In the old days I'd say VF-30. Today, who knows? With the EF grade being "degraded" you might get the EF.

My only concern about the piece is spot on the rim between the "L" and "I" in "LIBERTY." This is probably a rim nick, and I hope it has not been filed off. That could cause you problems and get you a body bag.

TorinoCobra71

VF-20

TorinoCobra71

stephunter

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I bought it a while back and it came with an old anacs photo certificate that graded it vf20, but that bump on the rim between the L and I in Liberty concerned me so I wasn't sure if it would get into an Ngc or Pcgs holder.

BillJones

<< <i>Thanks for the feedback everyone. I bought it a while back and it came with an old anacs photo certificate that graded it vf20, but that bump on the rim between the L and I in Liberty concerned me so I wasn't sure if it would get into an Ngc or Pcgs holder. >>



I have a 1909-S-VDB cent that I purchased with ANACS papers back in the early 1980s. The coin was graded VF-20, and I knew from the get-go that the grade was too low. When I did get around to having it slabbed it came back in an NGC EF-45 holder. I would have called it a 40, but it goes to show that ANACS paper grades could be too conservative at times.

stephunter

The coin came back today and it graded (now holdered) with Anacs as VF30 Details but scratched. The attributed it as O-102a.

DNADave

<< <i>The coin came back today and it graded (now holdered) with Anacs as VF30 Details but scratched. The attributed it as O-102a. >>



Still a fantastic coin. I'd rather have the old scratch like that, as opposed to a fresh staple scratched coin. To me, that coin isn't hurt much by it.