Please Grade A Circulated 1840-O Half Dime

Tyler1924S

Here is an 1840-O Half Dime for your grading opinions. I'd like to see if I'm somewhat accurate with my grade for this. The E in LIBERTY is weak, shows better from a distance, blends in on the close-up. As always, thanks in advance!

CoinsAreNeat

Fine

Patches

VG10/F12

Tyler1924S

Thanks for the opinions. It's currently recorded as "FINE". I'll go F-12 with it, as I've changed most everything labeled fine to either F-12 or F-15 (in order to be more specific).

coinkat

based upon the lustre in protected areas around the stars, I do not think F12 is appropriate... the strike is weak which is typical for this date. I do think the wear is consistent with a F12 GRADE, BUT THE STRIKE leaves alittle to be desired. For these reasons, it may grade VF25, perhaps even as high as 30

Tyler1924S

<< <i>based upon the lustre in protected areas around the stars, I do not think F12 is appropriate... the strike is weak which is typical for this date. I do think the wear is consistent with a F12 GRADE, BUT THE STRIKE leaves alittle to be desired. For these reasons, it may grade VF25, perhaps even as high as 30 >>



I do think the central area of the shield started out weak. Also, the head, gown, & some of the stars show more detail than what I'd expect for F-12 or less. Appears to have an uneven strike in addition to the clashed dies. The type of coin I would grade F, but not be surprised if it came back VF (at some future point in time when it may be worth submitting). However, I'm not that familiar with Half Dimes.

sparky64

<< <i>based upon the lustre in protected areas around the stars, I do not think F12 is appropriate... the strike is weak which is typical for this date. I do think the wear is consistent with a F12 GRADE, BUT THE STRIKE leaves alittle to be desired. For these reasons, it may grade VF25, perhaps even as high as 30 >>


I would agree 100% with coinkat. A.N.A.'s book states that the 'O' mint half dimes of 1840-1857 rarely show a full head an are often weakly struck.
I'm always a sucker for well defined rims too.
I guess I should have just said



edited to say: half dimes

roadrunner

I'm not sure I'd buy the ANA's comment that New Orlean's half dimes from 1838 to 1857 rarely show a full head. This is far more date specific. As a rule I've seen good/full head detail quite often on 1848-0, 1850-0, 1854-0, 1855-0, 1856-0, 1857-0. In fact a good strike is probably the norm for many of these dates. Even the 42-0 comes with full head at times. Let's not condemn the entire series just because 38-0, 40-0, 42-0, 44-0, 49-0, 51-0, 52-0 often come with weaker heads.

But full head or not, New Orleans half dimes are some of the best values out there because they get overlooked vs the low mintage Philly coins and the San Francisco issues.

roadrunner

sparky64

roadrunner, what I quoted does seem like too broad of a brush.
What you state is clearly the difference between looking at a book and actual experience with these, of which I have little.
-Mark

roadrunner

The same type of broad-brushed "analysis" is routinely served up in CoinValue editorials or even Coin World based on 19th century mintages and predicting which coins have the potential to increase in value. It's the simplest analysis possible and of course the most erroneous. Unfortunately it continues the myth that mintages mean everything....and newbies lap it up. Wouldn't ya have thunk that if mintages were the driving force (and were accurate predictors in determining price vs availability) that today the price guides would be accurate and seasoned collectors would hang their hats on them? You wouldn't get coins selling for 2x to 4X CDN if mintage figures were the driving force (ie accurate predictors of survival rates). The 40-0 half dime is a good example of this.

roadrunner