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No motto seated liberty dollar, 1840 to 1865. Is this one of the toughest AU58's to find for the 707

The no motto SLD is one of the last two coins I need to fill my son's 7070 album, (the other is a Lib double eagle that he has get on his own). We have been putting it together for almost a couple of years now and in a way, I hate to see it finished because of the good times we've had finding the right coins to build it with. He loves coins and has a pretty nice collection on top of the 7070 set but this one officially becomes his this Christmas..... His grades have been great, he's played well on the football team and really worked hard, so he's earned it. I'm sure there will be another set in the future but for now we need to add the NM SLD. The last coin will be one that he has to save up for and buy on his own.

In keeping with the rest of the set, we're looking in the AU55 to AU58 range but I have to tell you, that from what i've seen, there is a lot of crap out there. This series seems to me to be one of the most copied, cleaned, dipped and stripped series i've ever seen out there. I've had a dealer at a show tell me that at least 80% of all the NM's out there have been cleaned at one time or another and that he's seen a bunch in slabs that have been cleaned as well. I'm beginning to believe him! The really nice, crusty, AU's are going for big bucks and the the lower grade AU's sometimes look like they are XF45's while some XF35's look like 45.

In short, I'm confused and need the help of some of you more experienced SLD guys out there. Do you think that 80% of the genuine nm's have been messed with? Do you think grades are all over the place in this series? What NM would you like to hold for the long run?

If you were to pick a nice AU, in the $1000. range which would it be?

Let's see your "No Motto" Seated Liberty Dollars.

John

Comments

  • au58au58 Posts: 1,288 ✭✭✭
    Your assessment is pretty close.
    That said, finding a coin to your liking for $1000 really will be a challenge.
    The only dates that you MIGHT be able to find for $1000 are the 42, 43, 47, or 60-O.
  • COALPORTERCOALPORTER Posts: 2,900 ✭✭
    1839-1866 image

    the 66-S is my favorite.


    opps....thought u were taking about seated halfs....been reading the WB book all day . image sorry
  • illini420illini420 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    in trying to get all AU for the 7070 set, I'd think the Classic Head Large Cent is much tougher than the Seated Dollar!!!

    Here's my AU55 Seated Dollar which I got for just over $1000 earlier this year:

    imageimage
  • mirabelamirabela Posts: 5,099 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't think it is necessarily the hardest to find in AU58, but it will cost you. And yes, you will have to dig past a lot of really, truly cruddy coins to find one.

    The 59-O is probably going to be the easiest coin to find, and it still won't be easy. An 1843 or an 1847 might present themselves. Either way, you might be best served going after an attractive, original AU50 as you'll pay much more for the AU58 and not really get very much more for it. In 50, $700 or so will probably get you there, or maybe even a little less -- when you finally find the right coin. Good luck. He sounds like a great kid.
    mirabela
  • <<<in trying to get all AU for the 7070 set, I'd think the Classic Head Large Cent is much tougher than the Seated Dollar!!!

    Here's my AU55 Seated Dollar which I got for just over $1000 earlier this year:>>>


    I totally agree, I had to lower my sights a bit when it came to the classic head large cent (NGC F12), but it fills a space for now. Here is my 1814. Nice looking 1842, congrats.

    image
    image
  • Check out Dick Osburn's website.

    He almost always has an extensive stock
    of just what you are looking for.

    And if he doesn't have it this month,
    he will probably have it next month.

    And he grades fair and accurately too.

    He is on vacation at the moment,
    but his website is up.

    Regards, Steve K.
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,816 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice 58s that are original are not as easy to find as one might think.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • I had a nice AU 1840 NM SLD that I recently traded, which was in my 11 year old son's 7070. I know exactly what you are referring to about the grades given appear to be higher than what I would have given them! Truthfully, I think you are going to find it difficult to find a dealer willing to sell you one in the price range you are looking for. I would suggest posting "Want" ads on websites that collectors frequent. I think you'll have better luck finding a collector willing to sell an AU NM SLD in the price range. I don't think you should be too selective when it comes to the date. As long as it has the eye appeal and quality you are satisfied with, that should be priority.

    I wish I still had mine to sell you rather than using it as trade material. I'll keep my eye out, we are having a coin show in two weeks in my area and I'll check with the old timers and see if they have or know of someone that has a nice AU NM SLD. Are you looking for certified to crack out or is raw ok? Until then Good Luck!
    Nelrak aka Ken
  • Cleaning silver coins that are over a hundred years old is no mystery. Unless stored under optimum conditions for all that time, they tend to turn black, like grandma's silver tea set. Suspect any that look "too" white, because they almost had to be dipped, and avoid those with hairlines that were certainly cleaned, if you don't like cleaned coins.

    The 1853 Coinage Act reduced the weight of silver coinage, but not for the dollar. This left silver dollars struck after 1853 worth more than a dollar, so many were melted, or exported as bullion to be melted. At the time, a dollar was a dollar (even later, a Civil War soldier’s pay was only $13 per month). Thus silver dollars were spent, not saved, except by collectors living in large Eastern cities, who could afford to collect them, and they preferred Proof coins.

    So for an AU, those dated before 1853 might be your best bet, and if you find a nice original, steel yourself to paying "the" price if it's in your budget. Personally, I really like significant dates, like the 1859-S (first and only No Motto SF dollar), the 1846-O (first branch mint dollar) or a Civil War date (1861-1865).
    Good deals with: goldman86 mkman123 Wingsrule wondercoin segoja Tccuga OKCC LindeDad and others.

    my early American coins & currency: -- http://yankeedoodlecoins.com/
  • speetyspeety Posts: 5,424
    The SLD is not necessarily the toughest to find in that grade, but it is one of the more expensive. An 1842, 47, 59-0, or 60-o will be an available coin, albeit it may take a little while to find a 'nice' one. However, outside of these four dates they become pretty tough.

    As for which dates i like in AU-58, the 1841 comes up right away, we actually have a dupe in AU-58. Also, any of the 50's, with the exception of the 59-O, are great coins and semi-undervalued imho. However, they are much more expensive than most of the 40's.

    Lastly, i usually assume about half of the seated dollars have serious problems that would BB them, but most would be much lower than the AU-58 grade. From what i've seen, only about one in four AU seated dollars are accurately graded and have not been cleaned. The TPGs are pretty easy on the coins when it comes to cleaning IMHO.

    Here's a great coin for a dansco, an 1847 AU-58:
    image

    And my favorite AU-58, but too expensive for a Dansco:
    image
    Want to buy an auction catalog for the William Hesslein Sale (December 2, 1926). Thanks to all those who have helped us obtain the others!!!

  • shishshish Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭✭✭
    GFourDriver, if you send me an email at shish@mitre.org I'll send you some pictures.image
    Liberty Seated and Trade Dollar Specialist
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,816 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Speety:

    Terrific examples as usual... the 1847 looks PQ. The 1852 is just rare and your example is attractive.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • image

    Bought 2003, $425 USD in PCGS 55. old cleaned and retoned. Removed and put into type set.

    B747F and A340.


    -Kristjan
    image
  • RYKRYK Posts: 35,799 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Kristjan is quickly becoming one of my favorite US coin collectors on this forum. image
  • Not to hijack the thread, but a related question. On the 1860-O, I vaguely remember reading somewhere that some of this issue were minted somewhat later after the confederacy took control of the New Orleans mint. Is this really true? Any way to tell - die state, etc? It just seems like a great 'story coin' if some really were minted by the confederacy.

    merse

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