Grade the Barber half
Steve27
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"It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
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Steve27
Posts: 13,275 ✭✭✭
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This one is a no-question Fine. I put it high for an F12 and low for an F15, but neither would be outta the question in my book.
My initial impression was 12 but I'm goin' 15 on it. Tough call.
Count me out for VF20 but this is a strong Fine coin with very nice eye appeal, in my opinion. I love Barbers with dark/light accents like this. It's not exactly what I refer to as a "CircCam", but it's a similar phenomenon.
Edit: no, on second thought, definite CircCam material here. Y'all know I like 'em.
This date - 1909 - can not be graded quite the same as other Barber halves as the motto, Liberty,
was impressed stronger than all previous years and subsequent years. You have to look at all
of the coin to determine the true grade. I say its a F 12, based on wear.
If you were to fall into the trap of grading the coin by the amount of letters remaining, you'd have to
say the coin was a VF 20. However, its a nice F 12 - nothing more or less.
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Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
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Both nice coins.
I need another shot of antibarberotic drugs to combat the onset of this disease I feel creeping in...
was impressed stronger than all previous years and subsequent years. You have to look at all
of the coin to determine the true grade. I say its a F 12, based on wear."
Interesting, as I had not heard this before, does the same hold for the reverse?
I just checked Breen, and he makes no mention of it.
So I will make a deal with destiny and say this: I am going detecting in just a minute, and if I dig a Barber coin today (ANY coin designed by Barber), I will cease all resistance, purchase an album, and begin collecting raw Barber halves in VG10 to F15 or so.
We'll see what the dirt oracles foretell.
PS- Steve- IF I DO succumb to this malady, I'll be wanting that 1909 for my new set, assuming it is for sale.
Be careful Rob, this can be a very expensive malady.
That's the last thing I need.
But surely some of these can't be as tough as some of the Romans I now need, now that I am getting fairly advanced in these.
IF I start a Barber set, that will give me one Liteside project. And something to tinker with when I am taking a break from the other projects.
IF.
We'll see what omens the dirt holds today.
Gotta go- I'm runnin' late for an appointment with my diggin' buddies. C'ya.
*poof*
Really like that coin alot
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
just completed 3d tour to Iraq and retired after 28+ years in the US Army
was impressed stronger than all previous years and subsequent years. >>
Hi Mike, does that apply to the 1909-O 50c as well, or only to the Philadephia mint? (Assuming the dies all were prepared at Philadelphia, I suppose it would apply across all the mints for 1909?)
John, et al:
Yes, all 1909 halves had a stronger Liberty than all previous years.
Not too sure about the dime and quarters as I never collected them in less than AU 55.
....." Comes nice. In lower grades the word LIBERTY stands out more than for other years.
Apparently the halves minted this year [all three mints] come from different hubs,
though this has not been previously reported [see GRADING]. It is not unusual for
coins with a full LIBERTY to have substantially less detail on the rest of the coin than
would be expected, presenting a grading paradox. " David Lawrence, Author
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
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<< <i>This date - 1909 - can not be graded quite the same as other Barber halves as the motto, Liberty,
was impressed stronger than all previous years and subsequent years. You have to look at all
of the coin to determine the true grade. I say its a F 12, based on wear.
If you were to fall into the trap of grading the coin by the amount of letters remaining, you'd have to
say the coin was a VF 20. However, its a nice F 12 - nothing more or less. >>
Mike
Would the reverse be true for some dates with weaker LIBERTY detail? For example, would (or should) a 93-s with bold wreath detail and a missing letter of LIBERTY, still make the FINE or even VERY FINE grade? I have seen some of the scarcer, branch mint Barber half dates of the 1890's with very weak LIBERTY letters, grading VF 30 or 35!
Expanding the discussion into Liberty nickels, The LIBERTY letters are not always the best indicator of a coin's grade. IMO, An 1885 with F 15 detail, should not be downgraded to VG 10 because of a missing letter "I", a common characteristic of this date.
Post the image if you have it - an 1893-S with virtually a full LIBERTY could be a VF 20 - and based on the over all look of the coin - it could slip into a VF 25 holder.
Remember a fully complete LIBERTY is not "etched in stone" for a VF 20 - I feel its the overall look. The "E" may be weak but must be there - a F 15 coin on the other hand can have faint - but legible - BER .
The amount of wreath detail also plays a major factor in its grade too.
I also agree with your assessment of the 1885 you spoke of - but the "I" should be there - even though its a ghost "I".
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coin collecting is not a hobby, it's an obsession !
New Barber Purchases